Bulblax Colosseum

"It seems my quest for the 9-Pieced Star has led me to this desert palace. My scanners indicate that the sounds of red radiate from these stone gates. I believe that if I want to survive down here I need to orange."

- Azure's log

The Bulblax Colosseum is a den appearing in Pikmin Evolution. This den is part of the questline The 9-Piece Star, as this den contains specifically the Lapis Shard. It is located in the Bleached Dunes and is usually the first den to be explored in the area, though depending on how you tackle the story the Thieves' Den may actually be the first den you tackle in that area. It is a medium-difficulty den and among the earliest of the "Battle Rush" style dens, which focus on completing combat encounters before you enter the next floor. This den is themed around a Roman colosseum and commonly features refuse themed around vintage artifacts and pieces of meat. The den also has a large focus on defeating members of the Grub-dog family, featuring several bouts with different Bulborb species, ending with a back-to-back fight against the Empress and Emperor Bulblax.

Floor 1

 * Name: Opening Chamber
 * Music: Cliff 1
 * Enemies:
 * Dwarf Red Bulborb
 * Obstacles:
 * Wall shooter (fire)
 * Dirt wall
 * Numbered gate (defeat all enemies)

This floor acts like a simple tutorial for the "Battle Rush" style dens. The basic floor layout is reminiscent of the infamous Sublevel 9 of the Hole of Heroes, though the floor lacks elevation, being a complete flat plane. There is a dirt wall blocking your path that needs to be destroyed before entering the room to battle the enemies, and the exit to the next floor is blocked by a numbered gate that will only open if you defeat all the enemies. When entering the room with all the Dwarf Red Bulborbs, a Wall Shooter will appear on the left and right wall, bolted to a moving rail, that move in opposite directions from each other. These shooters shoot fireballs, meaning Elixer Pikmin are most likely the best type to use on this floor. When all the enemies are defeated the numbered wall will open and the shooters will deactivate, allowing you to collect the refuse behind the numbered gate and high tail it to the next floor.

Floor 2

 * Name: The Scarlet Chamber
 * Music: Fortress 1
 * Enemies:
 * Dwarf Red Bulborb
 * Red Bulborb
 * Jumbo Red Bulborb
 * Obstacles:
 * Dirt wall
 * Stone wall
 * Electric gate
 * Numbered gate (defeat all enemies)

The floor is structured like a large open plain, with hidden pieces of refuse locked behind electric gates off in the distance. You drop down a small starting room and need to break the dirt wall blocking the main hall, in there are a handful of Dwarf Red Bulborbs, a Red Bulborb, and a Jumbo Red Bulborb. The Jumbo Red Bulborb is behind a stone wall and will break free once you defeat all the other enemies in the room. The Dwarf Red Bulborbs will be on the right side of the room while the Red Bulborb will be on the left side of the room being circled by several pieces of either the Chipped Discus or Chipped Aquaduct that you can collect. Defeat all the enemies like you would normally and you can proceed to the next floor.

Floor 3

 * Name: The Moat
 * Music: Ruins 2
 * Enemies:
 * Dwarf Orange Bulborb
 * Orange Bulborb
 * Obstacles:
 * Water
 * Wall shooter (electricity)
 * Button
 * Bridge piece
 * Iron gate
 * Numbered gate (defeat all enemies)

There is a small river that winds across this room, meaning Kelp Pikmin must cross it and then find pieces to make four small bridges to allow other types to cross. Each bridge needs two pieces, each dropped by one of the Dwarf Orange Bulborbs. Build the bridges while dodging the volts of electricity coming from the Wall Shooters then gather your Pikmin to find the button needed to bother deactivate the Shooters but lowers the Iron Gate to the Orange Bulborb. Defeat that enemy to open the gate to the next floor.

Floor 4

 * Name: The Mess Hall
 * Music: Fortress 2
 * Enemies:
 * Dwarf Bulbear
 * Spotty Bulbear (drops a Meat Satchel)
 * Obstacles:
 * Water
 * Electric pylon
 * Lava floor
 * Numbered gate (defeat all enemies)

This floor is maze-like and features small puddles of water only Kelp Pikmin can cross and several electric pylons only Wisp Pikmin can neutralize. A Spotty Bulbear is on patrol, so you have a choice of focusing on clearing the pylons with a Bulbear on your tail or limit your space to fight the Bulbear head-on. Three random spots on the map will have a dead-end with a molten lava floor, each carrying a refuse, one of which will be the first one you will encounter covered in a specific elemental hazard, this being a Molten Loin covered in fire, meaning only Elixer Pikmin can carry it. Defeat all the enemies to move on to the next floor.

Floor 5

 * Name: The Rest Quarters
 * Music: Rest 1
 * Enemies:
 * Nectarous Dandelfly
 * Mamuta
 * Obstacles:
 * Water

This is the first "Rest Floor" you may encounter in the game. A small circular room with a small puddle of water in the middle housing a relaxing Mamuta. Two Nectarous Dandelflies will spawn, allowing you to get free nectar. An exit vent will also appear if you're unsure about taking on the next two floors. Otherwise, nothing of note, move on to the next floor.

Floor 6

 * Name: The Queen's Throne
 * Music: Battle Against A Bewildering Foe
 * Enemies:
 * Empress Bulblax (drops a Lesser Mighty Meat)
 * Princess Bulblax
 * Obstacles:
 * Numbered gate (defeat Princess Bulblax)
 * Numbered gate (defeat Empress Bulblax)

This floor is the first of two boss floors in the den, it's separated into three rooms. The one in the middle contains a single Princess Bublax that you need to defeat to open the door to the main boss of the floor. This Princess lacks the ability for her gemstones to spawn Bulborb Larvae when broken, so they just act like normal armor. When defeated the gate opens to a sleeping Empress Bulblax, this one also lacks the ability to spawn larvae and so just rolls across the ground. Fight this Empress like you would fight the Empress Bulblax found on the Hole of Beasts. After both royals are defeated the gate to the next and final floor is opened.

Floor 7

 * Name: The King's Throne
 * Music: Battle Against A Powerful Foe
 * Enemies:
 * Emperor Bulblax (medium-sized) (drops a Great Mighty Meat)
 * Prince Bulblax
 * Obstacles:
 * Dirt wall
 * Bomb rock
 * Numbered gate (defeat all enemies)

A condensed version of the Final Trial, only having the areas resembling the landing site and the arena for the boss. At first, you need to break the dirt wall, revealing a Prince Bulblax, which notably has less health than usual for its species. After defeating that enemy, either with the nearby bombs or pure brawn, the creature summons its father, the Emperor Bulblax, this one of medium size. If you save all of the bombs you can defeat the Bulblax without tossing a single Pikmin. After its defeated the final numbered gate is unlocked and you see the Lapis Shard which you can collect, gaining the third piece of the 9-Piece Star. Afterward, you can exit the den and re-enter the dusty Bleached Dunes.