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Pikmin 4

Cavern for a King

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Cavern for a King
Overworld entrance for the cave.
Overworld entrance to the cave
Location Primordial Thicket
Sublevels 20
Rescues 1
Treasures 48
Suggested Pikmin Blue Pikmin, Purple Pikmin, White Pikmin

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 4.

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

The Cavern for a King is a cave in the Primordial Thicket in Pikmin 4. It is considered the game's final cave, as it is the game's longest by far with a staggering twenty sublevels, and contains the final boss. It also contains encounters with many other bosses, with one even being exclusive to the cave, the Toxstool.

Warning: the following text contains major spoilers about the final boss and ending of Pikmin 4.

The final sublevel contains Louie riding atop the Ancient Sirehound. As there is no exit, defeating the boss and rescuing Louie will immediately have the player leave the cave. After which, the player will be given the option to finish the current day in the Primordial Thicket or end the day. Doing either will start the game's ending cutscene.

How to reach

Before the cave can be accessed at all, the player must first complete Final Battle.

The cave is guarded by Bogswallows and has mud areas where Oatchi and your Pikmin can drown, which would be detrimental for your army. There is a barely-visible walkable pathway through the mud, or 30 Ice Pikmin or an ice blast can be used to freeze the entire pool along with the Bogswallows inside.

Notes

Louie's Voyage Log

“Finally tamed that huge dog thing. I'm gonna lie low for a while in its den. It's really deep, and there are plenty of snacks. The others will give up and go home.”

Sublevel 1

Bringing the bodies of the Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs and Moldy Slooches back to the S.S. Beagle, or shattering them with Ice Pikmin or an ice blast, will prevent the Toxstool from resurrecting them. From there, a focused attack from White Pikmin should be able to dispatch it.

Sublevel 2

The Jumbo Bulborb hides in a bush, so be wary of it when fighting the Dwarf Bulborbs and the Bulborb.

Sublevel 3

It is recommended to try and bait out and defeat each Burrowing Snagret individually. Prepare to rush each Snagret's head just as it pops out of the ground, which can deal with a Snagret in just a handful of attack cycles.

Sublevel 4

The Arctic Cannon Beetle is placed such that the player will have to constantly dodge its snowballs just to reach it. When they do get close enough to attack, the cramped space it resides in (exacerbated further by the presence of sticky mold) puts Pikmin at significant risk of being eaten if they are not whistled away as soon as it begins to inhale. Using Oatchi is recommended to keep the squad together when dodging snowballs. Leading the Dwarf Orange Bulborbs into snowballs is an effective strategy, as they will die as soon as the snowball breaks.

Sublevel 5

While it is theoretically possible to kill each Emperor Bulblax individually, in practice the roar of one Bulblax will wake up the other two, and on this floor, it will roar as soon as possible. Despite this, the player should try to fight them one at a time rather than spread their Pikmin thin trying to fight them all at once. Using bomb rocks and ultra-spicy spray to dispatch one of the Bulblaxes quickly is a good tactic to avoid one waking the others.

Sublevel 6

A cutscene plays with Louie lounging around before escaping further into the cavern. After that the player has the option to delve deeper or to leave the area, as an air vent is nearby.

Sublevel 7

Sublevel 8

Sublevel 9

The main battleground is submerged in water, so bringing a sizable amount of Blue Pikmin is heavily recommended for this fight. Don't break any of the clay jars as they can be used as temporary defense against the Man-at-Legs. If Oatchi has upgraded his Doggy-Paddle ability, he can comfortably avoid shots from the Man-At-Legs by simply swimming around at the edge of the arena. Otherwise, the starting area of this sublevel provides more than enough cover from fire.

Sublevel 10

The Smoky Progg is significantly easier than how it was in Pikmin, but can still cause mass Pikmin casualties if the player is unprepared. A good strategy is to use Oatchi's rush skill to send all of your Pikmin onto it, defeating it quickly. Just be sure to jump to avoid the shockwaves produced by its projectiles, and whistle after it shakes off your Pikmin to ensure they don't panic directly into the path of its gloom or into the swamp surrounding its arena.

Sublevel 11

To do: Document treasures on this sublevel.
Care to do so?

Louie appears once again on this sublevel, only to run off. It's a good idea to lure the Bloomcap Bloysters out of any water in the cave, so you can deal with them with a whole squad.

Sublevel 12

A rest sublevel reminiscent of the 4th sublevel of the Shower Room from Pikmin 2. There is an air vent to escape to the surface here, if the player is running low on Pikmin.

Sublevel 13

To do: Document treasures on this sublevel. There is one of the Memory Fragments, but which one in particular must be identified.
Care to do so?

This room is very cramped, so it is recommended to use Oatchi or a small group of White Pikmin to clear the sticky mold before engaging with the boss. Try to lead the Gildemander away from the walls, as gold that is knocked off its back may land in a spot where it is hard to destroy.

Sublevel 14

To do: Document treasure on this sublevel.
Care to do so?

Take down the Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae before dealing with the main boss of this sublevel. Be wary of their unusual boulder paths, which curve around the arena. A fairly useful strategy is to position yourself behind an Armored Cannon Larva so that the Horned Cannon Beetle's boulder rolls towards it and kills it in one hit.

Sublevel 15

To do: Document treasure on this sublevel. It is a member of the Modern Amenities Series.
Care to do so?

Louie shows up before running off yet again in this sublevel. A Baldy Long Legs stomps between a water-filled pit and a mud patch, both of which are surrounded by blocks, so Blue Pikmin are recommended. Additionally, using ten Ice Pikmin to freeze the water (or the mud) will also freeze the boss, which can be used to the player's advantage.

Sublevel 16

Two Waterwraiths spawn almost immediately after entering this sublevel. However, they do not pose much threat if the player brought Purple Pikmin. If they did not, there is a Violet Candypop Bud available to create some. One of the Waterwraiths holds the Connection Detector. It is required to defeat both to unlock the path to the next sublevel.

Sublevel 17

The Empress Bulblax on this sublevel occupies a small chamber which, unlike any other encounter with it, means that there is no single place to stand to avoid its rolling attack. Instead, there are two geysers which shoot you to the opposite sides of the arena and a small passage in the back. The intended method is to use these to jump over the top of the boss or to slip behind it before making your way back to the arena, but it is far easier to use six or so bomb rocks and finish the job before it can even attack. Don't rush with Oatchi as that triggers its roll attack immediately.

Sublevel 18

The Sovereign Bulblax's arena is unique in that it can be changed during the fight. The boss's jump attack can deform the landscape, which can create small pools of water. For this reason, using bomb rocks and ultra-spicy spray to defeat the Bulblax before it can make the arena too hard to navigate is a good strategy. Note that the Don't-See-It Specs and the Sovereign Bulblax's corpse will need to be carried over or through the small ring of water surrounding the main arena, so use Blue Pikmin or an ice blast (it takes a very large amount of Ice Pikmin to freeze the water here), or upgrade Oatchi's super buff to allow him to carry through water.

Sublevel 19

The penultimate sublevel of this cave is a very forgiving one, with no hostile enemies. A shallow body of water contains a few of the treasures, so use Blue Pikmin to retrieve them. It is also recommended to utilize the Candypop Buds to create some more Pikmin types, as they will be very useful in the upcoming sublevel. There is an air vent present to escape, and the final sublevel entrance is buried under a pile of sand near the broken green bucket.

Sublevel 20

This sublevel contains a landing area for the S.S. Beagle, and a large arena where Louie and the Ancient Sirehound are found. It drops the Gift of Friendship. The player does not need to actually transport the Gift of Friendship or Louie, as it happens during a cutscene immediately after defeating the Ancient Sirehound. Additionally, on the first visit, this final sublevel contains no air vent, as the player, Oatchi, and their Pikmin will use the S.S. Beagle to fly out of the cave instead. On return visits, an air vent will appear next to the base.

Gallery

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Trivia

  • It's possible that the name of this cave is based on Louie's name as a treasure in Pikmin 2: King of Bugs.
  • This is the longest cave in any Pikmin game, beating the Hole of Heroes by 5.
  • The Candypop Buds on sublevel 19 will change color depending on what types of Pikmin are in your group, making it impossible to command all 9 types at once by using the Candypop Buds.
  • The outside of the arena on sublevel 20 is littered with various objects from various areas of the game. These include:
    • Plant pots.
    • Wellington boots.
    • Bricks.
    • Empty metal cans.
    • A yellow fork.
    • Cardboard takeaway containers.
    • Pillows.
    • A paper cup.
    • Various shoes.
    • Toy trains.
    • A yellow plastic bucket.
    • A toy digger.

Names in other languages

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 4.
Particularly: Fill in the names in other languages, for the main languages at least.

Language Name Meaning
  Dutch Koningsgrot king's cave
  French Caverne du roi Cavern of the king
  Spanish Caverna del Rey Cavern of the King

See also

Caves in Pikmin 4
Rescue Command Post Burrow of Beginnings
Sun-Speckled Terrace Last-Frost Cavern • Crackling Cauldron • Aquiferous Summit • Industrial Maze • Hectic Hollows
Blossoming Arcadia Drafty Gallery • Secluded Courtyard • Sightless Passage • Kingdom of Beasts
Serene Shores Seafloor Resort • Subzero Sauna • Below-Grade Discotheque • Engulfed Castle
Hero's Hideaway Doppelgänger's Den • Frozen Inferno • Plunder Palace
Giant's Hearth Ultimate Testing Range • Dream Home • Cradle of the Beast
Primordial Thicket The Mud Pit • Subterranean Swarm • Cavern for a King
Dandori Challenges Dandori Day Care • Hotshock Canyon • Rockaway Cellars • Test Tubs • Ice-Cross Course • Hefty Haulway • Aerial Incinerator • Strategic Freezeway • Planning Pools • Toggle Training • Cliff-Hanger's Hold • Oasis of Order • Trial of the Sage Leaf
Dandori Battles Trial Run • Battle in a Box • Dandori Castle • Leafy Showdown • Hot Sandy Duel • Final Battle

Navigation

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