Clipboard

A clipboard in Pikmin 3.

A clipboard in Pikmin 4.

The clipboard is an obstacle in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4. It functions very differently in each game.

In Pikmin 3, it is a wooden board with a pink handle on it, and it is connected to the terrain by a hinge. It can be lifted by the handle, where it either opens something concealed, or serves as a bridge to cross a gap with. Eight Winged Pikmin are required to lift a clipboard. When they finish lifting it, they will naturally follow a path back to the leader, but if they are whistled before reaching the leader, they will use the regular path-finding algorithm, which could result in them getting stuck behind the newly-lifted clipboard. Hence, it is advised to not whistle the Pikmin after they have finished lifting the board.

In Pikmin 4, clipboards are metal boards which start in an angled position, with either a grey handle or a yellow handle. Pikmin can be thrown up to the handle from below, and once a certain amount are holding it, the clipboard will be pulled down and can be used as a bridge to cross the gap the clipboard was over. Clipboards with grey handles can be reached by all Pikmin types, while clipboards with yellow handles can only be reached by Yellow Pikmin, Winged Pikmin, or Glow Pikmin using a Glowmob. Some clipboards require 10 Pikmin to bring down and some require 20; once this number is reached, the Pikmin will jump off and land close to where they were thrown.

Locations

Pikmin 3

Twilight River

Two clipboards appear on the plateau near the Tremendous Sniffer. Under the northern one are 15 red fragments; under the southern one are 8 Dwarf Orange Bulborbs.

Garden of Hope

A clipboard is located to the southwest of the Blue Onion, where it hides a Velvety Dreamdrop.

Formidable Oak

Near the end of the cave, there is a clipboard that acts as a shortcut to cross a gap.

There are no clipboards in Mission Mode, Bingo Battle, or the Side Stories.

Pikmin 4

Sun-Speckled Terrace

A grey-handled clipboard requiring 10 Pikmin, near the top of the slope where the Lesser Mock Bottom is located, guarded by 3 Female Sheargrubs.
A yellow-handled clipboard requiring 10 Pikmin, near the Meandering Slope base, across the clay bridge and to the right. Pulling it down gives access to the Mysterious Carriage.

Serene Shores

A yellow-handled clipboard requiring 20 Pikmin, opening access to the Pearly Clamclamp holding the Sagittarius in Olimar's Shipwreck Tale.

Drafty Gallery

A grey-handled clipboard on Sublevel 3 requiring 20 Pikmin, leading up to the Middle-Management Tank Car

Kingdom of Beasts

A grey-handled clipboard on Sublevel 4 requiring 20 Pikmin opening access to the other side of the water and a Whiptongue Bulborb.

Below-Grade Discotheque

A yellow-handled clipboard on Sublevel 4 requiring 10 Pikmin, on a high ledge that only Oatchi can reach, leading to a button.

Seafloor Resort

A grey-handled clipboard on Sublevel 3 requiring 10 Pikmin, leading to the shallow pool with a [Peckish Aristocrab]] and an Aristocrab Offspring.

Dream Home

A yellow-handled clipboard requiring 20 Pikmin, on a high ledge only Oatchi can reach, leading to a Miniature Snootwhacker, allowing Oatchi to get to the top of a climbing wall that he normally couldn't reach.

Ultimate Testing Range

A grey-handled clipboard on Sublevel 1 requiring 20 Pikmin, leading to a Venom Dweevil carrying the Sphere of Trust.

Cavern for a King

A grey-handled clipboard on Sublevel 4 requiring 20 Pikmin, leading to a numbered gate blocking the exit of the sublevel. It can be used to evade the Arctic Cannon Beetle's snowballs.
A grey-handled clipboard on Sublevel 6 requiring 20, opening access to a hydro jelly and a floating platform.