Pikmin: Spark

Pikmin: Spark is an upcoming fanon game developed by Glubbfubb. The main feature of note is that game will feature a unique story featuring a new cast completely separate from the other captains in the series aside from small references.

Plot
Deep in the endless cosmos of space lies the planet Jiro, home to the Jirites a civilization known for its great technological advancements and financial institutions. The Jirites use technology to automate and help with their daily lives and live an almost complacent lifestyle. A few however feel unfulfilled from this style of living and wish to find purpose in their lives. However one-day reports of a great plague spreading around the planet began to crop up, and sooner than later the entire planet was crippled by a mysterious virus. In desperation, the government of Jiro sends all of their remaining citizens to any nearby planets to find anything that can cure the virus. One particular ship named the XEL (Exploratory Envoy Laboratory is home to a crew of scientists, Abel a doctor who wishes to find a grand discovery but still worries about protocol, and Lyn an assistant who wishes to start a business to find a calling, both are part of the crew to find a potential cure for the virus ravaging the planet.

While everyone was sleeping suddenly an asteroid field attacked the ship causing it to face turbulence, while everyone was panicking over this sudden change in plans Abel decided to go with his gut and headed into an escape pod. With Lyn right behind thinking this is her big break. They escape the exploding vessel and crash land into the nearby planet identified as PNF-404. There Abel and Lyn wake up briefly separated, while Abel tends to the pod in a futile attempt to repair it, Lyn discovers a strange colony of small red creatures, using these beings she reconnects with Abel. Then they dig up the den of these creatures with a strange object lodged in it. The pod wakes up revealing an android called the PIX (Planetary Incognito Explorer) unit panicked about the sudden loss of the XEL. But PIX scans the item the creatures collected and made two big discoveries. First, the creatures were called Pikmin, a type of creature once documented by some scientists but not factually proven, and the item found housed Sparklium, a rare element on their home planet that could be used to combat the virus. Abel and Lyn were confused as they thought that there was no cure before PIX corrects itself and says that Sparklium could be used as fuel to escape this planet and can be studied to see if they could cure this virus. However, if they don't collect a certain amount of Sparklium per day their pod would fail and they would be stranded on PNF-404 and die from the atmosphere. So with a bought of worries from Abel and excitement from Lym the three captains work together to capture as much Sparklium as they can to potentially cure this virus."

Captains
A child prodigy who became a doctor, he always had big dreams of finding a revolutionary medical discovery to create a legacy. But him being raised into being complacent to technology makes him feel he isn't as impressive as he is. However after crash landing and discovering Pikmin he learns how to open up and discovers many potential life-saving medical procedures using the stuff the local fauna produces. Still, he is mainly focused on curing this mysterious virus using technology from the research pod to try and convert Sparklium into a potential cure. As such he sometimes never sees the bigger picture.
 * Abel

An assistant growing up from a working-class family, her being complacent made her depressed. However, she became inspired by this research trip to find herself and start her dream of making a business to sustain herself and give her an identity. When crashed landing in the world of Pikmin she was quick to find a solution and save Abel. This spunkiness and intrigued often has her butt heads with PIX but they both learn to appreciate each other. However, her new sense of independence results in her making some discoveries she wished she never found.
 * Lyn

A robot that was created to assist the crew of the XEL, when one of the research pods crashed land they became scatterbrained and demanding, acting like an angry boss. But as the game progresses PIX becomes more mellowed out and later sees their comrades as equals. They still have some flaws, mainly their constant belittling of the Pikmin as lower creatures. Soon even PIX comes around the small creatures and appreciates their work ethic comparing them to back when Jiro was just a fledgling small nation. However, soon we learn that PIX has some secrets in its programming.
 * PIX

Gameplay
Pikmin: Spark plays like most Pikmin games, however, the charging mechanic is instead replaced by the swarming mechanic from 1 and 2. A new addition is stats for each captain to give each playable character strengths and weaknesses. Abel is most comparable to Captain Olimar in stats and abilities, Lyn is faster in both walking and throw speed but has less health, and PIX has longer range and more health but is the slowest captain. Also new is the ability to cycle between the Pikmin taking items into the Onion or the XEL research pod.

Refuse
Refuse is the main collectible in Pikmin: Spark. They are similar to Fruit in that they are needed to be able to gain the ability to survive until the next day. But is also similar to Treasure as it contains a monetary amount of Sparklium tied to it. You need to be able to go to the next day so you need to collect these items to be able to continue. Refuse unlike the previously mentioned collectibles can infinitely respawn, although there is some Refuse found only in a few areas. Some Refuse can be dropped by certain enemies whiles others can only be dropped by a certain boss or miniboss, a few of which can only be battled a certain amount of times. This finite Refuse tends to be more valuable in Sparklium than others and tends to be story important.

Sprays and Upgrades
Sprays have been expanded on, now if you collect 50 berries and then buy an upgrade you can convert them into newly upgraded sprays there are also 2 new sprays.
 * Spicy Red: Speeds up Pikmin's attack speed and movement speed, upgraded it lasts longer.
 * Bitter Blue: Petrifies enemies, upgrading it can give you longer range and a longer stun time.
 * Sweet Pink: Nullfies a single attack made on by a captain, three attacks when upgraded.
 * Tangy Green: Makes you invisible, doesn't work on Pikmin unless upgraded.

Aside from needing 500 to head off the planet, the ship also converts Sparklium into upgrades for the pod, while there is a large sparklium goal that lets the pod head to the next major area, there are smaller upgrades you can collect as you unlock and analyze more items on the planet.

Finally, there are data logs where you can analyze the many creatures on the planet while seeing the commentary by the three captains. Abel writes about any medical discoveries found on the creature in question, Lyn finds any potential business ventures with the recorded creature, and PIX scans and analyzes their lifestyles and biological niches.

Pikmin
Red Pikmin

Red Pikmin is the first Pikmin type discovered in Saltwater Glade. Like usual they are immune to Fire and their pointed noses give them a 1.5x attack stat on enemies. Red Pikmin in this game also gains the ability to absorb steam and can be used to clear out foggy areas as well as boiling water. Aside from that, they are the same as they were last time with average digging and walking speed.

Purple Pikmin Purple Pikmin are the second type discovered in a tunnel in Saltwater Glade. They gained some rebalancing, firstly they now only have the attack strength of a standard Pikmin, they are also tied with Rock Pikmin as the second slowest Pikmin type ahead of Goo Pikmin, they also are the second lowest throwing Pikmin type after Rock Pikmin. But they still have some upsides to them, firstly they keep their ability to have the strength of 10 Pikmin and their girth gives them the ability to stun enemies for 5 seconds (7 seconds if they flowered) making them more useful overall.

Blue Pikmin

Blue Pikmin are the third type discovered in Saltwater Glade. They have had some rebalancing to make them more useful aside from traversing Water areas. Firstly they now have a slight resistance to knockback, meaning they don't fly as far as other Pikmin when shaken off, they also are the fastest attackers when swarming. That way they are slightly more useful than they were previously. They gain the ability to swarm the captain underwater to let them temporarily swim in large water areas for better deep-sea navigation.

Goo Pikmin

Goo Pikmin are the first of two new types of Pikmin as well as the fourth type discovered overall. First discovered at the Cavern of Cobwebs they have slimy tar-like bodies which give them the immunity to being shaken off, but at the cost of having the slowest movement and attacking speed of all Pikmin. They do have other strengths, they are immune to Explosions and are the only type that can carry Bomb-rocks. They can also be tossed onto walls and be able to carry items off of walls. They also can do the same with captains by swarming them and letting them walk on walls.

White Pikmin

White Pikmin are the fifth type introduced where they are found in Cavern of Cobwebs. They retain their immunities to Poison and have the fastest digging, walking, and carrying speed. They also keep their ability to dig for hidden items underground They are also poisonous when consumed but they gain a mechanic where the damage they give when eaten will increase the higher the stage they are giving the most damage as a flower. They also are immune to the slowing effects of mud and tar.

Winged Pikmin

Winged Pikmin are the sixth type introduced where they appear in Chilling Frontier. They are the third slowest Pikmin behind Purple, Rock, and Goo Pikmin as well as having the slowest carrying speed. They also are knocked back farther than the other types. But their ability to fly gives them the ability to take shortcuts the other type couldn't use, even being able to swarm captains allowing them to fly in certain areas.

Hairy Pikmin

Hairy Pikmin are the seventh type introduced where they are found in Chilling Frontier. They have thick hairs on their bodies making them immune to the cold effects of Ice. They also have barbs on their feet which give them both an immunity to strong winds but also gives them the ability to walk on uneven surfaces and thorns without impediment. They can also swarm captains to allow them to walk on these surfaces as well. However, their main weakness is the fact that their flowers are easier to get removed when shaken off and their heavy fur makes them drown twice as fast in Water.

Yellow Pikmin

Yellow Pikmin are the eighth type discovered found in Fertile Savanna. They are immune to Electricity and have the highest throwing height letting them reach items out of reach of most Pikmin. They are also the second fastest when it comes to digging speed right behind White Pikmin. Aside from that they are average everywhere else.

Rock Pikmin

Rock Pikmin are the final type introduced found in Fertile Savanna. They are tied with Purple Pikmin for the second slowest Pikmin after Goo Pikmin and they are also the only Pikmin who can't latch onto enemies. Finally, they have the lowest throwing height of all Pikmin. However, they have an immunity to crushing and piercing damage, they have the highest attack stat letting them deal big damage in swarms. They also are the only ones who can break Crystal structures.