Pikmin: Wide World

Pikmin: Wide World is a non-canon Pikmin game concept currently being developed by Cheepy-Cheepy, and is the sequel to . Although the graphics and gameplay of Pikmin: Wide World are similar to that of Pikmin 3s, the game combines mechanics and features of the three main Pikmin games as well as ' in such a way that it provides the classic feel of a standard Pikmin'' title. To further expand the game's content, Pikmin: Wide World incorporates various elements that are not canonical to the Pikmin games, with some being enemies and items. Pikmin: Wide World also introduces new mechanics and features not seen in other Pikmin games.

Plot
As the S.S. Drake approached Hocotate, Captain Olimar and the Koppaite trio had to exchange goodbyes. Before they all knew it, they were ready to touch down on the planet. They used Hocotate Freight as their landing site as per Olimar's request. Olimar waved them goodbye as he stepped out of the spacecraft and onto the dry soil that was all too familiar to him. He turned to watch the S.S. Drake take off, but as he turned around, he was suddenly met with Shacho, the president of Hocotate Freight. Panicked, Shacho reminded Olimar that the company is still deep in its debt. He demands to know where the Pokos and treasures were, but then he stopped before he could say any more. He took a few moments to realize a few details: no emails were being exchanged to and from the Hocotate ship in days, Olimar didn't return to the planet in the Hocotate ship, and Louie was once again not present. Olimar began to explain all that happened with himself and Louie and the Hocotate ship, but Shacho wanted no part in it. He simply stated that if he wanted something done right, he'd have to do it himself. Olimar insisted that he accompany him, and eventually Shacho gave in. Shacho, realizing that the Hocotate ship was left behind and that the company has no other usable ships, asked Olimar what to do. Olimar had no other choice but to reveal his secret project: the Dolphin Lander. Shacho and Captain Olimar suited up and gathered some rations, and took off towards the Pikmin Planet in the Dolphin Lander to save the company yet again.

The Dolphin Lander malfunctions shortly before it lands in Balmy Highlands, dropping Shacho into a small circular area in which an active yellow Onion and a Superstick Textile sit. Olimar, realizing this and rushing out of the Dolphin Lander to meet him, nearly runs into a crystal gate separating the two. They wonder what they should do until they each notice Yellow Pikmin running up to the other from behind. Shacho, realizing he is trapped with the yellow Onion, tries to recall all of what he had learned from Olimar, and notices some nearby Pellet Posies as well as some yellow Pellets setting on the ground, which he commands his group to pick up so that he may have more Pikmin at his side. Meanwhile, Olimar leads his smaller squad of Yellow Pikmin into a nearby dark cavelike subarea, which is populated by a few harmless enemies as well as Medusal Slurker that had ingested a Juicy Gaggle. Olimar takes notice of an electrode, and from the small amount of light produced by the sparks produced by the wire ends, he concludes that one of the poor Female Sheargrubs living within the cave had accidentally electrocuted itself. The electrode requires more Pikmin than he has at his side, so he consults with Shacho, who has more Yellow Pikmin than he could need. Shacho throws several Yellow Pikmin over the crystal gate to Olimar. After returning to the subarea and completing the electrode's circuit, the cave lights up and reveals a few bomb-rocks setting on a high ledge. Olimar throws his Yellow Pikmin to the bomb-rocks, they drop down to him and follow him outside to destroy the crystal gate with their newfound weaponry. Once Olimar and Shacho are reunited, they have the Yellow Pikmin pick up the Superstick Textile; however, they follow the leaders because they do not yet know where the Dolphin Lander is. The two leaders show the Yellow Pikmin where the ship is after rounding a corner and learn its location and appearance.

After the Frosted Arcticlops is defeated, it spits out Louie, much to the leaders' surprise. Classically, Louie does not speak, but he does nod his head when Olimar asks if he would like to join Shacho and him. The night after Louie is unlocked, he records notes on how to prepare, cook, and eat every creature, plant, and fungus that has been documented by Olimar, if it can be cooked or eaten.

The night after the Greater Studded Beeb is defeated in the Ancient Metalworks, Olimar is the last one to board the Dolphin Lander. Unfortunately, he never makes it inside: the very same Plasm Wraith who had so obsessively held him captive had found him again and abducted him. As it turns out, it had been hiding behind the Dolphin Lander every night it landed in that area, waiting for the chance to strike. Olimar could not call out for help because the creature had enveloped him and muffled his whistle. The Dolphin Lander and Master Onion could not wait for Olimar any longer and took off without him to avoid the hostile nocturnal wildlife on the planet's surface. Shacho, full of panic, worries about the fate of his only reliable and sane employee; Louie, in classic fashion, only acknowledges the incident but does not appear affected by it. The following day Shacho and Louie rush out of the Lander and notice a trail of plasm blobs; some of these blobs merge on their own to create Plasm Illusions. They gather their Pikmin forces and follow the trail of plasm on their way to rescue Olimar. When they finally defeat the Plasm Wraith and ensure it is dead, it drops a golden cube that can be carried back to the Master Onion, as well as Olimar, who has the Rusted Data Fragment.

Gameplay
Players can control and switch between leaders, who control any Pikmin following them. Pikmin can be thrown, dismissed, and ordered to perform a variety of other tasks. Pikmin can carry a large variety of objects, a few being enemy corpses, fruits, treasures. Pikmin are also utilized as the primary method of attacking enemies and destroying obstacles.

Pikmin: Wide World models itself after a traditional Pikmin game, and contains a variety of aspects, elements, and mechanics returning from previous games, while also introducing new ones that are detailed in later sections of this article. New game modes are permanently unlocked when their respective upgrade is collected in any Story Mode save file. Alternate game modes are listed in the order they are normally unlocked.

Challenge Mode
Returns to Pikmin: Wide World as a mix of Pikmin 1 and Pikmin 2's Challenge Modes and Pikmin 3s Mission Mode, and is unlocked when the Telecommunications Device upgrade is collected. Area levels in Challenge Mode are divided into three sections, and players are randomly placed in one of the three sections. All other aboveground and underground levels have dynamic layouts, although access to parts of aboveground levels is restricted.

Two-Player Battle Mode
Two-Player Battle Mode returns to Pikmin: Wide World from Pikmin 2 and includes elements from Pikmin 3, and is unlocked by collecting the Aggression Meter upgrade. Players can choose to play as the leader of their choice, the choices being Olimar, Louie, and Shacho, but both players cannot play as the same leader. Two-Player Battle Mode itself has two match styles, which are Classic Battle and Bingo Battle; Classic Battle carries the legacy of Pikmin 2 's Two-Player Battle mode, while Bingo Battle carries the legacy of Pikmin 3 's Bingo Battle mode.

Bottomless Abyss
A new game mode introduced in Pikmin: Wide World and is unlocked when the Anomaly Log upgrade is collected. Bottomless Abyss, as the name suggests, is a cave that has an indefinite amount of sublevels. The purpose of the game mode is to collect as many Pokos as possible by collecting objects such as treasures, enemy corpses, and golden fruits, and bringing them to the Lander Pod. Sublevels do not have time limits. Every sublevel's theme is random, and its contents are always dependant on the theme: enemies and bosses, treasures and golden fruits, vegetation, and obstacles. A sublevel's theme and contents are determined by if they were encountered in Story Mode; if a Dwarf Red Bulborb hasn't been defeated and collected by the Lander Pod or an Onion in story mode, Dwarf Red Bulborbs will not appear in Bottomless Abyss. The same general concept applies to vegetation, bosses, treasures, fruits, etcetera. Every few sublevels contain a boss, and every tenth sublevel is a rest sublevel that contains harmless or low-risk enemies, a few treasures, and most importantly an escape geyser. Sprays that have been unlocked in Story Mode can also be obtained in Bottomless Abyss.

The player normally begins sublevel one with ten Red Pikmin, Blue Pikmin, and Yellow Pikmin, and five White Pikmin. Other Pikmin types, such as Rock Pikmin, Winged Pikmin, Green Pikmin, or Purple Pikmin, can also be found and utilized by throwing them into the appropriately-colored Candypop Bud. If a sublevel contains a certain type of hazard or obstacle only a certain color of Pikmin can overcome, their respective Candypop Bud will be present on the sublevel. Hosts of parasitic Pikmin can also be found on some sublevels and utilized. Clearing a sublevel completely of enemies will reward the player with bonus points, as will clearing a sublevel of all carriable collectibles.

When all leaders are down or a Pikmin extinction occurs, gameplay ends and half of all Pokos gathered up to that point are forfeited. When the cave is exited through an escape geyser, gameplay ends and the total amount of Pokos collected up to that point is recorded. If that score happens to be one of the highest scores ever achieved on that copy of the game, it is recorded on the top three highest scores list.

Main Pikmin
Although many Pikmin types return in Pikmin: Wide World, a single new type is discovered: Green Pikmin, which are resistant to acid. All aboveground Pikmin have Onions of their own, but all subterranean Pikmin lack them; as such, they are kept in the Dolphin Lander. Individual Pikmin can learn from their experiences with locations, items, enemies, vegetation, hazards, obstacles, and even each other, and that knowledge is exchanged between Pikmin at the end of the day when they are all housed in the Master Onion. Exchanged information is synchronized among all Pikmin in the Master Onion and is never forgotten. Pikmin are listed in the order of discovery.

Yellow Pikmin


Yellow Pikmin are the first main Pikmin type found in Pikmin: Wide World, and they are discovered in Balmy Highlands. They are resistant to electricity and can conduct it as well. Yellow Pikmin have an average attack power, average mobility, high digging speed, and high throw distance. A Yellow Pikmin's defining features are its large pointed ears and white flower. Golden Candypop Buds can be used to transform other Pikmin types into Yellow Pikmin.

Yellow Pikmin can be thrown higher than any other Pikmin type, which makes them useful for collecting objects that are on a high ledge. They also dig up buried objects and clear out tunnels faster than any other Pikmin type. Unlike in Pikmin 3, Yellow Pikmin do not become flowered after they complete an electrode's circuit.

Blue Pikmin


Blue Pikmin are an aquatic species of Pikmin discovered in Arid Oasis. They are resistant to water. They have an average attack power, average mobility, average digging speed, and average throw distance. A Blue Pikmin's defining features are its mouth-like gills, webbed hands and feet, and white flower. Lapis Lazuli Candypop Buds can be used to transform other Pikmin types into Blue Pikmin.

When a Blue Pikmin detects a Pikmin drowning in a body of water nearby, it will immediately rush in to save it, even breaking away from the group if necessary. When a Blue Pikmin reaches the drowning Pikmin, they throw them to shore. Blue Pikmin can also swim underwater, but they usually only do so when in pursuit of an underwater enemy or if the leader they are following is swimming.

Red Pikmin


Red Pikmin are discovered in Frigid Tundra. They are fireproof and are one of the most powerful Pikmin in terms of attack damage. Red Pikmin have an above-average attack power, average mobility, average digging speed, and average throw distance. A Red Pikmin's defining features are its pointy nose and white flower. Other Pikmin types can be transformed into Red Pikmin by throwing them into Crimson Candypop Buds.

Red Pikmin can smother out flames by stamping them out. It is reasoned that Red Pikmin have a higher-than-average attack power because of their noses, which jab into the enemies they are hitting.

Purple Pikmin


Purple Pikmin are a subterranean species of Pikmin that are discovered in Ancient Metalworks. They have no particular resistance to anything besides panicking, and they can lift the weight of ten Pikmin. Purple Pikmin have an above-average attack power, low mobility, average digging speed, and low throw distance. The defining features of a Purple Pikmin are its larger size, six hairs, and pink flower. They are the slowest Pikmin variety. Because Purple Pikmin are a subterranean species of Pikmin and thus have no respective Onion, they are stored in the Dolphin Lander when not in use. Purple Pikmin can only be created by throwing other Pikmin types into a Violet Candypop Bud.

Purple Pikmin, when landing after being thrown, have the unique ability to briefly stun most enemies. They do this by using all of their weight to fall straight down onto the ground near a target or onto the target itself. When allowed to pound an enemy, Purple Pikmin can cause extreme damage to it even if they do not stun it. Purple Pikmin are one of the most damaging Pikmin types, the other being Rock Pikmin. The weight and strength of a Purple Pikmin can also be used to clear out some obstacles.

Green Pikmin


Green Pikmin are a new species of Pikmin discovered in Ancient Metalworks. They can survive the acid that some enemies utilize, as well as the pools of it that appear in the area. Green Pikmin have an average attack power, average mobility, average digging speed, and average throw distance. A Green Pikmin's defining features are its mouth-like gills, tail, and white flower. Green Pikmin are hypothesized to be a subspecies of Blue Pikmin that have evolved to survive acidic substances rather than basic substances. Although Green Pikmin have their respective Onion, they can also be created by throwing Pikmin into a Demantoid Candypop Bud.

Much like how Blue Pikmin will attempt to save other-colored Pikmin that are drowning in bodies of water, Green Pikmin will attempt to save Pikmin that find themselves in a pool of acid.

Rock Pikmin


Rock Pikmin are discovered in Ancient Metalworks. They cannot be crushed or impaled, and they will become partially buried or be knocked back, respectively. Rock Pikmin have high attack power, average mobility, average digging speed, and average throw distance. A Rock Pikmin's defining features are its rock-like main body, gray skin, and indigo flower. Unlike the other Pikmin types, Rock Pikmin are incapable of clinging onto or climbing enemies and objects because of their physiology. This includes enemies like the Red Bulborb or Shaggy Long Legs, and vegetation like the Burgeoning Spiderwort. Rock Pikmin that are thrown at an object or enemy will bounce off of it after the initial hit and will continue lunging at the target if left unoccupied, which does significantly less damage than if it were thrown. Pikmin can be thrown into an Ebony Candypop Bud to transform them into Rock Pikmin.

Rock Pikmin are one of the two most damaging Pikmin types, the other being Purple Pikmin. Rock Pikmin can also be used to destroy objects made of crystal, ice, and solids made of similar materials that are worn as armor by some enemies. Rock Pikmin, as they are immune to being impaled, can also be used to harm spiked enemies.

White Pikmin


White Pikmin are a subterranean species of Pikmin that is discovered in Mycelial Sepulcher. They are resistant to poison. White Pikmin have a below-average attack power, high mobility, below-average digging speed, and average throw distance. A White Pikmin's defining features are its small stature, large red eyes, lavender hands and feet, and pink flower. They are one of the two fastest Pikmin types, the other being Winged Pikmin, although they carry objects slower than they usually move. White Pikmin are unique for being able to detect and dig up completely buried objects such as fruits and treasures. As White Pikmin are a subterranean Pikmin species and thus have no respective Onion, they can only be made by throwing Pikmin into an Ivory Candypop Bud. They, like Purple Pikmin, are kept in the Dolphin Lander.

White Pikmin poison most enemies that eat them. Whether this poison kills the enemy outright, inflicts a bit of damage, or even does any damage at all depends on the enemy's size and characteristics. Smaller enemies that eat a White Pikmin will more than likely die instantly after consuming it, while larger enemies need to be fed several White Pikmin before the poison kills them. Some enemies, usually those that themselves utilize poison, suffer no negative consequences from eating a White Pikmin.

Winged Pikmin


Winged Pikmin are the last main Pikmin type found in Pikmin: Wide World, and are discovered in Endless Sea. They have no resistance to any hazard, but they can simply fly over most of them. Winged Pikmin have a below-average attack power, high mobility, below-average digging speed, and average throw distance. A Winged Pikmin's defining features are its small striped body, relatively large round head, large blue eyes, transparent wings, and indigo flower. They are one of the two fastest Pikmin types, tied with White Pikmin, although they carry objects more slowly than they usually move. Although Winged Pikmin have their respective Onion, they can also be created by throwing Pikmin into a Carnation Candypop Bud.

Winged Pikmin prefer to be airborne and will always be so unless they are knocked to the ground by an enemy, carrying an object that is primarily being carried by grounded Pikmin, or working on clearing most obstacles. While on the ground, Winged Pikmin are as vulnerable as any other Pikmin type. When more Winged Pikmin are carrying an object than grounded Pikmin are, the Winged Pikmin will take to the air and carry the object that way, leaving the grounded Pikmin below without a task to fulfill. Winged Pikmin can fly over most dangers, such as water or smaller enemies, but cannot dodge anything coming down on top of them, such as a Beady Long Legs' foot or a boulder falling from a cave's ceiling.

Other Pikmin
Hostile Pikmin are Pikmin that attack leaders and even other Pikmin that come to close to them. They ignore any attempts of being whistled at and will continue attacking until they are subdued.

Mushroom Pikmin


Mushroom Pikmin return from Pikmin 1 and are only ever encountered in Mycelial Sepulcher, usually accompanying a Puffstool. Mushroom Pikmin found in the wild never count towards total Pikmin deaths or the limit of on-field Pikmin, but Pikmin that are converted do count as deaths, even before they are disposed of. Pikmin that are converted into Mushroom Pikmin never revert to normal and must be put out of their misery. Mushroom Pikmin retain the qualities of the Pikmin they once were, including their strength, speed, physical characteristics, and resistances. Parasitic Pikmin are capable of being transformed into Mushroom Pikmin as well.

Parasitic Pikmin


Although they are never truly seen, Parasitic Pikmin are known for infecting larger hosts and controlling them to survive. They cannot be brought to the surface, and have no special resistances or a specific Onion to be stored in; because of this, they are instead used as a sort of fodder Pikmin. However, they are exceptionally useful combat-wise. When tasked with demolishing an obstacle or led into an enemy, parasitic Pikmin will attack it their stems like an ordinary Pikmin. Parasitic Pikmin can be found on the surface, but appear more commonly underground. Hosts can also be found sleeping instead of wandering. Their stems glow green while idle. Adults are aggressive and nearly always found leading a group of passive juveniles; the former must be defeated before the latter may join a leader's squad. Several hosts for parasitic Pikmin exist, each being listed below:
 * Red Bulbmin: Returns from , and is the most basic type of Bulbmin. Juvenile Red Bulbmin, like other juvenile grub-dog hosts, bite enemies they are thrown onto, latching onto them and causing severe damage until they are shaken off.
 * Yellow Bulbmin:
 * Blue Bulbmin:
 * Orange Bulbmin: Detects enemies and prey from farther away.
 * Hairy Bulbmin: Hairless juveniles cower behind the leader they are following when an enemy draws near. Often found in cold areas.
 * Spotty Bulbearmin: Detects enemies from a much larger distance than Orange Bulbmin can, and breaks free from the group to attack an enemy that gets too close.
 * Burrowing Snagmin:
 * Breadmin:
 * Gatling Groinkmin:
 * Wollymin:
 * Spinermin:
 * Dweevilmin:
 * Cannon Beetlemin:

Captmin
Captmin are a new hybrid of leader and Pikmin introduced in Pikmin: Wide World. Captmin are leaders who have failed to survive on PNF-404 and have been transformed by the Pikmin they once led. They wander in various areas and caves and are kept for the entire day once found. Like leaders, Captmin have health meters, can be switched between, and can whistle; like Pikmin, they can latch onto enemies and obstacles to attack them. Captmin are affected both by sprays that affect Pikmin and sprays that affect leaders. Captmin have no resistance to any hazard, much like the hosts of Parasitic Pikmin. Captmin cannot be stored in any Onions nor the Dolphin Lander because they are not wholly Pikmin; the same case applies to Parasitic Pikmin and their hosts. Leadermin that are left behind at the end of the day are not counted as such and will have no impact on total Pikmin deaths.

Characters
Pikmin: Wide World does not introduce any new characters, but some characters do make a reappearance. All leaders require five Pikmin to carry.

Captain Olimar


Captain Olimar, the heroic Hocotation who first led the Pikmin in becoming a force to be reckoned with, returns to PNF-404 alongside Shacho. Olimar is the same as always and writes notes detailing the biology of the lifeforms of the alien planet he is all too familiar with. He is the captain and builder of the Dolphin Lander, which he takes for a test-drive and uses to travel to PNF-404 alongside his boss to repay yet another debt.

The President


The President of Hocotate Freight, who is referred to as Shacho for the sake of convenience, joins Captain Olimar to revisit PNF-404 in search of riches. Shacho records notes about PNF-404's lifeforms that make his greed blatantly obvious, writing about how to squeeze the most Pokos from anything and everything on the planet. He also, needless to say, writes sales pitches for treasures.

Louie


Although Louie was stranded once more on the Pikmin Planet at the end of , he can eventually be found and be made into a third leader after he is rescued. He still possesses his voracious appetite and superior culinary skills, and he will record notes detailing how to prepare and cook various creatures and vegetation once he is unlocked.

Ships
One new ship is introduced in Pikmin: Wide World.

Dolphin Lander
The Dolphin Lander, also referred to simply as the Lander or even the ship, is a one-of-a-kind spacecraft engineered and built by Captain Olimar. It was inspired by the likenesses of the S.S. Dolphin, the Hocotate ship, and an Onion. As such, it is a sort of hybrid of the three crafts in terms of appearance and functionalities. The Dolphin Lander is a sizeable spacecraft and has a large round cockpit that is mounted on three legs that fold in upon takeoff, making it look similar to an Onion. It is cream colored with red details, much like the S.S. Dolphin. The Hocotate Lander also has a quirky personality and is quite informative if not a bit impressionable. Much like the Hocotate ship, the Dolphin Lander is capable of dispatching its version of the Research Pod, the Lander Pod, which is the nosecone of the spacecraft. It is normally only dispatched when leaders delve into caves. The propeller on the nosecone is modeled after a flower, much like the flower on the top of an Onion. The Dolphin Lander is also capable of housing Purple Pikmin and White Pikmin in its custom-built Pikmin hold, much like the Hocotate ship in Pikmin 2.

Ancient Metalworks
The Plasm Wraith serves as the main boss of this area, and its defeat results in Olimar's rescue as well as the obtainment of the Rusted Data Fragment.

Caves
Caves make a return from  and appear in Pikmin: Wide World, serving the same purpose as they did in the past. Caves are underground areas that can be accessed from various holes in the ground of certain regions of aboveground areas, and generally contain just as many treasures and fruits as they do enemies and hazards. Plants are also often found in caves, matching the theme of the sublevel they are on. Various objects and enemies may also fall from the ceilings of caves. A cave variant known as dens can be found and consist of one to two tranquil sublevels. To create a more realistic atmosphere, all sublevel themes feature occasional patches of dirt, sand, or snow, depending on the cave's location. The primary sources of light in caves is usually a leader's beacon, although some enemies and plants may also produce light. The hole to the next sublevel cannot be entered until the area around it and the path to it from the Lander Pod are secured; dangerous enemies close to it or near the path to it must be defeated and most nearby hazards must be neutralized. All caves can be exited using an escape geyser that is present on the bottommost sublevel, although escape geysers may also be found on tranquil sublevels. Some escape geysers must be activated by having Pikmin attack them before they may be used. The contents of a cave do not reappear for seven days after collection.

Treasures
Treasures make a reappearance in Pikmin: Wide World from  and are once again used to acquire vast quantities of Pokos. Additionally, treasures contain larger quantities of Sparklium than most other objects do, which is needed to fuel the Hocotate ship. Unlike in Pikmin 2's story mode, where every treasure appears only once and is never encountered again, treasures discovered in Pikmin: Wide World can be repeatedly encountered and collected. Every treasure in Pikmin: Wide World also has several unique looks for each treasure to keep the game fresh. No artificial or processed food treasures exist in Pikmin: Wide World, as the creatures who made them are long gone at the time the game takes place. Fruits are not considered treasures in Pikmin: Wide World, as they have a more prominent purpose. Along with the common treasures, there are also treasures that only appear in special situations, such as a boss fight.

Nuggets
Although not exactly treasures, nuggets are valuables that return in Pikmin: Wide World from  and come in three different types: copper, silver, and gold. Nuggets, each of which requiring a single Pikmin to carry them, come in piles and each type of nugget has differing Poko values and Sparklium worths. They can be found both aboveground and in caves, either in the open, within large crystals, or from dirt mounds. Essentially, nuggets can be found almost anywhere. The higher the tier of the nugget, the rarer they are and the smaller piles of them are. As the case with Fragments, Pikmin that do not know where the Dolphin Lander is will instead follow the leader that assigned them to the pile, and if a Pikmin who is carrying a nugget is whistled, it was drop the nugget on the ground. The following is a detailed list of the existing nugget types:
 * Copper nuggets, which each are worth and contain  ( with the Sparklium Extractor).
 * Silver nuggets, each worth and containing  ( with the Sparklium Extractor).
 * Gold nuggets, each of which are worth and contain  ( with the Sparklium Extractor).

Fruits
Fruits make a return from  to appear in Pikmin: Wide World is a pivotal gameplay element once again. Fruits must be collected for the continued survival of the leaders, who feed on the juice they contain. As such, they are no longer considered treasures. Fruits have no Poko value, but they do contain traces of Sparklium, another important gameplay element. Much like common treasures, the amount of fruits currently in existence is infinite.

Sparklium
Sparklium returns from  to serve as a pivotal gameplay mechanic in Pikmin: Wide World. The Dolphin Lander requires Sparklium to perform certain tasks such as blasting off at the end of the day or restoring a leader's health. The Lander requires each night to blast off, but the Sparklium Saver reduces that cost to a mere. The Sparklium Extractor doubles the usual amount of Sparklium harvested from an object brought to the Dolphin Lander. Sparklium can be obtained from a variety of sources other than Sparklium seeds and stones such as fruits and treasures. Generally, fruits contain very little Sparklium while treasures and Sparklium stones contain the most. The larger and stronger an enemy is, the higher its Sparklium value and the chance of it having swallowed a higher-tier Sparklium seed.

Upgrades
A number of Upgrades appear in Pikmin: Wide World. Some of them return from ' and ', but most are entirely new. Upgrades are separated into three categories: area unlocks, Exploration Kit, and ship parts. While area unlocks are self-explanatory, Exploration Kit upgrades aid leaders and ship parts can be brought to the Dolphin Lander to unlock additional features. Features unlocked through ship parts can benefit the Lander itself, leaders, or both parties. Ship parts do not have the same function as they did in , where they were used to repair Captain Olimar's prized spaceship, the S.S. Dolphin.

Enemies
In Pikmin: Wide World, almost every enemy from the canonical Pikmin games returns. Some of these enemies also have different behaviors between instances. Some canonical enemies also have different names or belong to different families. Mixed in with these canon enemies are fan-made enemies to not only provide a nostalgic experience but also to provide a fresh new feel to the game. Most enemies too give Sparklium upon death, although in miniscule amounts. Enemies that explode upon death obviously cannot be retrieved, but they do drop a fair amount of Sparklium to make up for it. However, this does not apply to an enemy, such as a Volatile Dweevil, that uses bomb-rocks to destroy itself and its enemy. Bold font is used to indicate the enemy being a boss, which usually is an enemy that is large and challenging to defeat. Some enemies also have an alternate form that is distinguished from their original form.

Plants and fungi
Although Pikmin: Wide World features a wide variety of real-world vegetation, most of it is only useful for hiding under. Vegetation that is unique to the world of Pikmin or has a function are listed here. Most Candypop Buds, when they reach their Pikmin conversion limit, do not wilt and disappear as they do in past Pikmin games; instead, they simply close their petals and cannot be used or interacted with until sometime later.

Nectar and sprays
Pikmin: Wide World features eggs, nectar, sprays, and related objects and items. A wide array of enemies can also drop nectar or random sprays upon death, but only the few that regularly drop certain ones are listed in this section. Sprays of a certain type will only appear as drops once they are unlocked by earning a dose of it from their respective Burgeoning Spiderwort berries. Blobs of spray and nectar can also be chilled, which temporarily slows leaders and Pikmin that walk through them or drink them. Some sprays can only be sprayed in front of or behind leaders, but others can be sprayed in either direction. Sprays that affect Pikmin, such as the Ultra-spicy spray, also affect non-friendly Pikmin like Mushroom Pikmin. Sprays that affect leaders also affect Captmin, which are also affected by Pikmin-affecting sprays.
 * Rubble: Similar to Nectar Grass, but Pikmin hit each piece of debris to break it. Each piece broken has a chance to cause nectar to appear.
 * Burgeoning Spiderwort: A special type of plant that grows the berries needed to initially unlock a type of spray.
 * Ultra-spicy spray: Returns from Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3, and is slightly different. It can be sprayed in front of or behind leaders, and temporarily increases the attack power and speed of all Pikmin it hits. However, the affected Pikmin become extremely feverish and may break away from the group in a frenzy to attack a nearby enemy. The only time they do this is when they are not occupied with another task such as carrying objects or working to clear an obstacle. Every Pikmin in a leader's squad is affected when sprayed regardless of distance, and any Pikmin around them can be as well. A dose of ultra-spicy spray can be obtained by collecting ten pink Burgeoning Spiderwort berries.
 * Ultra-bitter spray: Returns from Pikmin 2, and works quite a bit differently. It is sprayed in front of leaders and causes a temporary stone covering to form on a portion of a living creature it hits. How long the spray's effect lasts and how much of the target is covered depends entirely on the target's size, but all of them will break out eventually. Another change from Pikmin 2 is that instead of the ultra-bitter spray coating an entire target, it causes a layer of stone to form on the portion of an enemy that the spray touched; an example is that if a dose of ultra-bitter spray is used on the face of a Red Bulborb, only the creature's face would be covered and not its backside. Larger targets will only be partially petrified, but smaller targets will more than likely be almost entirely petrified if not completely. The petrified portion of the target will be temporarily invulnerable to most attacks except for explosives and blunt force, but petrifying different parts of a target can have different effects. Pikmin can also be affected by this spray and will be completely petrified until they can break out. While petrified, Pikmin will be completely ignored by enemies and cannot be eaten nor skewered. They are still subject to being crushed, however. Petrified Pikmin, if they are somehow targetted to be eaten, will be spat out along with any other Pikmin in the enemy's mouth, and have their stone exterior broken after hitting the ground; likewise, any Pikmin that are in the way of an enemy's skewering attack will be thrown back like a Rock Pikmin and have their stone exterior destroyed. Petrified Pikmin can be picked up and thrown at enemies to deal massive damage to them, although the stone exterior breaks upon impact with any surface after being thrown. In this sense, they can be used as immobile, inedible, one-time-use Rock Pikmin. Whistling at a petrified Pikmin will cause it to free itself faster. A dose of ultra-bitter spray can be obtained by collecting ten purple Burgeoning Spiderwort berries.
 * Ultra-minty spray: Used by leaders for self-benefit, and can be sprayed in front of or behind them. Each dose of ultra-refreshing spray heals affected leaders by a small amount, and temporarily slightly increases their walking and throwing speeds, attack damage, and carry strength. A dose of ultra-refreshing spray can be obtained by collecting fifteen turquoise Burgeoning Spiderwort berries.
 * Ultra-sweet spray: Affects enemies instead of leaders and Pikmin, and is sprayed in front of a leader. When used, it produces a temporary cloud of turquoise mist. This mist distracts nearby enemies, causing them to sniff at the air in the general direction of it. Some enemies are more intoxicated by it than others and will tread towards the source of the scent and stand in the mist until it fades. After the mist fades, nearby enemies will resume their normal behavior. A dose of ultra-sweet spray can be obtained by collecting ten yellow Burgeoning Spiderwort berries.
 * Ultra-hot spray: A unique spray that has several uses but poses just as many risks. It is sprayed in front of leaders and causes them to belch a jet of flame that lasts for three seconds, and visibly scorches places touched by it. Ultra-hot spray can be used to inflict severe damage to most enemies, but enemies that use fire in some form generally are immune to it. Few other enemies are immune to it as well, such as most airborne enemies because leaders cannot physically look upward while using the spray. Ultra-hot spray can also be used to burn most obstacles and destructible vegetation, and anything it cannot burn simply chars at the point of contact. Ultra-hot spray is also dangerous in that the jet of flame it is used to create can harm leaders not wearing the scorch guard and can ignite non-Red Pikmin. The jet of flame can also reignite extinguished enemies it touches and frequently leaves behind flames in its wake. These flames are an obstacle and risk the safety of anything around it until it dies down on its own or is smothered out by Red Pikmin. A dose of ultra-hot spray can be obtained by collecting fifteen green Burgeoning Spiderwort berries.

Hazards
Hazards are anything that can harm or kill Pikmin. Hazards are generally elemental, but some objects pose as crushing hazard; most of them can be destroyed with bomb-rocks and with the third punch provided by the Mega Punch upgrade. Hazards that suffocate the top of a Pikmin's stem will cause the affected Pikmin to run around in panic. If they are not rescued after a few seconds, they succumb to the hazard and die. They can be saved by being whistled. If a Pikmin is under the effects of an ultra-spicy spray, stem-related hazards take half the normal amount of time to kill it.
 * Fire: Usually found in the form of fire geysers, but it can be blown by some enemies, although there are some enemies whose bodies are cloaked in fire. Fire in itself may serve as an obstacle in the form of flames. Only Red Pikmin are immune to it, and any other Pikmin type that touches it burns up. Leaders that do not have the Scorch Guard will take heavy damage from fire.
 * Water: Encountered as bodies of water aboveground and underground, and is used by some enemies. Some enemies also swim in water but don't use it to attack. Pikmin that enter bodies of water begin to drown but can find their way to shore. Only Blue Pikmin can safely travel in it and resist it. Leaders are not affected by water, but they can swim in it if they have the Artificial Flippers.
 * Electricity: A hazard that is generally non-fatal, but can be lethal in some cases. It knocks back and stuns Pikmin that touch it, except when they directly contact high-voltage sources of electricity such as an electric wire gate; in which case, they instantly die by electrocution. Stunned Pikmin will only return to normal once whistled. Only Yellow Pikmin are immune to this hazard. Leaders that do not have the Anti-Electrifier will take light damage from low-voltage sources and heavy damage from high-voltage sources. They will still be thrown back and stunned until they get up regardless of whether or not they have the suit upgrade or not.
 * Poison: Gas that suffocates all Pikmin but White Pikmin. Leaders are unaffected by poison because of their spacesuits, which filter out air.
 * Acid: A new hazard in Pikmin: Wide World that, much like water, can appear in pools and is used by some enemies. Pikmin that enter pools of acid or are hit by acid as part of an enemy's attack succumb very quickly but can still be whistled at and saved. Although acid is a liquid, it is extremely corrosive and only Green Pikmin are immune to it. Leaders take heavy damage from acid until they acquire the Antacid Polish.
 * Temperature: A hazard that affects entire locations. Areas and even cave sublevels can be cold or hot, and each side of the spectrum affects enemies, Pikmin, leaders, and even certain gameplay elements differently. Pikmin and leaders that walk through a cold area or substance will become chilled and will have their movement speed dramatically decreased relative to how chilled they are. Their movement speed steadily returns to normal over time. Some enemies also use attacks that can chill leaders and Pikmin. Leaders and Pikmin can build up a resistance to the cold if they are near a source of fire or if a leader has the Pocket Heater. Conversely, heat severely slows down Leaders, but Pikmin and most enemies are unaffected. Leaders can build up a resistance to heat if they have the Pocket Cooler upgrade.
 * Ice: Only appears in cold areas, and can be used by some enemies as a form of attack. Pikmin become progressively more chilled they longer they maintain contact with it.
 * Mud: Slows leaders and Pikmin that walk through it or are covered by it. The mud covering them eventually clears, but it can be removed faster by shaking it off. Any leader or Pikmin can walk through mud without fear of being harmed.
 * Blunt force: An all-encompassing term describing crushing and impalement, of which some enemies and obstacles are capable of. Rock Pikmin are immune to being crushed and impaled.
 * Adhesive: Another new hazard in Pikmin: Wide World. Adhesive is a general term that describes substances Pikmin stick to and are immobilized by until whistled, such as webbing.
 * Bomb-rock: Explosives that can be utilized by leaders, Pikmin, and some enemies. They are bigger than they were in Pikmin 1 but smaller than they were in Pikmin 3 in terms of size. An explosion will cause any bomb-rocks in the blast radius to almost instantly detonate, resulting in a massive chain reaction if there are plenty of bomb-rocks involved. Bomb-rocks explode the instant they contact water.
 * Mine-rock: The aquatic equivalent of bomb-rocks. They can be brought onto land, but are much less effective than if they were used underwater. Unlike bomb-rocks, mine-rocks explode the moment they hit a hard surface after being thrown.
 * Pit: Bottomless chasms underground and aboveground. Pikmin that fall into them die, but objects and leaders that fall into them are harmlessly beamed up onto the ground. Enemies will intentionally avoid pits and cannot be lured into falling into one. An enemy that is forced to fall into a pit will be lost along with any Pikmin that are latched onto it. If the enemy that fell into a pit had ingested an object, they will both be beamed back up onto the ground.
 * Sunset: After the Dolphin Lander and Master Onion take off at the end of the day, any Pikmin that are not at the landing site, in a leader's squad, or planted in the ground will be left behind and killed by the nocturnal creatures in the area.
 * Panic: Causes Pikmin to break away from a leader's group and scatter in random directions. A small number of scenarios and situations can cause Pikmin to panic, be they an enemy's attacks or the presence of an enemy itself. Purple Pikmin do not panic.
 * Bubble: A special type of hazard created by some enemies. Bubbles trap Pikmin and leaders that touch them, but they can be popped easily. Leaders can escape a bubble by struggling but Pikmin must be saved manually and cannot be whistled free.

Obstacles
An expansive collection of obstacles is present in Pikmin: Wide World, with most returning from previous Pikmin games and others being completely new. Most destructible obstacles can be cleared fairly easily through the use of bomb-rocks, but others require special solutions to overcome.

HocoPad
An immersive gameplay feature from Pikmin 3, the KopPad, returns in Pikmin: Wide World as the HocoPad, a Hocotation counterpart. Much like the KopPad, the HocoPad resembles the Wii U GamePad and has several applications that can be used during gameplay.

New features

 * Multiple landing sites: Every area is expansive, bigger than most other areas in other Pikmin game. As such, they each have three total landing sites that players can choose at the start of the day, but only one can be used and is automatically selected until another is unlocked. Unlocking a landing site consists of clearing it of enemies, obstacles, and other objects. When leaders approach a location the Dolphin Lander considers suitable for making a landing site, it will inform them that the location can be made into one. The Dolphin Lander will also alert leaders when the location is cleared. Once a landing site is cleared, it can start being used beginning the following day.
 * Carrying assistance: Leaders can assist Pikmin with carrying certain objects. Each leader carries the weight of three Pikmin. The Muscle Pumper upgrade, however, allows leaders to carry the weight of five Pikmin. Leaders assisting Pikmin in carrying objects has more uses than needing less Pikmin to carry an object; if the Pikmin carrying an object that is to be delivered to the Dolphin Lander do not yet know where the spacecraft located, a leader helping to carry the object will guide the way.
 * Staying past sundown: Although leaving an area at sundown is highly recommended, leaders and Pikmin can stay on PNF-404's surface until quarterway through the night. At night, most enemies that were active during the day will return to their nests or territories to hide or sleep; likewise, most enemies that spent the day sleeping or hiding will become active and begin wandering the entire area. The only lights present are provided by enemies and vegetation that produce it, as well as the leaders' beacons, the Onions, and the Dolphin Lander. Nocturnal enemies are attracted to sources of light, so extreme caution must be taken come nighttime. To leave an area at sundown, all three leaders must be present within the day's landing site. The Dolphin Lander will not allow leaders to stay on the surface past sundown for the first few days, but will eventually come to trust that they can take care of themselves.
 * Beacon lights: At night and in caves, the light provided by the leaders' beacons is often the only way to see in the darkness. Unfortunately, a variety of enemies are attracted to the light given off by beacons and tend to gravitate towards them. By default, the color of a beacon's light matches the beacon's color, but the light's color can be toggled to colorless through the options menu on the title screen. The radius of a beacon's field of light can be multiplied by three with the Radiant Illuminator.
 * Suit selection: On the area select screen, after the player has collected their first suit upgrade, is an option that allows players to choose which suit upgrade which leader wears. The three suit upgrades are the Scorch Guard, Anti-Electrifier, and Metal Suit Z. Leaders will automatically equip the suits the player chose to have them wear at the start of every day if the player chose a suit upgrade. If no suit upgrade was chosen for a leader, they will instead wear the default suit. Leaders can return to the Dolphin Lander to switch suits, which will cause them to be beamed up into the spacecraft and become unusable for a fairly short time while they change.
 * Playing dead: Lying down has a special use during combat: playing dead. Leaders can lay down while being attacked by an enemy, which may cause them to back off and resume idle behavior. While playing dead fools most enemies, others can see through the ruse and will continue their assault.
 * Pikmin learning and independence: Pikmin are capable of learning and can become somewhat autonomous the more familiar they are with an area, an obstacle type, or even enemies. The more time Pikmin spend exploring an area with leaders, the more familiar they will become with its layout and landmarks. Pikmin that are told to grab fragments but do not yet know where the fragment bridge they belong to is, they will instead follow the leader that assigned them to the task; when the fragment bridge is found, Pikmin will learn its location and will return there automatically until the bridge is finished or the pile is used up, where they will return to where the pile was and stay there until whistled. The same concept applies to Pikmin carrying objects that are to be brought to the Dolphin Lander, such as fruits or treasures, yet do not know its location; they will follow leaders instead of walking to the landing site. This mainly applies to newly-discovered Pikmin that know only where their Onion is. Leaders or Pikmin that are familiar with the area can be assigned to assist in carrying an object to guide new Pikmin carrying an object to the landing site's location so that they may learn it, and sometimes this may even result in the formation of a convoy; new Pikmin carrying a different object than familiarized Pikmin will follow them to the landing site. Pikmin can also learn which obstacles require what solutions to take down, and which parts of an enemy are more vulnerable than others. Pikmin can also learn which enemies do what and can also remember the noises an enemy makes so that they may anticipate dodging an attack. Pikmin will also flee from hostile enemies when they are not numerous enough to battle it or physically cannot harm it. Pikmin that are not immune to a hazard will learn which ones are, and Pikmin that are immune to a hazard can learn which aren't; as such, a Pikmin who is immune to a hazard witnessing a Pikmin about to be harmed by a hazard they aren't immune to will stop them and lead them away to keep them safe. Pikmin that are both familiar with an area and know the landing site's location will slowly navigate there if they are idle for the majority of the day. At the end of the day, when the Dolphin Lander and Master Onion take off into the sky, all learned information between Pikmin will be synchronized.
 * Squad Desertion: Some Pikmin will willingly leave the squad which they are part of for various reasons. Examples of Pikmin that desert their squad are Blue Pikmin saving a nearby drowning Pikmin and Spotty Bulbearmin when an enemy gets too close.
 * Arming leaders: Leaders can pick up and carry bomb-rocks and Sparklium stones, throwing or dropping them if they need to. Throwing a bomb-rock will cause its timer to start, and throwing a Sparklium stone will damage it as well as the enemies it lands on. Setting either of them down with will not result in any changes in the objects other than them being relocated.
 * Leader abduction: Leaders that have been absorbed by a creature such as a Jellyfloat or Slurker cannot be switched to until they are freed. Leaders can be switched to and struggle to free themselves from the grasp of a creature like the Swooping Snitchbug, however.
 * Abduction ignorance: Leaders, Pikmin, and objects that have been absorbed by an enemy like the Medusal Slurker than cannot digest them will still have them trapped within itself the following day if they are not saved. Leaders that are captured, but not rescued on the same day, will have critical health levels when rescued the day after. Pikmin that are not rescued on the same day they are captured will revert to the leaf stage. Leaders that are left within the creature for longer than a day will be knocked out and be unusable for the rest of the day if the area is visited again. If the area is not revisited, the captured leader will remain in this state and still have to be saved. Pikmin that are trapped for longer than a day will remain.
 * Enemy intelligence: Enemies will intentionally avoid hazards that may damage them. An example of this would be a Red Bulborb walking around an active electrical wire while in pursuit of Pikmin. The only two exceptions to this rule are if the hazard is shallow-enough liquid and if the enemy traveling through the hazard utilizes it. Enemies also cannot be fooled into walking into a pit.
 * Getting attention: Whistling produces noise and can attract the attention of nearby enemies. This can be detrimental or beneficial, depending on the situation and how it is used. Some enemies can hear better than others, which affects how close a leader or enemy needs to be to an enemy for them to hear them blow their whistle. The noise whistling produces can be muffled to avoid attracting unwanted attention by obtaining the Whistle Silencer upgrade.
 * Nectar spray: Nectar can be stored in a Spray Bottle by a leader that walks into a blob of it, regardless of the blob's size. If there is enough stored for a single dose, leaders can then spray the blob of nectar onto nearby Pikmin to increase their maturity by one stage.
 * Ground types: The hardness of softness of a surface type can impact gameplay. Hard surfaces, such as concrete, stone, metal, and tile, cannot be burrowed into by enemies such as mandiblards. Pikmin thrown into a hard surface by an enemy such as a Swooping Snitchbug will only be momentarily dazed and lie on the ground before rising to its feet, much like a leader would when thrown by a Bumbling Snitchbug. The only exception to this is wooded surfaces, which act as hard ground but can be burrowed into only by enemies. Conversely, soft surfaces, such as dirt, sand, and snow, can be burrowed into by enemies and Pikmin thrown directly down onto it will be buried. Leaders can also be buried into soft surfaces by enemies such as Bumbling Snitchbugs and Mamutas, but may free themselves by struggling out of the ground. The hardness of softness of the ground may also impact the likelihood of a non-Rock Pikmin being crushed; the likelihood of a Pikmin being crushed on a hard surface is guaranteed, but the chance of a Pikmin being buried instead of being crushed on a soft surface is likely.
 * Dynamic values: Almost every numeric aspect of Pikmin: Wide World varies in some way, shape, or form to keep the game fresh. It affects only a non-unique object's carry weight, maximum carriers, Poko values, and Sparklium worth. These values may be decreased or increased a set number of integers and entirely depends on the non-unique object's statistics. For example, if a non-unique object's carry weight, maximum carriers, Poko value, or Sparklium worth values are at or below ten, they will seldom be changed, and if they are they increment one value up; however, any carry weight or maximum carriers values that equal one will never change. If those values are in the range of numbers between eleven and twenty, they have a very slight but still increased chance to change, although those values will still only decrease or increase by one. This pattern continues with higher numbers, and the higher the numbers go, the higher the chance of a variance occurring and the higher the severity of the variance. Fruits and the juice they provide are also affected by this system. All values listed for non-unique objects on this page are the average values obtained for each of the objects they affect.

Returning features

 * Day limit: Pikmin: Wide World has a day limit, but it can be extended by collecting fruits and sources of Sparklium. Fruits are used to produce the juice on which the leaders feed, and Sparklium is used as fuel by the Dolphin Lander. There is no set number of fruits or treasures, so the day limit can be extended so far as to make them seem almost indefinite.
 * Enemy weaknesses: Many enemies have specific parts of their bodies that can be latched on to and attacked by Pikmin, which can result in different reactions from the enemy as well as different amounts of damage. For example, throwing a Pikmin directly at a Bulborb's eyes will cause it to recoil and spit out any snatched Pikmin.
 * Realistic graphics: Pikmin: Wide World features detailed and natural-looking graphics that drastically improve the realism of the game.
 * Movement tracking: Pikmin follow leaders much like they do in , by moving individually and following the paths leaders take.
 * Swarming: Pikmin: Wide World retains Pikmin swarming and renames it "group moving". The concept of charging enemies and dodging using the Dodge Whistle returns from Pikmin 3.
 * Enemy health: Enemies that are injured, but not killed, will partially regain their health overnight. The carcasses of bosses will remain in an aboveground area for up to a day after their defeat, provided they leave remains.
 * Safety zone: The Master Onion returns in Pikmin: Wide World, and all Onions can produce a ring of light to display a safe zone in which Pikmin will enter their Onion automatically.
 * Refining electricity: Most forms of electricity no longer instantly kill Pikmin but will stun them instead. There are some exceptions, however, such as the electric wire gate.
 * Stumbling and falling: Pikmin can once again stumble and fall over, and leaders can too.
 * Refining deflowering: Pikmin can only go down in maturity (be deflowered) if their stems are cut off or if they are hit by a Withering Blowhog's gust of air. This also applies to buried Pikmin, which will not wither if left in the ground for long enough unlike in previous Pikmin games.
 * Dropping seeds: Returns from Pikmin 1. Flowered Pikmin that are killed in any way have a small chance to leave behind a Pikmin seed that develops into a sprout and can be plucked.
 * Spray flowering: While Pikmin become flowered when hit by a dose of ultra-spicy spray in Pikmin 3, they retain their maturity in Pikmin: Wide World.
 * Hiding: Leaders and Pikmin can hide under or behind vegetation to avoid being detected by most enemies. Much like with playing dead, some enemies are not fooled. Enemies that saw leaders and Pikmin hide under vegetation or can see them currently hiding under vegetation will also give chase.
 * Area weather: Areas will have weather that is appropriate for the climate it is in. Rain falls in temperate areas, while snow falls in cold areas.

Controls
Pikmin: Wide World has an intuitive and easy-to-learn set of controls, but is not compatible with the Wii remote due to its lack of buttons.

Trivia

 * Pikmin: Wide World is Cheepy-Cheepy's third fan-made Pikmin game, and it is by far the most expansive one. His other two fanon games are Pikmin: Attack of the Breadbugs and Pikmin: Infection in Progress. Pikmin: Wide World is his favorite of the three.