The Puffy Blowhog (フーセンドックリ?, lit.: "Balloon Tokkuri") is an enemy in all three main Pikmin games. It floats gently in the air, and when it finds Pikmin or leaders, it blows them away with a strong gust of air. Before blowing air, it first needs to stop and inhale.
In Pikmin, this creature knocks down Olimar and blows away Pikmin, causing their flowers to wilt. In Pikmin 2, withering breath is instead caused by the Withering Blowhog, and the Puffy Blowhog instead simply knocks them back, and for a shorter distance. Purple Pikmin are immune to the wind, and collecting the Rush Boots makes the leaders immune too. Regardless of game, their strong gusts can knock Pikmin into hazards or other dangers.
It floats high in the air, but low enough for thrown Pikmin to reach, however. It can shake Pikmin off, though if overwhelmed and weighed down, it'll be brought to the ground, and be vulnerable to attacks for a few seconds. It will then attempt to go back into the air, but if it has too many Pikmin on it, will not succeed. In Pikmin 3, it can instantly inflate when it crashes on the ground, throwing off latched Pikmin. It also drops a corpse in Pikmin 3, after it deflates itself from defeat.
In the first game, it appears in The Distant Spring, usually near water and other enemies, making it much more dangerous, as there is an abundance of hazards for it to blow Pikmin into. Puffy Blowhogs are only rarely seen within a few caves in Pikmin 2, as well as the multiplayer stage Carpet Plain. In Pikmin 3, the Puffy Blowhog only appears in Story Mode once in the Twilight River area, as well as in the Battle Enemies! version of Fortress of Festivity.
Appearance[edit]
The Puffy Blowhog is a large creature, resembling a half-inflated balloon. It has a striped body, with cyan and purple stripes, two small flipper-like appendages on the sides, and several harmless spikes on the back. It also has four holes on the sides. Periodically, a flash of light blazes through the creature's body.
In Pikmin, the Puffy Blowhog is slightly larger than that in Pikmin 2. In Pikmin 3, it looks noticeably more balloon-like than its previous appearances: the purple stripes are slightly translucent, and appear stretched by the air inside of it, while the blue stripes seem painted-on, as they are opaque and shiny. Its corpse looks like a completely deflated balloon, much smaller than the living creature. Its eyes also seem to have changed, due to its pupils being larger and the sclera not as noticeable compared to the previous games.
Notes
Reel notes
“Instead of breathing fire, this species uses its hydrogen to float.”
Olimar's notes
“This species of blowhog uses internally generated hydrogen to inflate a flotation bladder and hover above the ground. The creature's electrified pulse creates a sash of color that flows along the surface of its body, making it a particularly beautiful blowhog species. Precisely how it is able to internally stabilize its highly explosive hydrogen and simultaneously generate electricity remains a mystery. The puffy blowhog blows leaves and grass around to eat the insects underneath. It maintains midair buoyancy by using its fins and releasing air through blowholes. This enables it to float effortlessly, even in the breeze. In times of danger, the puffy blowhog can decompress its flotation bladder for a rapid escape from predators.”
Louie's notes
“Slice this creature's feather-light skin into triangles, deep-fry until crispy, and salt generously. Makes the perfect scooping chip to accompany fresh mango salsa!”
US version
“Structural flaw: weak hide
Weight: 2
Most of its defense mechanisms aren't dangerous to Pikmin, but they do make it hard to kill. The streams of air it blows will scatter your Pikmin, so be sure to regroup quickly if there are other enemies around. As you might expect from something so inflated, it's very light and easily weighted down by lots of Pikmin. That's the best chance to dash in with a charge.
”
European version
“Structural flaw: weak hide
Weight: 2
Most of its defence mechanisms aren't dangerous to Pikmin, but they do make it hard to kill. The streams of air it blows will scatter your Pikmin, so be sure to regroup quickly if there are other enemies around. As you might expect from something so inflated, it's very light and easily weighted down by lots of Pikmin. That's the best chance to dash in with a charge.
”
“Can you imagine attaching a gondola to the underside of this thing? Drifting gently through the air, not a care in the world...because I'd use the spikes on its back to crush my enemies! It's so perfect!”
“This inflatable fella has some powerful lungs to make itself lighter than air. But I won't be outdone! HWOOOOAH! Hrm, no go. I blame the space suit. It's cramping my style.”
- US version
“Slice this creature's featherlight skin into triangles, deep-fry until crispy, and salt generously. Makes the perfect scooping chip to accompany fresh mango salsa!”
- European version
“Slice this creature's feather-light skin into triangles, deep-fry until crispy, and salt generously. Makes the perfect tortilla to accompany fresh mango salsa!”
- US version
“Puffy Blowhog
Sus inflata
Blowhog family
This species of blowhog uses internally generated hydrogen to inflate a flotation bladder and hover above the ground. The creature's electrified pulse creates a sash of color that flows along the surface of its body, making it a particularly beautiful blowhog species. Precisely how it is able to internally stabilize its highly explosive hydrogen and simultaneously generate electricity remains a mystery. The puffy blowhog blows leaves and grass around to eat the insects underneath. It maintains midair buoyancy by using its fins and releasing air through blowholes. This enables it to float effortlessly, even in the breeze. In times of danger, the puffy blowhog can decompress its flotation bladder for a rapid escape from predators.
”
- European version
“Puffy Blowhog
Sus inflata
Blowhog family
This species of blowhog uses internally generated hydrogen to inflate a flotation bladder and hover above the ground. The creature's electrified pulse creates a sash of colour that flows along the surface of its body, making it a particularly beautiful blowhog species. Precisely how it is able to internally stabilise its highly explosive hydrogen and simultaneously generate electricity remains a mystery. The puffy blowhog blows leaves and grass around to eat the insects underneath. It maintains midair buoyancy by using its fins and releasing air through blowholes. This enables it to float effortlessly, even in the breeze. In times of danger, the puffy blowhog can decompress its flotation bladder for a rapid escape from predators.
” Olimar's voyage log
“This is a large-bodied, flying organism, but it is possible that its interior is as empty as a blimp. If I can land a large number of Pikmin on it, they may be able to ground it. And then, once it's down, it will feel my sprouts' rage!”
Strategy[edit]
Artwork from
Pikmin, where the Puffy Blowhog gets attacked by Pikmin.
|
The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies presented may not be the only ones or the best ones.
|
Due to their speed when flying away, these enemies are hard to combat. It is possible to throw Pikmin at it while it is moving, but hard. Instead, lure it into attacking, and while it is busy inhaling air, quickly get under it and bombard it with Pikmin. If you threw enough of them, it will eventually fall. Swarm or charge it, and it should be dead in a few seconds. If there are other enemies nearby and you can afford to leave a distraction, keep the Puffy Blowhog busy while you clear out the other enemies, so that the fight with the flying beast will be easier.
In Pikmin, it moves in the air much faster, making a head-on ambush nearly impossible unless the enemy is cornered. In the second game, it is found in caves, often with many gates, so it can be a problem to hit when it is behind a gate. It's weaker than in Pikmin, and a single Purple Pikmin is enough to make it fall.
In Pikmin 3, Winged Pikmin can be used to swarm it in mid-air and defeat it easily, but otherwise, the strategies from the first two games work well. Seeing as they cannot make Pikmin flowers or buds wilt, leaving a group of Winged Pikmin to take care of it is normally a good idea, as the Pikmin do not need a leader to throw them in order to attack. Rock Pikmin can also drain the enemy's health rather quickly. Because it inflates when it lands on the ground, it is advised to whistle your Pikmin to you when you see that the creature is starting to fall; it will not push away Pikmin if there are none attacking it. Then, proceed to charge like normal.
When battling it in either Pikmin or Pikmin 2, there may be times when a Puffy Blowhog that is falling due to Pikmin weight will land on a border or ledge of some sort, or even on top of another enemy. The Puffy Blowhog will then be unable to reach the programmed "ground", and will stay on the obstacle and repeat its struggling animation infinitely.[1] In The Distant Spring, the stone pathways around the UV Lamp may cause this glitch to occur, and it can also happen on the walls of sublevels in various caves in Pikmin 2, wherever Puffy Blowhogs are found. In Pikmin 3, it will merely slide off walls or use them as a ramp to get back up.
Technical information[edit]
| Pikmin technical information (?)
|
| Internal name
|
mar
|
| HP
|
3000
|
| Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
|
| Internal name
|
mar
|
| Global properties (List)
|
| ID
|
Japanese comment
|
Property
|
Value
|
| s000
|
friction(not used)
|
Friction
|
0.5
|
| s001
|
wallReflection
|
Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?)
|
0.5
|
| s002
|
faceDirAdjust
|
Unknown
|
0.25
|
| s003
|
accel
|
Acceleration
|
0.5
|
| s004
|
bounceFactor
|
Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?)
|
0.3
|
| fp00
|
ライフ
|
HP
|
3000
|
| fp01
|
マップとの当り
|
Unknown (related to slopes)
|
75
|
| fp02
|
ダメージスケールXZ
|
Horizontal damage scale
|
0.2
|
| fp03
|
ダメージスケールY
|
Vertical damage scale
|
0.25
|
| fp04
|
ダメージフレーム
|
Damage scale duration
|
0.35
|
| fp05
|
質量
|
Unknown (weight?)
|
0.0001
|
| fp06
|
速度
|
Move speed
|
120
|
| fp08
|
回転速度率
|
Rotation acceleration
|
0.05
|
| fp09
|
テリトリー
|
Territory radius
|
400
|
| fp10
|
ホーム範囲
|
"Home" radius
|
100
|
| fp11
|
プライベート距離
|
"Private" radius
|
100
|
| fp12
|
視界距離
|
Sight radius
|
275
|
| fp13
|
視界角度
|
FOV
|
90
|
| fp14
|
探索距離
|
Unknown (exploration radius?)
|
200
|
| fp15
|
探索角度
|
Unknown (exploration angle?)
|
120
|
| fp16
|
振り払い率
|
Successful shake rate
|
1
|
| fp17
|
振り払い力
|
Shake knockback
|
200
|
| fp18
|
振り払いダメージ
|
Shake damage
|
1
|
| fp19
|
振り払い範囲
|
Shake range
|
55
|
| fp20
|
攻撃可能範囲
|
Unknown (shock attack max range?)
|
200
|
| fp21
|
攻撃可能角度
|
Unknown (shock attack max angle?)
|
20
|
| fp22
|
攻撃ヒット範囲
|
Unknown (attack hit range?)
|
300
|
| fp23
|
攻撃ヒット角度
|
Unknown (attack hit angle?)
|
20
|
| fp24
|
攻撃力
|
Attack damage
|
0
|
| fp25
|
視界高
|
Unknown (height visibility?)
|
50
|
| fp26
|
探索高
|
Unknown (exploration height?)
|
50
|
| fp27
|
ライフの高さ
|
HP wheel height
|
50
|
| fp28
|
回転最大速度
|
Rotation speed
|
10
|
| fp29
|
警戒時間
|
Unknown (warning time?)
|
15
|
| fp30
|
警戒ライフ
|
Unknown
|
30
|
| fp31
|
ライフ回復率
|
Regeneration rate
|
0.00005
|
| fp32
|
LOD半径
|
Off-camera radius
|
125
|
| fp33
|
マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定
|
Collision processing radius
|
100
|
| fp34
|
ピクミンとのあたり
|
Pikmin damage radius
|
40
|
| fp35
|
石化時間
|
Petrification duration
|
1
|
| fp36
|
ヒップドロップダメージ
|
Purple Pikmin drop damage
|
50
|
| fp37
|
地震気絶確立
|
Purple Pikmin stun chance
|
0.3 (30%)
|
| fp38
|
地震気絶時間
|
Purple Pikmin stun time
|
5
|
| ip01
|
振り払い打撃Ａ
|
Shake mode 1 – hit count
|
3
|
| ip02
|
振り払い張付１
|
Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement
|
3
|
| ip03
|
振り払い打撃Ｂ
|
Shake mode 2 – hit count
|
8
|
| ip04
|
振り払い張付２
|
Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement
|
5
|
| ip05
|
振り払い打撃Ｃ
|
Shake mode 3 – hit count
|
15
|
| ip06
|
振り払い張付３
|
Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement
|
10
|
| ip07
|
振り払い打撃Ｄ
|
Shake mode 4 – hit count
|
30
|
| Specific properties
|
| ID
|
Japanese comment
|
Property
|
Value
|
| fp01
|
基準飛行高さ
|
Unknown (regular flying height?)
|
80
|
| fp02
|
上昇係数
|
Unknown (rise coefficient?)
|
1
|
| fp03
|
空中ウェイト時間
|
Unknown (wait time before blowing?)
|
3
|
| fp10
|
地上ウェイト時間
|
Unknown (ground wait time?)
|
1
|
| fp04
|
振払落下時間
|
Unknown
|
1
|
| ip01
|
落下最低ピキ数
|
Unknown (min number of Pikmin that get knocked down?)
|
6
|
| fp05
|
上下の揺れ速度
|
Unknown (vertical swing speed?)
|
2.5
|
| fp06
|
上下の揺れ幅
|
Unknown (horizontal swing speed?)
|
5
|
Other information[edit]
- Prima guide technical name: Floatswine
- Size: Body length: 180mm, as per the e-card
- Japanese name: ワモントゲフウセンドックリ?, lit.: "Spiny ringed balloon tokkuri"
- Pikmin 2 Piklopedia number: #17
- See more: Blowhog family#Naming.
- Common name: Puffy Blowhog. The creature belongs to the blowhog family, and the name "Puffy" is because this enemy is constantly puffed up like a balloon, and blows gusts of wind itself.
- Japanese nickname: フーセンドックリ?, lit.: "Balloon Tokkuri".
- Japanese name: ワモントゲフウセンドックリ?, lit.: "Ringed Spiky Balloon Tokkuri".
- Scientific name: Sus inflata. Inflata is related to inflatus, which is Latin for "to puff out". Inflata is also naturally similar to the English word "inflated".
- Internal names: Internally, in all games, this enemy is known as
mar, but the meaning of this word is unknown.
- Prerelease: None.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language
|
Name
|
Meaning
|
Notes
|
 Japanese |
フーセンドックリ?
Fūsen Dokkuri |
Balloon Tokkuri |
|
 Chinese
(traditional) |
氣球德古利 |
|
|
 French |
Puffy Volant |
Flying Blowhog |
|
 German |
Ballonerus |
From Ballon (balloon) |
|
 Italian |
Moschita Vacua |
Vacuous Fly |
"Moschita" possibly from "mosca" (fly) or the English "mosquito"
|
 Korean |
풍선호롱
Pungsunholong |
Balloon oil lamp |
|
 Spanish (NoA) |
Verraco volador |
Flying pig |
|
 Spanish (NoE) |
Verraco volador |
Flying pig |
|
Gallery[edit]
A Puffy Blowhog deflating in Pikmin 2.
A Puffy Blowhog being weighed down in Pikmin 3.
A Red Pikmin trying to pick up the deflated body of a Puffy Blowhog.
A Puffy Blowhog inhaling in the rain.
Side view of the Puffy Blowhog in Pikmin 3.
The Puffy Blowhog's wind effect in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
The Puffy Blowhog glitch.
The creature's e-card, #18 (15th red card).
- A defeated Puffy Blowhog in Pikmin will start deflating and then spin around on its pitch axis. Normally, it does this in a standard pose, and so, it spins around vertically, parallel to walls. However, if the player is able to kill it in the middle of its falling state, by weighing it with Pikmin at low health, it will play a unique animation, where it first turns sideways and then deflates, effectively making it spin horizontally, parallel to the floor.[2]
- The Piklopedia states that the Puffy Blowhog eats insects it finds under grass and leaves. This behavior is never shown in-game.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ YouTube video showing how a Puffy Blowhog that falls on a Spotty Bulbear is completely helpless
- ^ YouTube video of a Puffy Blowhog being defeated in different states, including the falling state, published on August 23rd, 2021, retrieved on August 23rd, 2021
