Controls

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This article is about controls of the Pikmin games. For the data file category, see Controls (Exploration Notes).

The Pikmin games have a variety of controls used to control the game's menus, leaders, camera and gameplay mechanics. These controls come in the form of button presses and releases, analog stick tilts, Wii Remote pointer movements and touchscreen touches.

In-game controls

The following is a list of controls for when the player is controlling a leader on an area or cave, for each game.

Pikmin

The first title in the franchise is played on the GameCube, and hence, with the GameCube controller. The New Play Control! Pikmin version is played using the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk, and most button inputs are edited accordingly. In the Nintendo Switch port, the controls are more faithful to the GameCube version than New Play Control! Pikmin, though the inputs themselves are very similar to Pikmin 3 Deluxe.

Action	GameCube	Wii	Switch	Notes
Move	fully held		fully held
Move cursor – main	lightly or fully held		lightly or fully held
Move cursor – alternate	N/A	N/A	Move the right Joy-Con / Move the Pro Controller	Only while whistling or throwing.
Reset cursor	N/A	N/A
Hold and throw Pikmin				Pressing holds a Pikmin, releasing throws it.
Release held Pikmin	N/A	N/A	+
Whistle				Holding it down longer increases the range.
Swarm			+	On the GameCube and Nintendo Switch, the stick determines swarm direction and distance. On the Wii, Pikmin go in the direction and distance of the cursor when the button is held.
Dismiss
Swap Pikmin type	N/A			While holding a Pikmin, swaps it for one of a different type.
Swap Pikmin maturity	N/A			When holding a Pikmin, swap it for one of a different maturity in the same type. Also causes the swarm effect on the cursor, but the group does not move.
Pluck sprout
Punch				Only when not commanding Pikmin.
Lie down				Only after day 1.
Face camera forward	tapped	tapped		Tapping the button makes the camera face towards the cursor on the GameCube, but towards where the leader is facing on the Wii and Nintendo Switch.
Rotate camera	lightly or fully held	held	or	The player can press the button and use  /  / to rotate the camera sideways.
Change camera's distance
Change camera's vertical angle
Open Onion menu				When below an Onion's beam.
Olimar's monitor
Pause/resume

Pikmin 2

The sequel retains many of the controls from the first game, but with some additions and changes. Like the first game, the original GameCube version is played using a GameCube controller, the New Play Control! Pikmin 2 version is played with the Wii Remote and the Nunchuk, and the Nintendo Switch version uses a control scheme similar to Pikmin 3 Deluxe.

Action	GameCube	Wii	Switch	Notes
Move	fully held		fully held
Move cursor – main	lightly or fully held		lightly or fully held
Move cursor – alternate	N/A	N/A	Move the right Joy-Con / Move the Pro Controller	Only while whistling or throwing.
Reset cursor	N/A	N/A
Hold and throw Pikmin				Pressing holds a Pikmin, releasing throws it.
Release held Pikmin	N/A	N/A	(held) +
Whistle				Holding it down longer increases the range.
Swarm			+	On the GameCube and Nintendo Switch, the stick determines swarm direction and distance. On the Wii, Pikmin go in the direction and distance of the cursor when the button is held.
Dismiss	tapped	tapped
Swap Pikmin type				While holding a Pikmin, swaps it for one of a different type.
Swap Pikmin maturity				When holding a Pikmin, swap it for one of a different maturity in the same type.
Switch leaders
Pluck sprout
Punch				Only when not commanding Pikmin.
Lie down	held	held		Only if the Napsack has been obtained.
Use ultra-bitter spray				Not possible when holding a Pikmin.
Use ultra-spicy spray				Not possible when holding a Pikmin.
Face camera forward	tapped	tapped		Tapping the button makes the camera face towards the cursor on the GameCube, but towards where the leader is facing on the Wii.
Rotate camera	lightly or fully held	held	or	The player can press the button and use  /  / to rotate the camera sideways.
Change camera's distance	tapped	tapped
Camera ground-level angle	held	held	held
Change camera's vertical angle
Open Onion menu				When below an Onion's beam or the Hocotate ship's beam.
Pause/resume
Check controls	N/A	N/A

Pikmin 3

Pikmin 3 allows for four ways to control the game. The player can use the GamePad's buttons, the Wii Remote + Nunchuk, the Wii U Pro Controller, or, as of version 2.0.0, the GamePad's touchscreen; the latter is known as "Stylus Mode". The Wii Classic Controller is not supported. When the player uses a control from a controller different from the one they're currently using, a message will appear on-screen saying the main controller has changed, and the player is then allowed to use that controller from there on out. The exception to this is .

In addition, the player can toggle Off-TV Play with . While Off-TV Play mode is on, the TV screen will display some Pikmin moving from right to left on a black screen, with the message "Look at the GamePad." on the bottom. Given that with Off-TV Play off, the player uses the TV screen as the main gameplay view-port and the GamePad as the radar, the player will need to use to toggle between gameplay view and radar view, if Off-TV Play is on.

If the player wishes to play with the Wii Remote and Off-TV Play, they must point the Wii Remote at the GamePad, as opposed to the Sensor Bar.

Controllers

Action	GamePad	Wii Remote	Pro Controller	Notes
Move	fully held		fully held	When playing with the Wii Remote, the camera will automatically rotate to make it easier to navigate.
Move cursor	lightly or fully held		lightly or fully held
Hold and throw Pikmin/leader	/		/	Pressing holds a Pikmin, releasing throws it.
Whistle				Holding it down longer increases the range.
Lock-on	held for a bit	held for a bit	held for a bit	Only if the cursor is on a target. The player only needs to hold on for the time it takes the lock-on to activate.
Charge/dismiss	/			While locked-on, charges, otherwise dismisses.
Change next Pikmin type
Switch leader				Only if the other leader is not in the active one's group.
Pluck sprout	/		/
Punch	/		/	Only when not commanding Pikmin and near a punchable target.
Use ultra-spicy spray
Dodge				Only if the Dodge Whistle has been obtained.
Face camera towards cursor	tapped	tapped	tapped	Only if the cursor is not on a target.
Rotate camera		N/A
Hold cursor	held	N/A