Pikmin
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- This article is about the first video game in the Pikmin series of video games. For other uses, see Pikmin (disambiguation).
| Pikmin | |
| Missing image Pikmin_Players_Choice_10020050007.jpg Pikmin game cover | |
| Developer(s) | Nintendo |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Release date(s) | December 3, 2001 |
| Genre | Real-time strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Everyone (E) |
| Platform(s) | GameCube |
Pikmin (ピクミン in Japanese) is the first of the Pikmin series of video games which are designed by Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto (of Mario and Zelda fame). It was released December 3, 2001 in North America and June 15, 2002 in Europe. It also has the unique distinction of having been the first Player's Choice Nintendo GameCube game in North America. Its sequel is Pikmin 2. In Japanese commercials for the game, the song Ai No Uta was used, which became popular and was released as a single in its own right.
Pikmin was a very different game than others released at the time. The game's challenge was to collect missing rocket ship parts within 30 "days" of preset, uniform length. The innovative system of using "days" to demarcate sessions of play and to develop the game's flow was very unusual at the time. Unlike may other video games at the time, Pikmin in this way put an upper limit on the time that a player could spend in one game, as at the end of 30 days, the game was over. This is similar to games in the Harvest Moon series, but without the option to continue playing after the allotted number of days has passed.
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Story
In Pikmin, the main character is Captain Olimar, a spaceman from the planet Hocotate. The story starts when Olimar is taking a vacation in outer space. However, during his flight, a meteorite hits his spaceship, and it crashes on a planet unknown to him (Planet Earth). Parts of the spaceship fall off as it plummets to the ground.
When he regains consciousness, Olimar finds out that the planet's atmosphere contains oxygen, which is poisonous to the people from Hocotate, and he can only stay on the planet for 30 days before his air supply runs out. Olimar must retrieve many of the spaceship parts so he can rebuild his spaceship and return to Hocotate. Although there are 30 Parts, seven specific parts are luxury items and Olimar can escape without them.
Game Play
The game Pikmin is a 3-D game, with the player controlling the main character from a third-person viewpoint. The main character is in turn followed by the Pikmin, whom he controls. The basis of game play in Pikmin is to retrieve ship parts by using the three varieties of Pikmin available in different combinations. There are standard obstacles present, such as water and fire, to which the blue and red pikmin, respectively, are immune. In addition, yellow pikmin can be thrown higher and further than the other two colors, and also can wield explosives to attack enemies or remove obstacles.
In retrieving ship parts, there are generally three steps. The first is to locate the part and scout its location, noting any obstacles Pikmin may need to remove or any enemies which must be defeated. The second step is in selecting the appropriate numbers and colors of Pikmin needed to complete the tasks, and then executing them. This must be done with some care, as only 100 Pikmin may follow Captain Olimar at any given time. The third step is to secure the part, which is usually in a difficult to reach location or held by a powerful enemy. After securing the part, it can brought back. All 30 parts are retrieved in this manner.
Time in the game is divided into 30 days. With the exception of the first day, which last until the player finds the first ship part, which is Olimar's ship's engine, all Pikmin days are 15 minutes in length. When this time is over, all Pikmin must be immediately rounded up, work halted, and Olimar must return with the Pikmin to the ship. The reason for this is that many of the creatures which inhabit the Pikmin's lanet hunt during the nighttime hours and are much more difficult to defeat.
The Pikmin
Main article: Pikmin (character)
Olimar discovers the Pikmin, tricolored plant-animal hybrids that willingly follow his orders and help him recover the ship parts. Each color has its own weaknesses and strengths, and all three colors must be used in order to complete the game. This is not the case for every ship part, however. There are some missions and some ship parts that can be retrieved with only two colors of Pikmin, and in some cases, a large monochromatic army of a single shade is enough to capture the needed part.
The basic physical characteristics of Pikmin are somewhat of a mystery, as very few clues are given by the physical elements present in the Pikmin's environment, although the player gets the idea that Pikmin are very short, perhaps only one inch (2.54cm) tall. Pikmin are very simple physically, consisting of little more than a head, slender body, two arms and two legs, all four of which are very thin. Pikmin have tiny little hands and feet. Pikmin facial features are somewhat strange. All Pikmin have two disproportionately large eyes,with round, black pupils. However, only red Pikmin have noses, only yellow Pikmin have ears, and only blue Pikmin have mouths. Blue Pikmin do not have teeth. On top of the heads of all Pikmin are plant-like sprouts, which are either topped by a leaf, bud, or flower. The latter is the most developed stage of Pikmin, flower Pikmin move faster and attack more strongly than leaf or bud Pikmin.
Pikmin are social creatures, seemingly interacting with other Pikmin of all colors if left alone, but focus their attention entirely on Captain Olimar when called into active duty. Pikmin naturally form groups within their own color, but cooperate readily with Pikmin of another color. If allowed to separate into groups during periods of inactivity, they separate along color lines, but do not object to being placed all together. Pikmin live in special pods called Onions, which bear a passing resemblance to the earthly vegetable. Each Onion is color specific, and Pikmin are never seen entering an Onion of a color different than their own. Pikmin do not engage in sex, but rather reproduce by bringing colored pellets of the carcasses of defeated to their Onion. The Onion then produces seeds, from which new Pikmin sprout. Onions only produce seeds that match their own color, and the number of seeds produced is dependent on the object being converted.
- Red Pikmin
- Red Pikmin are the first color of Pikmin that Olimar finds, finding their Onion directly adjacent to the site of Olimar's impact. Olimar starts with only one red Pikmin, but with the Pikmins' ability to propagate itself using environmental means, Olimar soon commands dozens of Pikmin. Red Pikmin are resistant to fire, and therefore are essential to combating enemies that attack with fire or live in regions where fire is prevalent. They are also instrumental in retrieving parts from fiery areas. In addition this, red Pikmin are the most ferocious fighters of all the Pikmin, attacking with more strength and speed than either of the other two types of Pikmin. Because of this, red Pikmin are usually the favorites in combat-heavy missions.
- Yellow Pikmin
- Yellow Pikmin are the second color of Pikmin encountered by Captain Olimar. The are found in an Onion in the middle of a vast forest, and similar to the red Pikmin, there is only one yellow Pikmin when Captain Olimar encounters the Onion. However, this soon changes, as it did with the red Pikmin. Yellow Pikmin, like red Pikmin, have two special advantages. Yellow Pikmin are smaller than other colors of Pikmin and have large, sail-like ears. This allows them to be thrown further and higher than other Pikmin, allowing them to reach locations the others cannot. Yellow Pikmin are also the only type of Pikmin that can wield explosives, called bomb-rocks in the game. These bomb-rocks can be used to kill enemies quickly or to destroy obstacles, such as heavy stone gates.
- Blue Pikmin
- Blue Pikmin are the third and final color of Pikmin encountered by Captain Olimar, and are found in the third area of the game, the Forest Navel. Blue Pikmin are the only Pikmin that can swim, and appear to have gills. Other types of Pikmin drown when in water over their heads, but Blue Pikmin survive in it without problems. In fact, the Onion for the blue Pikmin is actually found in a pool of water. As with the other two types of Pikmin, only one Pikmin is available at the Onion when it is first found. And as with the other two types of Pikmin, this soon changes. Blue Pikmin are distinctive in the fact that their only talent is swimming, whereas the other two colors both have two special talents.
Basic Pikmin Abilities
Although Pikmin have special color-specific attributes, all Pikmin are capable of certain basic tasks. These tasks are vital to retrieving ship parts, and often several of these tasks must be completed to retrieve one ship part. One task would open the way slightly, and then allow for completion of the next task, and so on.
- Building Bridges
- Pikmin can build bridges over ponds and canyons. On the ground, piles of sticks may be found. The Pikmin simultaneously unroll and construct a bridge from this mound of sticks, creating a bridge which both the Pikmin and Captain Olimar can walk on. Pikmin seem to be skilled engineers, as the bridges they create never collapse under weight, although some indigenous creatures appear to consume wood and con damage or even completely destroy bridges over time.
- Carrying
- All Pikmin can carry objects, such as the carcasses of defeated creatures, nutritious pellets, or ship parts. Because of the very small size of Pikmin, some objects require many Pikmin to carry them. An average ship part could require 30 Pikmin to carry, and heaviest part in the game requires 85. Pikmin use pellets and the carcasses of defeated creatures to increase their numbers, so when more than one color of Pikmin is cooperating to carry an object, the Pikmin take it to the Onion that matches the color of the majority of Pikmin carrying the object, not the majority of Pikmin out in the field. For example, it there are 90 red Pikmin and 10 blue Pikmin in the field, but a particular object is being carried by 7 blue Pikmin and 6 red Pikmin, the object will be carried to the blue Pikmins' Onion. Ship parts are always carried to the ship, never to an Onion. If Captain Olimar is attacked by an enemy or injured by an element on the planet's surface, Pikmin will carry him back to the ship.
- Destroying gates
- In some places, the way becomes blocked by walls or gates. These gates can be made of wood or stone. Wooden gates can be destroyed with an army of Pikmin. The Pikmin beat the gate with their heads and arms until the gate collapses. Gates can take quite a long time to tear down, although some take longer than others, even if the same amount of Pikmin are working on each. If a gate is made of stone, it must be torn down with bomb-rocks thrown by yellow Pikmin. Some weaker stone gates require three bomb-rocks, but extremely strong gates can require up to nine explosions to destroy.
- Fighting
- All Pikmin are capable of fighting indigenous creatures found in their surroundings, although certain colors of Pikmin may be better suited to fight certain enemies or to fight in certain areas. As a rule, red Pikmin fight the best, but a sizable army of blues or yellows can fight off even very large creatures.
Threats to Pikmin
Pikmin are small, fragile creatures, and although they can move mountains to help Captain Olimar, they must be protected and can be killed easily. Many things on the surface of the planet consider Pikmin to be a tasty snack, and great care must be taken to ensure they are not eaten or worse.
- Being Eaten
- Almost all creatures on the Pikmin's planet will eat the Pikmin if given the chance. The foremost at the top of this list is the Bulborb, the natural enemy of the Pikmin. Large examples of this species can devour a dozen Pikmin in just a few seconds, which can prove devastating to an ill-planned expedition. The situation Pikmin encounter when dealing with local wildlife is so dire that it is in fact much simpler to number the creatures which do not eat Pikmin, which are decidedly in a minority. Some large creatures, in addition to eating the Pikmin, also stomp on them until they die. Some enemies variations on this method include killing Pikmin with projectiles.
- Burning
- Only red Pikmin are immune to fire, so blue and yellow Pikmin should not go anywhere near it. Unlike water, fire kills Pikmin nearly instantly, so extreme care should be used in areas that contain fire. To make matters worse, there are some enemies in the Pikmin's world that use fire as a primary means of attack. Obviously, hordes of red Pikmin can be used to take these enemies down.
- Drowning
- Since only blue Pikmin can swim, red and yellow Pikmin encounter serious trouble in the water. Red and yellow Pikmin drown when in water over their head, although they do not die instantly. Captain Olimar and blue Pikmin can act as lifeguards, calling and/or throwing drowning Pikmin to safety. Pikmin drowning would generally be considered poor control on the player's part, as it is preventable.
- Explosions
- Yellow Pikmin can wield bomb-rocks, and as their name implies, they are used to blow things up. Pikmin are no exception, and no color of Pikmin can survive a blast from one of these rocks. Captain Olimar can also be injured by these explosions, although not as grievously as the Pikmin. Olimar will sustain serious injuries from an explosion, but Pikmin will be killed instantly. Bomb-rocks have a safe radius, and it is the player's responsibility that no Pikmin are in the radius. Care must be used that no other bomb-rocks are in the vicinity, as these will explode as well if too close to another explosion.
- Mind Parasites
- While exploring in the Forest Navel, Captain Olimar finds that one of his ship parts in located inside of a giant mushroom-shaped creature, which runs when attacked. When cornered by an army of Pikmin, the mushroom creature releases spores which lodge themselves in the Pikmin's brains, changing their color to purple and causing them to attack Captain Olimar. However, after a short while the mind parasites die, causing the pikmin to revert to normal.
Levels
Olimar travels through five main levels to collect all 30 parts, which are scattered across the landscape of each area.
- The Impact Site
- The Impact Site is the location where Olimar wakes up, having lost consciousness when his ship plummeted to the surface. As soon as he wakes up, he begins to look for his ship, and is shocked by the amount of damage that has occurred. After this, sets off to find a way to begin repairs and instead stumbles across the Red Pikmin. Although at the beginning Olimar only has control over one Pikmin, he soon gains control over enough of them, through reproduction, to haul the engine of his ship back to the actual site of impact.
- The actual area of the Impact Site is one of the smallest in the game, It possesses few explorable areas and only two ship parts, the second least of any area. The Impact Site is notable, however, for containing enemies which are found nowhere else in the game.
- The Forest of Hope
- The Forest of Hope is the second navigable area in the game, and is much larger than the Impact Site. There are eight pieces of the ship to be found here, the third largest amount in the game. The Forest is divided into three main regions, a shallow lake, a wide beach, and a tangle of narrow paths and pools of water. This is also the first area of the game in which the player encounters Bulborbs, the natural enemy of Pikmin. Olimar also meets the Yellow Pikmin here.
- The Forest Navel
- This third region of the game is so named because when Olimar flies over the area for the first time, he remarks that this open spot in the very center of the dense forest resembles a navel. This area contains nine ship parts, and contains many dangerous enemies. The area is pock-marked with fire geysers, and contains large watery areas. To help with this, this is where Olimar meets the Blue Pikmin, who are the only species of Pikmin which can swim. The entire area is very dark and dusty, and is slightly foreboding, especially considering that vast stretches of it seem hauntingly empty. Many enemies in this area attack with fire, or are simply very large.
- The Distant Spring
- The Distant Spring is the last area in the game which contains necessary ship parts. The area contains ten parts in total, the largest amount in the game. As the name would suggest, there is a great deal of water in the Distant Spring, and thus Blue Pikmin get a workout here. The area revolves around puzzles, as many times parts are near water but require other Pikmin to carry them, such as when a part requires passage through a fiery area. In such a situation, careless directing of Pikmin could lead to undue casualties.
- The Final Trial
- This is the last area in the game, and it contains only one ship part, and even at that one that is not necessary to escape the planet at the end of the game. The entire area is a run-up to a creature that lives at the head of the area, and is called "Emperor Bulblax" by Captain Olimar. As one would expect for the final boss, it is more proficient at Pikmin-killing than any other enemy in the game. The Emperor Bulblax attacks by crushing its opponents or by eating them after catching them with its large sticky tongue. The area showcases the talents of all three types of Pikmin, requiring careful navigation of fire geysers, traversing wide, watery pools, and precisely placing bomb-rocks.
See also
External links
- Official Pikmin website (http://www.pikmin.com)
- Pikmin at Nintendo.com (http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=m-Game-0000-588)
- Pikmin Onion (http://nparsons271.tripod.com/pikmin/)
- Hitchhiker's Guide to Pikmin (http://www.gamehiker.com/pikmin/)
- Completion of Pikmin in a record 9 days (http://www.planetquake.com/sda/other/pikmin.html)ja:ピクミン