Cave unit
Caves in Pikmin 2 are made out of randomly placed units. There are units that represent dead ends, corridors, crossings, and rooms. Every cave's sublevel has a list of units that can be used by the game to create it; the latter is then responsible to randomly align the units in order to create a level with no unconnected exits.
There are three types of units, as defined by the "room type" property, defined in the sublevel unit definition text files:
- Dead ends/alcoves: These close off pathways and exits of rooms. Internally, these are called "caps", and their "room type" is 0.
- Corridors: pathways and corridors that normally don't have any special features; their walls decide the path or paths the player can take. Their "room type" is 2.
- Rooms: decorated and often large rooms, featuring walls and objects organized in a certain fashion. Their "room type" is 1.
In 2-Player Battle, for all caves excluding the Dim Labyrinth, there is a static list of units to use, as well as their position and rotation. Instead of the game generating a cave using the available units, it only has to pick one of the available static layouts.
List of units
The following is a list of all existing units in Pikmin 2, used and unused.
Concrete
cap_conc: Dead end.
item_cap_conc: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_16x17r_conc: Large unit with a circular room, a roughly plus-shaped room and a corridor with a stream of water, connected by pipes. It only appears on the Hidden Garden and sublevel 4 of the Shower Room, being the only unit in both.
room_4x4a_4_conc: Basic 4x4 room.
room_4x4b_4_conc: 4x4 room with a small portion of it closed inward.
room_4x4c_4_conc: 4x4 room with roots.
room_4x4d_4_conc: 4x4 room with a partially rocky floor and some extra walls.
room_4x4e_4_conc: 4x4 room, similar to the first, but with a C-shaped wall in the middle.
room_4x4f_4_conc: 4x4 room with a raised stone platform.
room_4x4g_4_conc: 4x4 room with 2 extra walls, one in the middle.
room_4x4g_water_4_conc: 4x4 room with 2 extra walls, one in the middle, and water. Only used on sublevel 1 of the Submerged Castle.
room_dan4x4h_2_conc: 4x4 room with the southwestern portion rising up.
room_dan4x4i_3_conc: 4x4 room with some rising portions, a stony floor, and a sub-room at the north.
room_DKumo16x10t_conc: Circular room, two roughly square rooms and a smaller circular room, connected by brief corridors. This is where the Beady Long Legs is first fought.
room_hitode3x3m_5_conc: 3x3 room with a wall partially separating the north and south, and a partial and thick central wall on the south.
room_manh7x7p_9_conc: 7x7 circular room in the center, with 8 openings (and 9 exits) scattered around. It's the main room in the Dweevil Nest.
room_manh7x7q_8_conc: 7x7 room similar to the previous one, but the center of the room has a sandpit. Snagrets are commonly fought here.
room_manh_2_conc: Large circular room with a partially stoned floor.
room_north4x4j_1_conc: 4x4 room with some rocky terrain, a wall, and a tube.
room_north4x4k_1_bomb_conc: 4x4 room with a rusty open pipe and a crevice. Unused.
room_north4x4k_1_conc: The same as the previous room, except portion of the tube is underground. Sublevel 2 of the Submerged Castle always ends with this.
room_north4x4l_1_conc: Corridor that leads to a dead end, after a U-turn.
room_Oashi8x9_conc: Large circular room with a partially stoned floor, and light shining from above. It's only used on sublevel 15 of the Hole of Heroes, where the Raging Long Legs is fought.
room_pype10x18s_conc: 10x18 room with a a central room, connected to a small circular room by a small tube, and a huge tube with flowing water spanning all-throughout. It's the main part of sublevel 2 of the Submerged Castle.
room_pype3x4n_2_conc: 3x4 room with a pipe that opens on the top and east, as well as a rusted opening.
room_pype4x4o_3_conc: 4x4 room with a pipe similar to the one in the previous unit, but on the center.
room_spiral_1_conc: A small maze of concrete walls on sand, with the center spiraling. Only used on sublevel 8 of the Dream Den.
way2x2_conc: Straight corridor, 1x2.
way2_conc: Straight corridor.
way3_conc: Three-way crossing.
way4_conc: Four-way crossing.
wayl_conc: Turning corridor.
Garden
cap_kusachi: Dead end.
item_cap_kusachi: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_5x5a_2_kusachi: Room with a splitting path that circle around a central area. One of the paths is a dead end.
room_big2_kusachi: Like the bucket room, except without the bucket, shovel, or sand. Used only on sublevel 1 of the Breeding Ground and sublevel 1 of the Hole of Heroes.
room_big_kusachi: Room with an upside-down bucket on top of sand, and a toy shovel leaning on it.
room_ike_kusachi: Like the large three-way crossing room, but with a pond in the middle; it can be crossed with some small wooden boards placed on top.
room_mid_kusachi: Large three-way crossing.
room_torigoya_kusachi: Small circular rooms with roots, connected by a crossing corridor, and a pathway to an attic with light shining through the window. Exclusive to sublevel 1 of the Snagret Hole.
way2x2_kusachi: Straight corridor, 1x2.
way2_kusachi: Straight corridor.
way3_kusachi: Three-way crossing.
way4_kusachi: Four-way crossing, featuring a twig with a leaf. Unused, as none of the used floor setups allow it to appear.
wayl_kusachi: Turning corridor.
Metal
cap_metal: Dead end.
item_cap_metal: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_ari1_3_metal: Circular room with three rusty overhangs in the middle.
room_cent_4_metal: Room with 4 exits and a bit of purple metal on the center.
room_hitode2x2_4_metal: Room with a very rusted metal board, with two tubes sticking up.
room_hitode2x3_5_metal: Large four-way crossing, in an X shape.
room_hitode3x3_5_metal: Room with a raised platform in the corner, with a blue metal circle, sometimes housing an Armored Cannon Beetle Larva.
room_hitode3x4_4_metal: Room with 4 exits.
room_hitode4x4_3_metal: Circular room with a raised platform in the corner, with dark and blue metal, commonly housing an Armored Cannon Beetle Larva.
room_hitode4x4_6_metal: Room with a permanently-closed small rusty hatch.
room_hitode4x4_7_metal: Room with a large blue metal circle near the center, as well as a smaller one on a raised platform.
room_hitode4x4_tower_3_metal: Like the circular room with a raised platform that normally houses Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae, but with a tower in the center instead. Used only on sublevel 7 of Subterranean Complex and sublevel 1 of the Rusty Gulch.
room_houdai2_1_metal: Room with several walls, and a pond with a white circle in the center. This is one of the Man-at-Legs' arenas.
room_houdai_1_metal: Circular room with a spiderweb-like formation on the ground. This is one of the Man-at-Legs' arenas.
room_mid1_6_metal: Slightly long room with a circle of blue metal on one end and rusty red metal on another.
room_mid2_3_metal: Room with two circles of rusty red metal and three exits.
room_nobo2_4_metal: Huge room mostly comprised of corridors, zigzagging and spiraling up and down.
room_north2x2_1_metal: T-shaped room with only one exit.
room_north_1_metal: Circular room with only one exit.
room_white14x12_metal: Soil room with shine lighting through the ceiling, connected to a metal room and a smalll circular room by corridors. This is where White Pikmin are found, and is only used on sublevel 3 of the White Flower Garden.
way2x2_metal: Straight corridor, 1x2.
way2_metal: Straight corridor.
way3_metal: Three-way crossing.
way4_metal: Four-way crossing.
wayl_metal: Turning corridor.
Snow
cap_snow: Dead end.
item_cap_snow: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_4x4a_4_renga: Simple 4x4 room, with brick walls.
room_4x4d_4_renga: 4x4 brick and snow room with a few extra walls.
room_4x4g_4_renga: 4x4 room with 2 extra walls, one in the middle.
room_block1_3_snow: Room with a rectangular opening on a stone wall.
room_dan4x4h_2_renga: 4x4 room with the southwestern portion rising up.
room_hitode2_5_snow: Room with 5 exits.
room_hitode3x3m_5_renga: 3x3 room with a brick wall partially separating the north and south, and a partial and thick central brick wall on the south.
room_hitode3_4_snow: Room with 4 exits.
room_ike3_2_snow: Room with a ramp leading to the top of a wall that's in the center.
room_mid1_6_snow: Large room with 6 exits.
room_mid2_3_snow: Room that splits into 2.
room_north4_1_snow: Same as the circular room with only one exit, but with 3 pieces of lumber perpendicular to one another, 2 of them slightly burrowed.
room_north_1_snow: Circular room with only one exit.
room_purple14x14_snow: A snowy room and a large circular room, with light shining in, connected by a corridor. This is where Purple Pikmin are first discovered. It's the only unit with a bit of the ceiling modeled.
room_saka1_1_snow: Circular room with a lightly rising curved edge and a tree trunk in the center.
room_saka2_2_snow: Room with a C-shaped raised chunk of wood.
room_uzu1_1_snow: Circular room with a spiral going upwards, with parts of it not covered by snow.
way2x2_snow: Straight corridor, 1x2.
way2_snow: Straight corridor.
way3_snow: Three-way crossing.
way4_snow: Four-way crossing.
wayl_snow: Turning corridor.
Soil
cap_tsuchi: Dead end.
item_cap_tsuchi: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_block1_3_tsuchi: Room with a rectangular opening on a stone wall.
room_boss_1_tsuchi: Room with 2 subrooms, one with white splatters, the other with a discarded Empress Bulblax skin. It's used on sublevel 5 of the Hole of Beasts.
room_cent2_4_tsuchi: Same as the circular room with 4 long exits, except there's a patch of grass in the center, bathed in sunlight.
room_cent3_4_tsuchi: Same as the previous room, but with a large patch of grass and scattered petals in the middle, bathed in sunlight.
room_cent_4_tsuchi: Circular room with 4 evenly spread and long exits.
room_hebi12x12_1_tsuchi: Circular room with a spiral design on the floor, and some corridors attached. Used in sublevel 5 of the White Flower Garden.
room_hitode1_5_tsuchi: Room with 5 exits and two stalagmites.
room_hitode2_5_tsuchi: Room with 5 exits.
room_hitode3_4_tsuchi: Room with 4 exits.
room_hitode4_4_tsuchi: Partially rounded room with 4 exits.
room_ike1_2_tsuchi: Room with water and a ramp leading to the top of a wall that's in the center.
room_ike2_4_tsuchi: Room with a small island in a pool of water.
room_ike3_2_tsuchi: Like the room before the previous one, except with no water on the base of the ramp.
room_ike4_5_tsuchi: Large room with a lot of water and several tree trunks above water. It's the main room in sublevel 6 of the Hole of Heroes.
room_kingchap_a_tsuchi: Two spherical rooms connected by a crossing corridor. Only used on sublevel 7 of the Bulblax Kingdom and sublevel 2 of the Emperor's Realm.
room_kingchap_b_tsuchi: Room with a ledge that can be reached by throwing Pikmin through one side or from a path through the pond. This is where the Forged Courage is found.
room_kingchp_tsuchi: Room with a tree's roots, and several ponds. Emperor Bulblaxes can be found here.
room_mid1_6_tsuchi: Large room with 6 exits.
room_mid2_3_tsuchi: Room that joins two paths into one.
room_north2_1_tsuchi: Corridor with a dead end.
room_north3_1_tsuchi: Corridor with a dead end after a U-turn.
room_north4_1_tsuchi: Like the circular room with 1 exit, but with three connected pieces of lumber perpendicular to one another, partially burrowed.
room_north_1_tsuchi: Circular room with a single exit.
room_queen_b_tsuchi: From the starting point, there's a double-S-shaped corridor. After this is the main room, squareish in shape. Finally, there's a room connected with a corridor afterwards. The Empress Bulblax on the Frontier Cavern is fought here.
room_queen_c_tsuchi: Like the first Empress Bulblax room, but without the small alcoves and without the discarded skin. The creature is fought here on sublevel 11 of the Hole of Heroes and sublevel 4 of the Emperor's Realm.
room_saka1_1_tsuchi: Circular room with a lightly rising curved edge and a tree trunk in the center.
room_saka2_2_tsuchi: Room with a C-shaped raised chunk of wood.
room_uzu1_1_tsuchi: Circular room with a spiral going upwards.
way2x2_tsuchi: Straight corridor, 1x2.
way2_tsuchi: Straight corridor.
way3_tsuchi: Three-way crossing.
way4_tsuchi: Four-way crossing.
way6_tsuchi: Path that splits into 5, with some odd dirt texture on the ground. Unused.
wayl_tsuchi: Turning corridor.
Toybox
cap_toy: Dead end.
item_cap_toy: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_hitode4x7_3_toy: Large three-way crossing with building blocks making up some walls.
room_hitode6x6_3_toy: Room with some walls and a box with some crayons and building blocks. This version is only used on sublevel 1 of the Lost Toy Box.
room_hitode6x7_4_toy: Large four-way crossing.
room_large_7_toy: Room with a toy train track and some houses serving as walls.
room_mid2_8_toy: Same as the room with the xylophone, but without the instrument.
room_mid_8_toy: Room with a xylophone and two playing sticks in the middle.
room_mid_sara2_8_toy: Room with three colored half-discs, leading to sand pits.
room_mid_sara_8_toy: Room with a baby plate in the center.
room_mid_tower2_8_toy: Room with a tower in the middle, and some walls scattered around to provide protection from the Gatling Groinks commonly found atop the tower. Used only on sublevel 1 of Three Color Training.
room_mid_tower_8_toy: Like the previous room, but the base of the tower is less round, and there are extra walls scattered around.
room_opan_toy: Huge room enclosed by walls, with building block scattered about and 3 large plates on top of a picnic cloth. This is where the Giant Breadbug is fought.
room_small2_5_toy: Same as the room with the tambourine, but without the instrument.
room_small_5_toy: Room with a tambourine in the middle.
way2x2_toy: Straight corridor, 1x2. Features a small bump.
way2_toy: Corridor.
way3_toy: Three-way crossing.
way4_toy: Four-way crossing. Features four polls connected by an X-shaped wire. Rare, but can be seen on sublevel 3 of the Glutton's Kitchen.
wayl_toy: Turning corridor.
Tiles
cap_pipe: Dead end.
item_cap_pipe: Dead end (that presumably contains an item).
room_4x4a_4_tile: Simple 4x4 room.
room_4x4d_4_tile: 4x4 room with some extra walls.
room_4x4f_4_tile: 4x4 room with a raised tile platform.
room_bunki7x7_8_tile: A large 7x7 room. It's the main room of the Subterranean Lair and sublevel 7 of the Hole of Heroes.
room_dangomushi_tile: One large square room connected to two smaller subrooms. This is where the Segmented Crawbster is fought.
room_drypool5x5_5_tile: Same as the pool room, but without the water.
room_north2x2_1_tile: T-shaped room with only one exit.
.: Corridor that leads to a dead end, after a U-turn.
room_oootakara_tile: Large square sink, with no drain, and scattered pieces of tiles around. Home of the Titan Dweevil.
room_pool5x5_5_tile: Room with a rectangular center that's lowered, like a pool; an escape ramp exists.
room_tako2x2_8_tile: Room with 4 exits.
room_ud4x4_2_tile: Room with the northern and southern edges lowering a bit.
room_u_jikou1_4x4_2_tile: Room with a large bump of sand and a waterway path, covered by a grill.
room_yukoana1_5x3_2_tile: Corridor with 6 small pipes, 3 on each side.
way2x2_pipe: Straight corridor, 1x2.
way2_pipe: Straight corridor.
way3_pipe: Three-way crossing.
way4_pipe: Four-way crossing.
wayl_pipe: Turning corridor.
Others
Pathways with items
The following units are copies of the regular pathway units, but presumed to have items (normally eggs) in them, judging by the names. All of these are unused.
item_way3_conc: Concrete three-way crossing that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_way3_metal: Metal three-way crossing that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_way3_tsuchi: Soil three-way crossing that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_way4_conc: Concrete four-way crossing that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_way4_metal: Metal four-way crossing that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_way4_tsuchi: Soil four-way crossing that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_wayl_conc: Turning concrete corridor that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_wayl_metal: Turning metal corridor that presumably contains an item. Unused.
item_wayl_tsuchi: Turning soil corridor that presumably contains an item. Unused.
Near duplicates
These units are near duplicates of existing units, differing only on certain internal files. These duplicates could exist for a variety of reasons, but most of the time, it's to change the general layout of an existing unit, for the purposes of the cave or the objects within.
room_5x5a_2_tekiF_kusachi: Near duplicate of room_5x5a_2_kusachi (garden two way split, 2 exits), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on the Sniper Room.
room_big_tekiF_kusachi: Near duplicate of room_big_kusachi (garden room with an upside-down bucket), differing only on grid.bin and layout.txt. Used only on the Sniper Room.
room_block1_3_hiba_tsuchi: Near duplicate of room_block1_3_tsuchi (soil room with a wall with a rectangular hole), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on sublevel 3 of the Hole of Beasts and sublevel 1 of the Emperor's Realm.
room_cent2_4_metal: Near duplicate of room_cent_4_metal (large metal four-way crossing with purple center), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on sublevel 1 of the White Flower Garden and sublevel 12 of the Hole of Heroes.
room_cent_4_mat_tsuchi: Near duplicate of room_cent_4_tsuchi (circular soil room with 4 long exits), differing only on layout.txt. Unused.
room_hitode4x4_tekiF_3_metal: Near duplicate of room_hitode4x4_3_metal (metal room with raised platform with Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on sublevel 3 of the Subterranean Complex and sublevel 1 of the Brawny Abyss.
room_hitode6x6_yakushima_3_toy: Near duplicate of room_hitode6x6_3_toy (toybox room with a box containing crayons and building blocks), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on sublevel 1 of the Glutton's Kitchen.
room_manh7x7p_boss_conc: Near duplicate of room_manh7x7p_9_conc (large circular room with 8 exits), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on the Angle Maze (Raging Long Legs) and sublevel 7 of the Snagret Hole.
room_manh_boss_conc: Near duplicate of room_manh_2_conc (large circular concrete room with a partial stone floor), differing only on layout.txt and route.txt. Used only on sublevel 5 of the Submerged Castle.
room_mid1_6_boss_tsuchi: Near duplicate of room_mid1_6_tsuchi (large soil room with 6 exits), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on sublevel 3 of the Snagret Hole.
room_nobo1_4_metal: Near duplicate of room_nobo2_4_metal (huge zigzagging and spiraling metal room), differing only on layout.txt. Unused.
room_north2x2_1_tekiF_tile: Near duplicate of room_north2x2_1_tile (square tile room with one exit), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on sublevel 1 of The Giant's Bath and sublevel 2 of Hazard Training.
room_north_tutorial_1_snow: Near duplicate of room_north_1_snow, differing only on layout.txt and route.txt. Used only on sublevel 1 of the Emergence Cave.
room_north_1_hiba_tsuchi: Near duplicate of room_north_1_tsuchi (circular soil room with one exit), differing only on layout.txt and route.txt. Used only on sublevel 3 of the Hole of Beasts and sublevel 2 of Emperor's Realm.
room_north_1_mat_tsuchi: Same as the previous one. All three of these units differ in the same files. This one is used in sublevels 1 and 5 of the Cryptic Cavern.
room_Oashi8x9_s_conc: Near duplicate of room_Oashi8x9_conc (large circular room with partial stone floor and light shining in), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on the Cavernous Abyss.
room_tako2x2_8_tekiF_tile: Near duplicate of room_tako2x2_8_tile (square tile room with 4 exits), differing only on layout.txt. Used only on the Bully Den.
2-Player variants
As with the previous section, these units are near duplicates of existing units, but with layout.txt changed to fit the 2-Player Battle arenas.
room_vs_5x5a_2_kusachi: Variant of room_5x5a_2_kusachi (garden room with 2 splitting paths, one with a dead end).
room_vs_big2_kusachi: Variant of room_big2_kusachi (the room similar to the next one, but without the bucket).
room_vs_big_kusachi: Variant of room_big_kusachi (garden room with an upside-down bucket).
room_vs_bunki7x7_8_tile: Variant of room_bunki7x7_8_tile (large square tile room with 5 exits).
room_vs_drypool5x5_5_tile: Variant of room_drypool5x5_5_tile (tile room with a dip with no water).
room_vs_hitode2x3_5_metal: Variant of room_hitode2x3_5_metal (large four-way metal crossing).
room_vs_hitode3x3m_5_conc: Variant of room_hitode3x3m_5_conc (concrete room with 2 walls in the way).
room_vs_hitode4x4_6_metal: Variant of room_hitode4x4_6_metal (room with a rusty closed hatch ).
room_vs_hitode6x7_4_toy: Variant of room_hitode6x7_4_toy (garden room with 4 exits).
room_vs_ike3_2_snow: Variant of room_ike3_2_snow (snow room with a ramp leading to the top of a wall in the middle).
room_vs_mid1_6_tsuchi: Variant of room_mid1_6_tsuchi (soil room with 6 exits).
room_vs_mid_kusachi: Variant of room_mid_kusachi (large three-way garden crossing).
room_vs_mid_sara2_8_toy: Variant of room_mid_sara2_8_toy (garden room with 3 colored half-discs).
room_vs_nobo2_4_metal: Variant of room_nobo2_4_metal (zigzagging and spiraling metal corridors).
room_vs_north2x2_1_tile: Variant of room_north2x2_1_tile (square tile room with one exit).
room_vs_north_1_metal: Variant of room_north_1_metal (large circular metal room with one exit).
room_vs_saka2_2_snow: Variant of room_saka2_2_snow (snow room with a spiraling wooden ledge and alcove).
room_vs_spiral_1_conc: Variant of room_spiral_1_conc (concrete room with spiraling and zigzagging corridors).
room_vs_yukoana1_5x3_2_tile: Variant of room_yukoana1_5x3_2_tile (tile corridor with 6 pipes).