2-Player Mode is a feature of the Pikmin series, introduced in Pikmin 2. It involves, as the name implies, two players, who control Captain Olimar and Louie, in control of up to 50 of each Red Pikmin and Blue Pikmin respectively. Each player can start the match with a multiple of 5 Pikmin between 5 and 50, and cannot exceed 50 total Pikmin on the battlefield at any time. 2-Player Mode takes place in underground areas, their layouts randomly generated. Each player has an appropriate Onion, near which a similarly-colored marble lies at the start of the game. There are four ways to win (see below) and ten differently-themed areas to play on, ranging in difficulty. Returning a cherry to your Onion will allow you a spin of the roulette wheel. To make things even, Red Pikmin have lost their extra strength.
Ways to win
- Take 4 yellow marbles to your Onion
- Take your opponent's marble to your Onion
- Pikmin Extinction
- Olimar/Louie is down!
Win Reactions
If you are Olimar (Player 1) or Louie (Player 2), he will be smiling if you win once. If you win three times with him in a row, then he will grin. If you lose with Olimar or Louie once, he will frown. If you lose three times with him in a row, then he will have an angered expression. If it is a tie between them, they will be in the middle of smiling and frowning.
Maps
Roulette Wheel
The Roulette Wheel can be accessed when you find a cherry and a Pikmin successfully returns it to your Onion. You will have access to 12 different powers that benefit you, disadvantage your opponent or both, listed below:
- Ultra-Spicy Spray: gain one dose of Ultra-Spicy Spray.
- Ultra-Bitter Spray: gain one dose of Ultra-Bitter Spray.
- Volatile Dweevil: a Volatile Dweevil will fall near your opponent.
- Fiery/Watery Blowhog: a Fiery Blowhog will appear near Louie's Onion or a Watery Blowhog will appear near Olimar's Onion.
- Withering Blowhog: a Withering Blowhog will appear near your opponent's Onion.
- Swooping Snitchbug: a Swooping Snitchbug will appear near your opponent's Onion.
- Marble: your marble, if above ground, will bounce all the way back to your Onion, whether it is near or far.
- Boulders: several boulders will drop near your opponent.
- Flower: all of your Pikmin that are not planted in the ground will bloom into flowers.
- +5 Sprouts: you gain five Pikmin sprouts if you have less than 50.
- +10 Sprouts: you gain ten Pikmin sprouts if you have less than 50.
- Ghost: you and your Pikmin become invisible to your opponent for a limited amount of time (they can still see the dust from your footsteps and, if your Pikmin are affected by the Ultra-Spicy Spray, the glowing circles on their heads, and their Pikmin still see you).
Note that enemies created upon a spin of the Roulette Wheel disappear completely on defeat, meaning their bodies cannot be returned to either Onion, and only last for a short amount of time regardless of whether they are attacked.
Pikmin Arithmetic
Enemies found underground in single player are also in 2-Player Mode. Below is a list of how many sprouts each creature is worth:
- Snow Bulborb: 4 sprouts
- Dwarf Orange Bulborb: 4 sprouts
- Breadbug: 4 sprouts
- Anode Beetle: 5 sprouts
- Careening Dirigibug: 8 sprouts
- Wollywog: 8 sprouts
Strategies
These are basic strategies. Mix and match to do even better!
Wasting opponent's sprays
Sprays are a essential part of battle mode, as they can turn the tides in a Pikmin vs. Pikmin situation easily. Using a small squad, attacking the enemy might get the other player to use sprays prematurely. This can be repeated with the rest of the Pikmin.
Collecting marbles
With a small squad, the player can run to the opponent's base and steal the marble, assuming the other player is not there with a larger squad. Should the other player come to defend the marble, running up to him/her with the rest of the Pikmin can distract the enemy Pikmin from getting to the marble that is being carried away. Creatures can also be led to the enemy base as means of distraction or to kill idle Pikmin.
For yellow marbles, if the other player is likely to stop marbles from being brought back, it is advisable to collect ones that are on opposite side of each other, as it will force the other player to decide between them.
Defense
Leave about 3-5 pikmin at your marble to act as an alert system. When your numbers start to change, get back to base. They can also be left in crucial bottleneck passages.
Cherry Siege
This one often requires a bit of luck as it relies almost entirely on random generation. The cherries that allow you to use a roulette spin will oftentimes drop steadily in the same area of the arena over time (usually in one of the alcoves.) Take note of where cherries seem to drop more during the match, then keep Pikmin in that area to quickly transport them back to the onion. You can actually hold up to five spins at a time. Use the spins strategically or all at once in hopes that you'll drop lots of enemies and obstacles to keep your opponent busy. Large-scale distractions like this can help you steal marbles without them noticing or even a Pikmin Extinction if your opponent is careless enough.
Blockade Breaking
There is a way to counter blockades set up by the opposing player. If your opponent has chased you into a narrow passage, and he/she has some of their Pikmin somewhere in the passage, you can use Ultra Bitter Spray on the blockade, meaning you can get through the passage without hinderance from the opponent. If the opponent has multiple blockades, make sure to get more than two of the aforementioned spray.