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10 tips to help you get started in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

by on October 30, 2020
 

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a lovely little game that really does have something for everyone. If you’re a newcomer to Nintendo’s latest adventure, the task before you may seem quite daunting, but have no fear. Here at God is a Geek, we’ve got you covered with 10 Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips to help you get started.

1. Know your Pikmin

Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips

The first of our Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips is perhaps the most important. In order to have the best chance of success on your journey it/s important to know the strengths and capabilities of your Pikmin. The first that you’ll find – Red Pikmin – are good all-rounders that are solid fighters so good for boss battles and beating up the local wildlife. The tougher Black Pikmin have hard shells and are the only Pikmin that can smash ice. They’re also decent at removing sand barriers.

Yellow Pikmin can help with your electricity obstacles, but are also incredibly light, so can be thrown higher. Consider this if you need to reach a higher ledge or fruit piece. Later in your adventure, you’ll uncover Pink Pikmin who can fly, which offers up more options. The last colour – Blue Pikmin can swim, and so water is no longer a concern for you with them in tow.

2. Consider Your squad

You can only have a maximum squad of 100 Pikmin in the open world at any one time. As such, it’s important to think about what you’re likely to need to progress your journey. If you know you’ll be attacking lots of enemies, then Red Pikmin should make up a large proportion of your party, for example.

What you will find in general though is that most situations call for a blend of different Pikmin. As such it is recommended that your squad should be split between all the Pikmin types that you have. It means you won’t have to return to the Onion to change up for different Pikmin, which in a game with a set timeframe each day is a very good thing.

3. Earning more Pikmin

Despite your best efforts, you will likely lose Pikmin along the way, but you will always want to make sure you can call on 100 of them at all times. As such, you’ll need to make sure you’re replenishing your Pikmin supply. This is done by either attacking the numbered pellets you’ll have noticed growing around the world or by returning the bodies of defeated enemies to the Onion, where you’ll be rewarded with more Pikmin.

If you’re not at the maximum of 100 Pikmin on the field, these obtained Pikmin will become Sprouts in the ground under your Onion which you can pluck to be added to your squad. If you have 100 Pikmin already, extra Pikmin will automatically go into the Onion, added to your total. It’s also worth remembering that the colour of Pikmin you use to return Pellets affects the colour of Pikmin you gain as a reward. Where you use a mix of Pikmin colours, the colour you used the most of is used to determine the new Pikmin’s colour.

4. Collecting Fruit

Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips

Whilst it can be tempting to always try and progress your way to the next objective, you do have to consider feeding your crew. Each night your crew will consume one portion of fruit juice that you have accrued. And each piece of fruit will give you a different amount of juice depending on its size.

It’s definitely recommended that you prioritise building up a buffer of fruit juice, particularly in the earlier days, as this will take the pressure off as you progress the story. If you’re low on fruit, then always make sure you bring home a couple of pieces in a day to make sure you don’t run out.

5. Keep an eye on the clock

Each day in the world of Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a fixed amount of time. This is denoted by the sun at the top of the screen as it moves from left to right. No matter what you’re doing, at the end of the day’s timer, you will instantly return to your ship. Your progress is automatically saved, but it is still worth considering a few things.

The most fundamental of these is that if you have killed enemies and are bringing them back to the Onion for Pikmin, you will need to do this before the day ends. Any dead enemies at the end of a day that haven’t been taken to the Onion are lost forever. This is particularly worth remembering with boss carcasses, as they yield a lot of Pikmin. It might even be worth not killing a boss if the timer is close to the end of the day. You can always go back at the start of a new day, the boss’ health will be where it was at the end of the previous day and you’ll have plenty of time to collect the spoils.

6. Assemble All

Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips

Another consideration at the end of each day is the Pikmin themselves. If Pikmin are in your squad at the end of a day, they will leave the planet with you automatically. However stray Pikmin will be left behind, and sadly killed by the indigenous enemies that come out at night. Where possible, always try and keep your 100 Pikmin in check throughout the day.

If you find yourself nearing the end of the day, with some Pikmin unaccounted for somewhere, you can return to your ship next to the Onion and activate the “Assemble All” command. This will send out a call and all Pikmin will try to return of their own accord. If there are obstacles or enemies in their way, they may struggle and you’ll be alerted of this. Pikmin that make it back to Onion in time will be rescued and not lost at the end of the day.

7. Data Files

Littered throughout the areas you will be exploring will be various Data Files which hold a rich source of information that you can use to further assist you on your journey. They take the form of bright yellow icons, some of which are in plain sight, whilst others may require overcoming a puzzle to access.

The ones that you should definitely pick up as a priority are those that sit in Boss Battle rooms. These provide some useful tips as to how to tackle the Bosses in Pikmin 3 Deluxe. Some Data Files also reveal more about some other characters in the story, which help flesh out the journey.

8. Whistling can get you out of trouble

Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips

The key reason for whistling in Pikmin is to bring you Pikmin back into your squad that may have wandered off a bit, or if they are standing around after completing a task. However whistling also has some other benefits too that can help save your Pikmin in a tight pinch. Firstly, any Pikmin other than the Blue Pikmin don’t like water and will flap about in it if they get wet. Leave them too long and they’ll drown, but a quick blow of the whistle will call them out of the water to safety.

If your Pikmin catch on fire (except Red Pikmin which are immune) then they will run around wildly, and again a whistle blow will calm them down and call them back to you rather than them burning to death. You can also use the whistle to help move Pikmin around to avoid enemy or boss attacks, as they won’t dodge for themselves.

9. Look out for Bolts

Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips

Whilst you’ll spend the majority of your adventure tossing Pikmin around, there will be occasions where you’ll need to throw your crewmates around too. This is normally so that you can cross gaps and reach otherwise inaccessible areas. But to avoid you just throwing people around willy-nilly, Pikmin 3 Deluxe has a little fixture to look out for as a tip.

These Bolts indicate where to throw your crew member too, and usually lead to different areas. Sometimes this is to progress the story, but other times it might lead to hidden fruit or other surprises too. So if you see a bolt on the floor, lob a crew member over there with some Pikmin and explore.

10. Use the Hint system if you’re stuck

The final hint might be the most obvious of our Pikmin 3 Deluxe tips, but if you do get stuck to the point where you’re not sure what to do next, then use the Hint system in the game. It will tell you the key parts still outstanding on your current mission, maybe directing you to an area or obstacle you might have missed in your exploration.

Considering you’re on a time limit, sometimes it does pay to be humble and use a Hint rather than wasting time, and eventually eating up food when you didn’t need to. Also sometimes using the Hint will reveal that there’s actually nothing else you can do on the planet that day anyway, and it will recommend you end the day early. This is very handy to know rather than searching in vain for the next progression point.