The Exploration Kit is an assortment of twelve devices in Pikmin 2 that aid the player by giving Olimar and his companion new abilities, such as running faster and lighting up the surroundings in caves. They are all obtained as treasures, namely all of the Explorer's Friend Series except The Key, and are made useful by the ship.
Most of the treasures that unlock the items in the kit are held by the bosses of each cave from the first three of the game's areas, with the 3 exceptions being the Brute Knuckles, which is held by a Mamuta in the Frontier Cavern, the Spherical Atlas, which is in a cave with no boss, and the Geographic Projection, which is located above ground in the Awakening Wood. The Frontier Cavern therefore has two upgrading treasures, while the three caves in the Wistful Wild do not contain any.
Contents
- Sphere Chart (Spherical Atlas, found in Emergence Cave): unlocks Awakening Wood.
- Treasure Gauge (Prototype Detector, defeat Empress Bulblax in Hole of Beasts): Lets players know how close they are to treasure
- Napsack (Five-man Napsack, found in White Flower Garden, defeat Burrowing Snagret): sleep with X (in New Play Control!, the button was remapped to C.)
- Survey Chart (Geographic Projection, found in Awakening Wood, must have White Pikmin): unlocks Perplexing Pool.
- Anti-Electrifier (Dream Material, defeat Giant Breadbug in Glutton's Kitchen): makes captains resistant to electricity.
- Scorch Guard (Forged Courage, defeat Emperor Bulblax in Bulblax Kingdom): makes captains resistant to fire.
- Metal Suit Z (Justice Alloy, defeat Pilaeted Snagret in Snagret Hole): decreases damage taken by captains.
- Solar System (Stellar Orb, destroy Man-at-Legs in Subterranean Complex): light up caves.
- Rocket Fist (Brute Knuckles, defeat Mamuta in Frontier Cavern): a third, more powerful punch.
- Rush Boots (Repugnant Appendage, defeat Empress Bulblax with Bulborb Larva in Frontier Cavern): run faster, doesn't get blown by puffy blowhogs.
- Mega Tweeter (Amplified Amplifier, defeat Ranging Bloyster in Shower Room): increases whistle radius.
- Pluckaphone (Professional Noisemaker, defeat Waterwraith in Submerged Castle): whistle planted Pikmin out of the ground.