Trowel

Trowels are obstacles found in. They are found at the end of cliffs, standing upright, with the blade slightly buried into the dirt. Because they are upright, they block passage. Each time a Pikmin is thrown into it, it tilts a bit away from the cliff. When the trowel is tilted enough, it tips over, and the handle catches the cliff on the other side. This way, not only is the obstacle cleared, but it also serves as a bridge from one cliff to the other.

The first time a trowel is seen, at the First Expedition, a cutscene plays. In this cutscene, two Red Pikmin are itching to go to the other side of the cliff, but the trowel is in the way. One of the Pikmin tries to smack into the trowel to tip it over, but is too weak to do it alone, so nothing happens to the obstacle. This cutscene helps show the player that the idea is to smack the trowel enough times to make it fall over.

Locations

 * Brilliant Garden
 * First Expedition: This area contains two different trowels, and is the first place that the player finds them in. The first one is found about halfway through the level, and when it tips over, it awakens a Mockiwi on the other side. The second one is next to a hole from which Mockiwi come out near the end of the level. The player must multitask and balance between throwing Pikmin at the trowel, and warding off the enemies that pop out.
 * Sparkling Labyrinth
 * The Burning Sky: There is one found next to where a Fireflinger Groink will land its projectiles. The player will have to manage hitting the trowel with Pikmin, but also dodging the Fireflinger Groink's attacks.
 * Leafswirl Lagoon
 * Downpour Thicket: A trowel appears near the end of the level. It serves as an obstacle to slow the player down, as they will have to hit it while dealing with Flying Spotted Jellyfloats and rain droplets hitting Olimar.
 * '''Secret Spots:
 * Secret Spot 26: There is a trowel near the center of the screen, blocking Olimar from Pikmin. Since the player can only knock it down from the right, they have to take an underwater passage to get to the other side.