Challenge Mode (Pikmin)
- For the challenge mode in the second game, see Challenge Mode (Pikmin 2).
- Not to be confused with the Challenge Mode from Pikmin Adventure.
The Challenge Mode in Pikmin challenges the player to grow as many Pikmin as they can in a single day. It is unlocked when all three types of Pikmin are discovered in the game's main story mode for the first time, and once unlocked, the Challenge Mode will be available forever on the main menu, under Options. Levels are unlocked as they are encountered in the main game, again, for any ship log. The areas are slightly different from the ones in story mode, having different enemies and obstacles in different places, and lacking in ship parts. In addition, the S.S. Dolphin is not present during play, meaning Olimar cannot repair his spacesuit, so the player must take great care as to not let Olimar fall. In Challenge Mode, the areas are slightly darker than their in-game counterparts, and the tempo of each area's music is increased slightly[1].
When the time is up, the number of Pikmin that have been raised is displayed, and the top 5 numbers for each level are persistently recorded.
Maximum Pikmin
Using advanced strategies, it is possible to reach a cap on the number of Pikmin for all levels, except the Distant Spring, as it's too big to be fully covered within the time limit. That means that tied world records are not uncommon.
- The Impact Site: 278
- The Forest of Hope: 569
- The Forest Navel: 482
- The Distant Spring: 752 (currently only reached via tool-assisted superplay[2], with the current real-time record being 712[3])
- The Final Trial: 299
Time limits
Interestingly, when in Challenge Mode, the levels have a different duration. In the main game mode, all levels last for the same amount of time, which is roughly 13:30 minutes. The following multiplier values were taken directly from the game's files.
| Area | Duration | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| The Impact Site | 10:48 | 0.8 |
| The Forest of Hope | 18:54 | 1.4 |
| The Forest Navel | 16:12 | 1.2 |
| The Distant Spring | 18:54 | 1.4 |
| The Final Trial | 13:30 | 1.0 |
Gallery
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Olimar fighting a Puffstool in Challenge Mode.
Conclusion of a perfect The Impact Site run.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 French (NoA) |
Mode défi | Challenge mode | |
 French (NoE) |
Mode Challenge | Challenge Mode | |
 German |
Challenge | "Challenge" | |
 Italian |
Modalità sfida | Challenge mode | |
 Portuguese (NoE) |
Modo Challenge | "Challenge" Mode | Translation taken from the Pikmin instruction manual. |
 Spanish (NoA) |
Modo Desafío | Challenge Mode | |
 Spanish (NoE) |
Modo Desafío | Challenge Mode |
See also
References
- ^ Each song receives a 20% tempo increase in Challenge Mode, as concluded by this brief study
- ^ YouTube video of a tool-assisted superplay of the level in which 752 points are reached
- ^ YouTube video of a Challenge Mode run with 712 points