Mushroom Pikmin

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A Mushroom Pikmin.

Because this subject has no official name, the name "Mushroom Pikmin" is conjectural.

Mushroom Pikmin, less frequently known as Toadmin or Puffmin, are Pikmin that are under the control of a Puffstool. After being showered with spores, infected Pikmin will make a small aggressive sound and will change in appearance and behavior. These, along with the Puffstool, are only present in Pikmin. However, at the end of days, sunsets force spores of a Puffstool to go off with a bang, and this kind of Pikmin with it, which means that spores are not extremely deadly and extremely poisonous, but also extremely explosive.

Appearance

Their eyes become pupilless and dead-looking, their skin turns a dark shade of purple and an orange-brown mushroom cap grows over their leaf/bud/flower. Their color's special physical characteristics, such as the noses on the Red Pikmin, ears on the Yellow Pikmin, and mouths on the Blue Pikmin (except when grown thin and turned black), vanish. They also have thin black mouths, which possibly make them cannibal-type Pikmin.

Behavior

Mushroom Pikmin each have the same stats as they did before they were infected, including attack power and resistance to hazards. They will follow Captain Olimar when he is in range and attack him while laughing menacingly. However, they do minimal damage and can be easily shaken off if the player rocks the analog stick. Once detached, the Pikmin will lay down for a while, sit down and slowly revert to their original forms, after which they'll start obeying Olimar again. If Captain Olimar moves out of range, they stop following him and dance around the Puffstool.

Mushroom Pikmin will also attack normal Pikmin and vice-versa, but as they can both be killed, this confrontation will simply decrease Olimar's overall Pikmin population. If any Pikmin are in this state at sunset, they will die like any other Pikmin species.

Glitch

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A single white Mushroom Pikmin attacks a Puffstool.

An interesting glitch has been known to occur if Pikmin are knocked to the ground at the same time they are hit with the Puffstool's spores. Upon standing up, the Pikmin will change into Mushroom Pikmin, but their skin will become a pale version of the color they were before they became Mushroom Pikmin, and their mushroom will glow as if they are idle. These Pikmin will turn upon the Puffstool, attacking it as if they are still under the player's control. Rebel Mushroom Pikmin cannot be called back or controlled by Olimar, and unaffected Pikmin will still attack them, but can be returned to normal either by knocking them down or by defeating the Puffstool. This can be used to Olimar's advantage, but beware, as they can become regular Mushroom Pikmin.

It is possible to get the glitched Mushroom Pikmin under the command of Olimar, but it requires a different technique and is much more difficult to accomplish. If Pikmin are left idle by the Puffstool and called at the exact moment the creature inverts its cap (just before it blows its spores), the Pikmin may become glitched Mushroom Pikmin and rush to Olimar's side immediately after. Timing must be perfect or you may not get all of the Pikmin to follow you. Rebels under the player's command cannot be thrown or dismissed, but they can be directed with the (C) stick to fight enemies, carry food, and even pluck grass. However, they will become normal pikmin as soon as the task is completed and cannot be called back while working. Just as with the above glitch, normal Pikmin will attack rebels as if they were still under control of the Puffstool. Because of this, the two should be kept away from each other at all times.

Trivia

• These Pikmin were made into stickers, buttons, and plastic figures attached to lanyards and suction cups to promote the sale of Pikmin.

External links

• Video on Mushroom Pikmin against and with Olimar.