Winged Pikmin

Winged Pikmin are a Pikmin species with the special ability of flight. They are pink with large blue eyes, their bodies are striped in darker pink, and they have lavender buds and flowers like Rock Pikmin. Their name comes from the transparent wings on their backs, which allows them to be airborne most of the time. Winged Pikmin are particularly useful in combat and carrying objects. Like other main Pikmin types, they are produced mainly using their Onion, although Pink Candypop Buds may be used to make additional Winged Pikmin. Winged Pikmin can also carry objects into the air, provided there are enough of them to carry those objects on their own, enabling them to take shortcuts, although they carry objects slower than other Pikmin species. It's possible for a Winged Pikmin to walk on the ground like any other Pikmin instead of flying, which may happen for a variety of reasons.

Due to their constant airborne status, they can follow leaders more smoothly, as they can fly over obtrusions on the terrain, over water, or over pits. There are a few disadvantages, however: it's harder for them to instantly take down small Pellet Posies, and if their leader is underwater they cannot be thrown at all. They are also weaker than other Pikmin types in terms of attack power, but the fact that they can fly makes fighting airborne enemies and specific weakpoints in larger enemies more convenient.

In, Winged Pikmin behave similarly to , but have the ability to carry Captain Olimar until he hits the ground if he falls from a certain distance, similar to gliding. Whilst Olimar is being carried, holding down allows him to descend faster, and holding up will make him perform a short hop, increasing the amount of air time. The left and right walking commands are the same while gliding and don't have any perks. Certain areas have a wind effect that pushes Olimar in the direction the wind is blowing.

Carrying properties
Because carrier Winged Pikmin are in constant flight, they have unique carrying properties that differ from the other Pikmin types.

When carrying an object, Winged Pikmin will fly with it through the air, making it difficult to call them back with the ground whistle. Instead, they must be called by blowing the whistle for a longer period of time, which will eventually summon a cylindrical beam of light that will call the Winged Pikmin, or by simpling whistling while aiming at the object they are carrying. As stated, Winged Pikmin are capable of flying over obstacles but are considerably slow whilst carrying. This can cause traffic in groups of Pikmin trying to return spoils to base, as Winged Pikmin slowly carrying an object in the front of the line will cause the rest of the Pikmin to get held up behind them.

If multiple types of Pikmin are carrying something that a Winged Pikmin is also carrying, the Winged Pikmin will carry it closer to the ground and will not fly with it. However, if the number of Winged Pikmin carrying is the number of Pikmin required to lift the object, they will lift it into the air, causing any ground-based Pikmin trying to carry the object to let go or to cling on for a few seconds before falling off.

Due to this behavior, and combined with the fact that idle Pikmin are prone to assisting nearby Pikmin who are carrying an item, idle Winged Pikmin are known to inadvertently steal spoils from other species of Pikmin by unintentionally snatching them away from the other Pikmin as they try to fly with it.

=In fanon games=

In Pikmin Forever
Winged Pikmin are the eighth species of Pikmin discovered in Pikmin Forever and the final species discovered in the main story. Winged Pikmin do not have an Onion in this game; like White Pikmin and Purple Pikmin, they can only be obtained from candypop buds. Winged Pikmin can still fly over obstacles and pull up Flukeweeds, and they are still the best in airborne combat. They gain a great advantage from a new gameplay mechanic: the paper towel obstacle. They can lift a paper towel from the stack to carry other Pikmin across obstacles like water and pollution. One Winged Pikmin can carry one non-Winged Pikmin, meaning a maximum of fifty non-Winged Pikmin can be carried. Leaders cannot be carried, however. Winged Pikmin can be ordered to carry a paper towel anywhere, or even to follow a leader, but once Winged Pikmin are ordered to drop the paper towel, it rips and disintegrates.

In Pikmin: Adventure of Four
In Pikmin: Adventure of Four, Winged Pikmin are immune to wind, or being blown away. Winged Pikmin are discovered in Snowhead.

In Pikmin: The Huge Debt
Winged Pikmin in Pikmin: The Huge Debt behave exactly as they do in. They are found at the Big Black Rock, where the acid-resistant Green Pikmin are also discovered.

In Pikmin: The Pollution
Winged Pikmin are the last Pikmin species discovered in Pikmin: The Pollution, being found in the Flower Garden. They can fly and are one of the two Pikmin able to handle bomb rocks.

In Pikmin: Revenge of the Darkfreeze
Winged Pikmin appear in Pikmin: Revenge of the Darkfreeze. These Pikmin have a large head, an indigo flower, and small, silvery wings on their back. They have a high throwing arc and can carry objects such as treasures across gaps if over half the maximum carrying capacity is occupied by Pink Pikmin. When carrying objects across gaps, often any other Pikmin carrying it with the Winged Pikmin dangle and may fall. When they do, one of the Winged Pikmin will fly down and grab the Pikmin, visibly struggling with Purple Pikmin and Rock Pikmin but succeeding regardless, and bring them to solid ground.

In Pikmin: Treasure Colonization
Winged Pikmin appear in Pikmin: Treasure Colonization and are the ninth species to be discovered. They have an indigo flower. They are able to avoid many hazards despite not having an immunity to any of them. Being on the ground will make them vulnerable to attacks from the ground and to blunt force. They'll normally fly above water, however, they can still be knocked into it and drown. Because Winged Pikmin can fly, they are extremely useful for carrying objects, and if a Pikmin is falling to its doom, into a pit, a Winged Pikmin can be commanded to save that Pikmin. Additionally, they can pluck drowning Pikmin out of a body of water and bring them to dry land. The body length of a Winged Pikmin is twenty millimeters, and its carrying capacity is four while under the effects of an ultra-sour spray.

Olimar's notes

 * "I'm still researching why these Pikmin evolved to develop wings while becoming weaker. A theory in the community is that they have a bee-like hierarchy. This could also explain the markings on their body."

Tang's notes

 * "A weak Pikmin species, however, their saving grace is the air! With such wings and dedication, they are more easily able to attack enemies that have taken flight."

Robin's notes

 * "Efficiency at its finest! These Pikmin can traverse many areas with no problem. Just keep them to work on the longer tasks and to fight airborne enemies and we'll be solid!"

In Pikmin: Wide World
Winged Pikmin are the last main Pikmin species 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. The voice of a Winged Pikmin is much higher and feminine than that of other Pikmin. They are one of the two fastest Pikmin types, tied with White Pikmin, although they carry objects more slowly than they usually move, and like White Pikmin, Winged Pikmin attack at a faster pace to compensate for their lower attack strength. Although Winged Pikmin have their respective Onion, they can also be created by throwing other Pikmin into a Carnation Candypop.

Winged Pikmin prefer to be airborne and will always be so unless they are either knocked to the ground by an enemy, carrying an object that is being carried mostly by grounded Pikmin, or working on clearing most types of obstacles. While on the ground, Winged Pikmin are as vulnerable as any other Pikmin type. When enough Winged Pikmin are carrying an object to be able to lift it themselves and more Winged Pikmin are carrying it 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. Additionally, Winged Pikmin may desert a group they are part of to save any nearby Pikmin that fall into a pit. Winged Pikmin may also save nearby, inapt Pikmin that find themselves in a pool of water or acid, although Blue Pikmin and Green Pikmin are more effective at doing so.