The day/night cycle in Pikmin 4 can be intimidating if you’re new to the series. On the surface, you have a limited amount of time to complete a litany of tasks each in-game day.
However, once you learn many of the game’s intricate systems, you’ll eventually be able to accomplish much more in a single day than before. While there’s no shortage of little tricks you can utilize to maximize your time, there are a handful of fundamental things you should do each play session.
Here are five ways to get the most out of every day in Pikmin 4.
5. Unlock the Homesick Signal ASAP
The Homesick Signal recalls idle Pikmin back to your ship.
You should prioritize getting your hands on the Homesick Signal as soon as you can, as it’s easily one of the best items in the game in terms of efficiency. It allows you to recall all Pikmin that are outside of your squad, which is useful for covering as much ground as possible. This sends your Pikmin back to the S.S. Beagle, which will keep them safe as it becomes nighttime.
Likewise, the Idler’s Alert item works well, but it only recalls idle Pikmin to your location, not your ship’s. However, both can be extremely useful, especially as you race against the clock.
4. Use Your Survey Drone Right Away
Use your Survey Drone to get a good look at your surroundings without wasting time.
As soon as you arrive at a new stage, you should utilize your Survey Drone to get a lay of the land. Using the Drone pauses the game, so you can evaluate your surroundings for as long as you like.
While surveying the area, you should make note of the many items, hazards, and obstacles in your way. Eventually, you’ll want to think about which Pikmin you should bring, but keep in mind, you’ll have to spend multiple days on a particular stage to collect everything.
3. Utilize Oatchi to Carry Heavy Objects
Oatchi can carry much more than the standard Pikman can.
Oatchi is your canine companion, but sadly, they’re easy to overlook since the Pikmin are the main focus. However, Oatchi is your best asset in some cases, especially in terms of carrying objects. Instead of using several Pikmin to carry a heavy treasure, Oatchi can often transport the object by themselves, freeing you and your squad to tackle different objectives. You can also upgrade how much weight Oatchi can carry, making them even more useful.
2. Bring Purple Pikmin to Deal Heavy Damage
Purple Pikmin have the strength of 10 standard Pikmin.
Once you reach the third stage, Serene Shores, you’ll gain access to the Purple Pikmin. One Purple Pikmin has the strength of 10 standard Pikmin, so you’ll absolutely want to have them in your arsenal when battling enemies or carrying heavy objects.
You can actually utilize Purple Pikmin alongside Ice Pikmin for a devastating combo. First, throw the Ice Pikmin at an enemy to quickly freeze them, and follow that up by tossing all your Purple Pikmin at the enemy to take them down much faster than before.
1. Understand Your Pikmin
Learn the ins and outs of what your Pikmin can do.
It’s important to be aware of your Pikmin’s strengths and weaknesses. Each one works well in certain situations ... but not so well in others. For instance, most Pikmin can’t swim, except for Blue Pikmin. Yellow Pikmin are great at digging, while Red Pikmin are immune to fire. Once you become aware of what your Pikmin can do, you’ll be able to strategize and plan your day better.
As a final note, there are some things all Pikmin can do, regardless of their color. For instance, you can send all of one color to rush a particular enemy or object by pressing the X button. This is much faster than individually throwing Pikmin. In addition, you should send more than the required amount of Pikmin to carry an item faster. If an item only requires 10 Pikmin to carry it, you should send 20 at it instead (if possible).
Pikmin 4 is available now for Nintendo Switch.
