Area selection menu
The area selection menu allows the player to select which area to explore next, out of the areas that have been unlocked. It appears before the start of each day.
Pikmin
In Pikmin, a preview image of the area appears on the right side of the screen, as well as some stars that represent the area's parts. A gray star indicates an uncollected ship part, and a yellow one indicates it has been collected. The bottom of the screen shows the total number of salvaged ship parts, and the total number of Pikmin, of each type. On the top-right corner, a day counter can be seen, much like the one on the in-game HUD. On the bottom-right, a box tells the player that they can press 
/ 
to open Olimar's voyage log. The player may also press 
/ 
to open a message box, asking them if they want to remain or return to the title screen.
Pikmin 2
In Pikmin 2, the day counter has been moved to the right side of the screen, a bit to the bottom. At the top of the screen, there is a box indicating that 
/ 
opens the Piklopedia, a box indicating that 
/ 
opens the Treasure Hoard, and, at the center, the number of collected Pokos. On the bottom of the screen, there is the name of the highlighted area, as well as a list of the caves in it, with the number of collected treasures and total treasures of the cave to the right of its name. A box for the number of collected above ground treasures and total above ground treasures also exists. The player can press / to open a prompt, asking them if they wish to remain in this menu or go to the title screen.
The ship that floats around changes appearance after the debt has been repaid, as is the case with the in-game ship. If all treasures in a cave of above ground have been collected, the number will sparkle. Before the debt has been repaid, a division bar appears under the total number of collected Pokos, with the debt's value under it, the number of treasures in unvisited caves is absent altogether, and the total number of cave and above-ground treasures does not appear until after all have been collected in that location. After the debt is gone, the goal number at the top is removed, the number of treasures in unvisited caves appears as "--/--", and the total number of above ground or cave treasures appears after the area or cave is first accessed.
Pikmin 3
In Pikmin 3, the area selection menu takes place inside the S.S. Drake, with a 3D globe of PNF-404 on a large monitor. On top of the map is a box in the top left with the name of the selected area, a box on the top right with the current day and amount of juice left, and a box in the bottom right with a slideshow of images of the selected area (the images shown are 3 preset images per area and the last 3 photos taken in that area with the KopPad Camera in the current playthrough), a numerical display of the fruits collected in the area (and how many fruits there are in the area, if that information has been unlocked), and a button labeled "Land" to land in the selected area.
Areas are represented by continents on the globe, with outlines and a marker on each one. 
/ 
/ 
/ 
can be used to move the cursor between areas, and pressing 
/ 
/ 
/ 
will select it, bringing the cursor to the Land button. Selecting this button will start the day in the selected area, triggering the loading screen. The cursor can also be moved to the Land button with the stick. In Stylus Mode, areas and buttons can also be selected by tapping them. In Pikmin 3, moving the cursor around doesn't automatically select areas, but in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, it does. The cursor can only be moved to areas that have been unlocked; the appearance of the globe is different depending on how many areas are available. A dashed line joins the area the player visited on the previous day with the selected area. Pikmin 3 Deluxe highlights the next area in the story with a small box with the word "Next" pointing to the area.
In this menu, the player can press 
/ / 
/ 
to open a Check in (or Talk) conversation; this causes the camera to zoom out to view the Koppaites talking. This button prompt is shown on-screen. In Pikmin 3, the GamePad will show the radar map of the selected area, and by tapping on the Apps button on the GamePad screen, other KopPad apps can be used. In GamePad-only mode, the Apps button is in the top-left corner of the main part of the menu. In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, 
can be pressed to open the KopPad, with the area shown on the radar being the selected area. This button prompt is shown on-screen, along with one to press 
to open the pause menu. In 2-player mode, player 1's / button will open the KopPad, and player 2's / button will open the pause menu. In both versions of the game, a large "To Earlier Day" button is present that returns to the day selection menu. In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, this button can also be reached by pressing 
/ 
, and there is also a pop-up to confirm the player's choice. In addition, after rescuing Captain Charlie in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, a new gold button on the bottom of the map labeled "To Assignment" appears. Selecting it takes the player directly to the Side Stories menu. This option remains on every future save file after being unlocked, even before Charlie is saved.
If a major story event had happened the day before, the Koppaites will talk about it before the menu can be used. In addition, after Louie is saved for the first time, the menu will be skipped altogether, as Louie lands the ship in the Garden of Hope. When a new area is unlocked, there will also be a cutscene highlighting the new area.
Hey! Pikmin
In Hey! Pikmin, the menu has 2 parts: a sector selection menu for selecting a sector and an area selection menu for selecting an area within the sector. Each sector has a separate area selection menu, except The Final Stretch which only has 1 area and skips the menu as a result.
The sector selection menu shows a globe of the Hey! Pikmin planet on the bottom screen, which can be orbited around by dragging the 
stylus on the touch screen. Each sector is represented by a large landmass on the planet with a colored outline around it. The sector number is indicated above the landmass in a rounded box in the same color as the outline. Only sectors that are mostly visible from the current viewing angle have their numbers visible. Upon tapping a sector's continent or box, the top screen, which shows a closer view of the planet from a low angle, will quickly pan to show the sector selected, along with its name. Upon tapping the sector again, the area selection menu for that sector will be opened. The top screen also shows the text "Select Sector", the total amount of Sparklium collected, and the number of treasures collected in that sector. The bottom screen has a button to return to the title screen.
The area selection menu is like a traditional level map. It shows the areas within the sector as green bubbles on top of a landscape background on the bottom screen. Each bubble shows which treasures have been collected in the area as small icons which can be grey dots (for an uncollected treasure) or yellow stars (for a collected treasure), and also shows the area's number. Secret Spots are shown on the map as small purple bubbles, and Sparklium Springs are shown as small blue bubbles. Lines of white dots connect the areas, and smaller yellow dots connect the areas to Secret Spots or Sparklium Springs. Tapping a bubble will select it, placing a cursor over it, and tapping it again will select it, entering the area. The top screen shows an animated background representing the currently selected area, as well as the area's name, and icons from the treasures collected there. The bottom screen has buttons to return to the sector selection menu, view the logs, open the options menu, scan an amiibo, and enter the Pikmin Park. The top screen also shows the text "Select Area", the sector number, and the total amount of Sparklium collected.
Trivia
- If the current day in Pikmin 2 is past day 1000, the bubble will not display the first digit.
- Pressing in New Play Control! Pikmin 2's area selection menu will cause the Wii Remote's speaker to sound a "boing!" sound, same as the one heard when picking an invalid number of Pikmin from the Onion menu.
- In the area selection menu and 2-Player Battle menu of the first two games, it is possible to press the whistle button to abort an area selection, provided the small animated ship or Onions have yet to land.
- Shooting stars occasionally fall in the area selection screen for the first two games. When the final area is being unlocked, several shooting stars in a row appear for some seconds.