Electricity

Electricity is a hazard that can be extremely dangerous and extremely harmless. It presents itself in the form of an electric current that neither Pikmin or leaders can normally handle, making touching an electrified object or current a dangerous action, with effects ranging from temporary paralysis to instant death. Yellow Pikmin and Bulbmin are completely immune to electricity, however. The Anti-Electrifier or an equivalent upgrade grants leaders immunity to all forms of electrical attacks, fully ignoring any current, just like Yellow Pikmin.

Yellow Pikmin handle electricity in a special manner, in that they are not negatively impacted by an electrical current. In, they simply ignore it, but in , not only do they ignore electrical currents, but they can also interact with them to achieve certain goals.

In Pikmin 2, if a Pikmin other than a Yellow or a Bulbmin touches an electrical current, that is enough to instantly kill it. It is zapped, and dies right after, all in the span of less than a second. There is no chance of survival for Pikmin that fall to this fate, making it very important to use the correct Pikmin types to handle electricity, in order to avoid fatal disasters. Leaders that touch electricity suffer damage and are knocked to the ground.

In Pikmin 3, electricity is nonfatal. Any Pikmin, except Yellow Pikmin, that touches an electrical current will be zapped and fly backward, and then lie on the ground. In this state, the Pikmin has a blue aura and emits some quiet shrieks; every so often, it convulses. Pikmin do not die from electrical shock, but if not whistled back, it does not get up on its own. As soon as it is whistled, it returns to normal. Leaders suffer the exact same effect if they get electrocuted, and also return to normal once they get up. Leaders can get up faster if made to. Regardless, any leader gets up by themselves after some seconds.

Some fanon games feature a more potent version of electricity that instantly kills all but the Pikmin resistant to its basic form.

In Pikmin Rebirth
Electricity is a very common hazard, and helpful tool, in Pikmin Rebirth. Like before, it takes the form of jagged, crackling energy. Electricity comes mainly from pylons, which link together to form a gate of volts, but can also appear from larger single pylons, which create a ring of electricity around themselves. Electricity can be combined with other materials; if it touches metal, it creates a magnet that attracts other metal items to the source, and electrifies water upon contact, instantly killing any Pikmin that enters it. Electricity comes in three colors, which are yellow, white, and green. Yellow electricity stuns Pikmin before they suddenly explode and die from an energy overload; luckily, they can be whistled and saved before then. White electricity is mostly harmless and just stuns Pikmin. In contrast, green electricity instantly kills Pikmin. The only type immune to electricity is Yellow Pikmin, which can enter special areas where electricity crackles and then infuse with the energy to become Volt Pikmin. In such a form, they gain a homing attack when tossed at enemies, and can charge dormant devices to activate them.

In Pikmin: Attack of the Breadbugs
In Pikmin: Attack of the Breadbugs, electricity is used mainly in the Spark Territory of the Land of Wonders. It does not instantly kill any Pikmin except Yellow Pikmin but does paralyze them until they are whistled at, providing them with the chance of being killed.

In Pikmin: Dimensional Breach
Electricity returns as a hazard in Pikmin: Dimensional Breach. Functionally, electricity acts as a hybrid of its incarnation and how other hazards are presented: if a Pikmin is zapped by an electric hazard, it will not instantly die; rather, it will begin jumping around uncontrollably, sparks surging throughout its body, and will die of electrocution over time if not whistled back. As per usual, Yellow Pikmin are immune to electricity, can break down electric gates, and can complete wiring circuits; unlike in Pikmin 3, where the wire is pre-set, the forming of circuits is more freeform, with electricity from the active end of the circuit arcing to a nearby Yellow Pikmin, then arcing across multiple Pikmin to the receiving end of the circuit. When the circuit is complete, the electricity will remain in place until the Yellow Pikmin are called back.

The Anti-Electrifier returns as an upgrade that protects the captains from electricity. Louie also gains an upgrade, the King of Bugs, that allows him to command Anode Beetles and Anode Dweevils to attack enemies with electricity; using this upgrade, Louie can even command Anode Beetles to complete electrical circuits.

Returning enemies that utilize electricity include Anode Beetles, Anode Dweevils, Bearded Amprats, Overcharge Blowhogs, the attack of the Titan Dweevil, and the electric elemental plasm of the Plasm Wraith. However, the Titan Dweevil and Plasm Wraith do not technically return; rather, their appearance in the final area is in the form of the two phantoms, the Phantom Dweevil and Phantom Wraith, summoned by Derrick. New enemies that utilize electricity include Cathode Bulblaxes, the Haughty Aristocrab, and the phantom Yellow Pikmin utilized by the phantom of Olimin.

In Pikmin: Forces of Evil
Electricity is another hazard in Pikmin: Forces of Evil. It works like usual, preventing any all but Yellow Pikmin from approaching, and damaging Olimar's suit heavily.

In Pikmin: Spark
In Pikmin: Spark, electricity is an uncommon hazard. When a Pikmin touches electricity, they will be stunned for a few seconds before they explode and die. The hazard comes in three different colors: yellow electricity is the most common type and does what is previously mentioned; green electricity is rarer and instantly kills Pikmin, like in ; white electricity is the rarest and simply merely stuns Pikmin, although it is made only by enemies to give them an advantage against inapt types. Only Yellow Pikmin are immune to electricity, and captains can become immune by getting the E-Insulator upgrade.

New electrical obstacles include:
 * Electric water: water permeated by electricity. All Pikmin types are instantly killed by this, including Yellow Pikmin.
 * Electric pillar: pylons that expel electricity into the air, similar to fire geysers.
 * Electric floor: floors covered in electricity and usually powered by a generator that needs to be destroyed.
 * Electric motor: electric devices that power a machine and need Yellow Pikmin to short out.

In Pikmin: Wide World
Electricity appears as a harmful, and mostly non-lethal, hazard in Pikmin: Wide World. It is the first hazard seen in the game, appearing in Balmy Highlands, where the electricity-resistant and electricity-conducting Yellow Pikmin are discovered. Any Pikmin, except Yellow Pikmin, that touch electricity will be thrown back and become paralyzed on the ground, with electricity surging through their body. Pikmin will remain in this state until they are whistled, and will occasionally convulse and emit quiet shrieks. However, Yellow Pikmin can absorb the electrical current flowing through another Pikmin's body to rid them of it and return them to normal. Yellow Pikmin that absorb an electrical current, either from a Pikmin, an obstacle, or an enemy, will become electrically charged and can inflict a fair amount of damage to most enemies they physically touch, but only once, and they can only be safely thrown by a leader who is equipped with the Anti-Electrifier. The Anti-Electrifier is an upgrade that grants the leader wearing it an electrical resistance that increases every time it is enhanced. Leaders not equipped with the Anti-Electrifier that touch electricity will be thrown back and lie on the ground, much like a Pikmin, but can get up on their own. They can get up even faster if the control stick is spun enough. An electrical current that finds its way into a body of water will electrify it for as long as they remain in contact, severely injuring or killing most enemies in it. However, any Pikmin and leaders in that water, besides Yellow Pikmin and the leader that has the Anti-Electrifier, will become paralyzed. Blue Pikmin in electrified water will only be paralyzed until they are whistled, but other Pikmin that are already drowning will surely die. The only lethal source of electricity in Pikmin: Wide World is the electric wire gate, which instantly kills all Pikmin but Yellow Pikmin on contact. Electricity is extremely effective against water-based enemies such as a Goolix, inflicting tremendous damage to it. Unlike in Pikmin 3, Yellow Pikmin that complete an electrode's circuit will not become flowered and will instead retain their maturities.

Anode Beetles scuttle around a small area, occasionally electrifying themselves and, if two or more are near each other, opening their wings to produce an arc of electricity between them from their backside. Widemouthed Anode Beetles behave in much the same way, but also electrify themselves when in pursuit of Pikmin or leaders. Anode Dweevils can emit an electrical discharge, but only do so in self-defense. Bearded Amprats rapidly stroke their facial hairs to generate static electricity before plowing into nearby Pikmin or leaders. Electric Bulbeels and their dwarf counterpart electrify the water they are in before consuming their paralyzed prey. Electric Spectralids are perpetually electrified and swoop down onto unsuspecting Pikmin and leaders to electrocute them. Electric Starnacles can briefly electrify themselves and the water they are in to render their prey vulnerable. Electripedes temporarily electrify themselves idly or when attacked. Flashlight Beetles fly in swarms and are harmless, but electrify themselves near sundown to provide a modest amount of illumination. Foraging Cottonades are harmless on their own but can generate electricity by rubbing against one another or other members of the cottonade family. Galvanic Jellyfloats electrify their entire body when attacked, and can unleash a powerful surge of electricity around them. Overcharge Blowhogs expel several arcs of electricity from the trunks when they exhale. Shock Dumples can unleash a surge of electricity to stun their prey, on land or in water. Anodestools are constantly electrified but briefly stop emitting electricity upon being damaged or when it is on the ground. The Electric Cottonade uses Foraging Cottonades to generate electricity, which it directs at its attackers. The Grimacing Cremblub is capable of rapidly discharging electrical currents that cover its entire body. The Plasm Wraith can spit out an electric-based Elemental Plasm that rises into the air and generates a spherical electric field. The Titan Cottonade itself does not utilize electricity, but Foraging Cottonades rub against it to generate static electricity. Lastly, the Titan Dweevil can turn yellow and emit an electrical discharge as one of its four hazard-based attacks.

Although not directly affected by electricity, Bloominous Stemples and various candypop buds will bloom when exposed to light, which, in dark areas, can be created by completing an electrode's circuit to power a lightbulb. A leader's beacon can produce light, but even with the fully-enhanced Radiant Illuminator, a Bloominous Stemple will not bloom. Shockcaps are small mushrooms that are constantly electrified unless they are hit, causing them to temporarily stop emitting electricity. Like a Spotcap or a Browncap, a Shockcap can be destroyed.