Challenge run: Difference between revisions

{{stub|Add more world records. Check what other relevant records the games keep track off.}}

There are special runs in which tools are used to overcome human limitations, like reflexes or accuracy, and execute the runs with near-perfect outcomes. Such playthroughs are commonly known as [[tool-assisted superplay]]s.

A '''speedrun''' is where one attempts to complete the game or a goal as fast as possible. Normally, especially in the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' series]], a well defined plan needs to exist, and players use their skills in order to follow it as quickly as possible. In the ''Pikmin'' games, to achieve maximum efficiency, and hence, maximum speed, it is important to plan what each Pikmin should do, where the player needs to go, etc., in order to maximize productivity and ensure that minimal time is wasted. Naturally, more casual runs could forgo advanced techniques and plans, and approach the playthrough with improvisation in mind.

Some secondary goals may be dropped for the sake of speed, like skipping otherwise mandatory sections of the game. Several types of speedrun exist, with differing goals and rules. An "any%" speedrun is only focused on reaching a "real" ending as fast as possible, without caring for how many goals are completed, though a "100% run" aims to achieve full completion as fast as possible.

Some websites dedicated to archiving videos and registering records for various game speedruns – including ''Pikmin'' games – exist, such as [http://www.speeddemosarchive.com Speed Demos Archive] and [http://speedrun.com speedrun.com].

 

The following tricks are useful for speedrunning ''Pikmin'' games:

The following are the world records for various types of speedruns. Note that these times are for real-time runs, not in-game timer runs or [[tool-assisted speedrun]]s. The runs are split by category, and different regions of a game may have different timing methods, tools, or glitches, which all affect a player's speed; these differences are further explained on the '''[[region]]''' page.

! Goal || Segmented? || [[Region]]

! Goal || Segmented? || [[Region]]

! Goal || Segmented? || [[Region]]

! Debt repayment || Single-segment || Japan

| 3:10:?? || Charles "[[User:Miles|Miles]]" Griffin || [http://speeddemosarchive.com/Pikmin2.html Speed Demos Archive page] || {{date|25|September|2009}} ||  

! Goal || Segmented? || [[Region]]

! Goal || Segmented? || [[Region]] || [[Update|Version]]

! Plasm Wraith || Single-segment || EU || 2.0.0

! All fruit and Plasm Wraith || Single-segment || EU || 2.0.0

A '''low day''' run is a type of challenge run where a player aims to complete a ''Pikmin'' game in as few in-game [[day]]s as possible. This is normally tied to a speedrun, but not necessarily so, as not only can the strategies be different between the two (sometimes resulting in a different day total), but this challenge also imposes no real limit on time. For instance, given that day time does not pass in [[cave]]s in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', a player attempting a low day run does not need to worry about speed while underground, as long as they do not deviate from the day's plans.

*''Pikmin'': '''[[6 day run]]''' to obtain all thirty [[ship part]]s.

*''Pikmin 2'': '''[[7 day run (Pikmin 2)|7 day run]]''' to obtain all 201 [[treasure]]s, and it takes 4 days within that run to repay the debt. In ''[[New Play Control! Pikmin 2]]'', a glitch necessary to complete this run was fixed, making the minimum day count '''8 days''' (5 days to repay the debt).

*''Pikmin 3'': '''[[10 day run]]''' to obtain all fruits, '''[[7 day run (Pikmin 3)|7 day run]]''' to reach the credits.

==Low Pikmin count==

Some challenges require the player to complete the game with the lowest number of Pikmin possible.

The following are links to articles detailing low Pikmin challenges:

*''Pikmin'': '''[[50 Pikmin challenge]]''' to reach the [[credits]] or get a 100% completion with 50 Pikmin.

*''Pikmin 2'': '''[[101 Pikmin challenge]]''' to get a 100% completion with 101 Pikmin. The debt can be cleared with as little as 35 by using light treasures and the respawning enemies in caves, but to even reach the first cave, 35 Pikmin are needed to crush the main [[paper bag]] on [[day]] 2. Also see the [[Emergence Cave run]].

 

 

 

An '''100% playthrough''' is when the player completes all secondary goals in the game on top of the normal completion. It's normally considered that an "100% run" is a playthrough in which all [[Saved game|recordable]] goals are obtained. For the ''Pikmin'' games, the most basic form of a 100% run is to collect all of the main collectibles in the game, and not just the ones that give the main characters a good result and end up with the game's [[credits]]. More hardcore definitions of 100% would include all [[Piklopedia]] entries or [[data file]]s, for instance. There is nothing in the ''Pikmin'' games that can only be obtained on specific times, and will require the player to start a new run to obtain – anything can be obtained at any time, provided there are enough [[day]]s left. The [[Smoky Progg]] can be missed, but nothing is stored in record for its encounter or defeat.

 

The most basic form of these type of runs are acknowledged by the game, where the player gets all collectibles: doing so will usually give a different ending from the usual one. Although [[upgrade]]s in ''Pikmin 3'' are not necessary for the game to give out the best ending, they are usually included in most 100% playthroughs.

 

A '''low% challenge''' is when a game is completed using the minimum number of collectibles possible and still obtain a normal ending. In ''Pikmin'', this challenge only requires the player to collect the 25 mandatory [[ship part]]s and ignore the 5 optional ones.

 

 

An '''Emergence Cave challenge''' is a challenge where a player repays the debt in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'' collecting only the [[Courage Reactor]] and using nothing but the [[Emergence Cave]] as a source of money. Because [[Enemy|enemies]] respawn, and are worth a small amount of [[Poko]]s, it is possible to eventually complete the game using just the cave. The Courage Reactor must be collected on [[day]] 1 before the game can proceed.

 

With some research, it is estimated that a fast player could repay the debt using this method in just 16 in-game days, taking 22 real time hours to do so.<ref>[[User:Espyo/Emergence Cave run|The experiment]] conducted by [[User:Espyo|a user]], where times were measured, and a final estimated time was calculated.</ref>

 

In ''[[Pikmin 3]]'', a '''no fruit playthrough''' is when one completes the game without collecting any whole fruit, only parts. The simplest way to do this is to execute the procedures for a normal 7 day speedrun, but only collect parts of the [[Crimson Banquet]] from the [[Sandbelching Meerslug]] on [[day]] 4, giving the player just enough juice to reach the end of the game by day 7.{{cite youtube|8ShGOIdUdyU|of a no fruit run of ''Pikmin 3''}}

==Other challenges==

;Specific Pikmin number

Some challenges may require the player to obtain a specific number of Pikmin by the end of the game. This could either be the lowest amount possible (see [[#Low Pikmin count|low Pikmin count]] above), the highest amount possible before the days are over, or a specific count for specific types, like 0 [[Blue Pikmin]]. In addition, these playthroughs could also aim to complete a [[cave]] with the lowest amount of Pikmin of each type that one can bring to it.{{cite youtube|I1ywOpQucc8|of a player completing [[Cavern of Chaos]] with the least amount of Pikmin: 20 Reds, 5 Whites, 5 Blues}}