Pikmin (family)

**Pikmin** are a race of plant creatures capable of locomotive motion and speech; they are highly intelligent beings. They take up most of the main characters in the Kirby Bulborb Cinematic Universe.

In the main games, Pikmin are created by Onions, which produce them as seeds, which in turn fall to the ground and become sprouts. The player can then get a leader to pluck one of these sprouts. Once plucked, Pikmin follow a leader around the area in a squad, and the leader can throw them at objects, as well as dismiss, swarm, and charge them. When out of a leader's squad, they can be whistled back into it. Through these basic actions, Pikmin can be ordered to carry items or fight enemies, among other abilities.

Pikmin come in several types, each with certain unique abilities (such as resistance to a specific hazard). Most are 1.2cm tall head to toe (around 3cm if the stem and top are included), and have a generally humanoid shape. On top of a Pikmin's head is either a leaf, bud, or flower, representing its maturity.

On its own, a Pikmin is not particularly strong, but in large groups (usually up to 100), they are capable of doing many things. However, Pikmin can be eaten by enemies, and if a player loses all Pikmin of a type, a Pikmin extinction can occur. Fortunately, Pikmin can be grown easily by carrying defeated enemies or pellets to the Onion. In addition, Candypop Buds can convert Pikmin from one type to another.

## Known species

These are the species so far encountered in the Pikmin games.

### Introduced in *Pikmin*

#### Red Pikmin

Red Pikmin were the first species of Pikmin discovered. Their unique physical feature is their thorn-like noses.

These Pikmin are fireproof and have 1.5 times the attack power of an average Pikmin.

They can also take down dirt walls faster than others shown in *Pikmin 3*.

#### Yellow Pikmin

Yellow Pikmin have large ears. They are lighter than most Pikmin, so they can be thrown further and higher, and they were discovered (in *Pikmin 2*) to be immune to electricity.

In *Pikmin*, they have the unique trait of being able to carry and throw Bomb Rocks, but the Bomb Rocks seen in *Pikmin 2* are much larger and are too heavy to be carried, and in *Pikmin 3*, all Pikmin can carry Bomb Rocks. Bomb rocks in Pikmin 4 cannot be carried by any Pikmin, instead being an item that the player can use.

Yellow Pikmin can dig faster than any other Pikmin in *Pikmin 3* and *Pikmin 4.*

#### Blue Pikmin

Blue Pikmin have what appear to be mouths, but are actually gills. These Pikmin, unlike the others, are amphibious and can survive both on land and in water. They are also resistant to water-based attacks.

If thrown into water or standing idle, they will save any nearby drowning Pikmin by throwing them, sometimes back on land, sometimes back into water (by accident). However, this was discontinued in *Pikmin 3*, because drowning Pikmin can get out on their own.

In the shallow waters of *Pikmin* 1 and 2, Blue Pikmin will walk through the water as the captains do, but in the deeper waters of *Pikmin 3*, they are shown to have the ability to swim.

#### Mushroom Pikmin

Mushroom Pikmin are not a separate type of Pikmin, but rather the result of exposing any type of Pikmin to a Puffstool's spore cloud. Pikmin affected by the cloud turn purple, grow mushrooms on their heads, lose species-specific details (nose, ears, etc.,) and turn against Olimar and other unaffected Pikmin.

Mushroom Pikmin can be cured by shaking them off Olimar, by defeating the Puffstool, or simply waiting for the effect to wear off. Attacking a Mushroom Pikmin with an unaffected Pikmin gives a chance to revert it back to the previous Pikmin color. However, there is also a chance that it succumbs to its injuries and die. Both Mushroom Pikmin and the Puffstool are found only in *Pikmin*.

Mushroom Pikmin can sometimes turn against the Puffstool due to a certain glitch, and will sometimes even continue to follow Olimar (although they cannot be thrown or interacted with), depending on exactly how the glitch is carried out.

### Introduced in *Pikmin 2*

#### Purple Pikmin

Purple Pikmin are bulkier and larger than normal Pikmin, and have several wiry hairs growing out of their head. These Pikmin are 30 times more powerful than the average Pikmin in battle, and have the carrying strength of 10 Pikmin, but move more slowly.

They can also cause damage simply by being tossed on enemies (which may also stun the foes), and will actually home in on enemies to try and land on the them if not tossed directly above it, arguably making them the best fighters.

Their extra weight prevents them from being blown away by the wind attacks of the Puffy and Withering Blowhogs.

They also do not panic when in the presence of a Mitite group. Unlike the original Red, Yellow, and Blue Pikmin, Purple Pikmin have pink flowers.

In *Pikmin 3,* all of these abilities were removed other than carrying strength. Additionally, they do not appear in story mode, only appearing in the Mission-Mode.

#### White Pikmin

White Pikmin are smaller than normal Pikmin and have red eyes, allowing them to have keen sight and dig up buried treasure. These Pikmin are resistant to poison attacks, and seem to be poisonous themselves. This can be identified by their purple hands and feet. Enemies are damaged, sometimes fatally when they ingest White Pikmin.

These Pikmin are also the fastest and carry items much quicker than other Pikmin. Like Purple Pikmin, White Pikmin have pink flowers, rather than white like the original Pikmin colors.

In *Pikmin 3,* White Pikmin are weaker fighters and inflict less damage on enemies when eaten. Similar to Purple Pikmin, White Pikmin do not appear in *Pikmin 3*'s story mode, and only appear in the Mission-Mode.

#### Bulbmin

Bulbmin are a combination of a parasitic form of Pikmin and a juvenile Bulborb. They are immune to all Hazards (Fire, Water, Electricity, and Poison) thanks to the Bulborb's anatomy. Although they can carry objects and flower as normal Pikmin do, they are weak in battle and unable to leave the caves in which they are found. When Bulbmin die, so do the parasitic Pikmin.

The actual appearance of the parasitic Pikmin alone is unknown, although judging by the white coloration of the flower, they may simply be parasitic anomalies of the original Pikmin.

It is recommended to use a Candypop Bud to make Bulbmin into another color of Pikmin before you exit a cave. Other than their hazard immunity, Bulbmin do not share any secondary traits with other species of Pikmin (increased jump height, speed, attack power, etc.).

### Introduced in *Pikmin 3*

#### Rock Pikmin

Rock Pikmin are a species of Pikmin that take the form of small yet sturdy stones rather than plants, though the notable leaf on its head trait remains.

This Pikmin type is very sturdy, strong, and is not easily knocked around. When thrown, instead of latching on to the enemy, they bounce off (much like if you threw a rock at something). Their sturdiness allows them to be able to shatter glass and Crystal Nodules. These Pikmin are immune to blunt force, such as being crushed or stabbed.

While they may seem somewhat similar to Purple Pikmin, they do not have the strength to lift 10 times the amount a normal pikmin can and although a bit heavier than other types, are not as heavy as Purple Pikmin.

#### Winged Pikmin

Winged Pikmin are pink in coloration and have large heads, lavender flowers, large blue compound eyes, and are capable of flight via wings on their backs.

Flying allows them to do things such as following the captains where most Pikmin types would not be able to, attacking airborne/tall creatures with ease, and even taking quicker, shorter routes while carrying spoils by carrying them in the air.

These Pikmin are always airborne and never set foot on the ground, unless when performing specific tasks such as pushing paper bags. They are weaker fighters than most Pikmin.

### Introduced in Pikmin 4

#### Ice Pikmin

Ice Pikmin, as seen in Pikmin 4, this type of Pikmin can freeze enemies. When enough ice pikmin make contact with a body of water, it will freeze, allowing the player character to traverse through it with ease. They are pale cyan with yellow flowers, but otherwise share a resemblance with Rock Pikmin. Ice Pikmin are first found in the Last-Frost Cave.

#### Glow Pikmin

Glow Pikmin are green with bioluminescent ghost-like bodies.

They are capable of flying, but only while attacking. They only come out at night, or caves and live in burrow-like mounds called Lumiknolls. Also, if the player has a large amount of Glow Pikmin, then they can form them into a glow-mob that can be used to temporarily daze enemies.

They are produced by bringing glow-pellets to their mounds, or using glow seeds.