Hocotate: Difference between revisions

It is a red-coloured planet that possesses a pair of two intersecting [[Wikipedia:Planetary rings|planetary rings]]. Its exact location in the universe has yet to be specified, though it most likely takes place in another [[Wikipedia:Star system|star system]] to ours as an incredibly bright star can be seen behind it. In [[Olimar's Voyage Log]], he explains that [[Olimar's family|his family]] is probably gazing up at the planet's "pale red moon". Stars are visible from the planet's surface during the daytime, indicating a transparent atmosphere. As Hocotatians find oxygen gas poisonous, there must be little or no pure oxygen in its atmosphere.

[[File:SSDolphinLoanSharks.jpg|thumb|left|Note the wind and clouds in the back/foreground.]]

From what can be seen, at least part of the planet is desert-like, though the [[President]] notes a location known as the "Hocotate Swamp". [[Hocotate Freight]] appears to be in or near a built-up area, which suggests that at least some of Hocotate may be densely populated. Olimar's wife mentions "hot springs" in one of her [[Mail|e-mails]], indicating that geothermally heated water exists in the planet's crust. Olimar's family also mentions a beach, suggesting that the planet has at least one ocean.

[[Hocotatian]]s are around 2cm (3/4 in.) tall. It is uncertain what sort of gas they breathe, but oxygen is known to be extremely poisonous to them; Olimar and [[Captain Louie|Louie]] must protect themselves while on the [[Planet of the Pikmin]] by wearing a spacesuit. [[Bulbie]], Olimar's pet, is shown to be a bulborb-like species which act similarly to dogs. The planet shows some signs of flora growing on its surface, including vegetables such as [[Pikpik Carrot]]s. Olimar mentions that there are mosquitoes in one of his journal entries.

The technology is shown to be very advanced, with particles such as [[Wikipedia:Gluon|Gluons]] in use (evidenced by the [[Gluon Drive]] ship part in ''[[Pikmin (game)|Pikmin]]'' a source of endless energy (the [[Eternal Fuel Dynamo]]), and a weapon that can destroy objects as large as stars (the [[Nova Blaster]]). However, Olimar's notes in ''[[Pikmin 2]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s [[Treasure Hoard]] say that the technology behind a light bulb (the [[Stellar Orb]]) and a match (the [[Flame of Tomorrow]]) is completely unknown to his people.

Hocotate is shown to be commercialised; its currency is the [[Poko]], a small coin that resembles those from the ''Mario'' series. Items from the [[Pikmin Planet]] are considered extremely rare treasures, and can be worth a particularly large amount of Pokos, which enables Olimar and Louie to pay off their company's debt of 10,100 Pokos. For comparison, 100 Pokos is more than a year's salary for the [[President of Hocotate Freight]]. A Mayor of Hocotate is alluded in [[Olimar's notes]] on some occasions, though his status in Hocotatian goverment is unknown.

"Happy Hocotate Savings and Loan" is a Hocotate company with which the [[President]] attempts to take out a loan in ''Pikmin 2'' to cover for the lost shipment of [[Golden Pikpik Carrot]]s. It is later revealed in one of his [[mail|letters]] to [[Captain Olimar|Olimar]] that, instead, he has accidentally taken out a loan with the company just next door, the "All-Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks", which forces him to go into hiding.