Pikmin: Colonies/Gameplay/PCS

This page explains the Pikmin Competition Simulation (PCS), the RTS-style battle mode of Pikmin: Colonies.

The Lobby
When in your colony, stand in the light near the computer monitor and press A, then select PCS to enter the lobby.

Here you can play against AI opponents from Corporal to Commander, or search for real captains to play against. Up to 6 players total can join a game.

Settings
If you created a game, you can choose the following settings:


 * Choose which players can join your game
 * AI only [default]
 * Friends [those you have exchanged player ID with]
 * Invited [those you select from the online list in the lobby]
 * Anybody
 * You can also choose the number of player slots, from 2 to 6.
 * If you selected 4 or 6, you can choose to have teams or not.
 * If there are computer players, you can configure how many and their ranks and tactics.
 * You can set how many Pikmin each player starts with - from 1 to 25.
 * You can also choose many maps to play on.
 * There are areas from the canon Pikmin games, and Pikmin 2's battle mode.
 * There are areas lifted from Pikmin: Onions and Pikmin: Shadow Warp.
 * There are areas from the exploration portion of Pikmin: Colonies.
 * And there are brand new battle arenas.
 * And don't forget that the list can be updated anytime with new battle maps!
 * Finally, you can choose the game mode.
 * Defend Your Marble - Keep your opponents from stealing your coloured marble.
 * Gather The Marbles - Be the first to get the majority of the black marbles.
 * Exponential Growth - Grow a total of 200 Pikmin first to win.
 * Survival - Avoid forced evacuation and Pikmin Extinction and be the last captain standing.

Players can select a colour, shown on their Pikmin and ID beacons - red, yellow, blue, purple, white or green. All Pikmin are equal in speed and attack power for the purposes of the PCS.

If there are teams, players who join can choose their team. In a 2 vs 2 or 3 vs 3 match, the teams are red and blue. In a 2 vs 2 vs 2 match, the teams are red, yellow and blue.

When you are ready, press +, START or Enter to start the game!

In the game
Environmental features play a large part in matches. Enemies dot most arenas, and can be defeated and processed for Pikmin seeds. Pellet Posies also pop up in most places, and can be harvested.

When playing in teams, captains on a team can co-operate like in Pikmin 2's Challenge Mode, up to three players overseeing the operations of the Pikmin swarm.

Wii Speak/Microphones
Using Wii Speak or a headset, players can talk to each other in some areas. Settings can be negotiated in the lobby, and players can coordinate their efforts in team play.