Pikmin 4 is full of new bugs and other creatures.
The Pikmin series is full of adventures and new things to find. Those big Duracell batteries that stuck out of the snow at the beginning of Pikmin 2 on the GameCube might be something you remember. The story is the same in Pikmin 4. You’ll find and explore a lot of treasures, places, and enemies.
If you’ve played other Pikmin games, you’ll see enemies like Mamutas and Breadbugs that you’ve seen before. What enemies are completely new to the series? Read on to find out about all of the new enemies, from the most usual ones to a few bosses.
Grub-Dog Family
If you don’t know much about Grub-Dogs, you probably know them better by the name Bulborbs. After all, it would be crazy to ignore one of the most well-known species in the Pikmin series. Pikmin 4 adds four new kinds of Bulborb: Albino Dwarf Bulborbs, Frosty Bulborbs and their smaller Dwarf friends, and the Jumbo Bulborb.
Even though you have to be careful around every enemy in Snake Game, Bulborbs are so cute that it’s tempting to just watch them stumble around from a distance, especially the Albino Dwarfs, who look like tiny marshmallows.
Blowhog Family
Since the first Pikmin game, Blowhogs have been around, but you’re probably used to them blowing fire like natural flamethrowers. The Blizzarding, Icy, and Snowy Blowhogs are similar, but instead of fire, you have to avoid a cold mist.
The Tusked Blowhog, on the other hand, is more stubborn. This enemy will charge you, so be ready to use your skills at dodging. Even though this enemy has a nose like other Blowhogs, it probably uses it more like any other sniffer.
Snootwhack Family
Snootwhackers are enemies that are dark green on top and light green on the bottom. They look like cousins of the Pokemon Donphan because they have a bent trunk, four legs, and a big body. The only real difference between these two new features is their size, which is why they are called Miniature and Mammoth Snootwhackers, respectively.
Be careful of the Mammoth Snoowhacker. It has tough skin and a tail that it will whip around and smash into the ground. Also, some things you put on it might not work the way you want them to.
Dweevil Family
If you’re afraid of spiders or things that look like spiders, you might not be too excited to hear that there are two new Dweevils to meet: the Iceblown and Venom Dweevils. Make sure you use the right kind of Pikmin to fight these creepy creatures.
Did you know that, according to legend, Dweevils get their colors from the things they eat? To be more exact, the symbiotic bacteria on the plants and animals they eat affect the color of their skin, which is caused by the bacteria.
Shellcake Family
Shellcakes are a whole new family in the Pikmin games. You can find Freezecakes, Scorchcakes, and Shockcakes as you go on your travels. Based on their names and the places where they live, they are put into different groups.
Aside from that, they all look like crabs that chose to make their shells out of broken hockey pucks. You might mistake them for a bunch of fancy rice cakes, but don’t be fooled. They’re very quick, which makes sense since the Piklopedia says they’re fierce hunts.
Amphituber Family
Members of the Amphituber family like to live near water, so if you see a Chillyhop, Wollyhop, Wolpole, or Yellow Wollyhop, you’re probably not too far from a body of water. The fact that these creatures don’t like blue Pikmin probably doesn’t surprise you, given where they live and how they act.
You shouldn’t have too much trouble with these enemies that can swim and fly. Chillyhops can be tricky, though, because every time they land, cold air rushes out from under them. If you’re not careful, this can freeze your Pikmin.
Sporovid Family
The Sporovid family is full of interesting people. They are either original species that make their own spores or animals that these spores have infected; poor guys. Sporovids like Toxstools, Moldy Slooches, and Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs are only found in Pikmin 4.
Remember that if harmful spores hit your Pikmin, they will turn into zombies and attack your other Pikmin. Try to get rid of the sick as quickly as possible, since they are aware but no longer in charge of their bodies.
Miscellaneous Additions
Many of the new enemies can be put into the same family to make groups that make sense, but there are also quite a few that are one-of-a-kind adds. So, they belong in the “other” group. Most, if not all, of the monsters in the table below are likely to show up as you play:
| Species | Family |
|---|---|
| Aristocrab Offspring | Onionshell |
| Bloomcap Bloyster | Mollusking |
| Bogswallow | Polyocular Slug |
| Downy Snagret | Snavian |
| Grubchucker | Crablipps |
| Muckerskate | Spitterspatter |
| Pricklepuff | Pricklepuffs |
| Startle Spore | Chrysanthemum |
| Sunsquish | Squishsquirt |
| Waddlequaff | Gourdfeather |
| Gildemandwee | Amphibiland |
| Anode Beetle | Beetle |
| Shearflea | Mandiblard |
Bosses
In Pikmin 4, there are a lot of bosses to find and fight. Some of them, like Empress Bulblax, are well-known, but others will be new to you. Some of them even have unique boss arenas that fit their theme, look, or powers.
If you were dying to know, these new bosses are the Ancient Sirehound, a scary Arctic Cannon Beetle, the scorpion-like Crusted Rumpup, a rather rich-looking Gildemander, the Groovy Long Legs, a favorite on the dance floor, a bouncy Masterhop, a pretty pokey Porquillion, an elegant Snowfake Fluttertail, and a big Titan Blowhog.
