Pikmin

Pikmin
Developer: Nintendo EAD Publisher: Nintendo Platform: GameCube Released in JP: October 26, 2001 Released in US: December 2, 2001 Released in EU: June 14, 2002 This game has unused areas. This game has hidden development-related text. This game has unused enemies. This game has unused modes / minigames. This game has unused graphics. This game has unused models. This game has unused cinematics. This game has unused music. This game has unused text. This game has debugging material. This game has regional differences. This game has revisional differences. This game has a notes page This game has a prototype article This game has a prerelease article

Pikmin takes place in an "unknown planet" – that doesn't resemble Earth in any way – where Captain Olimar crash landed. There, he found some indigenous creatures that were eager to help him recover his ship parts. However, these cute animal-plant hybrids are on the bottom of the food chain, and there are larger creatures waiting to eat them. Can Olimar recover at least the 25 required ship parts in just 30 days? Canonically, yes.

To do: Clean. Up. The page is a mess, a lot of info is missing and all over the place, and all the videos can really take a toll on one's browser; replace them with screenshots whenever possible, and optionally, link to the videos with a simple link (i.e. no embed). Document unused objects: the omnidirectional fire stream which can be found if you enter a normal area with the Windows debugging executable. Are there any further differences between the adult/child mode in the Japanese version? [1] [2] Dolphin comes with a code for the EU version: Gfx Debug 0039D724 00000001. Document and find the US code. The huge amount of codes on the talk page have a lot of stuff. Document the textures that are loaded into memory on The Impact Site, and when stitched together, make up a crummy overview map; check Pikipedia. Search on the ISO for the word "pikmin" with a hex editor. There's a truckload of debug strings we don't have documented yet. Discoveries from this channel.

Subpages

Windows Executable A debugging executable for Windows. It's like I'm actually working at Nintendo!

Development Text Because not everything has to do with story.

Unused Areas

Half a dozen unused areas remain on the game disc. Some are test maps, while others were used in prerelease trailers. Only their models and collision data remain, so in order to access them in-game, they must replace an existing level. The objects, music and other properties will belong to the original level. You can check the gameplay of those maps in the right. There are 2 parts of the video.

route

Believed to be a prototype Impact Site, due to both being similar, right down to the paths the Pikmin take when carrying stuff to the Onions. The slopes have odd textures.

animtest

This level was used for the Model viewer (see below).

codetest

This level was used to test map collision codes, and their affiliated flags (step sound, if Pikmin can be planted there, etc.).

E3play_3

Also known as play3, this area resembles both the Impact Site and the Forest of Hope. It was probably used for an E3 conference.

map06

This area appeared on an old commercial. It resembles the Distant Spring a bit, but with unused textures. There are no borders, so carelessness will lead to falling down the abyss.

play_4

Seems to be another test map, this one has slopes and test textures. Also, a Helicopter parking on top of a tree stump. Speaking of the tree stump, a large portion of its texture is not even used, as explained here.

shapetest

Probably an another test map, with other unused textures. There are placeholder textures, strange bottles, tin cans and some awesome realistic mountains on the level.

testmap

The classic test maps are even here, in Pikmin. But this one is pretty different, there are slopes of various degrees, some bridges, some holes, some ladders, some curves, and even a semi-puzzle inside it.

tuto1

Similar to Play_4, this is one of the strangest levels. There are holes and a huge area to explore. Analyzing the name of Tuto2 and Tuto1, this probably was to be a 2 Player game level too.

tuto2

Tuto2, according to the game files, would be the opening level for a 2-player game (also discovered in the game files). There is no way to open it yet.

(Source: gabrielwoj)

Unused Models

There are plenty of unused models in the game. There is also some models from Mario games, presuming that they might be Super Mario 128 Leftovers.

cylinder.mod

An early pellet model at the game files. There are duplicates for this model.

kuribo.mod

Kuribo is the Japanese name for Goomba, the Mario enemy. It is very similar to Kug, an unused enemy in Super Mario Sunshine.

mario.mod

A very large model of Mario.

door.mod and key.mod

Both of these models are located in the same folder. The key is used to unlock the door (functional and can be seen in game).

(Source: gabrielwoj)

(Source: Yoshi2 (video))

OldMarkr.mod

There is an old marker (as the title says). This is obvious that was used in development, the X spot shows where thrown pikmin will land, the gray border is the whistling area, and the other circle is still unknown, probably the "lure" of Pikmin in ship parts.

(Source: gabrielwoj (video))

(Source: 9TDF (discovery))

Prototype SS Dolphin

Folders "demo76" and "demo77," found in dataDir/cinemas contain identical copies of a prototype of the SS Dolphin's cutscene model. Demo76 and demo77 do not use these, and instead borrow from demo01's resources.

(Source: Minty_Meeo)

Unused Enemies

Iwagen

In some test levels, there is an unused enemy called 'iwagen'. The name is a combination of "iwa" (meaning "rock") and "gen" (short for "generator"). It appears to be a rock spitting vase, like the armored cannon beetle. It has no health counter and its only animation is for shooting.

The 'Iwagen' enemy.

Usuba

'Usuba' swapped for the space background in the intro cutscene.

Usuba, or ウスバ, would have been a flying enemy. This is hinted by the presence of wings on its model, a single debug string stating "Usuba is flying.", and its only animation file being named "fly.dca". Attempting to spawn Usuba in any manner crashes the game for an unknown reason. Usuba is likely from a similar stage of development as Iwagen, as its parameter file is one of only three that still use version 0823 (8). As a side note, there is a completely unused parameter version that is older than 0823 (8) called 0615 (7), giving us a time-frame for when Usuba was last developed. Usuba is short for ウスバカゲロウ, which translates to Antlion. This is supported by the appearance of the enemy.

For what it is, Usuba's parameters are incredibly developed for an unused enemy. Most interestingly, it had a relatively large amount of health, and supposedly would have generated Smoky Proggs! It is possible that the IDs for enemy generation shifted during development, though, so it's hard to say for sure.

A video of the creature's flying animation can be seen here.

(Source: Minty_Meeo)

Early Demo Movie

Only located in the Japanese version of Pikmin, there is a early demo movie inside the sound folder (SndData), technically, the final version is located at the movie folder (MovieData).

(Source: gabrielwoj)

One extra difference, is the day at the 0:27

Located at: dataDir/SndData/cntA_S.h4m

Unused Textures

Some variants of the regular terrain textures exist in the game, but they are technically used - in the unused areas described above. Other than that, there are some truly unused graphics in the disc.

Bomb-rock Textures

These are a few interesting textures that suggest that Yellow Pikmin weren't the only ones that could carry bomb-rocks, at one point. Pikmin 3 introduced this concept officially.

Moon Texture

An interesting texture, the moon never shows at sunset. This was probably cut because some levels are too dark. Interestingly, there's a dark area in a pre-release trailer.

play_4 Stump Texture

play_4 has a large textured tree stump, but most of its texture goes unmapped. The full thing reveals an entire arena around the stump, and a corridor connecting to another room.

(Source: gabrielwoj)

2d_data Folder

The folder named "2d_data" in the dataDir directory contains a subfolder named "karltexs". In it is a collection of BTI and TXE image files.

• 

  2D_piki.txe

• 

  2D_piki.txe-karl

• 

  arrow.bti

• 

  blue.txe

• 

  cage.txe

• 

  cagenew.txe

• 

  gmwin.bti

• 

  kettei.bti

• 

  oldgmwin.bti

• 

  red.txe

• 

  stick_d.bti

• 

  stick_n.bti

• 

  stick_u.bti

• 

  udarrow.bti

• 

  yellow.txe

The file "red.txe" appears to be damaged. Removing its alpha channels restored it.

• 

  red.txe restored

(Source: Minty_Meeo)

Unused Screens

Play_07.blo

Found in Pikmin's screen files is Play_07.blo which is the hud seen in many early screenshots. This version of the hud has all the elements in one .blo while the final version has the health meter and clock in their own .blo. Interestingly, the unused moon texture can be seen here which could mean that there was originally going to be a clock for night.

(Source: TheJeffreyLand)

Unused Music

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.

There are some unused files in the SndData folder named after some of the unused levels.

Located in piki.stx is this unused jingle. This likely was the original jingle for meeting up with the Pikmin.

(Source: gabrielwoj)

Unused 2-Player mode

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.

On many level's configurations, there is a "2player" configuration.

Unused Text

Unused Voyage Log Content

"I have finally recovered all 30 parts of my ship and succeeded in escaping this strange world! To think, all the times I almost gave up hope... On the now distant surface, the brave Pikmin that aided me in my perilous quest are running about as if I had never come. Will our paths ever cross again...?

At any rate, I can finally return to my home world. I feel relief, of course, but also a certain sadness. I can't exactly say... Perhaps, I am just thinking of the long journey through space that still lies before me. This time, I shall set my ship's navigation system so that I encounter no more meteors, and I shall enjoy a long relaxing sleep. I shan't forget you, Pikmin!"

This log is never recorded because once the player gets all 30 ship parts, the game ends on the spot, and the voyage log can't be read after that; only if the save is reloaded before the final piece.

How do these Pikmin choose a route to return to their Onions? If an obstacle blocks their path, they just seem to carry their load in a tight circle... It is obvious their intelligence has limits. It seems I must order them to tear down the walls to open the way.

A similar message that talks about the Pikmin's paths is used instead.

I am so very tired...

Another unused message. This is said to have been used if you failed to get all 30 parts by Day 30, but since the game just shows Olimar blasting off (and failing to do so), along with what happens afterwards the next day in cutscenes only, this text is never shown.

Other than these, there are a few files in Japanese, that discuss some pretty standard stuff, that shouldn't warrant a voyage log to begin with.

There is also a 2nd page file for some of the entries. Likely, the translators were able to fit all the info in one page, and the 2nd one was left untranslated and unused.

Finally, some entries have a small function that checks the number of days. If it's just 1, it displays "day" (singular). If not, "days" (plural). Though in some of those cases, the check is unused, as some of the entries couldn't possibly happen on the first day.

(Source: gabrielwoj)

Unused Monolog Content

"My long adventure has finally come to its conclusion. I must part with these Pikmin who have helped me in my need. At last comes the time when I depart to once again travel the depths of space."

Similarly to the unused voyage log entry, this message is never shown. Once the final piece is collected, Olimar comments about it (it's a piggy bank), and states that he must leave the planet. After that, the ending cutscenes roll and Olimar never monologs in-game again.

One of the monologs also has a plural/singular check. When Olimar checks the ship's status, it shows how many pieces have been gathered. However, there are 2 messages like this. One that is only said on the first day (and doesn't mention healing the suit), and another on the following days (and mentions the suit being healed). In the first day, when you collect the first piece, the day ends immediately. This means that the only way to view that "first day" message is when the ship has 0 parts. As such, the game could never write "part" in singular.

Finally, there are also some entries in Japanese, that talk about miscellaneous stuff.

(Source: gabrielwoj)

Debug Menu

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.

A simple debug menu that tests some of the game's features. Each option has a value, that can be changed, and when the A button is pressed, a menu or screen appears. These are the available options:

• Title screen
• Monologs
  • The final one, 152, is the same as option #4 on the debug menu, but in an "end of day briefing" style.
• Save game screen
• Effect/button/sprite test screen
  • Use the C-stick to pan.
• Memory card warnings
• Ship Log selection
• Unlocked Voyage Logs
• End of day screen
• Pause menus
• Final statistics screen
• Title screen (sans background)

To access this, hold the D-pad right when loading a menu, with the following code enabled:

PAL:

R7RH-6BYQ-6QUW3
HJ4F-HEJZ-ACKEN
0Z7C-29CE-0C1BC

NTSC:

42NA-65DT-9YNBG
HJ4F-HEJZ-ACKEN
0Z7C-29CE-0C1BC

(Source: ConkerGuru (code))

(Source: gabrielwoj (video))

Debug Info

This probably was used for testing at the developer progress. Of note is that the following two codes are for NTSC version 1.1.

Enable Debug Info (Press D-Pad Up)

04CE5870 08000000
8A39D400 00000008
003988BC 00000001
003E7CC0 00000001
003988A4 00000701
00000000 40000000

Disable Debug Info (Press D-Pad Down)

04CE5871 08000000
8A39D400 00000004
003988BC 00000000
003E7CC0 00000000
003988A4 00000700
00000000 40000000

Model Viewer

This needs some investigation. Discuss ideas and findings on the talk page.

According to these videos in the right, there are a few unused animations for the Pikmin.

At 5:30 in the first video there seems to be an unused object of some sorts. It looks like a round stone with three stone pegs balancing it, and it has a hole on the front that looks similar to the Armored Cannon Beetle's windpipe. It has no animations seen and looks as if Pikmin might have needed to be thrown inside it for some reason. It's possible that it might have actually expelled something, like fire, or wind. It appears to be (and most likely is) the aforementioned "Iwagen" enemy, as evidenced by the overall look of it and by the way that some of the text in the lower-left corner while it is being displayed quite literally reads "iwagen."

To enter the model viewer, enter the code 0A39D400 00000002
0439D9A8 00000003 for NTSC version 1.1 in order to access the model viewer.

Hold the D-pad right while a new menu is being loaded (for instance, in the Nintendo logo), and this mode will load instead. Although, note that loading the model viewer at the Nintendo logo will make the animations play without sound.

Controls

• R: Toggle zoom
• L + Left/Right: Move camera left/right.
• A: Play animation.
• B: Pause/resume animation.
• C-stick up/down: Change the framerate of the animation from 0 to 60 (twice as fast).
• C-stick left/right: Change animation ("Motion") to play.
• L + A: Changes the current model to Blue Pikmin Model.
• L + C-stick left/right: Change model.
• X: Leave animation loop.
• Start: Exit.

(Codes: ConkerGuru)

(Source: gabrielwoj (video))

(Source: Woofmute (other video)

Other Info

• There are 2 test .blo files, test.blo and test2.blo.
• account.blo contains some weird strings that don't seem to be used. They are "The sun has gone down, today's job is finished.", which appears twice, "starting pikmins", "pikmins now", "dead pikmins", "enemies defeated" and "collected items", which all appear twice, grouped. account2.blo seems to contain the real text for the results screen.
• When you hold a Pikmin before throwing, it makes a noise. The moment you start, the Pikmin's throw height gets set, but the longer you hold it for, the higher it the height value gets, stopping more or less when the Pikmin noise does. The problem is that the starting height and ending height use the same value in the game files, so this feature has no impact on gameplay. Pikmin 2 also has these parameters, but the logic to change the throw height is missing.
• An unused parameter in aiconst.bin, when set to 1, allows the player to pluck Pikmin by whistling at them, just like the Pluckaphone in Pikmin 2. The Pikmin use a unique sound effect and animation for this. This feature was actually enabled in the 2000 prototype trailer. A video of the feature in action in the final game can be found here, and the trailer can be seen here.

Early Banner

Two banners can be found in the game's files, one of which is likely an early version.

Early	Final

Off-camera Content

This game has a lot of debugging text and unused content just outside of the camera's frame, in almost every screen.

Image	Screen	Direction	Description
	Title screen, after pressing Start	Left	"toyoda", written vertically in orange. Tokihiko Toyoda was the designer in charge of the interface. Some bubbles can also be seen. This name also appears in the same spot, when the game is paused.
	Area selection/Challenge Mode level selection	Top	Four question marks. Perhaps at one point, all areas were available to be selected, and locked areas would show these question marks.
	Voyage Log	Right	Simple "se_" and "c". This can also be seen on memory card warning screens, but with the "c" in-line.
	In-game	Right	A random 7. This doesn't appear to change. There are also 6 misaligned circles, but these only appear in Challenge Mode.
	Radar screen	South-southwest of the current map (north-northeast for The Final Trial)	A huge list of numbers, spread out vertically. These are a part of the radar portion, so they rotate with it, and are only visible in the screen coordinates matching the radar's on-screen position.
	A few monolog pages	Bottom	On a number of monolog pages, a bunch of numbers can be found vertically, below the screen.
	Save and load screens	Everywhere	"200" on the right, Five "2" on the bottom-left, a load of vertical numbers on the bottom, and bubbles on the left and right.
	Any memory card warning screen	Everywhere	"se_c" on the right, a LOT of numbers below, stretching vertically, bubbles on the left and right, and the frames of animation used for the memory card on the right.
	Save file creation screen	Bottom and right	To the right, there are 3 frames belonging to the spinning memory card's animation. On the bottom, there's "DATA1", "DATA2" and "DATA3". These appear alongside the creation of the logs on the main screen.
	Final Analysis screen	Top-left	A yellow-tinted GUI box. It's a bit far off in the distance.
	Ship Parts screen	Right	Japanese text. きまぐれなレーダー refers to the Whimsical Radar, and へそくり金庫 refers to the Secret Safe.
	Model viewer	Up (vertically in-world)	Above the model, there are 2 large hexagon-like shapes, with their texture being one of the textures of the current enemy. The exact texture depends.

(Translation: GlitterBerri)

Minor things

There are other off-camera details, but these ones aren't exactly unused, just misplaced or weird.

• On the bottom of the second page of the "Extraordinary! When I plucked the sprout" monolog, the "in party" icon from the radar screen can be found here. It's also present on the "My clock has indicated the coming of noon" monolog, but it's really tiny.
• On most monologs where the controls are shown on-screen, a white shadow of one of the blinking buttons (A or L) can be found below the screen.
• If the Final Analysis screen is accessed the normal way, i.e. not from the debug menu, a red light and four blinking blue lights can be found above the screen, and a fair bit to the back. These are actually remnants from Olimar and the S.S. Dolphin's lights on the preceding cutscene.

Leftover build.map File

This file contains information about the build process, including function names, source code files, and more.

Download build.map Linker Address Map File: Pikmin-BuildMap.zip (754kb) (info)

Regional differences

• In the Japanese and US version, you cannot skip the ~20 second long sunset cutscenes, but you can in the European version.
• In the Japanese version, there is an option with the values "I am an adult" and "I am a child". This mode changes the game's text for kids to make it easier to read, replacing all kanji with hiragana/katakana, introducing additional spacing and changing word highlighting. No similar option was provided in the international versions.
• In the Japanese version, the final ship part, the Secret Safe, requires 85 Pikmin to carry it, and only 40 Pikmin in the other two versions.
• In the Japanese 1.01 version, you can pause the game and choose to go to sunset, and then mash Start. There is a one-frame window where you can pause the game before the cutscene starts (as proven by the pause sound effect), and when the cutscene begins, it will be stuck in the starting state, unable to proceed.

Revisional differences

There are at least two Japanese versions of the game: v1.01, and v1.02. The following differences between them are known:

• v1.02 fixes the sunset softlock glitch described above.
• v1.02 lets players go up the rim of the tree trunk in The Impact Site by walking onto it from the cardboard box; v1.01 doesn't, as seen here.
• v1.02 has the number on the in-group Pikmin counter jump from the old number to the final one instantly, when the player whistles a group of Pikmin. Revision 1.01 and all other versions after 1.02 make the number run up gradually.

External links

• Pikipedia's article on Unused content
• Pikmin {GC - Beta / Unused Stuff / Debug} on Unseen64