Rumbling Grotto

Rumbling Grotto
Sublevels	2	Ultra-bitter sprays	3
Red Pikmin	30	Ultra-spicy sprays	4
Yellow Pikmin	0
Blue Pikmin	30
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 Rumbling Grotto is the twenty-first level in Pikmin 2's Challenge Mode. As the name implies, it focuses on many ground-burrowing enemies, including an encounter with the Pileated Snagret, making it a very challenging level overall.

Sublevel 1

• Theme: Concrete
• Music: Concrete 1
• Time: 170 (340 seconds)
• Starting Pikmin:
  •  Red Pikmin × 30 (flower)
  •  Blue Pikmin × 30 (flower)
• Treasures:
  •  Armored Nut × 3 - 6* (inside the Shearwigs)
  •  Crystal King × 1
  •  Gyroid Bust × 1
  •  Lustrous Element × 1 (inside the Iridescent Glint Beetle)
  •  Mirrored Element × 2 (inside the Creeping Chrysanthemums)
  •  Mirth Sphere × 3 - 6* (inside the Male Sheargrubs)
  •  Omniscient Sphere × 3 - 6* (inside the Female Sheargrubs)
  •  The Key × 1
  •  Unknown Merit × 3 (inside the Cloaking Burrow-nits)
• Enemies:
  •  Cloaking Burrow-nit × 3
  •  Creeping Chrysanthemum × 2
  •  Female Sheargrub × 3 - 6*
  •  Iridescent Glint Beetle × 1
  •  Male Sheargrub × 3 - 6*
  •  Shearwig × 3 - 6*
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Plants and fungi:
  •  Clover × 6
  •  Figwort (large) × 2
  •  Figwort (small) × 2
  •  Margaret × 3
  •  Shoot (large) × 1
  •  Shoot (small) × 1
• Others:
  • 1 type of gate, with 4000 HP

* There must be a grand total of 12 enemies, between the types marked with the asterisk. At least 3 enemies of each type must exist. The treasures match the carriers.

Note: The previous object numbers were gathered from a very basic reading of the game's files. Research is currently underway to get more accurate numbers.

Technical information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_crawler
(?) Enemy maximum			21
(?) Item maximum			3
(?) Gate maximum			3
(?) Dead end unit maximum			0
(?) Number of rooms			4
(?) Corridor-to-room ratio			0
(?) Escape geyser			No
(?) Clogged hole			No
(?) Unit file			4_units_c_e_j_l_conc.txt
(?) Light file			normal_light_cha.ini
(?) Background			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end	Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor
Long corridor	Room with 4 exits	Room with 4 exits and C-shaped wall	Room with 1 exit and a pipe	Room with dead end after U-turn

The cave starts rumbling while Creeping Chrysanthemums, Cloaking Burrow-nits, Sheargrubs and Shearwigs come out of the ground. To avoid Pikmin deaths, it is possible to reset the cave until the key lies right beside the player, which happens quite often.

Sublevel 2

• Theme: Concrete
• Music: Electricity
• Time: +120 (+240 seconds)
• Treasures:
  •  The Key × 1 (inside the Pileated Snagret)
• Enemies:
  •  Pileated Snagret × 1
• Obstacles:
  • None
• Plants and fungi:
  •  Figwort (large) × 4
  •  Figwort (small) × 2
• Others:
  • None

Note: The previous object numbers were gathered from a very basic reading of the game's files. Research is currently underway to get more accurate numbers.

Technical information
Internal cave name			ch_MAT_crawler
(?) Enemy maximum			7
(?) Item maximum			0
(?) Gate maximum			0
(?) Dead end unit maximum			0
(?) Number of rooms			1
(?) Corridor-to-room ratio			0
(?) Escape geyser			Yes
(?) Clogged hole			No
(?) Unit file			1_units_manh_conc.txt
(?) Light file			normal_light_cha.ini
(?) Background			None
Cave units (?)
Dead end with item	Three-way crossing	Four-way crossing	Turning corridor	Corridor	Long corridor
Large circular room with 1 exit

See also: Pileated Snagret strategy.

More rumbling with the Pileated Snagret. Use all sprays here so the Pikmin don't get harmed, grab the key, and jump out.

If you are doing a 2-player Challenge, the battle can be very quick and easy. Stand on opposite side of the Snagret and have both players toss Pikmin rapidly at its head. If you do it right, it should always go back into the ground instead of eating any Pikmin, and you save time and deaths.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	土とんの洞窟?	Land Swarmers' Cave
French (NoA)	Grotte des menaces	Threats cave
Spanish (NoA)	Gruta Estruendosa	Rumbling Grotto