The Pikmin are the titular deuteragonists of the Pikmin video-game series. They are a sentient hybrid of plant and animal life-form. They are discovered by Olimar when his ship crash-lands on the planet in Pikmin. Pikmin come in a number of different colors, each indicating a unique set of attributes that better suit them to different environments.
Biography
The Pikmin are the species native to the distant planet that Olimar found himself on. The Pikmin are a strange hybrid of plant and animal that work like colonial insects. When Olimar found them, they were on the verge of extinction, being unable to defend themselves against the onslaught of beasts that they share the planet with. In a way, both Pikmin and Olimar developed a symbiosis with each other in order to survive.
Powers and Abilities
The Pikmin are varied on how much the player can use them. Red Pikmin are associated with Fire, Yellow Pikmin with Electricity, Blue Pikmin with Water, Purples with nothing in particular, Whites with Poison (rendered as Darkness in Super Smash Bros.), Rock Pikmin with Earth, and Winged Pikmin with Air. Unusually, they cannot actively control their respective elements, but are immune to them instead (so Blues don't drown, Reds don't burn, Whites are immune to poisoning, etc). There have however been exceptions to this — White Pikmin, for instance, can poison enemies that eat them, while Yellow Pikmin in Pikmin 3 can redirect electrical currents.
While Pikmin have different strengths and weaknesses depending on their type, they can all become stronger by drinking nectar or leaving them buried in the ground for a time to absorb nutrients. The stronger Pikmin become, the more efficient they are at performing tasks. Their strength can be determined by the stalk on their heads; stalks with a leaf represent Pikmin are at their default strength, while ones with buds are stronger and those with flowers are at their strongest. However, Pikmin can revert to their former states if they are hit with powerful attacks or strong gusts of wind.
Types of Pikmin
Red Pikmin
Red Pikmin (Pikminidae rubrus) possess a long, pointed nose which acts like a thorn when attacking enemies, giving them an advantage over most other Pikmin in combat. They are immune to fire hazards.
Yellow Pikmin
Yellow Pikmin (Pikminidae auribus) are lightweights that can be thrown further than most other Pikmin. In the first and second games, Yellow Pikmin were the only ones that could carry Bomb Rocks. In Pikmin 3, they can also conduct electric currents through themselves to complete circuits. They are immune to electrical hazards and are good at digging. They are also the only Pikmin with visible ears.
Blue Pikmin
Blue Pikmin (Pikminidae caerula) have mouth-like gills and webbed appendages that let them move through bodies of water without the fear of drowning.
Purple Pikmin
Purple Pikmin (Pikminidae yozokunum) are heavyweights that possess the strength of ten Pikmin. Because of this, they can carry objects that no amount of other Pikmin can and are able to defeat enemies with much more ease. They can also withstand strong winds because of their weight, which can cause powerful shockwaves when thrown.
White Pikmin
White Pikmin (Pikminidae venalbius) are small in size and have red eyes that allow them to find treasure buried underground. They are excellent diggers that can move fast on their feet and are immune to poison because of their own toxicity, which can harm predators if they are eaten.
Rock Pikmin
Rock Pikmin (Pikminidae habisaxum) possess a thick hide that can be used to break crystals and crystalline shells. They can cause the most damage to enemies when thrown at them and are immune to being crushed or impaled.
Winged Pikmin
Winged Pikmin (Pikminidae volarosa) are capable of flying over obstacles and hazards which can allow them to reach areas other Pikmin cannot.
Ice Pikmin
Ice Pikmin (Pikminidae habiglacius) are a parasitic Pikmin that use ice as a host, allowing them to freeze enemies, bodies of water and gelatinous obstacles. They can also float in water and are immune to being frozen.
Glow Pikmin
Glow Pikmin (Pikminidae supravelum) are ghost-like Pikmin that can only be used during Night Expeditions or in caves via Glow Seeds given after each Night Expedition. They are found in mounds called Lumiknolls, which produce more Glow Pikmin if given Glow Pellets. Together, Glow Pikmin have a unique charge ability called Glowmob that has them unite into a ball of light and launch forward, swarming enemies on contact to stun them before attacking. Glow Pikmin are functionally immortal, and are immune to fire, electric, water, poisonous, and ice hazards.
Bulbmin
Bulbmin (Parasiticus pikminicus) are a species of parasitic Pikmin that take control of a Bulborb's body. The adults will act hostile towards Pikmin due to their insatiable appetite, but the juveniles can be called to assist once the adult has been defeated. Juvenile Bulbmin will follow commands like every other Pikmin and can be thrown at an average high. They are also immune to fire, water, electric, and poisonous hazards, but will not leave the caves they are found in.
Mushroom Pikmin
Mushroom Pikmin, also known as Puffmin, are Pikmin infected with Puffstool spores. They will try to attack Olimar in a similar way to how other Pikmin attack predators. Olimar can either shake them off or use the Pikmin under his command to knock them back. Olimar's whistle can also be used to restore Mushroom Pikmin to their original state.
Gallery
Trivia
- In Pikmin 4, Pikmin infected with Puffstool spores would not become Mushroom Pikmin and instead get confused.
- Apparently, the Pikmin's actions of turning Olimar into a Leafling in Pikmin 4 was possibly out of a desire to have someone stay on PNF-404 to lead them. The Pikmin would eventually have this desire fulfilled when Moss can be seen leading them at the end of the game.
 Heroes
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Pikmin | Olimar | Louie | The President | Koppaites | Moss | Rescue Corps | Oatchi | ||
