10 day run



A 10 day run is a challenge run in which involves collecting all 66 fruits and defeating the final boss in the practical minimum number of days, which is 10. This challenge is very difficult, and requires careful routing, extensive multitasking, precise management of Pikmin, and using several exploits to save time. Fortunately, Pikmin 3 forgiveness in restarting days makes the challenge not as hard as low-day runs in the other games. The 10 day run does not require collecting the 4 spacesuit upgrades, but collecting the Dodge Whistle is recommended. It is possible to combine this run with other challenge runs, such as the zero death challenge.

It is possible to complete the game in 9 days, but doing so is very difficult and has only been done once.

Outline
As Pikmin 3 is more linear than the previous Pikmin games, there is not much deviation the player can afford to make in this run. Some alterations are possible, but below is a rough outline of what the player needs to get done on each day. This guide works ideally with the Wii Remote, and is possible on any game version.

Day 1
Tropical Wilds
 * This day plays out as any other tutorial; simply follow the normal procedures as though you were playing the game normally, and you will make it to the end of the day.

Note: At this point, the game does not allow growing Pikmin to become bud or flowers; do not waste your time trying to grow flower Pikmin on day 1, because it is impossible.

Day 2
Garden of Hope
 * Assign 15 Red Pikmin to take down the wall to the right of the Onion. Instruct the rest to harvest the Pellet Posies, the nearby White Spectralids, and the Dwarf Bulborb.
 * Assign the Pikmin who tore down the wall to begin constructing the bridge out of the newly-accessible fragments. Be sure to also collect the Pellet Posy behind the bridge fragments.
 * Walk across the bridge and around the sleeping Bulborb, then have all the Pikmin destroy the wall.
 * Once the wall is down, charge at the Bulborb to kill it quickly. Have Pikmin collect the body and the nearby Pellet Posies and continue up the path with the remaining Pikmin.
 * Throw 3 Pikmin up at the Sunseed Berry and enter the cave to the right of the crystal wall.
 * Defeat the Medusal Slurker to unlock Rock Pikmin.
 * Quickly harvest the body and the surrounding gray pellets. Pluck all the Rock Pikmin and then leave the cave.
 * Use the Rock Pikmin to break down the crystal wall and free Brittany.
 * Throw Brittany up onto the ledge behind the wall along with 5 Red Pikmin, then switch to her and collect the Face Wrinkler.
 * Continue up the path to the left of the Face Wrinkler to find another Sunseed Berry on a small ledge. Kill the nearby Skutterchucks and harvest the Berry.
 * Walk all the way back to the landing site from the way you originally came. Have Brittany pluck all the Red Pikmin grown over time while using the Rock Pikmin as Alph to break down the crystal wall.
 * Call back Brittany and all the Red Pikmin. Throw 5 Red Pikmin at the wall to the left behind the Yellow Wollywog, and then move to the right and defeat the Fiery Blowhogs in this area.
 * Throw all the Pikmin over the water along with a leader. Then, switch to this leader to have the Rock Pikmin begin constructing the bridge while the Red Pikmin begin tearing down the wall.
 * Once the wall is down and the bridge is built, reunite both leaders and head up the new path, which will take you to the game's first boss, the Armored Mawdad.
 * Use Rock Pikmin to break off the Mawdad's tail and then swarm it with Red Pikmin for a quick defeat.
 * Take back the Data Glutton and the Firebreathing Feast back to the Drake, and take the boss's body back to the Rock Pikmin's Onion.
 * Walk back down the path and go to the wall that the 5 Red Pikmin were working on. By now, it should be done.
 * Take the Red Pikmin and go down the new path.
 * Throw one leader onto the elevator platforms while the other throws Pikmin onto the other. Then, move the other leader onto the elevated ledge and throw the Pikmin to them so they can collect the Zest Bomb. You may need to defeat the Wollywog outside to ensure their safety.
 * Have one leader walk all the way back to the Rock Pikmin's Onion. By now, the Mawdad's body should've made it and there will be many new Rock Pikmin to pluck. Pluck all of them from the ground.
 * Once the Firebreathing Feast and the Data Glutton have both been recovered, end the day.

Day 3
Distant Tundra
 * Grow 25 Yellow Pikmin and exit the cave.
 * Use the KopPad to instruct Brittany to walk over to the electric gate to the left of her starting position while having Alph take out 40 Red Pikmin and 35 Rock Pikmin from the Onion.
 * While Brittany removes the electric gate, divide the Red and Rock Pikmin into four separate groups; have 2 groups of Reds and Rocks begin burrowing through to tunnel to the left of the Onion. Have the other ground the tunnel behind the Drake and then make those destroy the nearby dirt wall.
 * Once the electric gate is gone, have Brittany trade all her Pikmin for Alph's. Then, have Brittany walk back to the bridge and use the Rock Pikmin to destroy the crystal next to it. Throw all of the Rock Pikmin down the slide and let them work automatically while you take the rest of the Pikmin to the area beyond the recently-destroyed electric gate.
 * As Alph, have the Yellow Pikmin destroy the electric gate behind the Onion while using the Red and Rock Pikmin that dug out the tunnel to remove the crystal wall. Once it is gone, take out the Joustmite down the path to the left and then take out both Pyroclasmic Slooches beyond the crystal wall. Collect the Sunseed Berry that one of the Slooches will drop.
 * Turn around and whistle back the Yellow Pikmin, who should be done with the gate by now. Throw all of them up onto the ledge behind the fragment pile to collect the bunch of Dawn Pustules while Red Pikmin collect the fragments.
 * As Brittany, climb the geysers and defeat the Whiptounge Bulborb at the top of the hill. Have Pikmin construct the remainder of the bridge using the fragments behind it.
 * As Alph, use the remaining Yellow Pikmin to harvest the last pile of fragments from the long path to the right of the electric gate.
 * As they work, take 10 Rock Pikmin and have them carry back the Dodge Whistle.
 * At this point, the entire bridge should be completed and all of Alph's Pikmin should be reunited.
 * Walk across the bridge and enter the cave where Brittany was. Once inside, use the geyser to get where she landed and use Rock Pikmin to break open the crystal and harvest the Disguised Delicacy inside.
 * Call back the Rock Pikmin on top of the pot to the left of the bridge, then use the KopPad to have Alph walk over to the area where Brittany destroyed the electric gate.
 * As Brittany, throw 21 Pikmin up onto the ledge behind the Arctic Cannon Larva. Have all but one of them push the metal ball down the hill to break open the cave entrance. Have the remaining Pikmin dig up the nearby Cupid's Grenade. Before heading down, throw 5 Pikmin at the hanging Velvety Dreamdrop.
 * Enter the cave and turn on the lights. Throw 5 Rock Pikmin at the Citrus Lump and go out the exit on the opposite side.
 * Throw 3 Rock Pikmin at the smallest crystal to the right of the blockade and continue to the left path which leads into a cave.
 * Activate the lights in this cave and build the climbing stick behind the Bloominous Stemples.
 * Enter the Vehemoth Phosbat's boss arena and use the bridge fragments to the left of the entrance to build half the bridge. Throw a leader and 20 Yellow Pikmin across to activate the lights and kill the Phosbat.
 * Send the Phosbat to the Red Pikmin and collect the Heroine's Tear.
 * Remove the cardboard box in the way of the exit and have the Pikmin carry back the fruit and the boss' body.
 * As the Pikmin are headed back to base, have a single Yellow Pikmin harvest the Cupid's Grenade from the snowman's head right outside of the landing site.
 * Once all the fruits and Pikmin are safely returned, end the day.

Day 4
Tropical Wilds
 * Take out 50 Red Pikmin, 25 Yellow Pikmin, and 25 Rock Pikmin from the Onion.
 * Throw 2 leaders over the incomplete bridge along with all of the Red Pikmin. Have the other leaders begin dismantling the nearby wall while you dismantle the other wall next to you.
 * Once the wall is down, have the two leaders walk up the slope to collect the two piles of bridge fragments to finish the bridge.
 * Walk up the slope with the remaining leader and throw them across the log puzzle to the other side. Send 10 Pikmin with them to push the cardboard box out of the way.
 * Take out the Whiptongue Bulborb and have a single leader take all the Red Pikmin to fight the Sandbelching Meerslug.
 * Defeat the Meerslug and harvest every piece of the Crimson Banquet and the Folded Data Glutton.
 * The remainder of this day can be played out however you'd like; in any order you wish, collect the Dapper Blob, Dawn Pustules, Pocked Airhead, Velvety Dreamdrop, Face Wrinkler, Delectable Bouquet, the Metal Suit Z, and the Lesser Mock Bottom. Be sure to also complete the bridge behind the landing side, discover ultra-spicy spray, and open the path to the Shaggy Long Legs.
 * End the day.

Day 5
Twilight River
 * Take out 20 Yellow Pikmin, 20 Rock Pikmin, and 30 Red Pikmin from the Onion.
 * Throw two of the leaders into the water below the nearby bridge.
 * If playing Pikmin 3, do this:
 * Have one leader carry the other and walk up against the rock beneath the lily pad on the other side of the river. If done correctly, you will glitch through the floor and respawn on the island where the Winged Pikmin's Onion is located.
 * If playing, do this:
 * Follow this glitch.
 * Throw 3 Rock Pikmin into the water and quickly switch leaders so they swim over to the lily pad before they drown. Use them to defeat the Arachnode and free the Winged Pikmin.
 * Quickly begin growing 30 Winged Pikmin and remove the dam.
 * While growing Winged Pikmin, multitask with the other leader to remove the electric gate on the other side of the map and use bomb rocks to destroy the reinforced wall and the Flighty Joustmite near the Onion.
 * Have the leaders with the Winged Pikmin jump onto a lily pad and float down the stream. When they meet with the other group, have them jump onto the same lily pad as well and enter the next part of the map.
 * Throw 15 Red Pikmin and 8 Winged Pikmin onto the higher ledge to the left of the bridge. From the bridge, throw a leader onto the ledge as well.
 * Use a bomb rock to blow up the dirt wall. Walk all the way down the path until you see an electric gate. Have Yellow Pikmin take it out while you take Winged Pikmin across the river to retrieve the bridge fragments that should be placed on a tall log.
 * As the other leader, have the Winged Pikmin lift the center clipboard and have the Red Pikmin take back the pieces. Be sure to follow them and call them back as soon as they're done.
 * Call back all the Winged Pikmin once they're finished with their bridge pieces. Once they get back, call them back and take 24 of them behind the area with the Scornets. Have them take back the final pieces of the bridge.
 * As they are going back, have the Yellow Pikmin that destroyed the electric gate start digging up the Scorch Guard, which is buried on the ledge to the right of the Burrowing Snagret.
 * Take the remaining Red, Rock, and Winged Pikmin up the completed bridge to fight the Scornet Maestro. The quickest way to take out this boss is to swarm it with Winged Pikmin once it stops attacking, and then throwing Rock Pikmin at it while it's on the ground.
 * Take back Louie, the Seed Hive, and the body of the Scornet Maestro.
 * A quicker way to retrieve the Maestro's body is to defeat the Burrowing Snagret and push down the cardboard box behind it. Otherwise, the Winged Pikmin will attempt to fly through the Arachnode's web on the way back to the Onion.
 * Once Louie and the Seed Hive are back safely, end the day.

Day 6
Garden of Hope

Warning: This day is often regarded as the hardest day of the run, as it requires defeating a boss, acquiring 12 fruits, and finding Louie all in a single day, most of which will consist of multitasking with all three leaders. You will also need at least 3 ultra-spicy sprays for this day. Everything must be followed as stated, and no time can be wasted.


 * Take out 50 Winged Pikmin, 10 Yellow Pikmin, 10 Red Pikmin, and 20 Rock Pikmin. Have two leaders take all the Pikmin except the Yellows and Reds, and use the KopPad to have them take the newly-exposed route up to the dirt wall to the right of the Blue Onion.
 * While they're walking there, have the other leader take all the Yellows and Reds across the bridge behind the Onion and defeat the two Dwarf Bulborbs. Then, instruct the Yellow Pikmin to tear down the electric gate.
 * As the other leaders, separate the Rock and Winged Pikmin and separate 3 of the Winged Pikmin while the rest are given ultra-spicy spray. Have the rest begin destroying the dirt wall while you use the remaining 3 to unearth the Blue Onion.
 * Quickly grow 10 Blue Pikmin. Use them to defeat the Puckering Blinnows in the water and harvest the Sunseed Berry.
 * Have the rest of the Winged and Rock Pikmin begin constructing the bridge on the other side of the dirt wall.
 * By now, the Yellow Pikmin should be done with the electric gate. Leave the Red Pikmin to begin digging up the Pocked Airhead and use the KopPad to walk the leader all the way to where the Zest Bomb was on day 2. Once they get there, have the Yellow Pikmin begin tearing down the electric gate there.
 * As the other leaders, have the Winged Pikmin separated once again just as before; two groups with one containing 47, and the other containing 3. Using the larger group, walk beneath the water to the far right of the area and use ultra-spicy spray to kill the Bug-Eyed Crawmad. While the Pikmin are attacking it, go to the right and whistle the remaining three to swarm the Flukeweed on the ledge to have them collect the Lesser Mock Bottom. Once the Crawmad is dead, leave its body and have three Pikmin collect the Searing Acidshock that it drops as well.
 * Continue to the left through the narrow corridor of water behind the Crawmad, and past the bucket is a clipboard. Use the Pikmin to lift it and collect the Velvety Dreamdrop inside. Then, hug up against the wall to your right until you hit the bucket's edge; this will make the Winged Pikmin fly over the bucket. Once they are all over the bucket, have them swarm the dirt mound to begin working on the bridge. Once they begin digging them up, walk the leader back over to the Blue Onion.
 * Warning: From this moment on, try your best to not have the area with the Winged Pikmin in view of the camera; the game will only process the AI of enemies if they are on-screen, which will cause the Aristocrab to awaken and begin attacking the Pikmin.
 * By this point, the Yellow Pikmin should once again be done with their electric gate. Call them back and direct them to destroy the final electric gate which is located to the right of the path leading to the Armored Mawdad's lair.
 * While they are working, go back to the Ship and get 10 of the Winged Pikmin there to collect the Astringent Clump beyond the second electric gate.
 * Switching back to the leader with the Blue Pikmin, go back to the Onion and call back all Winged Pikmin over to you. Take 10 Blue Pikmin, 5 Rock and Winged Pikmin each, and throw them over the incomplete bridge onto the island with the Waddlepus, then throw over the reunited leader.
 * Switch over to the leader and have the Rock Pikmin free the Searing Acidshock from the crystal, then have all 20 of your Pikmin push the tin box into the water. Once they have pushed it, have the Winged Pikmin collect the Searing Acidshock and throw the Rock Pikmin back onto the bridge.
 * Using the remaining Blue Pikmin, jump into the water behind the island and have 5 of them carry the Citrus Lump. Use the other 5 to kill the Puckering Blinnows that will interfere with the Citrus Limp being collected. Once they are all dead, have the remaining Blues assist in carrying the fruit and walk back to the landing site.
 * Gather up all the Pikmin at the Drake and go to the blue incomplete bridge beyond the dirt wall. Throw all of your Pikmin over and then throw a leader as well.
 * Switching to the thrown leader, have the Rock Pikmin quickly destroy the crystal encasing the remaining bridge fragments and finish the bridge. Walk all the Pikmin across it and use Rock Pikmin to defeat the Peckish Aristocrab. Have the 10 Red Pikmin who were at the Drake take back the Scaly Custard.
 * As you head towards the boss arena of the Quaggled Mireclops, be sure to collect all the Winged Pikmin who were working on the bridge earlier. You should enter the arena with a total of 50 Winged Pikmin and 20 Rock Pikmin following you.
 * Warning: This part is very important and if it is not followed correctly, it may cost you your entire day. You may need to reset a few times.
 * Initiate the boss fight by attacking the Mireclops' crystal. Once it has been knocked down by attacking its hooves, break off the crystal and call back all your Pikmin.
 * Leave the Rock Pikmin by the entrance, as they are no longer needed for the fight. Using all of your Winged Pikmin, give them ultra-spicy spray and swarm the Mireclop's foot to make it fall back down.
 * Once the boss has fallen, walk around its mouth throwing Winged Pikmin one-by-one at its head. Once it begins licking around its mouth, watch its tongue very carefully; once its tongue has made about 75% of a full turn-around, swarm all of your Winged Pikmin onto its head; the boss will have begun its "tongue-retraction" animation and will be unable to shake off the Pikmin during this point. If it doesn't go down before the animation completes, call back all the Pikmin for a second and then immediately send them back to avoid them getting shaken off. If done right, the Mireclops will be killed in a single cycle.
 * Retrieve Louie and the Wayward Moon. Walk back to the base with the KopPad.
 * Using the remaining leader, call back the Yellow Pikmin, who should have finished the electric gate long ago, and take them back to the Onion in exchange for more Red Pikmin. Use the Red Pikmin to defeat the nearby Fiery Blowhogs.
 * Once the other leaders meet up at the base, take all the Pikmin except for the Blues into the cave behind the electric gate. Have the Winged Pikmin harvest the Dusk Pustules beyond the elevator platforms, and have the Red and Rock Pikmin push down the cardboard box to the right.
 * Use the Red and Rock Pikmin to defeat the Bug-Eyed Crawmad at the bottom of the area and retrieve both pieces of the Stellar Extrusion.
 * Once the final pieces of fruit have been collected and all the Pikmin have been reunited, end the day.

Day 7, 8 and 9
Twilight River, Tropical Wilds and Distant Tundra
 * After day 6, you will have completed the story-based objectives of each area. At this point, you can go to any of the previous three levels and collect the remaining fruit in any order you wish. Compared to the previous days, these days are the easiest of the whole run.

Day 10
Formidable Oak
 * Take out 30 Winged Pikmin, 10 Yellow Pikmin, and 10 Rock Pikmin from the Onion.
 * Note: If playing Pikmin 3 Deluxe, you will also want to fill up the rest of your group with Red Pikmin.
 * Defeat the first phase of the Mysterious Life-Form and have 5 Winged Pikmin carry Olimar.
 * Walk until you see a fork in the path; take the right path and you will see a high ledge with a cardboard box on top.
 * If playing Pikmin 3, do this:
 * Position yourself sideways and rapidly use the dodge whistle until Winged Pikmin start to roll over the box. Use these Pikmin to charge and push the box to create a way for you to get up.
 * If playing Pikmin 3 Deluxe, do this:
 * Disband all Pikmin except for your Winged Pikmin. Get as close to the ramp as you can and spam charge the Winged Pikmin onto it. They will eventually end up on the other side to push it down for you.
 * Use Rocks and Yellows to defeat the Bearded Amprat, then have the Yellows dig up the bridge shards from the dirt mound to your left.
 * Have the Rock Pikmin destroy the crystal in the center of the room and have all the remaining Pikmin assemble the bridge out of the shards nearby. Once they have finished, use Rock Pikmin to kill the Arachnode on the other side.
 * Once the Mysterious Life-Form has caught up with you, turn your camera and walk to the right, to where the Blowhogs are. The Mysterious Life-Form will follow you.
 * Once the Yellows finish digging up all the bridge shards, have the rest of your Winged Pikmin finish the bridge. Call all of your Pikmin to you and quickly cross the bridge and enter the next room.
 * Disband your Pikmin and take the 25 Winged Pikmin across the water to collect the bridge shards on the other side. Walk back and take the rest of the Pikmin up the ramp behind them. Use the Yellow Pikmin to complete the broken circuit.
 * If playing Pikmin 3, do this:
 * Call back all the Winged Pikmin as they lay down the bridge pieces. Throw 3 of them across the half-completed bridge, along with all the Yellow Pikmin, and two leaders. Be sure one of the leaders thrown across is Brittany, as the Pikmin carrying Olimar will follow her and fly over the gap.
 * Switch leaders and use the Yellow Pikmin to finish the circuit, which will create more Stemple paths. Throw Brittany over to the other side alone with the Yellow Pikmin and the 3 Winged Pikmin.
 * If playing Pikmin 3 Deluxe, do this instead, since this version of the game adds an invisible wall if you do not complete the blue bridge:
 * Use your remaining Pikmin to gather the other pile of fragments.
 * Cross the bridge, and complete the circuit on the other side with Yellow Pikmin.
 * Switch to Brittany. Here, call back all the Winged Pikmin once they reach you and throw them around the Arachnode's web. Have the Yellow Pikmin carry Olimar underneath the web.
 * On the other side of the web is a clipboard. Use the Winged Pikmin to lift it, creating a bridge for you to cross. Quickly follow the path on the other side to escape the Mysterious Life-Form, and reach the exit.
 * After the cutscene ends, take all your Pikmin back to the Onion and switch them all out for 50 Rock Pikmin; 50 is an easier amount to manage than 100.
 * Begin by charging at the Plasm Wraith. As it shakes off pieces of its own body, use the Rock Pikmin to destroy them as they fall to the floor. Eventually, it will start spitting out Elemental Plasms to attack the player. Here's how to deal with them:
 * If it's a water attack, leave it alone, as you cannot destroy it.
 * If it is a fire attack, aim directly at the cube to damage it. Be sure to call back the Pikmin that start burning.
 * If it is a crushing attack, defeat it like normal with the Rock Pikmin.
 * If it is an electric attack, try to hit it with Rock Pikmin before it rises in the air to destroy it. If you are quick enough, you can destroy it before it even forms, but if you are too late, you must wait for the Plasm Wraith to reabsorb it.
 * As long as you carefully manage the Rock Pikmin and keep destroying the Plasm Wraith's plasm, you will be able to defeat it quickly and easily. If all went well, you can pat yourself on the back, as you have just completed the Pikmin 3 10 day challenge run.

History
10 days is the intended minimum number of days to beat Pikmin 3. This includes the 7 days necessary to complete all the story objectives, and an additional 3 days to revisit areas and collect fruits. These additional days are necessary because Blue Pikmin can only be unlocked after visiting the Distant Tundra, Tropical Wilds, and Twilight River, and there are underwater fruits in each of these areas, meaning a revisit is required to collect the underwater fruits. The game acknowledges this, by showing the "Days required to take home all fruit" global leaderboard with a scale from 10 days to 99 days.

However, the discovery of the invincible Pikmin glitch opened up the possibility of using non-Blue Pikmin to collect underwater fruits, as long as there was a way to make these Pikmin invincible and therefore able to go underwater. On 22, it was confirmed by "Drought Ender" that the glitch could theoretically be used with Winged Pikmin to collect the 2 underwater fruits in the Twilight River on the same day as the rest of the fruits in the area, making a 9-day run possible. However, the trick to do this is frame-perfect, making it incredibly difficult to perform within the time limit of a day. On 15, "Ice cube" managed to collect all fruits in the Twilight River on day 5 for the first time, and completed the full run the next (real-world) day, proving that a 9-day run was doable. This was the first day reduction in the history of Pikmin 3 low-day runs, and likely the last, considering there is a fruit under a Flukeweed in the Tropical Wilds and a fruit behind a bamboo gate in the Distant Tundra.