Scientific name: Pikminicus puniceus
Biological Characteristics
Purple Pikmin are found in Pikmin 2 and and are first found in the Emergence Cave. They are specifically required to obtain three treasures, two of which are needed to obtain new areas. Purple Pikmin are not found in Pikmin 2: It can be assumed they haven't evolved yet. Purples are much heavier than their cousins but, much like an ant, can carry several times their own weight. They can carry ten times the weight other Pikmin can. They weigh ten times as much as any other Pikmin. They're also the only known race to actually have hair. Their weight, however, slows them down when they move or carry items: with flowers, Purples can run half as fast as others, and one-fifth as fast as Whites, and move even slower when carrying items.
They are notorious for their effectiveness on the battleground, as when thrown, they will land with a resounding thump, stunning and seriously injuring larger beasts, and fatally injuring smaller, more fragile creatures, such as Shearwigs and Dwarf Bulborbs. Bosses are harder to stun, and require several direct hits to do so. In fights, Purple Pikmin are the strongest, though it can be argued that Reds are stronger as their attacks grow exponentially.
Criticisms
Despite their fame, Purple Pikmin have been heavily critisized for their slowness, and their tendency to become stuck in corners. This forces the player to backtrack and find them, and it can be even harder during sundown. They've also been critisized for their low arc when thrown: when a Pikmin is thrown, they fly up in an arc and land back down on either an creature or the ground. When Purples are thrown, their arcs are very low, and even worse so is that they stop halfway to preform a groundpound. Regardless, Purples are considered by many fans to be a very welcome addition to the Pikmin family.