Throw: Difference between revisions

'''Throwing''' ({{j|投げる|Nageru|Throw}}) is one of the main ways of giving instructions to [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]], the others being [[swarm]]ing, [[dismiss]]ing and [[Lock-on|charging]]. The player can aim where the thrown Pikmin land at, by use of the [[HUD#Cursor|cursor]], and if a Pikmin lands near a task, it will begin working on it; it will remain [[idle]] on the spot, otherwise. If a Pikmin hits an enemy during its flight, it will latch on to it, if it can, and begin attacking. To throw, the current leader must be close to a Pikmin on their party, and the player must press {{button|gc|a|wii|a|switch|a}} in the first two games, {{button|wiiu|a|wiiu|x|wii|a|wiiu|pca}} in ''Pikmin 3'' with standard controls, {{button|switch|a|switch|facer}} in ''Pikmin 3 Deluxe'', or {{button|switch|a}} in ''Pikmin 4''. In ''Pikmin 3''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Stylus Mode and in ''Hey! Pikmin'', the player must instead tap the touch screen to throw Pikmin.

Pikmin are thrown upwards at an arc, leaving spark particles through their trajectory. The cursor estimates the landing location of a thrown Pikmin, but if there is a wall or object in the way, the Pikmin might bump into it and fall short. This is only true in the first two games, as ''Pikmin 3'' and ''Pikmin 4''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s cursors take into account walls and obstacles, and the line connecting it to the leader changes to a preview arc. One of the traits [[Yellow Pikmin]] possess is the ability to be thrown higher than other types. This allows them to reach ledges otherwise unreachable. The throw arc of [[Purple Pikmin]] is slightly different from the rest: they are thrown faster than the others, so that the apex of their jump is located somewhere above the cursor. When the cursor is reached, the Pikmin loses its horizontal momentum and drops down with a great impact. Besides homing in on [[Enemy|enemies]], when landing, they cause high damage and can also cause the creatures to bounce up, making them unable to move for less than a second, or stun them altogether for a few seconds. [[Rock Pikmin]] have a much lower throwing arc than other Pikmin types, and will bounce off the ground and roll forward when they land, meaning they won't land exactly where the reticle is. [[Winged Pikmin]] can be thrown, though they will not land on the ground like the other Pikmin types do. If a Winged Pikmin is thrown near an enemy, the Pikmin will fly towards the enemy and attempt to latch on.

In the first two games, [[Blue Pikmin]] can also throw drowning Pikmin: if an idle Blue Pikmin finds a drowning Pikmin nearby, it will grab it, carry it near the surface, and throw it to solid terrain. Should the ledge be too high up, it is possible that the Pikmin won't make it to dry land, fall back into the water, and be thrown again, in an endless cycle.{{cite youtube|-IMaXzHzgr4|showing Blue Pikmin constantly failing to throw their partners to safety}} At least in ''Pikmin 2'', a Blue Pikmin's rescue throw is the same as a normal leader throw, which means it can be used to crush [[Dwarf Bulborb|Dwarf Red Bulborb]]s, for instance.{{cite web|https://www.twitch.tv/videos/441917009|Twitch clip|Twitch|published={{date|21|June|2019}}|retrieved={{date|21|June|2019}}}} In ''Pikmin 2''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[2-Player Battle]] mode, leaders can also grab and throw [[bomb-rock]]s.

While holding, it is also possible to swap the currently held Pikmin/leader for one of a different type in the party, if available. In ''[[New Play Control! Pikmin]]'', ''[[Pikmin 2]]'' and ''[[New Play Control! Pikmin 2]]'', {{button|gc|padlr|wii|b}} swaps the Pikmin type, while in ''Pikmin 3'', {{button|wiiu|l|wii|c|wiiu|pcl}} must be pressed; in this game, the thrown type can also be swapped without the leader holding on to anything, as stated above. ''Pikmin'' on the GameCube lacks this feature entirely. In ''Pikmin 2'' and the two ''New Play Control!'' remakes, {{button|gc|padud|wii|padud}} can also be used to swap for a different [[maturity]] in the same Pikmin type.

In {{npcp1}}, if the Nunchuk stick is slightly moved while [[Captain Olimar]] is holding a Pikmin, Olimar will start facing the cursor, which will cause the Pikmin to follow behind where he's facing.{{cite youtube|TFhAAgbukCg|demonstrating how Pikmin follow Olimar when the stick is slightly moved in ''New Play Control! Pikmin''.}}

*[[Whistle]]

*In the original ''Pikmin'' (but not the ''[[New Play Control! Pikmin|New Play Control!]]'' version), thrown [[Yellow Pikmin]] carrying [[bomb-rock]]s will become "ready". When [[whistle]]d, they will drop and activate the bomb-rock. In addition, if thrown next to a [[gate]] or enemy, the Pikmin will in turn throw the bomb at the target.

*Throwing a Pikmin at a [[Pellet Posy]]'s pellet will make it drop it after just one attack (this works for 1 pellets only in ''Pikmin 3'').

**[[Dwarf Bulborb|Dwarf Red Bulborb]], [[Dwarf Bulbear]] (''Pikmin 2'' and the remakes only), [[Snow Bulborb]] and [[Dwarf Orange Bulborb]]: if the Pikmin is thrown at the center of the creature's back, it will die instantly.

**[[Honeywisp]]: makes it drop its [[egg]] instantly and fly away.

**[[Shearwig]]: if airborne, the creature dies right away.

**[[Unmarked Spectralids|Unmarked Spectralid]]: when hit in mid-air, this creature instantly dies, even though its [[health]] is as high as that of a Dwarf Red Bulborb.

*When a [[Blue Pikmin]] is thrown at the [[Goolix]]' larger core, while the creature is stretched, the two cores will slam against one another, and all Pikmin attacking the smaller core will scatter around.

*A Pikmin that is thrown at the [[Armored Cannon Beetle]]'s blow-hole will become trapped in it and make the boss overheat, exposing its weak point.

*Throwing a Purple Pikmin at a [[Waterwraith]] will make it temporarily vulnerable.

*In {{p3}}, a Rock Pikmin thrown directly at a [[crystal nodule]] will cause it to shatter.

In ''Pikmin 3'', a Pikmin of the standby type will instantly move towards the leader's hand.

By using the aforementioned trick to throw at longer distances, one can make non-Yellow Pikmin reach ledges they shouldn't be able to normally.{{cite youtube|79o04GEvocI|showing how the high ledge glitch can be used to get non-Yellow Pikmin up high ledges}}{{cite web|http://speeddemosarchive.com/demo.pl?Pikmin2_BestEnding_310|2:25 of part 4 of a speedrun|Speed Demos Archive}} This glitch is only possible in ''Pikmin'' and ''Pikmin 2'', as well as the Wii remakes.

Interestingly, there are a few ways to throw [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] even higher or further, in {{npcp1}} and {{npcp2}}. It depends on the type and the way the Pikmin is thrown. The following tricks do not have any known uses at the moment, however. Also, they do not work in ''Pikmin'' nor ''Pikmin 2'', only the Wii remakes.