Cryptic Cavern

Cryptic Cavern
Sublevels	5	Ultra-bitter sprays	2
Red Pikmin	5	Ultra-spicy sprays	3
Yellow Pikmin	0
Blue Pikmin	0
White Pikmin	5
Purple Pikmin	0
Bulbmin	0

The following article or section contains guides. The strategies presented may not be the only ones or the best ones.

Cryptic Cavern is the eleventh level in Pikmin 2's Challenge Mode. There are 5 sublevels, each with one enemy in the same basic layout.

Sublevel 1

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Toybox 1
• Time: 50 (100 seconds)
• Starting Pikmin:
  •  Red Pikmin × 5 (flower)
  •  White Pikmin × 5 (flower)
• Treasures:
  •  Regal Diamond × 1 (fully buried)
  •  The Key × 1 (inside Doodlebug)
• Enemies:
  •  Doodlebug × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  • None
• Others:
  • None

The Doodlebug is hidden in the middle of the second room; it may be poisonous, but is very easy to beat. As soon as it takes a hit from the top, it'll disappear. Grab The Key and hurry to the next level. If it re-hides before you get The Key, search around the middle of the level, particularly closer to the research pod; you should find it again.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_t_hunter_enemy
"Main" object maximum (?)			1
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			1
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			2
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_MAT_north_boss_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_cha.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Circular room with 1 exit

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "main" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Doodlebug	1	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	The Key	Carried inside entry with ID 1
Then it spawns these "treasure" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
2	Regal Diamond	1	None	Treasure spots

For details on how objects are spawned, and how some may fail to spawn, see here.

Sublevel 2

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Soil 1
• Time: +75 (+150 seconds)
• Treasures:
  •  Pink Menace × 1 (fully buried)
  •  The Key × 1 (inside Watery Blowhog)
• Enemies:
  •  Watery Blowhog × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  • None
• Others:
  • None

A Watery Blowhog. Kill it quickly, grab The Key, and off to the hole.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_t_hunter_enemy
"Main" object maximum (?)			1
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			1
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			2
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_MAT_north_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv0.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end	Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor
Long corridor	Circular room with 1 exit

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "main" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Watery Blowhog	1	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	The Key	Carried inside entry with ID 1
Then it spawns these "treasure" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
2	Pink Menace	1	None	Treasure spots

For details on how objects are spawned, and how some may fail to spawn, see here.

Sublevel 3

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Concrete 3
• Time: +65 (+130 seconds)
• Treasures:
  •  Memorial Shell × 1 (fully buried)
  •  The Key × 1 (inside Anode Dweevil)
• Enemies:
  •  Anode Dweevil × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  • None
• Others:
  • None

An Anode Dweevil. This can be defeated relatively easily with leaders, is hard to hit with Pikmin, and kills them instantly if it attacks, so attacking with leaders is often the safer option.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_t_hunter_enemy
"Main" object maximum (?)			1
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			1
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			2
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_MAT_north_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv1.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end	Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor
Long corridor	Circular room with 1 exit

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "main" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Anode Dweevil	1	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	The Key	Carried inside entry with ID 1
Then it spawns these "treasure" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
2	Memorial Shell	1	None	Treasure spots

For details on how objects are spawned, and how some may fail to spawn, see here.

Sublevel 4

The Fiery Bulblax on the fourth sublevel.

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Soil 2
• Time: +40 (+80 seconds)
• Treasures:
  •  The Key × 1 (inside Fiery Bulblax)
• Enemies:
  •  Fiery Bulblax × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  • None
• Others:
  • None

See also: Fiery Bulblax strategy.

A Fiery Bulblax. Take the 5 Red Pikmin and use both kind of sprays, or else you are almost guaranteed to lose Pikmin. You will make it just before the Bulblax turns normal. After its defeat, advance to the last sublevel. There are no buried treasures to look for.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_t_hunter_enemy
"Main" object maximum (?)			1
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			0
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			2
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_MAT_north_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv2.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end	Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor
Long corridor	Circular room with 1 exit

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "main" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Fiery Bulblax	1	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	The Key	Carried inside entry with ID 1

For details on how objects are spawned, and how some may fail to spawn, see here.

Sublevel 5

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Concrete 2
• Time: +70 (+140 seconds)
• Treasures:
  •  The Key × 1 (inside Burrowing Snagret)
• Enemies:
  •  Burrowing Snagret × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  • None
• Others:
  • None

See also: Burrowing Snagret strategy.

A Burrowing Snagret resides here in the last sublevel. Use all the sprays you have left. Always aim for the head, its weak point. When it buries itself in the ground, wait for it to get stuck on emerging, so you have time to aim at the head. When its head is being attacked by a number of Pikmin, the creature will stop attacking to retreat.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_t_hunter_enemy
"Main" object maximum (?)			1
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			0
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			2
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			Yes
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_MAT_north_boss_tsuchi.txt
Lighting file (?)			normal_light_lv0.ini
Background (?)			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Circular room with 1 exit

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "main" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Burrowing Snagret	1	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	The Key	Carried inside entry with ID 1

For details on how objects are spawned, and how some may fail to spawn, see here.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	かくしもちの洞窟?	Treasure Keeper's Cave
French (NoA)	Terres des mystères	Mystery lands
French (NoE)	Terres des Mystères	Mystery Lands
Spanish (NoA)	Caverna Críptica	Cryptic Cavern