Pikmin (species)

Pikmin are a half-plant, half-animal species of creatures from the Pikmin series. They are 1 cm (0.4 inches) tall, they eat nectar (which matures them into flower Pikmin) and breathe oxygen. They also weigh 1 gram (0.0353 ounces).

During his journey, Captain Olimar finds these indigenous creatures in their dwellings, called Onions. Pikmin have 3 stages of growth: leaf, bud and flower, adding more strength, endurance, and speed with each form. Pikmin left in the ground as seeds will gradually mature, though this process can be accelerated through the consumption of nectar found throughout the planet. Both Pikmin and Pikmin 2 feature rather lengthy descriptions of Olimar's discoveries regarding the creatures that he and the Pikmin find and defeat, sometimes in slightly humorous pseudo-scientific style. Olimar uses the Pikmin to defeat enemies, notably their most abundant natural enemy, the Bulborbs, carry objects, demolish walls, push large boxes, and to construct various objects to get around more easily. The number of Pikmin, regardless of color, in the field cannot exceed 100, though at one point, during the development of Pikmin 2, it was stated that the player can have more than 100 Pikmin on the field. Future info on this was not given, so it can be said that developers silently dropped that feature and set the limit back to 100 before the release of the second game. Pikmin in the field are defined as those actively following a Captain, idly awaiting orders above ground, and those planted in the ground. Additional Pikmin over the 100-Pikmin limit are stored in the Onions. Interestingly, the Pikmin appear to have the voice of Yoshi, which would make their voice actor also Kazumi Totaka.

Lifecycle
A Pikmin's lifecycle can be extremely short or quite long depending on how well the player manipulates his Pikmin army. The following will concentrate on the normal life cycle of a Pikmin.

Beginnings
A Pikmin will begin life when a group of other Pikmin send a pellet or an opponent up an onion (see below), once they do so, Pikmin seeds will be ejected and then planted into the ground, and almost automatically a stem will sprout from the ground. The only way they can begin life is if someone, notably Olimar or Louie, plucks them from the ground. If they get plucked right away, then they'll have a leaf at the top of their stem, though if they're in the ground for a long time, they'll go through three stages: leaf, bud and flower, with the latter being their most mature stage.

Mid-life
After being plucked, the Pikmin instantly become attached to the one who dug him up. They'll follow this commander around and do whatever the captain wishes, even if it involves a certain death. The way the commander takes care of them will determine how long they'll live.

Death
Pikmin die most commonly by being engulfed by enemies. Pikmin are not very strong, and when attacked it's almost a certain death. Once they do, their "soul" will visibly be released, though this is basically to tell the player that one of his Pikmin has been killed off.

Species of Pikmin
There seem to be a multitude of different Pikmin types, with each interestingly possessing their own unique abilities. The first game introduced a total of three, which are arguably the most dominant of the known variations. These three included red, yellow, and blue. Along with each having special powers, each also feature their own unique facial features as well.

Pikmin 2 featured two more unique types - purple and white. These two Pikmin could only be found in the underground segments of the game. Because of this, it was much more demanding to keep a healthy army of white or purple Pikmin, partially because they couldn't reproduce as the others could. The only way to come in possession of these two were to throw other types of Pikmin into special flowers, which were rare.

Red Pikmin
Main article: Red Pikmin

Red Pikmin are considered the most populous type of Pikmin in the game. They're the first divergent that you'll find in both of the games, and occupy the ability to withstand fire. They've also gotten the most vigorous attacks of the bunch, excluding the ultra powerful purples which were introduced in the second installment. Their unique facial feature is having a pointy nose.

Yellow Pikmin
Main article: Yellow Pikmin

Yellow Pikmin are capable of being thrown higher than any other in the games, and can also pick up bombs and set them next to adversaries or potent walls. They also gained a new ability in the second installment - immunity to electric attacks. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, they're actually capable of delivering electric shocks through their opponents. Their facial feature is having two large ears.

Blue Pikmin
Main article: Blue Pikmin

Blue Pikmin are the last Pikmin you find in both games. They're the only species of Pikmin in the game that have gills, allowing them to breath under water, though they've also taken over the ability to breath above water as well. Because of this, they're also immune to water based attacks that some enemies are capable of performing.

Purple Pikmin
Main article: Purple Pikmin

Purple Pikmin were first found by Captain Olimar and Louie in an underground portion. Here, they tossed red Pikmin into a purple flower, which caused purple seeds to spew out. When they plucked the seedlings, a Purple Pikmin was released. Purple Pikmin are ten times stronger and heavier than any other type of Pikmin, and are physically the most different. Though because of their weight, they are also the slowest.

White Pikmin
Main article: White Pikmin

White Pikmin are smaller than normal Pikmin and have red eyes. These Pikmin are resistant to poison. They seem to have poison in themselves, as enemies take damage when they ingest White Pikmin. Their red eyes seem to make it possible for them to detect things buried underground. These Pikmin are also the fastest, and carry objects much quicker than other Pikmin. Unlike the original red, yellow and blue Pikmin, white Pikmin have pink flowers.

Bulbmin
Bulbmin are a strange species that were introduced in Pikmin 2. They're very rare, though nevertheless are loyal to Olimar and Louie just as the others are. They're basically a combination of a young Bulborb and a Pikmin, though they can only be found underground, and cannot be taken back to the surface. At first, they'll stay with their parents, though once you kill the older Bulbmin, her young will join your party if there are 90 or less PIkmin in your army at the time.

Onion
Red, yellow, and blue Pikmin live in nests called onions. In the beginning of a day, all of the Pikmin can be found inside of these nests, and Olimar and Louie have the ability to call as many as you want out. In the end of the day, all three onions will go out into space alongside Olimar's ship. Other onions appear at The Happy Ending in Pikmin 1 and many colored onions appear like pink, black, light green, green, orange, brown, and white.

Pikmin are also able to reproduce by using the onions. They can do so if they bring pellets or defeated enemies to the ship, which will cause a set amount of pikmin seeds to spew out. White and Purple Pikmin don't have their own onions, but will rather rest in the ship.

In battle
While a Pikmin is by itself, it's not very effective and the things that it is capable of doing is very limited. It would not be wise to send a Pikmin into battle alone, suggesting that if you're heading into an engagement, you should have not only a well built army, though an equally creative battle strategy. For example, if you're approaching a sleeping Bulborb, then it'd be best to head around it and launch a surprise attack on its back. However, if you're heading into another army of enemies, it can sometimes be best to just send all of the Pikmin in without composing a plan. Using the C-Stick can usually lead to victory if you lead them to the enemies you wish to defeat.

Super Smash Bros. series
Pikmin have appeared alongside Captain Olimar in Super Smash Bros. Brawl as a playable character. The symbiotic relationship remains as it did in the video games, as the two dissimilar organisms will certainly require the help of each other in order to survive. Each color of Pikmin from Pikmin 2 is in the game that Olimar is capable of plucking from the ground. Each have their own special abilities as well, reflecting that of the abilities they could perform in the games.

Some of the attacks, however, are unique, and some aren't included. For example, it seems as if Blue Pikmin aren't capable of withstanding water attacks and that Yellow Pikmin aren't immune to electrical attacks. Nevertheless, they do each have special abilities.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee, there were two Pikmin related trophies, one which could only be obtained if you had a file of Pikmin on your GameCube's memory card.

Trophies
''These strange beings are part plant, part animal. They spend most of their time buried in the earth, but they will befriend whoever plucks them, as evidenced by their devotion to Captain Olimar. Each Pikmin has a leaf on its head that grows into a bud and finally a flower. Like a flower, the life of a Pikmin is both fragile and beautiful. - Melee''

''A type of Pikmin--which are odd beings who grow like plants yet are as mobile as animals. Red ones are heat and fire resistant and are strong attackers, which makes them valuable when facing dangerous foes. Purple Pikmin are also tough fighters, but since it's difficult to increase their numbers, red Pikmin are easier to manage. Red Pikmin have distinct pointed noses. - Red Pikmin, Brawl''

''A type of Pikmin, which are curious creatures that follow and obey the person who picks them. If you take advantage of this trait, you can get them to help Capt. Olimar and Louie. The blue Pikmin are at home in water and cannot drown. Need to retrieve an object underwater or cross a water hazard to disarm a trap? Blue Pikmin are just the allies you need. - Blue Pikmin, Brawl''

''A type of Pikmin. Take a nutrient- rich pellet to a flying saucer known as an Onion, and it will produce the mysterious beings known as Pikmin. Yellow ones fly higher than other Pikmin when tossed by Olimar or Louie. Unlike other Pikmin, they're also highly resistant to electricity, which makes them invaluable when battling enemies like anode dweevils.  - Yellow Pikmin, Brawl''

''A type of Pikmin. White Pikmin are resistant to poisons and are themselves toxic to creatures that eat them. Their low weight makes them very speedy, and they can also dig up buried items. White and purple Pikmin do not live inside Onions, so you must change other Pikmin into them by tossing them into ivory candypop buds and violet candypop buds. - White Pikmin, Brawl''

''A type of Pikmin, much heavier and slower than other Pikmin. When thrown, they impact with such force that they may kill or stun enemies. They're also incredibly strong--one of them can carry an item that normally would require ten Pikmin. While they're more powerful fighters than their red cousins, their slow speed hampers their effectiveness.  - Purple Pikmin, Brawl''

Other games
The Pikmin species, or the series as a whole have appeared in even more games than the ones listed above, though their appearance is minor and are just considered cameos.
 * Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour - In this game, if the golf ball rolls into a flower patch, you'll see red, yellow, and blue Pikmin fly into the air, suggesting that Pikmin actually live on the planet that the Mario series takes place. Of course, it could be nothing more than a reference.
 * WarioWare: Smooth Moves - In one of the micro games you take control of an Empress Bulbax. Your goal in this mini-game is to squash all of the Pikmin.
 * Animal Crossing: Wild World - In this game there is a Pikmin item, that when touched will cause it to make a noise.
 * Nintendogs - In the background of the shop you can see a poster of a Bulborb.
 * The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker - The Three goddess statues resemble Pikmin. Din has a long nose, Nayru has a mouth, and Farore has large ears.
 * Super Mario Galaxy - In the "Space Junk" Galaxy, Louie's ship appears as an abandoned ship, that you're able to walk on.
 * Animal Crossing: City Folk - In this game, there's the same Pikmin item that appeared in Animal Crossing: Wild World, as well as an DLC exclusive Red Pikmin hat, to celebrate the release of New Play Control! Pikmin. You can also get a blue pikmin hat (which can only get obtained by cheating) or a Pikmin garden.