Armored Cannon Beetle
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|---|---|---|---|
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| Appears in | Pikmin | ||
| Scientific name | Granitus chukkulinae | ||
| Family | Lithopod | ||
| Areas | The Forest of Hope, The Distant Spring | ||
| Challenge Mode stages | None | ||
| Attacks | Launch boulders | ||
- This article is about the lithopod that first appears in Pikmin. For the version unique to Pikmin 4, see Horned Cannon Beetle. For an explanation of the difference or lack thereof, see Lithopod family#Naming.
The Armored Cannon Beetle (フタクチドックリ?, lit.: "Two-Mouth Tokkuri") is the adult stage of an Armored Cannon Larva, appearing in Pikmin, with its larval stage appearing in Pikmin 2, Pikmin 3, and Pikmin 4. It is a large, black, almost shiny beetle with a thick, rounded shell of armor and a blowhole above its head. It attacks by inhaling through this opening and subsequently firing a rolling rock from its mouth that travels in a straight path, which crushes any Pikmin in its path and only stops when it hits a wall or another enemy. To defeat the creature, one must attack its abdomen; attacking other parts of the creature (like its legs) won't damage it.
This enemy is only found in The Forest of Hope, where one is guarding the Radiation Canopy, and The Distant Spring, where one has ingested the Bowsprit. As a side-note, Olimar can destroy the rocks by punching them; this does not work with the rock-producing lithopods in Pikmin 2, however. The boulders can also instantly kill a Dwarf Bulborb; the creature is left visibly flattened after being rolled over by a rock.
While this creature does not appear outside of the original Pikmin game, many other members of the Lithopod family appear throughout future titles, such as the mentioned Armored Cannon Larva and the Horned Cannon Beetle, whose appearance and behavior are very similar to the Armored Cannon Beetle.
Stats[edit]
| Weight | Max. carriers |
Seeds | Value | Health | Regen. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 50 | 50 | N/A | 2000 | Unknown |
Behavior[edit]
While idle, it wanders around a set area and looks around itself, checking its surroundings. Once engaged, it will turn to face Olimar and any Pikmin and begin inhaling. While inhaling, the Armored Cannon Beetle will not turn in any direction and stay facing the same way for a few seconds before spitting out a large boulder. This boulder will crush any Pikmin it hits, killing them, and it can damage Olimar as well. If a Pikmin is thrown into its blowhole while it is inhaling, it causes the Armored Cannon Beetle to get stunned, causing it to open its hard shell to cool off, as seen by the steam and the sizzling noises coming from the revealed flesh. This steaming back is its weak point and when revealed, it will attempt to flee by awkwardly scuttling away. After a few seconds, it will shake off any Pikmin attacking its back and quickly close its opened shell, hiding its weak spot. Once defeated, the Armored Cannon Beetle will close its shell and fall down onto its back.
Locations[edit]
Areas[edit]
- The Forest of Hope
- There is one Armored Cannon Beetle in this area. It can be found in the northern part of the area, in an arena blocked off by a black bramble gate. The Beetle is is seen guarding the Radiation Canopy. Access to the arena is also blocked off by a white bramble gate which is submerged in water, so Blue Pikmin are recommended for destroying the wall, though it can be bypassed by throwing bomb rocks on top of the wall.[1]
- The Distant Spring
- There is one Armored Cannon Beetle in this area. It is located in the middle of the area, in a circular arena located inside the largest of all the tree trunks. The Beetle is in the tree trunk closest to the landing site. It never returns once defeated due to it carrying the Bowsprit.
Strategy[edit]
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The following article or section contains guides. |
The only way one can be defeated is by clogging the blowhole during air intake (Pikmin are impervious to harm when inhaled). This causes the beetle's internal temperature to rise dramatically, and in response, the beetle will expose its burning abdomen underneath the armor to vent. The exposed abdomen leaves the beetle vulnerable to attack. However, the beetle will quickly unclog its blowhole, shield its backside, and continue its attack after excess heat has been drained. After closing its back up, your Pikmin will be knocked down, and the Armored Cannon Beetle will shoot a boulder out of its front.
If you bring 30 or more Red Pikmin of any maturity stage and press against its abdomen whilst throwing as quickly as possible, the beast can be taken down in the first cycle. When it fires its rock, make sure to hastily whistle your Pikmin or direct them out of the way, or they will be crushed. Also, Pikmin that miss the abdomen will attack the creature's armored legs. They will also be thrown out in front of the beast when it shakes off other Pikmin attacking its back. Whistle them back quickly as well.
Alternately, you may carry away the Radiation Canopy without fighting the boss. Distract the beetle by making it shoot a rock at a wall, and while it's busy with its shooting animation, order some Pikmin to carry the object. Plugging its blowhole with a Pikmin can also serve as an adequate method of incapacitating it while the treasure is carried. You can now either continue distracting the enemy with Olimar or go away and leave the Pikmin to it. If you choose to leave, switch the camera to the top-down view and the closest zoom level. This will make the Armored Cannon Beetle go off-camera and not attack the Pikmin as a result.[2]
Notes
Olimar's voyage log
Reel notes
Reel notes (Nintendo Switch)[edit]
Pikmin Official Player's Guide description[edit]
Pikmin Nintendo Power Booklet description[edit]
Pikmin Book[edit]
Text
| 通称 | フタクチドックリ |
| 和名 | クロガネオオイシツツミ |
| 分類 | イシツツミ科 |
| 倒したとき | 死ガイ |
| 運搬に必要な数 | ３０〜５０ |
| 生まれるタネ | ５０ |
| 弱点 | 背中 |
| 攻撃方法 | 岩 |
| 振り払い | 羽を閉じる |
| 移動方法 | 歩行 |
| おもな自生エリア | 希望の森・大水源 |
“前世紀後半、感星規模の異常気象の際に大陸から飛来し、帰化した外来種。大陸名はストロングアームズキャノンビートル。上部呼吸孔より取り入れた空気を気膏[sic]で圧縮し、その圧力で消化中の石片を口から発射。いまのところ変種扱いだが、現在大陸種には見られない特徴(黒化体)が発現している。全体を堅い甲殻に覆われているので、ほとんどの攻撃を受けつけない。
- (Image text:
- ↑空気を吸い込んでいるときに、口へ向かってピクミンを投げろ。)”
Translation
| Nickname | Armored Cannon Beetle |
| Japanese name | Black Iron Giant Stone Wrapper |
| Classification | Lithopod family |
| When defeated | Carcass |
| Number required for transport | 30-50 |
| Seeds produced | 50 |
| Weak point | Back |
| Attack method | Boulder |
| Shaking off | Close wings |
| Movement method | Walking |
| Main habitat area | The Forest of Hope, The Distant Spring |
“A non-native species that migrated from the continent during the extreme weather events of the latter half of the last century and became naturalized. Its continental name is Strong-armed Cannon Beetle. It compresses air drawn in through its upper respiratory openings using an airlock, then uses that pressure to eject stone fragments from its mouth during digestion. While currently classified as a variant, it has developed characteristics (a blackened body) not presently seen in the continental species. Its entire body is covered in a hard carapace, making it impervious to most attacks.
- (Image text:
- ↑When its inhaling air, throw Pikmin towards its mouth.)”
Technical information[edit]
| Pikmin technical information (?) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal name | beatle
| ||
| HP | 2000 | ||
Other information[edit]
- Technical name in The Official Nintendo Player's Guide: Greater Lithopod
Naming[edit]
- See more: Lithopod family#Naming.
- Common name: Armored Cannon Beetle.
- Japanese nickname: フタクチドックリ?, lit.: "Two-Mouth Tokkuri"
- Japanese name: クロガネオオイシツツミ?, lit.: "Black Iron Giant Stone Wrapper"
- Scientific name: Granitus chukkulinae. Chukkulinae is a made-up word, but similar to "chuck", referring to its rock-chucking attack. It may also refer to "up-chuck", a term for vomiting, referencing how it "vomits" rocks.
- Internal names: The internal name for the enemy is simply
beatle, which is a misspelling of "beetle". - Prerelease: None.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
フタクチドックリ? Futa Kuchi Dokkuri |
Two-Mouth Tokkuri | |
 French (NoE) |
Scaracanon Blindé | Armored scarannon | "Scaracanon" is a portmanteau of "scarabée" (beetle, scarab) and "canon" (cannon) |
 German |
Crustabitze | Crustawitzer | Contraction of Crustacea and Haubitze (howitzer) |
 Italian |
Scarabeo Corazzato | Armored Beetle | |
 Korean |
두입호롱 Du ip ho long |
'두입' means two mouths, '호롱' means oil lamp | |
 Spanish |
Escarabajo Tirador | Shooter Beetle |
Gallery[edit]
The Armored Cannon Beetle in The Forest of Hope.
The Armored Cannon Beetle inhaling before shooting a rock.
The Armored Cannon Beetle shooting a rock.
An Armored Cannon Beetle's exposed abdomen.
The Armored Cannon Beetle's corpse.
The Armored Cannon Beetle's corpse in The Distant Spring.
An Armored Cannon Beetle in an early version of Pikmin, on The Forest Navel. Notice that its cannon is larger and more defined than in the final version.
An Armored Cannon Beetle in the enemy reel.
A drawing of an Armored Cannon Beetle from the Pikmin Official Player's Guide.
Trivia[edit]
- The sound of the Cannon Beetle moving was done by playing a snare drum and kicking a bass drum.[source needed]
- If an Armored Cannon Beetle sucks in a Yellow Pikmin holding a bomb rock, the Pikmin will keep holding it. When the Pikmin is released, it will keep the bomb rock, and whistling it will not make it drop the explosive. This is true for both the GameCube and the Wii versions of the game.
- By having Olimar lie down and get carried into the creature, it is possible for it to get pushed far enough to leave the arena, and be unable to return.[3]
- In Pikmin, the enemy reel states that the Armored Cannon Beetle "developed a stronger carapace than its relatives", despite the Armored Cannon Beetle being the only lithopod that Olimar encounters in the game.
- Its boulders are programmed to crush Dwarf Bulborbs and Dwarf Bulbears, leaving them flattened. This can be seen for the former by leading one so it is in range to be hit by a boulder, and in the case for the latter, leading one to the Armored Cannon Beetle in The Distant Spring. They are also programmed to crush Water Dumples, despite there not being a scenario where an Armored Cannon Beetle could fire at one normally.[4]
- The Armored Cannon Beetle is one of only five enemies from the original Pikmin that did not return in Pikmin 2.
- It and Goolix are the only two of these five to not return in Pikmin 4. However, the Horned Cannon Beetle functions identically to this enemy and is infact the exact same enemy in the Japanese version.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ YouTube video showing the sequence break (at 16:01)
- ^ YouTube video demonstrating how the Armored Cannon Beetle won't attack the Pikmin with the camera up-close (at 15:55)
- ^ YouTube video of the Armored Cannon Beetle falling out of its arena, published on March 10th, 2017, retrieved on October 27th, 2018
- ^ Twitter post on Twitter, published on December 12th, 2020, retrieved on December 12th, 2020
