Perplexing Pool

Perplexing Pool
Treasures	7
Caves	4
Pikmin available	Yellow
Requirements	Collect the Geographic Projection
Music	Perplexing Pool

The Perplexing Pool is the third area discovered in Pikmin 2, of the four in the game. It is the most aquatic area in Pikmin 2, with multiple lakes spread across its length and two of the caves being submerged, making Blue Pikmin a necessity. The level contains four caves, seven treasures, and a variety of beasts, many of them spending a lot of time in water. The Perplexing Pool is considered a representation of Summer. There are × 560 worth of treasure in the US version and × 450 in the European version.

The area is noted to bear a number of striking resemblances to The Distant Spring in the first game, for which reason it can be confidently considered to be the same area of the Pikmin planet. At one point, Olimar points out how much the area has changed since his last visit.

Additional enemies appear after day 30. These creatures are rather difficult to defeat, making it advisable for inexperienced players to complete the area before that day.

General layout

The Perplexing Pool has a close resemblance to The Distant Spring of the first game, though it does have some changes. There is a big area where there were only small islands and water, there is no water in the middle of the area, the Shower Room is where the Massage Machine was in Pikmin, the Submerged Castle is where the Chronos Reactor was, most of the gates are gone, and there are 3 Burgeoning Spiderworts in the area – two in the middle of the area and one in the water. There are some Yellow Wollywogs and one Toady Bloyster in the water to the south of the landing site.

Yellow Pikmin

A view of where the Yellow Pikmin are located.

In Pikmin 2, Yellow Pikmin are discovered in this area. The player must navigate around the stumps and use the scales to get to higher elevation. Alternately, if they are skilled enough, they can throw their Pikmin onto the ledge near the bridge to the right of the large stumps, then carefully guide them to building the bridge. Any Pikmin that fall in the water can be easily whistled back. The Fiery Blowhog in the way can be bypassed. Then, the player must fight a Fiery Bulblax with Red Pikmin. After killing the Fiery Bulblax, White Pikmin must break down a bramble gate with poison pipes inside. The Yellow Pikmin are on the other side of this gate.

Treasures

Gherkin Gate
Impediment Scourge
Aquatic Mine
Fortified Delicacy
Onion Replica
Optical Illustration (US) / Abstract Masterpiece (Europe)
Massage Girdle

Caves

Enemies

To do: Confirm the following:

How and when the Dwarf Bulbears appear.
Exactly on which day one of the Yellow Wollywog is replaced by Shearwigs.
How many Honeywisps there are.

Care to do so?

Toady Bloyster x 1
Shearwig x 11 (3 of them replace a Yellow Wollywog on day 30)
Skitter Leaf x 5
Wogpole x 5 (disappear after being defeated; near Shower Room entrance)
Withering Blowhog x 1
Fiery Blowhog x 1
Fiery Bulblax x 1 (disappears after being defeated)
Spotty Bulbear x 1 (after day 30)
Dwarf Bulbear x 6 (more appear after day 30)
Yellow Wollywog x 6 (one of which is replaced by a trio of Shearwigs on day 30)
Water Dumple x 7
Swooping Snitchbug x 2
Beady Long Legs x 1 (after day 30, in front of base (note that Pikmin will carry items over the area where it appears))
Ravenous Whiskerpillar x 3
Hermit Crawmad x 2
Honeywisp x 3
Mitite (potentially, from eggs)

Gallery

The Beady Long Legs and Spotty Bulbear near the landing zone.
Part of the western path, with a Burgeoning Spiderwort in the distance.
Two stumps on the western part of the area.
Area where Yellow Pikmin are first found.
Entrance to the Glutton's Kitchen.
The northwestern corner of the area.
The northeastern corner of the area.
The maze at the east, with some Burgeoning Spiderworts.
The area with Toady Bloysters.
The entrance to the Shower Room.
A tube that separates the western and southwestern areas.

Other images

In the Piklopedia, the layout of the Perplexing Pool is slightly different.
A wire-frame version of the Perplexing Pool that can be found in the background of the Piklopedia and Treasure Hoard.
Overview map.
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Wogpoles, Captain Olimar, Louie, and Blue Pikmin in an early version of the Perplexing Pool. The Shower Room can be seen ahead. Also note the Male Sheargrub, which never appears in the final version of the level.
A map of the Perplexing Pool.
The pattern for The Distant Spring laid on a map of the Perplexing Pool.
The texture used for the radar.

Trivia

To do: Get the source for the Perplexing Spring statement.
Care to do so?

The Perplexing Pool was originally going to be called the Perplexing Spring.
While walking through the area, translucent cicada calls can be heard. In the evening, they are replaced with evening cicadas.