Pikmin (series)

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Pikmin (series) [Edit] [Talk]

For information on the game, go to Pikmin (video game).

For information on the species, see Pikmin Species

The Pikmin series (for the Nintendo GameCube, and the Wii U), made by Shigeru Miyamoto (who has helped make the Mario and The Legend of Zelda series), stars a Hocotatian named Olimar. In each game he somehow ends up on a planet reffered as Pikmin Planet or PNF-404 (by the habitants of Koppai), and needs the Pikmin to help him out with his problems. In the end Captain Olimar always goes back home to Hocotate, but the Pikmin are left behind in the planet. In the second game Olimar managed to help the Pikmin from dying out, but each color is very close to extinction, or is already extinct.

Pikmin

Pikmin are plant-like creatures who are native to the Pikmin Planet. They are generally taller than they are wide, and have stalks with a leaf, bud or flower on top of their head.

If a Pikmin has a leaf on them, that means they've probably been just born, or have recently come out of a battle where they were thrown a lot, and are the slowest. If a Pikmin has a bud on their head, that means that they were left in the ground when they were born long enough for them to become a bud, or they recently had a battle where they were thrown around a bit. Bud Pikmin are second fastest. If a Pikmin has a flower on their head, that means that they had recently eaten Yellow Nectar, or they were left in the ground for a long time which let their leaves grow into flowers. If all the Pikmin become extinct, the Onion can produce one seedling as a last ditch effort.

Onions

Pikmin live in Onions. Onions is a circular pod with 3 legs on the ground. Originally, the pod was the color of the color of the Pikmin type that lives within it though this changed in Pikmin 3 so that there is a single Onion with the colors mixed like a rainbow. When a creature is defeated, Pikmin carry the creature back to the respective Onion that the plurality is carrying. The onion converts the creature into Pikmin seeds and sends them into the surrounding ground. A Captain must pull out these seedlings for them to be used

Pikmin types

Each different type of Pikmin have their own special abilities, and their own special features that make them unique and invaluable. The following is a list of the current known Pikmin and what they can do.

Red Pikmin have a nose as their special body feature. In Pikmin they were a little stronger than the other two types of Pikmin. In Pikmin 2 they are the second strongest Pikmin type in the game. Red Pikmin are also immune to fire.

The Yellows have ears as their distinguishing feature. In Pikmin they were able to be thrown high possibly due to their ears, which they may have flapped to make them fly higher(That isn't confirmed though) and they could carry Bomb Rocks, which were little rocks that would explode when placed on the ground. In Pikmin 2 they lost their ability to pick up Bomb Rocks, and gained the ability to withstand electricity. This was very useful because if any other Pikmin type touched electricity, they died immediately. If any Pikmin type touched any other hazard they couldn't withstand, you'd be able to save them by Whistling to them as they ran around.

The Blue Pikmin have a mouth, which no other Pikmin have. In both Pikmin games, Blue Pikmin can walk through water and can save drowning Pikmin by pressing X nearby the drowning Pikmin to disband them. Then hopefully they'll grab the Pikmin and throwing them back to land. Beware, Blue Pikmin can only throw as far as your Captain can.

The Purple Pikmin are much more bulkier compared to other Pikmin, they have hair-like things growing out of their head, and they have a pink flower or bud. The Purple Pikmin were originally first discovered by Olimar in Pikmin 2, where they could stun enemies if thrown at them, are very slow when walking around, and can carry ten times more than any other Pikmin. Despite them being the strongest Pikmin in the game, they are also the slowest, giving the Pikmin type a disadvantage if your trying to out run an enemy.

White Pikmin were also first discovered in Pikmin 2, and have big red eyes, and have a pink flower or bud. They are the smallest of the Pikmin, but they are the fastest and they have the ability to detect underground treasure. They are also immune to poison, and if they are eaten they'd poison the enemy and deal some damage to them.

Bulbmin are a special kind of Pikmin that first appeared in Pikmin 2. They are parasites that have taken control of a Bulborb from the inside. While they have almost full control over their host, the Bulbmin's appetite can't be stopped, resulting in grown-ups attacking the captains and their followers. Bulbmin are always seen with juveniles, which join the captains when their parents are killed. They are only found in caves, and juveniles in the group stay when the captains leave.

Winged Pikmin are small Pink Pikmin with blue eyes and the ability to fly. They do more damage to flying enemies but less to grounded enemies. While they have slow carrying speed, they do not have to follow paths and can fly over bodies of water. They can get trapped in webs which can get them eaten by spider-like enemies

Rock Pikmin are bulky gray Pikmin with a rocky exterior. They do more damage when they are thrown and can break crystals. They cannot latch onto enemies and instead throw themselves to deal damage. They are slower than the average Pikmin.

Pikmar, or Olmin. He is stuck inside the ground with Pikmin behind him!

There seems to exist many other types of Pikmin as well, though as of yet they can't be played as. These Pikmin can be seen at the ending of Pikmin. There is also Pikmar, which is a combination of a Pikmin and Olimar.

Story

The story of Pikmin begins when Captain Olimar was taking an interstellar vacation and was smashed by a meteor. His ship, the Dolphin, was shattered into thirty pieces, and Olimar's life support can only last thirty days. At the beginning of his journey, he discovers the Pikmin, who help him regain his ship pieces, move obstacles, and fend off dangerous foes. In the end, Olimar escapes, but meanwhile, his company named Hocotate Freight ran into financial difficulties... Upon Olimar's return, the President of the company explains that during his absence, another worker named Louie was delivering Pikpik Carrots to a far off planet. During his trip, he was attacked by ravenous space bunnies, and the Pikpik Carrots were eaten! The loss of all of the carrots cost over 10,100 pokos! Olimar's ship is forced to be sold, and in shock, he drops a bottle cap, which was to be a souvenir for his kid. A near by ship detects that it is worth one hundred pokos! That's more than a year's salary! The President quickly rushes Olimar off with Louie back to the Pikmin planet to gather more treasure! There, they meets two new Pikmin, many new creatures, and dangerous holes full of deadly beasts. Once Olimar and Louie finish their quest for the remaining 10,000 pokos, Olimar leaves immediately. But... where did Louie go!? He was left behind and taken away by a hideous beast known as the Titan Dweevil. Olimar tells the President the news, and the President decides to join Olimar in his mission to rescue Louie! In the end, they succeed, but when they rescue Louie, he doesn't seem to have been in any danger.

List of video games

Pikmin - GameCube, The first game in the series. There are only three types of Pikmin in this game.
This game launched alongside the GameCube, and was one of the highest rated game during the release.
Pikmin 2 - GameCube, The second game in the series. There are five types of Pikmin, two more than the original.
New Play Control! Pikmin - Wii, the same as Pikmin, with new controls on Wii to make directing Pikmin easier.
New Play Control! Pikmin 2 - Wii, same as Pikmin 2 but with new controls to make it easier.
- Pikmin 2-e - e-Reader cards that were launched exclusively in Japan alongside Pikmin 2 that featured unique games.
Pikmin 3 - Wii U, 3rd game in the series, introduces a new cast of 3 captains (Alph, Brittany and Charlie) and two new Pikmin types (Rock and Flying). First Pikmin game to have DLC
Hey! Pikmin - 3DS, a platformer that mark the first iteration of the Pikmin series on a handheld device.(It is not Pikmin 4)

Cameos

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, there are two trophies that have Pikmin characters on it.
In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, you will see Pikmin jump out of the ground if your ball lands in a patch of flowers.
At the Second-hand Store in the game Nintendogs, on the top screen at the right is a stuffed Red Bulborb
In the Deepwood Shrine from The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, there are mushroom enemies called Puffstools. These were also found in the first Pikmin game as a mini-boss who held the Omega Stabilizer.
In the Wii game Super Mario Galaxy, there is a floating ship that looks just like Olimar's ship.
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Captain Olimar and his Pikmin appear as playable characters. A host of other references to the Pikmin series are also present, such as a stage (Distant Planet), a multitude of trophies and stickers plus music from the series.
In Animal Crossing: City Folk, a Pikmin themed items have been released as downloadable content, although every item is available only for one or two weeks: Pikmin Hat in February 2009 (when New Play Control: Pikmin was released for Wii), Dolphin model in July 2009.
In WarioWare D.I.Y., one of the staff-made microgames has the player chucking a Red Pikmin on a rock.
On the Nintendo 3DS, when you transfer DSi stuff to the 3DS, Pikmin will run across the screen, the Pikmin are also on an AR Card, and there is a hat you can unlock for your Mii character in StreetPass Mii Plaza.
On the Wii U, when you transfer data from the Wii to the Wii U, Pikmin are seen carrying the save data between the two consoles.
In Animal Crossing: New Leaf, there is 3 Pikmin hats for the 3 main types, the Dolphin and a row of planted Pikmin
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U, Olimar and Pikmin return as a character with Alph as an alternate costume. The Bulborb is a Smash Run enemy. The Garden of Hope from Pikmin 3 appears as a stage. Brittany and others appear as trophies.

Trivia

The series was started from Miyamoto's new hobby of gardening
There was once Pikmin games in development for the DS and 3DS. They were cancelled because they felt like unit management, controlling by the stylus. They felt the series was too action-oriented for just stylus control.