Rest sublevel, also referred to as rest stop or rest level, is a general term used to describe sublevels in caves in Pikmin 2 that contain no or very few harmful enemies, other hazards, and large amounts of helpful items such as nectar, Ultra-bitter- or Ultra-spicy Spray, or Candypop Buds. A somewhat common exception to the "harmless enemy only" rule is Doodlebugs, two Caustic Dweevils in one case, and Bulbmin found in another.
If you find a Candypop Bud and have the need to have a full group of flower Pikmin, it's not unusual for some to throw their soldiers into the flower and wait for them to bloom. This works easily with any flower in any sublevel, but doing so above ground tends to be a huge waste of time.
A fair proportion of rest levels contain geysers, and they are most commonly found in long and difficult caves, often before or after sublevels containing boss enemies. Such levels usually contain large amounts of flora, Unmarked Spectralid swarms, Mitites, pipes which act as tunnels, and water low enough for any Pikmin to safely walk through.
Locations
Valley of Repose
Subterranean Complex
The Subterranean Complex has 2 rest sublevels:
Sublevel 4
Enemies
- ?x Mitites
Candypops and eggs
- 3x Ivory Candypop Bud
- ?x Egg
Other
- Geyser
Sublevel 8
Candypops and eggs
- 3x Violet Candypop Bud
- 2x Queen Candypop Bud
Other
- Geyser
Frontier Cavern
The Frontier Cavern has one rest sublevel:
Sublevel 5
Enemies
- 4x Mamuta
- 16x? Unmarked Spectralids
- 2x Caustic Dweevil
Candypops and eggs
- 1x Ivory Candypop Bud
- 1x Lapis Lazuli Candypop Bud
- 1x Violet Candypop Bud
- 1x Egg
Other
- Geyser
Treasure
Awakening Wood
Hole of Beasts
The Hole of Beasts has one rest sublevel:
Sublevel 2
Candypops and eggs
- 2x Violet Candypop Bud (They don't appear if the player has twenty or more Purple Pikmin)
- 2x Egg
White Flower Garden
The White Flower Garden has one rest sublevel:
Sublevel 3
Treasures
- Superstick Textile
Candypops and eggs
- 3x Ivory Candypop Bud (They don't appear if the player have twenty or more White Pikmin)
- 2x Honeywisp
Perplexing Pool
Shower Room
The Shower Room has one rest sublevel:
Sublevel 4
Treasures
Enemies
- 16x? Unmarked Spectralids
Candypops and eggs
- 2?x Queen Candypop Bud
Other
- Geyser
Wistful Wild
Cavern of Chaos
The Cavern of Chaos has only one rest sublevel:
Sublevel 5
Enemies
Candypops and eggs
- 1x Ivory Candypop Bud
- 1x Violet Candypop Bud
- 1x Queen Candypop Bud
- 2x Egg
Other
- Geyser
Hole of Heroes
The Hole of Heroes has three rest sublevels:
Sublevel 5
Enemies
- 2x Iridescent Glint Beetle
- ?x Mamuta
- ?x Honeywisp
- ?x Unmarked Spectralids
Candypops and eggs
- ?x Egg
Other
- Geyser
Sublevel 8
Enemies
Candypops and eggs
- ?x Candypop Bud
Sublevel 12
Treasures
Enemies
Candypops and eggs
- ?x Queen Canadypop Bud
Other
- Geyser
Dream Den
The Dream Den has only one rest sublevel:
Sublevel 9
Enemies
Other
- Geyser
Trivia
- There is a total of eleven rest sublevels in the game, distributed in eight caves, making up 10.47% of all sublevels in the game.
- The only cave with three rest sublevels is the Hole of Heroes and the only one with two is the Subterranean Complex. Most other caves contain only one.
- A few caves, most notably the early ones, don't have any rest level. The caves that don't are Emergence Cave, Citadel of Spiders, Bulblax Kingdom, Snagret Hole, Glutton's Kitchen, and Submerged Castle.
- The only caves in the game with rest sublevels that contain treasure, is the third sublevel of White Flower Garden, the twelfth sublevel of Hole of Heroes, the fifth of Frontier Cavern, and the fourth sublevel of Shower Room. When the Pikmin carry a treasure, the rest level's theme seems somewhat upgraded. You only hear this four times in the game.
- The fifth floor of the Frontier Cavern is the only rest floor to contain an explorers kit treasure, the Brute Knuckles.
- The music played in all of the rest levels is unique and more restful-sounding and does not play in any other type of sublevel.