Blowhog family
The blowhog family is a family of plump, pig-like creatures seen throughout the Pikmin games. They can be seen on land or in the air. All Blowhogs have a long snout that can blast fire, wind, water or ice, depending on the species. Blowhogs can maneuver on land or in the air, land blowhogs resembling that of plump, snorting mammals and aerial blowhogs resembling that of blowfish.
All members of the family from the canon games are in the Sus genus. However, a member simply called a Blowhog from Pikmin Adventure has an unknown genus.
Members
Blizzarding Blowhog
- Main article: Blizzarding Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus nivisventis (hypertrophic)
The Blizzarding Blowhog is a Snowy Blowhog that has suffered a similar hormonal imbalance to the Titan Blowhog, resulting in its growth to gargantuan size. It attacks significantly faster than normal, and has increased health. One can be found in the Cavern for a King, along side a Titan Blowhog as a boss, as well as The Mud Pit.
Fiery Blowhog
- Main article: Fiery Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus draconus
The Fiery Blowhog is a cousin of the Watery Blowhog which has a red snout and spits fire. Fiery Blowhogs are common enemies in Pikmin 2, but are only found in The Forest Navel in Pikmin. When agitated, Fiery Blowhogs will buck, sending any attacking Pikmin flying. These beasts are also often found near water, a serious hazard to any Pikmin knocked into it. In Pikmin, it is very difficult to save the Pikmin from fire, so Red Pikmin are recommended. Blowing the whistle in the area the fire is spewed can also cancel out the attack and save the Pikmin caught in the flames instantly. If you can throw very fast, purples will work due to the fact that they stun upon impact.
In Hey! Pikmin, a large Fiery Blowhog appears as the boss of Sweltering Parchlands.
Fiery Blowlet
- Main article: Fiery Blowlet.
Scientific name: Sus draconus infanta
The Fiery Blowlet is an enemy encountered in Hey! Pikmin. It resembles the Fiery Blowhog, but much smaller. They either blow constant streams of fire, or shoot smaller fireballs to attack. Like the Fiery Blowhog, it can buck Pikmin off of its back.
Icy Blowhog
- Main article: Icy Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus aerfrigadae
The Icy Blowhog is an enemy in Pikmin 4. It has the same body shape as a Puffy Blowhog, with dark blue skin in the back that fades to white in the front, and has yellow eyes, similar to that of the Snowy Blowhog. It blows icy air that leaves patches of ice on the ground, which can freeze Pikmin that touch them.
Puffy Blowhog
- Main article: Puffy Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus inflata
The Puffy Blowhog is an enemy in all four Pikmin games. It is more recognized over the three airborne Blowhogs. It resembles the Withering Blowhog, but is larger, with purple/light blue stripes, and spines on its back. Also if looked at closely has a row of black spots on its side that look like windows, making it somewhat resemble a dirigible. Its breath is stronger than that of the Withering Blowhog, having a larger effected area and sending Pikmin flying. The strategy to take down this beast is simple: quickly toss Pikmin onto it while in the air (one Purple Pikmin will also work) to weigh it down and ground it, then swarm it or pound it with purples. This species, though more easily recognized, does not appear as often as the Withering Blowhog in Pikmin 2.
Snowy Blowhog
- Main article: Snowy Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus nivisventis
The Snowy Blowhog is another cousin of the Fiery Blowhog and Watery Blowhog, with a light blue hue. First appearing Pikmin 4, it attacks with icy air that freezes Pikmin, and bucks when taking damage. The best Pikmin to fight them are Ice Pikmin, however, as ice is their only attack, and isn't fatal, any other Pikmin can take them down without the fear of perishing.
Titan Blowhog
- Main article: Titan Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus draconus (hypertrophic)
The Titan Blowhog is an enemy in Pikmin 4. It is a normal Blowhog that has experienced a hormone abnormality resulting in its massive size. These Blowhogs can fire faster than normal Blowhogs and can blow Pikmin away. It has more health than normal and is therefore harder to defeat. One can be found in the Cavern for a King as a boss, as well as in the Sun-Speckled Terrace in Olimar's Shipwreck Tale.
Watery Blowhog
- Main article: Watery Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus loogiens
Watery Blowhogs look similar to Fiery Blowhogs, except that their snouts are tipped with blue instead of red. They also buck any attacking Pikmin off. Instead of fire, they spit out water that gets stuck on the Pikmins' heads (excluding Blue Pikmin, Bulbmin and Glow Pikmin). That being said, the best Pikmin to use against them would be Blues. Purple Pikmin can also work extremely well when thrown, as they have a chance of stunning the Blowhog, preventing it from attacking. Blowing the whistle in the area the water is spewed can also cancel out the attack and save the Pikmin caught in the spray instantly.
Withering Blowhog
- Main article: Withering Blowhog.
Scientific name: Sus decrepitia
The Withering Blowhog is an enemy in Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4. It is a smaller variation of the Puffy Blowhog, and it is orangish-red with a white underside. When Pikmin are nearby, the Withering Blowhog will move into position and attack by blowing a large gust of air. Unlike the Puffy Blowhog, the Withering Blowhog does not merely blow Pikmin around, but also deflowers them in the process, making this enemy a big pain. This could be deadly in some areas, such as near any type of hazard. To attack it, the Pikmin must be thrown onto it (it doesn't matter where), or at least one Purple Pikmin. The Blowhog will be grounded for a few seconds, utterly helpless, and it doesn't have very much health, less than its large cousin.
In Pikmin Adventure
Blowhog
- Main article: Pikmin Adventure enemies.
Official family unknown
The Blowhog is a rare enemy in Pikmin Adventure. It hovers in the air with its propeller and attacks by swapping its mouth for a spike, and then charging towards the player. Its whole body is its weak point, similar to beebs. It is based on the Puffy Blowhog.
Telescoping Pumphog
- Main article: Telescoping Pumphog.
Official family unknown
Telescoping Pumphogs are enemies that appear after the player defeats the Bulblord Pikmin Adventure. Some are completely stationary and are difficult to kill when they charge up for an attack. Others delve underground and pop back up to shoot projectiles.
Naming
The family's name is a combination of "blow", given the enemies' abilities to blow from their snouts, and hogs. True to the name, the grounded enemies in this family oink like real-life pigs. Some of the creatures' Japanese names use the word ドックリ?, because of how their snouts and bodies resemble a Tokkuri bottle, which is what is used to serve sake with. The genus name for members of this family is Sus, which is Latin for "pig".
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
ブタドックリ科? Buta Dokkuri Ka |
Pig tokkuri family | "Pig tokkuri" is the Japanese name for Fire Blowhog |
 Chinese(traditional) |
猪德古利科 | ||
 French |
souffleurs | blowers | Interestingly, the meaning in French seems to refer to their ability as expelling, not blowing, which would make more sense as their latin name implies that they inflate themselves, like balloons. They then deflate themselves when attacking, which is closer to its definition. |
 German |
Rüsseltiere | trunk animals | 'Rüsseltier' is the taxonomic order of elephants |
 Italian |
Cafoceri | ||
 Korean |
돼지호롱 과 | ||
 Portuguese |
Expulsuídeos | Expeluidae | The name is a portmanteau of "expulsar" (to expel) and "suídeos" (suidae) The suffix "-ídeos" (-idae) is used for naming animal family names |
 Spanish |
Verracos | Pigs |
