Pikmin (species)

Pikmin (, Pikumin) are the titular species of the series. They come in multiple variants, including Red, Yellow, Blue, Purple, White, Rock, Winged, Ice, and Glow. Pikmin follow Captain Olimar and Alph's command both in their home series and in their appearances in the  series.

Origin
Pikmin are humanoid, plant/animal hybrids that follow around Captain Olimar. Pikmin are bipedal and have a plant-like appendage on the top of their head which, under certain conditions, develops from a leaf into a bud and finally, into a flower. Each Pikmin has a specific ability, and up to 100 can wander the planet and follow Olimar. Red, Yellow, and Blue Pikmin were introduced in Pikmin, whereas three more variants were introduced in Pikmin 2, and an additional two in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4, respectively. The game of a Pikmin type's first introduction corresponds to the color of its flower: the original Pikmin have white flowers, those from Pikmin 2 have magenta flowers, those from Pikmin 3 have lavender flowers, and those from Pikmin 4 have yellow flowers.

While the exact specifics have changed in every game, these are the overall characterisics of each Pikmin type:


 * - Red Pikmin have more attack power than other Pikmin and an immunity to fiery hazards, allowing them to defeat ignited enemies and carry burning pinecones. Red Pikmin have pointed noses.
 * - Yellow Pikmin have big elf-like ears, helping them fly higher than other Pikmin when thrown. They also have an immunity to electrical hazards and a high digging speed.
 * - Blue Pikmin cannot drown, which also makes them capable of rescuing other Pikmin that accidentally fall in the water. By extension, they are immune to watery hazards and attacks. Blue Pikmin have pink gills where a mouth would be expected.
 * - Purple Pikmin are both ten times as heavy and ten times as strong at carrying objects as other Pikmin. Their weight gives them very slow movement speed, but also renders them immune to wind. They also have the highest attack power and emit a gravitational shockwave on impact when thrown that can stun, injure, or even outright kill enemies. Purple Pikmin have hair-like protrusions on their head, and are both slightly taller and noticeably fatter than other Pikmin.
 * - White Pikmin have the fastest mobility out of all Pikmin, and have large red eyes that allow them to see underground and detect buried treasure. White Pikmin are also poisonous, as they will damage enemies should they be eaten, and boast an immunity to poisonous hazards. Their attack power is subpar.
 * - A parasitic form of Pikmin that has infected a Bulborb. The actual Pikmin is never seen, and instead constantly live inside their host. They are immune to all elemental hazards, but are only found in certain s, and cannot be taken to the surface.
 * - Unlike other Pikmin, Rock Pikmin are shaped like irregular hunks of rock instead of having smooth, humanoid bodies. Their hardness gives them the highest attack power when thrown, allows them to crack crystalline objects when thrown, and renders them mostly immune to being crushed and impaled. However, they are unable to latch onto enemies, instead choosing to repeatedly ram into them, which greatly reduces their damage-per-second.
 * - Winged Pikmin are pink and have both insectoid wings and large blue eyes. Their wings allow them to fly over hazardous terrain and ground-based attacks, as well as uproot certain plants from the ground and lift obstacles. They can also give easy chase to airborne enemies, but have the lowest attack power.
 * - Ice Pikmin appear similar to Rock Pikmin, with bodies made of irregular chunks of ice. They can freeze enemies by attacking or being eaten by them; defeating a frozen enemy will shatter it and leave behind a drop of instead of a corpse. Throwing enough of them into a body of water will cause it to freeze over, allowing other types of Pikmin to cross safely, but they become embedded in the ice and cannot be used until they are retrieved, which will also thaw the ice.
 * - A special species of Pikmin with glowing bodies and ghost-like tails instead of legs, Glow Pikmin are only usable in caves or during, and are the only type of Pikmin available in the latter. They are cultivated in instead of s or s like other Pikmin, are immune to all elemental hazards, and can be charged up to coalesce into a large ball of energy that stuns enemies when thrown.

The plant on an individual Pikmin's head indicates how developed it is. A fully bloomed flower means a Pikmin is faster and more efficient at carrying objects than a Pikmin with just a leaf on its head. Pikmin develop from leaves into buds and then into flowers if left buried long enough absorbing nutrients from the soil; if a Pikmin drinks nectar, its leaf or bud will immediately develop into a flower. Pikmin can lose their flower and have it turned back into a leaf, either by enemy attacks that knock them down, or by falling from a high place while carrying an object, among other things.

In Super Smash Bros. Melee
Pikmin makes a small cameo in Super Smash Bros. Melee in the form of two trophies: one about the Pikmin themselves and one about Captain Olimar with some Pikmin. (Pikmin was released right before Melee and was helped by it in promotional purposes.)

Trophy
The trophy specifically about the Pikmin is unlocked as one of the trophies that can be collected randomly in the Trophy Lottery.

As playable characters
In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Pikmin are featured as part of Pikmin & Olimar, the playable collective of characters from the universe. Pikmin follow Captain Olimar after Olimar plucks them. Each Pikmin has a specific ability, and up to six will follow Olimar in a single-file line.


 * Red Pikmin - Possesses the strongest aerial attacks. Deals flame damage and is immune to fire attacks.
 * Yellow Pikmin - Possesses slightly larger hitboxes than other Pikmin, though it is weaker, with only the White Pikmin being weaker in all attacks. Travels in slight arcs when thrown. Deals electric damage and is immune to electric attacks.
 * Blue Pikmin - Higher health than other Pikmin, and possesses both the longest ranged grab and the most effective throws. The only Pikmin that can swim and is immune to water attacks.
 * Purple Pikmin - Does not fly far when thrown, moves slowly, and possesses less range in its smash attacks and grab. Possesses the strongest smash attacks, and possesses the most powerful throw (its up throw) in Olimar's arsenal. Slams into enemies instead of latching on when thrown. About twice as much health as other Pikmin.
 * White Pikmin - Quick and light. Can be thrown faster and farther, and when latched onto opponent, it deals three times as much damage compared to other Pikmin. It also possesses a more damaging pummel. Deals darkness damage. Has half the health of other Pikmin, often being killed in one hit, and possesses drastically weaker attacks than the other Pikmin.

Pikmin naturally develop from leaf to bud to flower every 20 seconds, but this is merely a visual aesthetic.

Stickers
The following stickers are related to the Pikmin species.

As playable characters
still uses the five Pikmin types as of Pikmin 2 in SSB4, and, unlike in Brawl, he can have only three out at a time. The Winged Pikmin from Pikmin 3 are used in Olimar's new up special move, in which they pick Olimar up and carry him around. Despite being originally planned for the game, Rock Pikmin are not integrated into Olimar or Alph's movesets. Pikmin will also appear in the Garden of Hope stage, fixing the broken elements of the stage.

As playable characters
still uses all the Pikmin from Smash 4, with few major changes.

Trivia

 * Despite their trophies in Brawl and SSB4 categorizing them as Fighters, the Pikmin's spirits in Ultimate are not categorized as fighter spirits. This is likely because they are part of Olimar's moveset, as opposed to being selectable fighters themselves.

Pikmin (especie)