Candypop family
Candypop Buds are large flowers with fleshy petals and are found in both Pikmin games. When Pikmin are tossed into these gigantic blossoms, they spit out new Pikmin seeds which match the color of their petals. In Pikmin, Candypops will wither after 50 Pikmin are thrown in, but this number was reduced to 5 in the second game, likely due to the 2 new species. Using Pikmin of the same color as the flower counts against this limit, although they will be reverted to leaf Pikmin and planted in the ground.
Olimar notes in a journal entry state that Candypop Buds could be the next step in Pikmin evolution, and in another that Candypops could be the same species. This theory is further cemented by the fact that Candypop Buds occasionally emit the same sparkles that come from the top of Onions
Pikmin 3
The Candypops reappear in Pikmin 3, looking brighter and larger then in the past games. The petals are now raised above the ground, rather than raised above the ground. The center of the Candypops is now larger and green in color.
The Ivory and Violet Candypop Buds will still take only 5 Pikmin before vanishing, but it is currently unknown if this also applies to Crimson, Golden, and Lapis Lazuli Candypop Buds as well, or only the Ivory and Violet ones.
A Crimson Candypop Bud appeared above ground during the trailer, and the Ivory and Violet Candypop Buds appeared in the Thirsty Desert mission, available in the E3 2013 demo.
Ship Log
"When I throw Pikmin into this flower, they are popped right back out. I have named this very peculiar bloom the candypop bud. It's strange... No matter what color Pikmin I throw in, the ones that pop out match the flower's color."
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Species
Crimson Candypop Bud
- Main article: Crimson Candypop Bud.
When Pikmin are tossed into a Crimson Candypop Bud, an equal number of Red Pikmin seeds are spat out. Proper planning lessens the need for these flowers, but they are more useful if you are far from the Onions and have a small number of Red Pikmin on hand.
Golden Candypop Bud
- Main article: Golden Candypop Bud.
Golden Candypop Buds release yellow seeds when Pikmin are thrown in. While large numbers of Yellow Pikmin are not often needed, use of the Golden Candypop is required to obtain the Chronos Reactor in Pikmin. This particular Candypop Bud is rare in Pikmin 2, making only one appearance inside the Glutton's Kitchen on Sublevel 3.
Lapis Lazuli Candypop Bud
- Main article: Lapis Lazuli Candypop Bud.
Lapis Lazuli Candypop Buds produce Blue Pikmin seeds. They're particularly useful if you have a small number of Blues on hand and need to carry a heavy object across a lake.
Violet Candypop Bud
- Main article: Violet Candypop Bud.
Violet Candypop Buds spit out purple seeds when Pikmin are tossed in. This Candypop Bud makes its first appearance in Pikmin 2, and is the only way to obtain Purple Pikmin. Many Violet Candypop Buds and Queen Candypop Buds can be found on sublevel 8 of the Subterranean Complex, making it the ideal location for growing more Purple Pikmin.
Ivory Candypop Bud
- Main article: Ivory Candypop Bud.
Ivory Candypop Buds produce White Pikmin seeds when Pikmin are thrown in. This Candypop can only be seen in Pikmin 2 and is the only method of obtaining White Pikmin. Many Ivory Candypop Buds are found in the White Flower Garden on Sublevel 3 when you have 15 or fewer Whites, and on Sublevels 3 and 4 of the Subterranean Complex.
Queen Candypop Bud
- Main article: Queen Candypop Bud.
Queen Candypop Buds are very unique Candypops. Their petals are white with colored spots which flash from red, to yellow, to blue, and back to red. When a Pikmin of any color is tossed in, nine seeds which match the color of the spots are ejected, giving you an eight-Pikmin gain. These flowers are found only in the specific sublevels of difficult caves, usually after a grueling battle with a boss, sometimes referred to as "rest stops".
Trivia
- While candypop buds in German are called "Königinblume" (Queen flower), the Queen Candypop bud is called "Kaiserinblume" (Empress flower).
- In Sublevel 5 of Glutton's Kitchen, a Queen Candypop Bud may fall from the ceiling. If you look closely, you can see that it has a green root. There are also several Candypop Buds in Sublevel 6 of Bulblax Kingdom. Here, if you go into close-up view, and if the Candypop Bud is distant enough, you may see a root.
- Yellow Pikmin holding bomb-rocks cannot be thrown into Candypop Buds.
- Like the Creature Montage notes said, the candypop buds could be the next step in pikmin evolution.
- In Pikmin 3, if the captain leaves the vicinity of a Candypop Bud, it will close once again.
- Thrown captains will simply slide off of the Candypop Buds.
- The roots of vanished Candypop Buds remain, while they never have in previous games.