Side Stories

The Side Stories are an alternative game mode in, featuring two campaigns starring Olimar and Louie. The stories are arranged in several day-based missions, with each mission tasking the player to beat a certain requirement within its timeframe, in remixed versions of Story Mode areas. These can range from collecting treasure, not unlike Mission Mode, to more unique goals, such as retrieving a missing ship part. Once a mission is completed, a results screen is shown, and Olimar writes a log entry for the day. The first story, Olimar's Assignment, features 4 missions, while the epilogue, Olimar's Comeback, has 10. These stories also co-star the President, who issues the missions, gives tips during loading screens, and comments on the player's score when a day is finished.

Although every day is a part of an overarching plot, they are not connected in terms of gameplay, meaning what the player does in one day will not affect any other day. Throughout both stories, Olimar and Louie will make comments during gameplay based on certain events, much like the game's Story Mode, and when the day is done, Olimar will write a report. The next day only becomes available when the previous day has been completed and a medal has been earned. Any completed mission can be replayed at any point, and since they all have some score qualifier of some sort, the player can try to get better medals, or simply improve their high score. Some stages may feature areas or Pikmin types that the player may not have seen in Story Mode yet. Although nothing special happens for new areas, if the player is presented with a new Pikmin type, a one-page dialog window will show up before the mission, giving them a quick rundown of that Pikmin type.

This mode shares some gameplay rules with Mission Mode. The player does not have a mini radar, and although they can open the KopPad, no app will be available other than the standard radar. Onions cannot be interacted with, and the player only has the Dodge Whistle as an upgrade. Losing all Pikmin or losing a leader results in the day being over, and if the player gets stuck (e.g. by losing all Pikmin needed to destroy a certain obstacle), they will have to restart the day manually. Unlike Mission Mode, the player can activate or deactivate co-op play at any point during the day, and there are no after hours.

Olimar's Assignment
Olimar's Assignment is the first Side Story, and revolves around Olimar and Louie repaying another debt by collecting fruits and nuggets. It takes place before and during the main story. All of the days in this Side Story revolve around Olimar and Louie exploring the same main four areas the Koppaites explore in Story Mode, but with some layouts changed. All days start with a video log by Olimar, where he explains what he is doing, and incidentally shows Louie getting himself into trouble. These videos are the same videos found via Secret Files in Pikmin 3, though some lines of dialog are different.

This Side Story has 4 total missions, and is unlocked after Captain Charlie is rescued from the Vehemoth Phosbat.

Olimar's Comeback
Olimar's Comeback is the second Side Story, and focuses on Olimar and Louie repairing the Hocotate ship by collecting ship parts. It takes place after the main story. Each day has a different goal, and although their ultimate mission is to bring back the Hocotate ship, some days are dedicated towards planning or solving other problems. Their first day involves them gathering a Pikmin army large enough to help them with the task, some days require them to clear out enemies in the way, and some others simply task them to make a profit by gathering fruits and nuggets, among other scenarios. Instead of starting with a video log, every day of this mode starts with a simple written log by Olimar.

This Side Story has 10 total missions, and is unlocked after the player completes Story Mode.

Medals
Much like Mission Mode, each level uses a ranking system with medals depending on how many Pokos are collected. Each one is accompanied by a quote from the President.

Unlike Mission Mode however, the game does not distinguish between highest medal obtained in single player or co-op, instead saving only the highest of the two.

Area differences from Story Mode
Stages in the Side Stories take place in modified versions of Story Mode areas. The locations of objects differ considerably from how they are in Story Mode, and exploration is limited to certain sections of the area, with other sections being blocked by large cinderblocks, or invisible walls marked by "roadblock" signs made of wood with a (🚫) on them. Some stages feature more substantial changes, such as the changed water levels in Creature Hunting and Channel Gone Dry. These area differences do not apply to the Olimar's Expedition Log videos played before each Olimar's Assignment stage, which feature Story Mode objects in the background; this is because these videos were originally made for the Wii U version of the game.

Unwinnable conditions
For mission types besides "Battle enemies!", if a certain condition is met, it can become impossible to finish the mission but still be able to keep playing the level. When this occurs, the game will pause and display a message notifying the player that the mission's objective can no longer be met and ask if the player wishes to keep playing anyway. Choosing "Yes" resumes gameplay as normal, while choosing "No" ends the mission as if the timer ran out. This option is likely included to avoid forcing the player to waste their time waiting for the timer to run out in the event of not being able to progress further in the mission, as there is no option to end the mission early in the pause menu.

There are a few different scenarios that can be encountered that render a mission unfinishable:
 * Not having enough Pikmin on the field to carry any fruits, and also not being able to obtain any more Pikmin (applies to "Collect Fruits!" and "Collect Fruits and Nuggets!" missions).
 * Not having enough Pikmin on the field to harvest any enemies or pellets on the map (unique to Pikmin Reunion).
 * Not having enough Pikmin on the field to carry any ship parts, and also not being able to obtain any more Pikmin (applies to "Carry the part!" missions and The Ship Restored).
 * Not being able to reunite with the other leader due to not having enough bomb rocks left to destroy the reinforced walls on the map (unique to Looking for Louie). It is possible to make this message appear while still being able to complete the mission with the use of the infinite dirt mound glitch to obtain more bomb rocks than intended.

Badges
In, there are five badges the player can gain from playing Side Stories:
 * Clocking In: Earning a bronze medal or better in any stage of Side Stories.
 * Adventure into the Unknown: Earning a bronze medal or better in each stage of Olimar's Assignment.
 * Working Overtime: Earning a bronze medal or better in each stage of Olimar's Comeback.
 * President's Favor: Earning five platinum medals in any stage of Side Stories.
 * Sidekick: Playing Side Stories with a second player.

Trivia

 * In the Japanese version, the President's icon in the results screen will use an excited expression if the player gets a platinum ranking. He will use the neutral face in all other circumstances.
 * In Olimar's Assignment, there is a total of 41 fruits for Olimar and Louie to collect. If sold to Koppai, these would be enough for the "reasonable supply" ending even if Alph, Brittany and Charlie were to collect nothing whatsoever.

Names in other languages
Side Stories

Olimar's Assignment

Olimar's Comeback