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Spotty Bulbear

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Spotty Bulbear In-game icon.
Icon for the Spotty Bulbear, from Pikmin 4's Piklopedia.
Appears in PikminPikmin 2Pikmin 3Pikmin 4
Scientific name Oculus terribilis dotticum
Oculus terribilis (Pikmin Player's Guide)
Family Grub-dog
Areas The Distant Spring, Perplexing Pool, Distant Tundra, Giant's Hearth (night), Primordial Thicket (night)
Caves Frontier Cavern, Glutton's Kitchen, Hole of Heroes, Dream Den, Kingdom of Beasts, Plunder Palace
Challenge Mode stages The Forest of Hope, Subterranean Lair, Emperor's Realm
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages Beastly Caverns
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages Thirsty Desert, Twilight Hollow, Formidable Oak Remix
Side Story days Creature Hunting, Team Monster Hunt, Looking for Louie, Another Part Found
Dandori Challenge stages Trial of the Sage Leaf
Dandori Battle stages None
2-Player Battle stages None
Bingo Battle stages Arid Metropolis, Jigsaw Colosseum
Attacks Eat Pikmin

The Spotty Bulbear (クマチャッピー?, lit.: "Bear Chappy") is a powerful enemy that appears in every major game in the Pikmin series.

While they resemble Bulborbs at a glance, Spotty Bulbears lack their pointed snouts and generally have a rounder face, with large, chapped lips. They have a black, red-dotted back, and their face is a creamy yellow or orange. The Bulbear's larger mouth allows it to gobble Pikmin up in greater number and speed than most other Bulborb species, making them rather formidable adversaries.

While they spend most of their time sleeping until disturbed in Pikmin, they are constantly awake in all other games, and will freely patrol the entire area in search of prey. Spotty Bulbears are often accompanied by its Dwarf Bulbear offspring, who follow their 'parent' on their patrols in search of food.

Stats[edit]

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 4.

Game Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health Regen.
Pikmin 10 20 15 N/A 1300 Unknown
Pikmin 2 10 20 12 Poko icon.png × 10 1200 3.6[note 1]
Pikmin 3 (?) 12 25 (normally) 20 Texture used for the Poko in Pikmin 3. × 70
Icon for the soul in Battle Enemies!, taken from the game's textures. × 70
1800 No
Pikmin 4 12 24 15 (15 glow pellets) Icon that represents Sparklium on the wiki, based on the icon found in Pikmin 4. × 12 1800 No
  1. ^ Note that this value refers to health regeneration, not revival.

Notes

Reel notes

This rare species of bulborb has a certain indefatigability.

Olimar's notes

A midsize subspecies within the grub-dog family, the spotty bulbear's unique feeding habits set it apart from other grub-dogs. The spotty bulbear patrols a set path searching for prey, instead of passively feeding on creatures that wander into a limited territorial range. When entering bulbear habitat, it is wise to proceed with extreme caution until the bulbear's patrol path can be clearly identified.

Louie's notes

For an unrivaled green curry, peel away the spotty bulbear's skin, pulverize the juicy innards, and stew until curiously fragrant.

Alph's comments

Structural flaw: eyeballs, back
Weight: 12

It's sort of like...the rare, limited-edition version of regular bulborbs. I'm much too afraid to get close to them in the dark caves where they live, so I'm thinking about bringing a Bomb Rock next time. Couldn't hurt!

Brittany's comments

The red-on-black thing is very bold, but it's a vicious predator, soooo points off for that. It's big and tough and never backs down even when it probably should. Like some captains I could name.

Charlie's comments

The first problem with this guy is that he never sleeps. The second problem is that he can gulp a whole platoon of Pikmin in one move. Well, not on my watch, buster! I'll make you wash down that meal with a dessert of pain!

Louie's comments

US version icon.png US version
For an unrivaled green curry, peel away the spotty bulbear's skin, pulverize the juicy innards, and stew until curiously fragrant.
European version icon.png European version
For an unrivalled green curry, peel away the spotty bulbear's skin, pulverise the juicy innards, and stew until curiously fragrant.

Olimar's comments

Spotty Bulbear
Oculus terribilis dotticum
Grub-dog family

A midsize subspecies within the grub-dog family, the spotty bulbear's unique feeding habits set it apart from other grub-dogs. The spotty bulbear patrols a set path searching for prey, instead of passively feeding on creatures that wander into a limited territorial range. When entering bulbear habitat, it is wise to proceed with extreme caution until the bulbear's patrol path can be clearly identified.

Dalmo's Notes[edit]

One glance, and you'll never forget them as long as you live-those unmistakable bold lips. A most distinctive feature the likes of which I've seen nowhere else in the universe. When I gaze upon them, I wonder if those lips serve double duty as a way to feel the world around it, since this cute cuddler has no fingers!

Olimar's Notes (Pikmin 4)[edit]

A midsize subspecies within the Grub-Dog family, the Spotty Bulbear's unique feeding habits sets it apart from other Grub-Dogs. It patrols a set path, searching for prey instead of passively feeding on creatures that wander into a limited territorial range. When entering Spotty Bulbear habitat, it is wise to proceed with extreme caution until the Bulbear's patrol path can be clearly identified.

Louie's Notes (Pikmin 4)[edit]

For an unrivaled green curry, peel away the Spotty Bulbear's skin, pulverise the juicy innards, and stew until curiously fragrant.

Pikmin Nintendo Player's Guide[edit]

A stronger, darker version of the greater grub-dog that appears in small numbers, perhaps the result of environmental changes. This rare subspecies of bulborb has a certain indefatigability.
The spotty bulbear behaves much like the spotty bulborb, and you can use the same tactics to defeat either variety of grub-dog. The spotty bulbear seems to be slower than the spotty bulborb, but the darker species is also stronger.

Pikmin Nintendo Power booklet[edit]

Physically similar to spotty bulborbs, bulbears are actually much stronger than their red-and-white cousins. Their passion in life? Sleeping—and eating scores of delicious Pikmin.

Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide[edit]

Possibly the most vicious of the Bulborb/Bulbear family, the Spotty Bulbear feasts on Pikmin and doesn't give up. Have one group distract the villain while you send another behind it to attack.

Pikmin 3 Prima Guide[edit]

The Spotty Bulbear is extremely durable, and its wide jaws allow it to gobble a great amount of Pikmin with each attack. To avoid a prolonged and costly battle, use Bomb Rocks to attack this creature from a safe distance.

Pikmin 1 (Nintendo Switch) Reel notes[edit]

This rare subspecies of bulborb has a certain indefatigability.

Behavior[edit]

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin.
Particularly: Clean up the trivia section at the bottom of the article.

In Pikmin, Spotty Bulbears largely spend their time sleeping, only waking up if disturbed by the Pikmin or Olimar. Their pupils are normally a deep indigo colour with a slight red sheen but change into a piercing red as soon as they spot the player or Pikmin. As soon as they lose track of their prey, the eyes revert back to their normal colour. They have slightly more health than their Spotty Bulborb counterparts, making confrontation riskier. The red spots on their back constantly change in size, even after the creature's death. They have a noticeable regeneration factor, healing if the player takes too much time to kill them.

In Pikmin 2, Spotty Bulbears never sleep, spending all of their time patrolling the map in search of prey. They have far greater maneuverability than other Grub-dogs, freely wandering the entire map in search of prey, often followed by multiple Dwarf Bulbears. In any sublevel or area where a Spotty Bulbear is active, extreme caution must be taken until it is safely disposed of, as it is capable of attacking and killing Pikmin who are currently working on tasks or even simply idling, thanks to its high mobility. Most notably, one will appear in the Perplexing Pool after Day 30. Its mobility means that it can even wander into the landing site to eat Pikmin idle by the Onions and the Ship, making it a priority target.

Spotty Bulbears in Pikmin 2 do not truly die when defeated, instead falling unconscious. When lying unconscious, its health will steadily regenerate as it attempts to revive itself. If the body is not destroyed, either by depositing it in an Onion, the Research Pod, or defeating the creature while it is petrified, it will eventually wake back up, requiring a repeated "kill", a trait it shares with Gatling Groinks. In the event that the body cannot be destroyed, leaving the area while it is down, such as entering a cave or proceeding to a deeper sublevel, is advised.

In Pikmin 3, Spotty Bulbears are much rarer. Only one can be found during the main game, behind a bamboo gate in one of the Distant Tundra's caves, although they are markedly more common in Mission Mode. In this game, they have a notable resistance to bomb rocks, and are generally less persistent, stomping their foot in anger and disengaging a chase if they cannot reach their intended target, compared to the previous game, where they would try forever. They keep their sleepless wandering, but they also have a number of new weaknesses:

  • They no longer revive when killed.
  • When a Bulbear snatches Pikmin, it stops to fling them into the air and land them down its throat. Then, it pauses for about two seconds. If it has eaten a large amount of Pikmin recently, it may burp. This small sliver of time should be enough for a wary player to escape or attempt an attack.
  • They will instantly die if they ingest a bomb rock.
  • Bulbears now emit a heavy, snarly breathing noise when giving chase, which can be heard from a distance, alerting players of their presence. When in a dark area, their glowing purple eyes can also be seen from a distance.
  • If a Bulbear spots the player, it will now give a glance at the group, making it much easier to tell if the Bulbear can see its prey or not.
  • They can be briefly stunned if their eyes are attacked, like other large grub-dogs in Pikmin 3.

In Pikmin 4, Spotty Bulbears are a bit more common than in Pikmin 3, thought still not as common as in the first 2 games. They can be found both above and below ground, featuring most prominently in the Giant's Hearth, where 3 of them appear. They also appear in some harder Night expeditions. They are changed very little behavior-wise from Pikmin 3, though they can no long be stunned via attacking their eyes. While they still wander during the day, they now follow predictable routes through smaller areas, rather than being able to roam anywhere as in Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3.

Strategy[edit]

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

Pikmin[edit]

The exact same strategy for the Spotty Bulborb is effective here, but take care of the Bulbear's increased health. A large group of Red Pikmin or three bomb-rocks will do it in.

Pikmin 2[edit]

Spotty Bulbears are always awake in this game and are constantly roaming the map, making a surprise attack nearly impossible. It is possible to trick the Bulbear into attacking and missing, allowing the leader access to its backside, but they frequently have Dwarf Bulbears following them, making this tactic risky. Another means of accessing its rear is to split the leaders, using the one without Pikmin as a distraction. If Purple Pikmin are available, they make the battle easier as they can injure and stun the adult and children, but with other types it may be wise to use an ultra-bitter spray. It is often effective to switch roles with and hunt the Bulbear itself before it can pick up any Dwarfs, and then stun and attack it.

If time is not a concern, leaders can be used to punch and kill the Dwarf Bulbears and even the adult without the risk of losing Pikmin. The Rocket Fist upgrade makes this especially easy.

In the Perplexing Pool, you can trap the Bulbear in between the wall and the small maze next to the bridge. It will be unable to get out, so it won't be an issue anymore unless you want to kill it. Just begin to rain Pikmin down on its head, it should shake once or twice before dying. You then can carry its corpse and the 10-pellet it dropped out of the area and they will be able to get to the Onion. In most caves, leaving a Pikmin on one side of the wall that the Bulbear cannot reach allows a slight edge. Be quick and you can severely damage, if not kill it, with few losses.

To defeat the Spotty Bulbears in the Subterranean Lair in Challenge Mode, lure all three close to one another, then hit them all with a single shot of ultra-bitter spray to petrify all three at once, hopefully along with the dwarf compainions.

Since Bulbears follow the active leader, they can be lured into falling into bottomless pits that are between the leader and the beast. Any treasures the creature would drop will be, unlike in Pikmin, safely returned to the sublevel for collection. One such level is sublevel 3 in the Dream Den.

If you want to get rid of the posse of dwarfs following the Spotty Bulbear, you can bring twenty Purple Pikmin and sneak up on the farthest dwarf in the group. Throw the purple on its back and it will die instantly. Do this to all the dwarfs without the Spotty Bulbear "noticing" and then you can defeat it with ease.

Pikmin 3[edit]

A Spotty Bulbear appears inside a dark cave in the Distant Tundra. It is accompanied by the usual Dwarf Bulbears and some Fiery Blowhogs. In the cave, there are 10 bomb rocks. It will take 3 bomb explosions to kill the Bulbear, but if the Bulbear eats a bomb rock (regardless of whether or not a Pikmin is carrying it), it will instantly die. The remaining bombs can be used to deal with the other enemies.

For a head-on attack, make sure all other enemies are dead before facing it as otherwise shaken off Pikmin may become eaten or set on fire. Chuck Pikmin at its eyes until you hit them. Don't throw any more Pikmin until it's ready to attack again. This keeps it flinching over and over. Whistle some Pikmin when your standby group is small. Rock Pikmin and Red Pikmin can help defeat it quicker, as can an ultra-spicy spray.

If it does eat Pikmin, it chucks them in the air and may burp afterwards. This time is enough to escape or whistle the Pikmin back to hit its eyes again.

Technical information[edit]

Pikmin technical information (?)
Internal name swallob
HP 1300
Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name kumachappy
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 0.05
s004 bounceFactor Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) 0.3
fp00 ライフ HP 1200
fp01 マップとの当り Unknown (related to slopes) 45
fp02 ダメージスケールXZ Horizontal damage scale 0.3
fp03 ダメージスケールY Vertical damage scale 0.3
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 100
fp08 回転速度率 Rotation acceleration 0.2
fp09 テリトリー Territory radius 400
fp10 ホーム範囲 "Home" radius 50
fp11 プライベート距離 "Private" radius 70
fp12 視界距離 Sight radius 500
fp13 視界角度 FOV 90
fp14 探索距離 Unknown (exploration radius?) 500
fp15 探索角度 Unknown (exploration angle?) 90
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 30
fp20 攻撃可能範囲 Unknown (shock attack max range?) 75
fp21 攻撃可能角度 Unknown (shock attack max angle?) 25
fp22 攻撃ヒット範囲 Unknown (attack hit range?) 80
fp23 攻撃ヒット角度 Unknown (attack hit angle?) 35
fp24 攻撃力 Attack damage 10
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 90
fp28 回転最大速度 Rotation speed 4
fp29 警戒時間 Unknown (warning time?) 15
fp30 警戒ライフ Unknown 50
fp31 ライフ回復率 Regeneration rate 0.0001
fp32 LOD半径 Off-camera radius 70
fp33 マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 Collision processing radius 60
fp34 ピクミンとのあたり Pikmin damage radius 30
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 6
ip02 振り払い張付1 Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement 5
ip03 振り払い打撃B Shake mode 2 – hit count 12
ip04 振り払い張付2 Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement 10
ip05 振り払い打撃C Shake mode 3 – hit count 17
ip06 振り払い張付3 Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement 20
ip07 振り払い打撃D Shake mode 4 – hit count 22
Specific properties
ID Japanese comment Property Value
fp01 白ピクミン White Pikmin poison damage 400
fp11 死亡 ~ ゲージ出現 Delay until revival starts 2
fp12 ゲージ出現 ~ 復活 Revival duration 118
Pikmin 3 technical information (?)
Internal name kumachappy
HP 1800
Rock Pikmin throw hits to kill 40
White Pikmin ingestions to kill 5
Bomb rock explosions to kill 3
Bomb rock ingestions to kill 1
Number of direct hits on top to kill 0
Damage to leaders 20
Territory radius 0
Mission Mode value 70

Other information[edit]

Naming[edit]

See more: Grub-dog family#Naming.
  • Common name: Spotty Bulbear. The name is a counterpart to the name "Spotty Bulborb", which is what the Red Bulborb was identified as before the release of Pikmin 2. The word "bulbear" is an alteration of the word "Bulborb" such that it ends with "bear" instead; this word reflects this creature's much bruter nature.
  • Japanese nickname: クマチャッピー?, lit.: "Bear Chappy".
  • Japanese name: クマデメマダラ?, lit.: "Spotted Bear Bug-eye". It is the same as the Dwarf Bulbear's.
  • Scientific name: The scientific name, Oculus terribilis dotticum, uses the species name terribilis, which is Latin for "terrible", and dotticum as the subspecies, which resembles the English word "dotted". In the Pikmin Nintendo Player's Guide, the scientific name is simply Oculus terribilis, which would later be used by the Dwarf Bulbear.
  • Internal names: The creature's internal name in Pikmin is swallob, which could be seen as a change on the Red Bulborb's name (swallow), as to mean "swallow B", or the second type of enemy with the "swallow" internal name. The internal name in Pikmin 2 and in Pikmin 3 is the same as its Japanese nickname: kumachappy.
  • Prerelease: In an early English script left inside the game's disc, the scientific name used to be just Oculus terribilis, as in the Player's Guide.[1]

Names in other languages[edit]

The following article or section needs help from someone who can translate Chinese text.
Some notes: double entendre with 熊熊

Language Name Meaning Notes
Flag of Japan Japanese クマチャッピー?
Kuma Chappī
Bear Chappy
Flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Chinese
(traditional)
熊熊恰比
Xióng Xióng Qiàbǐ
Bear Bear Chappy
Flag of China Chinese
(simplified)
熊熊恰比
Xióng Xióng Qiàbǐ
Bear Bear Chappy
Flag of the Netherlands Dutch Gevlekte bulbeer Spotted bulbear "Bulbeer" is a portmanteau of "Bulborb" and "beer" (bear)
Flag of France French Bulbours à pois Spotty bulbear "Bulbours" is a portmanteau of "Bulborbe" (Bulborb) and "ours" (bear)
Flag of Germany German Getupfter Punktbär Spotted Dot Bear
Flag of Italy Italian Coleto Macchiato
Coleto macchiato (Pikmin 4)
Spotted Bulbear
Spotted bulbear (Pikmin 4)
"Coleto" may come from "boletus" (Latin for mushroom), as a bulborb's spots resemble those found on certain mushrooms
"Coleto" is the Italian name for both Bulborb and Bulbear
Flag of South Korea Korean 곰차피
Gom-Chapi
Bear Chappy
Flag of Brazil Portuguese Bulboca Bulbmouth The name is a portmanteau of "bulbo" (bulb) and "boca" (mouth)
The name also sounds close to "boboca" (a childish slang that means "silly" or "stupid")
Flag of Spain Spanish Bulboso moteado Spotted bulbear "Bulboso" is a portmanteau of "Bulbo" (Bulborb) and "oso" (bear)

Gallery[edit]

This article or section is in need of more images. Particularly:
images of Spotty Bulbears in P4.
You can help Pikipedia by uploading some images.

Pikmin[edit]

Pikmin 2[edit]

Pikmin 3[edit]

Pikmin 4[edit]

Other[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • In the enemy reel in Pikmin, Bulborbs are often present in places that Bulbears inhabit in the final version. This suggests that Spotty Bulbears were likely intended to be much rarer during Pikmin's development, or potentially were implemented far later in development.
  • The enemy reel also notes that Spotty Bulbears display "indefatigability," suggesting a degree of tirelessness or persistence. While this is inaccurate in Pikmin, as they sleep just as often as Spotty Bulborbs and disengage chases just as quickly as them, this notably does apply to their depictions in the rest of the games, where they never sleep, constantly patrol areas, and, in Pikmin 2, can revive.
  • The Spotty Bulbear was one of four enemies that were planned, but ultimately removed, for the roulette wheel in Pikmin 2''s 2-Player Battle, along with the Antenna Beetle, and Fiery/Hydro Dweevils.
  • If a Spotty Bulbear bumps into a member of the grub-dog family that is sleeping, they will wake up. Ironically, Orange Bulborbs are the only grub-dog that will not wake up in this circumstance, despite being established as the lightest sleepers. This behavior can only be seen on sublevel 9 of the Hole of Heroes, although their inability to wake up Orange Bulborbs can also be seen on sublevel 2 of the Emperor's Realm.
  • The Spotty Bulbear and the Gatling Groink are the only enemies that can revive in Pikmin 2. Both of these enemies are also, notably, the only ones in the game that can freely roam the areas they are found in.
  • Like their younger counterpart, the coloration of the Bulbear's eyes has changed multiple times throughout the series. They are red/indigo depending on circumstance in Pikmin, always indigo in Pikmin 2, and purple in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Pikmin 2/Early English Script on The Cutting Room Floor