Pikmin 3
Pikmin 4

Joustmite

Revision as of 17:53, August 10, 2023 by Lelebys (talk | contribs) (I changed the "and appear in Pikmin 3", because it appears in Pikmin 4 too)
Joustmite Icon used to represent the enemy on the wiki.
File:P4 Joustmite.png
Appears in Pikmin 3Pikmin 4
Scientific name Trilobitins reversa
Family Burrow-nit
Areas Distant Tundra, Blossoming Arcadia
Caves Drafty Gallery, Engulfed Castle
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages Thirsty Desert
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages Distant Tundra Remix
Side Story days Tundra, First Part Found
Dandori Challenge stages None
Dandori Battle stages None
Bingo Battle stages None
Attacks Stab and eat Pikmin

Joustmites (カブリムシ?, lit.: "Headgear-Wearing Insect") are enemies in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4. They behave similarly to the Cloaking Burrow-nit, and are closely related to them. They can be seen as an opposite of the Burrow-nit however, as Joustmites shields the front of their body, requiring the Pikmin to attack from behind. Flying variants, known as Flighty Joustmites, also appear in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4.

Stats

Game Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health
  (?) 7 14 (normally) 6   × 30
  × 30
450
  7 14 6   × 5 450

Notes

Alph's comments

Structural flaw: hindquarters
Weight: 7

That shell is as hard as they come, so a frontal charge is no good. (You're liable to get skewered on its needle, anyway.) Try throwing Pikmin so they land on its soft, unprotected hind parts instead. Talk about a design oversight!

Brittany's comments

Ever seen a huge face buried in the ground? I have now. At first, I wondered where the rest of it might be. Would we find a buried fist? A buried knee? A buried belly button? Is it good or bad that we never will?

Charlie's comments

  US version
This greenish-blue soldier came prepared with a solid offense and defense. There's not so much plating in the rear, but that doesn't matter if you never plan to show the enemy your back. I salute its courage.
  European version
This greenish-blue beastie came prepared with a solid offence and defence. There's not so much plating at the back, but that doesn't matter if you never plan to show the enemy your back. I salute its courage.

Louie's comments

  US version
To create an elegant canapé with explosive flavor, remove shell and sear meat on both sides. Top with a dab of pesto.
  European version
To create an elegant canapé with explosive flavour, remove shell and sear meat on both sides. Top with a dab of pesto.

Olimar's comments

Joustmite
Trilobitins reversa
Burrow-nit family

Others within this family wear their shells on their bellies, but this one's shell functions more like a helmet. Its wings have atrophied into uselessness, so instead it burrows beneath the ground and pops out only to pierce prey with its needlelike proboscis and drain their bodily fluids. Larval joustmites remain underground for years, or even decades in some cases.

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide

The Joustmite spends most of its time partially buried with its colorful shell protruding from the ground. When it senses nearby prey, this well-armored creature emerges and uses its retractable beak to skewer nearby victims.

Rock Pikmin cannot be damaged by the Joustmite's attacks, making them a very good option when facing this enemy. When you're leading a large squad, however, any combination of Pikmin can make short work of this enemy. Approach the Joustmite from the rear and attack the creature's fleshy body until you defeat it.

Behavior

File:Joustmite stab.png
A Joustmite stabbing three unfortunate Pikmin.

Just like the Cloaking Burrow-nit, the Joustmite hides partially buried in the ground, waiting for unsuspecting prey. Once a group of Pikmin enters the attack range of the enemy, it pops out from under the ground and proceeds to attack the player's Pikmin by attempting to use its long, needle-like proboscis to spear them. If any Pikmin are caught in this attack, they will be held in the air for a brief moment before being eaten. Unlike the Burrow-nit, the Joustmite can capture up to 3 Pikmin with this attack.

It should be noted that Rock Pikmin are immune to its stabbing attacks. The Joustmite can also shake off Pikmin, which also shakes its loose carapace. The enemy is rather slow-moving, making it easy to walk around and attack from behind.

Strategy

 
An almost defeated Joustmite being scanned.

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

As mentioned before, the Joustmite protects the front of its body, making it completely immune to frontal assaults. The most effective strategy is to approach it from behind without waking it up, and proceeding to swarm the creature. If the Joustmite is awake, you can still try to run behind it and proceed to throw Pikmin, or you can run away, and the Joustmite will go back underground. Rock Pikmin are immune to its attacks, making throwing them at the Joustmite's rear another effective strategy. The enemy eats Pikmin at a rather fast rate, so be aware.

Technical information

Pikmin 3 technical information (?)
Internal name kaburi
HP 450
Rock Pikmin throw hits to kill 10
White Pikmin ingestions to kill 3
Bomb rock explosions to kill 1
Bomb rock ingestions to kill 0
Number of direct hits on top to kill 0
Damage to leaders 10
Territory radius 200
Mission Mode value 30

Naming

See more: Burrow-nit family#Naming.
  • Common name: Joustmite. It is a combination of two words. "Joust" (or "jousting") is a medieval sport where two opponents riding on horses try to knock the other one off with a sharp lance, and refers to the Joustmite's sharp proboscis. The shell also greatly resembles a medieval knight's helmet. A "mite" is an insect.
  • Japanese nickname: カブリムシ?, lit.: "Headgear-Wearing Insect". カブリ? refers to the act of covering one's head, especially with protective equipment, referring to its helmet-like carapace.
  • Japanese name: サカサアカメバオリ?, lit.: "Inverted Red Eye Haori".
  • Scientific name: Trilobitins reversa. Reversa is similar to "reverse". This could be in reference to how players attack the creature (from the back, rather than the front) or even its reversed weak-point positioning compared to the Cloaking Burrow-nit.
  • Internal names: Its internal name consists of only the first word of its Japanese nickname, kaburi (head).
  • Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
  Japanese カブリムシ?
Kaburi Mushi
Headgear-Wearing Insect
  Chinese
(traditional)
披甲蟲
  French Cachepique The name is a portmanteau of "cache" (hide) and "pique" (pike)
  German Gepanzerter Grabwicht Armored Burrow midget
  Italian Dorifora d'assalto Assault Burrow-nit
  Korean 덮구벌레
  Portuguese (NoA) Soldadinho Small soldier The name is a portmanteau of "soldado" (soldier) and "-inho", which is a diminutive suffix
  Spanish (NoA) Liendre astada Horned nit

Gallery

Pikmin 3

Pikmin 4

Trivia

  • Unlike the Cloaking Burrow-nit, the Joustmite's death and shaking animations show that its shell is unattached to its body, making it more of a helmet than an actual shell.

See also