Explorer's Cave

Explorer's Cave
Sublevels	2	Ultra-bitter sprays	2
Red Pikmin	50	Ultra-spicy sprays	2
Yellow Pikmin	0
Blue Pikmin	0
White Pikmin	0
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.

The Explorer's Cave (こてしらべの洞窟^?, lit.: "Explorer's Cave") is the first level in Pikmin 2's Challenge Mode and is automatically unlocked with the mode. It is an easy area and introduces Challenge Mode to beginners. Only Red Pikmin are available for its two sublevels, the second one being the only with any enemies for the player to fight.

Sublevel 1

• Theme: Soil
• Music: Concrete 1
• Time: 100 (200 seconds)
• Starting Pikmin:
  •  Red Pikmin × 50 (leaf)
• Treasures:
  •  Lustrous Element × 1
  •  Mirrored Element × 1
  •  The Key × 1
  •  Unknown Merit × 1
• Enemies:
  • None
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  •  Clover × 4
  •  Figwort (small brown) × 3
  •  Figwort (small red) × 2
  •  Horsetail × 1
• Others:
  • None

Get the Pikmin and make haste to collect the treasures. Good time is 80-85 on the clock.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_ABEM_tutorial
"Main" object maximum (?)			0
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			4
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			0
Number of rooms (?)			1
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			No
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			1_units_cent3_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 4 exits

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "decoration" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Clover	4	None	Plant spots
2	Horsetail	1	None	Plant spots
3	Figwort (small red)	2	None	Plant spots
4	Figwort (small brown)	3	None	Plant spots
Then it spawns these "treasure" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
5	The Key	1	None	Treasure spots
6	Lustrous Element	1	None	Treasure spots
7	Mirrored Element	1	None	Treasure spots
8	Unknown Merit	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: +100 (+200 seconds)
• Treasures:
  •  Lustrous Element × 1
  •  Mirrored Element × 1
  •  Omniscient Sphere × 5 (inside Dwarf Red Bulborbs)
  •  The Key × 1 (inside Red Bulborb)
  •  Unknown Merit × 1
• Enemies:
  •  Dwarf Red Bulborb × 5
  •  Mitite (group of 10) × 0 - 3 (from eggs)
  •  Red Bulborb × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Vegetation:
  •  Clover × 2
  •  Figwort (large brown) × 2
  •  Figwort (large red) × 2
  •  Figwort (small brown) × 2
  •  Figwort (small red) × 2
  •  Horsetail × 2
• Others:
  •  Egg × 3

Defeat the Red Bulborb first, then hit some eggs. After flowering, defeat any Dwarf Red Bulborbs. Acquire treasure. Time should be around 150-130.

Technical sublevel information
Internal cave name			ch_ABEM_tutorial
"Main" object maximum (?)			7
"Treasure" object maximum (?)			3
"Gate" object maximum (?)			0
Dead end unit probability (?)			100
Number of rooms (?)			1
Corridor-to-room ratio (?)			0
Escape geyser (?)			Yes
Clogged hole (?)			No
Cave units file (?)			2_MAT_mid1_nor2_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
Room with 6 exits	Room with long dead end

Detailed object list
The game spawns these "main" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
1	Red Bulborb	1	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	The Key	Carried inside entry with ID 1
2	Dwarf Red Bulborb	5	None	"Hard" enemy spots
-	Omniscient Sphere	Carried inside entry with ID 2
3	Egg	1	None	"Easy" enemy spots
Then it spawns these "decoration" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
4	Clover	2	None	Plant spots
5	Horsetail	2	None	Plant spots
6	Figwort (small red)	2	None	Plant spots
7	Figwort (large red)	2	None	Plant spots
8	Figwort (small brown)	2	None	Plant spots
9	Figwort (large brown)	2	None	Plant spots
Then it spawns these "treasure" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
10	Lustrous Element	1	None	Treasure spots
11	Mirrored Element	1	None	Treasure spots
12	Unknown Merit	1	None	Treasure spots
Then it spawns these "dead end" objects:
ID	Object	Amount	Fall method	Spawn location
13	Egg	2	None	Dead ends

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

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	こてしらべの洞窟? Kote shirabe no dōkutsu	Explorer's Cave
French (NoA)	Grotte de l'explorateur	Explorer's cave
French (NoE)	Grotte de l'explorateur	Explorer's cave
Italian	Grotta dell' Esploratore	Explorer's Cave
Spanish	Cueva del Explorador	Explorer's Cave