Pikmin 2
Pikmin 3
Pikmin 4
Hey! Pikmin

User:Twins1105/Electrode Merge

The electrode is a type of obstacle and tool that appears in Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3, Pikmin 4 and Hey! Pikmin. The general concept of the electrode is that it is an object or pair of objects that conducts electricity.

In Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4, the electrode is a hazard that functions in a similar manner to the fire geyser, occasionally discharging electricity meant to harm Pikmin. They are meant to be destroyed in order for other Pikmin types to navigate caves without risk. In Pikmin 3, the electrode is used as a took where leaders are meant to throw Yellow Pikmin at one of two exposed wires. The first Pikmin thrown will grab one of the ends and stretch its other arm out. Any Pikmin that are thrown next will either join hands with the Pikmin next to them, or grab the other end of the electrode, and once the final Pikmin is added, it will close the gap and jump-start the electrical current, starting the circuit and turning on the light bulb in the process. At this point, the Pikmin no longer need to feed the circuit with their bodies, as the gap between the two ends gets filled with an arc of electricity flowing through the air. This arc is an electrical hazard, though it causes no damage to leaders or Pikmin, besides knocking them back. The wire ends prior to the connection do not cause any sort of damage. The Pikmin that jump-started the circuit will also be flowered up when the current passes through them. In Hey! Pikmin, the light bulb rose functions very similarly to the electrode in Pikmin 3.

Electrical wire in Pikmin 2.
An active pair of electrodes in Pikmin 2.

In Pikmin 2, the electrode is used as an electrical hazard, with a pair of two nodes protruding from the ground with wires sticking out of them. At regular intervals it will start to spark before an arc of electricity is discharged between the two nodes. After a short amount of time passes, the discharge will stop, before repeating the process. It is possible to damage it using any Pikmin type when it is not actively discharging electricity, but only Yellow Pikmin, Bulbmin, and leaders can damage it once it is active.

An active electrode.
A completed electrode in Pikmin 3.

In Pikmin 3, the electrode is used as a tool to light up the area area around it, which can, in turn, cause a number of things to happen: light activates the Yellow Onion, makes Bloominous Stemples bloom, and temporarily stuns the Vehemoth Phosbat. The electrode often takes the form of a simple electric circuit, consisting of a battery and a light bulb, connected by two pieces of wire. One of the wires is cut, leaving a gap in the circuit. In the Vehemoth Phosbat's arena, a large battery connected to a light bulb can also be found, and acts the same as the standard electrode, with the main difference being that the circuit is opened between the two battery posts.

A close-up view of an active electricity generator in Pikmin 4.
An active electrode in Pikmin 4.

In Pikmin 4, the electrode appears as an electrical hazard, with a single base with three prongs to discharge electricity. The discharge is emitted around the electrode in a wide radius in a similar manner to the fire geyser, stunning and eventually killing any Pikmin who aren't immune to the electricity. Like in Pikmin 2 any Pikmin type can damage an electrode when its inactive, but only Yellow Pikmin, Glow Pikmin, the player, and Oatchi with the Anti-Electrifier can damage it when it is active.

An electrode being powered by Yellow Pikmin in Hey! Pikmin.
An active electrode in Hey! Pikmin.

In Hey! Pikmin, light bulb roses are actually parts of a thorny plant with occasional magenta flowers, said flowers emitting light when the line is closed, and only needs about 4 Yellow Pikmin to complete the connection. The flowers will automatically bloom if the Pikmin are conducting, but as soon as they detach, the flower will shrink again. As with most light emitting objects, these can cause Bloominous Stemples to bloom.

Locations

Pikmin 2

Pikmin 3

Distant Tundra
  • An electrode requiring 5 Pikmin is found near the Yellow Onion. It is required to awaken it.
  • An electrode requiring 10 Pikmin is found in the Spotty Bulbear cave. It expands the Bloominous Stemples such that the Citrus Lump in the room is able to be collected.
  • An electrode requiring 10 Pikmin is found in the room where Charlie is initially attacked by the Vehemoth Phosbat. It expands the Bloominous Stemples such that Alph and Brittany are able to give chase, and confront the Vehemoth Phosbat. Notably, Yellow Pikmin that complete this electrode at the leaf stage of maturity will not be flowered up, either due to a glitch when the cutscene is played or possibly intended by developers to encourage using the nearby Phosbat Pod for nectar.
  • Four electrodes requiring 10 Pikmin are found in the Vehemoth Phosbat arena. Each is able to stun the Vehemoth Phosbat, allowing the player to attack it. They continue to work when the room is light.
  • An electrode requiring 20 Pikmin is also found in the Vehemoth Phosbat arena. When connected, the entire Phosbat arena is lit up, making it impossible for Phosbats to spawn, and making the Vehemoth Phosbat nigh helpless. Instead of two loose wire ends, these are actually two posts of a battery.
Twilight River
  • An electrode requiring 20 Pikmin is found in the cave with the Juicy Gaggles. It expands the Bloominous Stemples such that the pile of 30 light blue fragments can be reached, allowing the bridge leading to the Winged Onion to be accessed.
Formidable Oak
  • Three electrodes requiring 10 Pikmin are found in the second room. Each expand the Bloominous Stemples to create paths to escape the room. The first and third are required to reach the exit, while the second merely grants access to the third.
The Rustyard
  • An already completed electrode serves as a barrier to a bunch of Dusk Pustules in the Collect treasure! version of the stage, preventing non-Yellows from taking its pieces back to base.

Pikmin 4

Hey! Pikmin

Technical information

Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name elechiba
Global properties (List)
ID Japanese comment Property Value
s000 friction(not used) Friction 0.5
s001 wallReflection Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?) 0.5
s002 faceDirAdjust Unknown 0.25
s003 accel Acceleration 0.1
s004 bounceFactor Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) 0.3
fp00 ライフ HP 150
fp01 マップとの当り Unknown (related to slopes) 10
fp02 ダメージスケールXZ Horizontal damage scale 0.5
fp03 ダメージスケールY Vertical damage scale 0.7
fp04 ダメージフレーム Damage scale duration 0.3
fp05 質量 Unknown (weight?) 1
fp06 速度 Move speed 0
fp08 回転速度率 Rotation acceleration 0
fp09 テリトリー Territory radius 1
fp10 ホーム範囲 "Home" radius 1
fp11 プライベート距離 "Private" radius 0
fp12 視界距離 Sight radius 0
fp13 視界角度 FOV 0
fp14 探索距離 Unknown (exploration radius?) 200
fp15 探索角度 Unknown (exploration angle?) 0
fp16 振り払い率 Successful shake rate 0
fp17 振り払い力 Shake knockback 0
fp18 振り払いダメージ Shake damage 0
fp19 振り払い範囲 Shake range 0
fp20 攻撃可能範囲 Unknown (shock attack max range?) 10
fp21 攻撃可能角度 Unknown (shock attack max angle?) 5
fp22 攻撃ヒット範囲 Unknown (attack hit range?) 10
fp23 攻撃ヒット角度 Unknown (attack hit angle?) 15
fp24 攻撃力 Attack damage 10
fp25 視界高 Unknown (height visibility?) 0
fp26 探索高 Unknown (exploration height?) 0
fp27 ライフの高さ HP wheel height 50
fp28 回転最大速度 Rotation speed 0
fp29 警戒時間 Unknown (warning time?) 0
fp30 警戒ライフ Unknown 0
fp31 ライフ回復率 Regeneration rate 0.0065
fp32 LOD半径 Off-camera radius 30
fp33 マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 Collision processing radius 15
fp34 ピクミンとのあたり Pikmin damage radius 10
fp35 石化時間 Petrification duration 1
fp36 ヒップドロップダメージ Purple Pikmin drop damage 50
fp37 地震気絶確立 Purple Pikmin stun chance 0 (0%)
fp38 地震気絶時間 Purple Pikmin stun time 5
ip01 振り払い打撃A Shake mode 1 – hit count 0
ip02 振り払い張付1 Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement 0
ip03 振り払い打撃B Shake mode 2 – hit count 0
ip04 振り払い張付2 Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement 0
ip05 振り払い打撃C Shake mode 3 – hit count 0
ip06 振り払い張付3 Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement 0
ip07 振り払い打撃D Shake mode 4 – hit count 0
Specific properties
ID Japanese comment Property Value
fp02 ウェイト時間 Idle duration 1.5
fp03 予兆時間 Sparking duration 1.5
fp01 放電時間 Electric current duration 2.5
fp04 停止時間 Unknown (stop duration?) 30

Gallery

Pikmin 2

Pikmin 3

Pikmin 4

Hey! Pikmin

Trivia

 
A slanted pair of electrodes.
  • Each of the conducting nodes of electrodes are programmed to snap to the ground, and the electrical arc between two wires will change angle accordingly so that the discharge still connects both nodes in a straight line. However, this feature of electrodes is nearly impossible to see in normal gameplay because in almost all of the spots that electrodes can spawn at in-game are flat. It is possible, though extremely rare, for an electrode to spawn on the curved stump in sublevel 11 of the Dream Den, showing off this otherwise-unused feature.
  • Although Pikmin 4 does not feature conducting electricity as a mechanic, one of the game's trailers features a Yellow Pikmin conducting electricity to turn on the lights of a Christmas tree.[1]
  • Despite going unnamed in-game, the electrode in Pikmin 4 is named in an unused localization file in all supported languages.

Names in other languages

Pikmin 2

Language Name Meaning
  Japanese 電極?
Denkyoku
Electrode

Pikmin 3

Language Name Meaning Notes
  Japanese 電極?
Denkyoku
Electrode
  French Électrode
  German Elektroden
  Italian Elettrodo
  Spanish Electrodo

Pikmin 4

Language Name Meaning Notes
  Japanese 電極?
Denkyoku
Electrode
  Chinese
(traditional)
電極
  Chinese
(simplified)
电极
  Dutch Elektrode
  French électrode
  German Feuer-Geysir
  Italian Elettrodo
  Korean 전극
  Portuguese gêiser elétrico
  Spanish electrodo

Hey! Pikmin

Language Name Meaning
  Japanese デンキュウバラ?
Denkyū bara
Light bulb rose

See also

Hazard generator

References

  1. ^ YouTube video of the "Have a Very Pikmin Holiday on Nintendo Switch!" trailer, published on November 21st, 2023, retrieved on February 17th, 2023