Throughout Pikmin 3, there are pieces of text written in Koppaite. The language used consists of unique symbols which, together, form words. A parallel between it and the English language can easily be made, given that characters in Koppaite can be mapped to Latin letters, and with that, a direct English message can be obtained. Although largely original, the characters used in the language are similar to Latin characters, but with some changes.

Because the text behind this language cannot be easily deciphered by players who do not know the cipher, sometimes its contents are secretive and special. For instance, on the area selection menu, when the player clicks an area, some mysterious text will appear on the top-left, with what appears to be comments from the developers. The information behind some texts does not seem to match up with reality, indicating that it was true in prerelease versions.

Character map

Each character in the Koppaite language can be mapped to one or two English letters. There are only characters for the 26 English letters plus an extra, unknown one. This unknown character only appears on the Mission Mode and Bingo Battle menus, and its meaning cannot be decided from the context alone.

These characters are obtained from the font file in the game's data.

By Koppaite symbol

Koppaite Latin Koppaite Latin Koppaite Latin
  A or F   B or J   C or O
  D or Q   E   G
  H   I or Y   K or Z
  L   M or X   N
  P   R or V   S
  T   U   W
  Unknown

By Latin letter

Latin Koppaite Latin Koppaite Latin Koppaite
A   B   C  
D   E   F  
G   H   I  
J   K   L  
M   N   O  
P   Q   R  
S   T   U  
V   W   X  
Y   Z   Unknown  

List of Koppaite text

The following is a list of instances in which Koppaite text appears, and their translations.

Instance Image Koppaite English Notes
Area selection menu – general  
  1.                
  2.                  
  3.                            
  4.                                            
  5.                                
  1. Date food
  2. Land point
  3. Space ship Drake
  4. Designer of the space ship
  5. Alph's grandfather
  1. Top-right corner.
  2. For every area, this appears below it, and on the pop-up that appears when the Wii Remote's cursor is aimed at it.
  3. Bottom-left corner.
  4. Bottom-left corner.
  5. Bottom-left corner.
Area selection menuTropical Wilds selected  
  1.                          
  2.                                          
  3.                                          
  4.                                                
  1. Landing point A
  2. A hallowed forest jungle
  3. Clear water spring water
  4. A place with spiritual power
Top-left corner.
Area selection menuGarden of Hope selected  
  1.                          
  2.                                  
  3.                                      
  4.                                          
  1. Landing point B
  2. Spring garden ruins
  3. Where you find Britney[sic]
  4. And begin to feel hopeful
Top-left corner.
Area selection menuDistant Tundra selected  
  1.                          
  2.                                    
  3.                                                        
  4.                                      
  1. Landing point C
  2. Snow ruins light bulb
  3. Name patterned after The Distant
  4. Spring from Pikmin One
Top-left corner.
Area selection menuTwilight River selected  
  1.                          
  2.                            
  3.                                          
  4.                        
  1. Landing point D
  2. Melancholy feel
  3. Fall mountains and river
  4. Fallen leaves
Top-left corner.
Area selection menuFormidable Oak selected  
  1.                          
  2.              
  3.                                          
  4.                                              
  1. Landing point E
  2. Last map
  3. Name patterned after The
  4. Final Trial from Pikmin One
Top-left corner. The names of the Formidable Oak and The Final Trial哀しき獣の塔? (lit.: "Tower of the Sorrowful Beast") and 最後の試練? (lit.: "Final Trial") respectively – are not similar at all. This indicates that the Formidable Oak's name was different during development. It may only be a reference to the Pikmin area, however.
New area scan  
  1.                              
  2.                                  
  3.                                            
  4.                  
  5.                          
  6.                
  1. New area scanning
  2. Database collation
  3. Downloading new map image
  4. Ennd point[sic]
  5. (Gibberish)
  6. Fruitnum
  1. Top-left corner.
  2. Top-left corner.
  3. Below every image.
  4. Below the X.
  5. Below the area's name. It is not a word, since it has 7 characters in a row that are mandatorily consonants.
  6. The graph behind the area's name.
Radar  
  1.                    
  2.                    
  3.              
  4.                  
  5.          
  6.        
  7.                    
  8.          
  9.        
  10.              
  11.                    
  12.                  
  13.                      
  14.                                  
  1. Camera type
  2. Aimed North
  3. Compass
  4. Radar mode
  5. Pause
  6. Play
  7. KOKOMADIDO[sic]
  8. Centi
  9. Mask
  10. Monitor
  11. Life signal
  12. State good
  13. Planet Earth
  14. Atmosphere regular
  1. Next to the compass button.
  2. Next to the compass button (North orientation).
  3. Next to the compass button (camera orientation).
  4. Next to the pause button.
  5. Next to the pause button (gameplay paused).
  6. Next to the pause button (gameplay going).
  7. Go Here! button. From ここまで移動? (lit.: "Move here").
  8. Next to the slider at the left.
  9. Top-left of the central frame.
  10. Bottom-right of the central frame.
  11. Bottom-left corner.
  12. Bottom-left corner.
  13. Bottom-right corner.
  14. Bottom-right corner.
Pause menu                   Hokotate Repeated several times, and segmented in most of them. It's spelled with a K because it's the Romanization of ホコタテ?.
Lock-on                                  
                                                   
                             
Space library lite
Simple dictionary in the PIPAD
Just has the names
Bottom-right corner. "PPAD" is an early name for the KopPad, so "PIPAD" might be a Romanization of it.
KopPad call initiating  
  1.                
  2.                                      
  3.                                        
  4.                    
  5.                
  6.              
  7.                                      
  8.                                
  1. To Koppai
  2. Receive signal player
  3. Transmit signal player
  4. Connecting
  5. Transmit
  6. Receive
  7. GPAD in communication
  8. Device for the crew
  1. Top-right corner, below "PNF-404".
  2. Top-left of the left icon.
  3. Bottom-right of the right icon.
  4. Between the two icons.
  5. Below the caller's icon.
  6. Below the receiver's icon.
  7. Bottom-left corner; GPAD is the Japanese name for the KopPad.
  8. Bottom-left corner.
GamePad screen during end of day cutscene  
  1.                
  2.                  
  3.                                      
  4.                                
  1. To Koppai
  2. Login crew
  3. GPAD in communcation
  4. Device for the crew
  1. Top-right corner, below "PNF-404".
  2. Below icon.
  3. Bottom-left corner; GPAD is the Japanese name for the KopPad.
  4. Bottom-left corner.
KopPad's background        
             
             
Alf
Britney[sic]
Charlie
The KopPad's background is partially visible during some transitions, like when entering the Exploration Notes screen. This pattern is also visible on the Mission Mode and Bingo Battle menus, but is much lower quality, as seen here.
Fruit analysis  
  1.            
  2.        
  3.      
  1. Koppai
  2. Food
  3. Cat
  1. Top center.
  2. Top-right of the scan reticle.
  3. Bottom-left of the scan reticle.
Upgrade analysis           (Unknown) Either "OPPT" or "CPPT". This appears at the top-right of the object, and the rest of the text matches the fruit analysis screen. The same label also appears for when Louie or a Burgeoning Spiderwort berry is being scanned.
Bottles of juice  
  1.    
  2.                
  1. FJ
  2. Survival
  1. Text on the glass; possibly short for "fruit juice".
  2. Text on the plastic.
Juice shelf screen                     Cold drink
KopPad's frame           GPAD "GPAD" is the Japanese name for the KopPad.
KopPad's frame in prerelease versions           PPAD
S.S. Drake exterior  
  1.      
  2.      
  3.       3
  4.     -    
  5.          
  6.        
  7.          
  8.            
  9.          
  10.              
  11.            
  1. WIU
  2. CAT
  3. PKM 3
  4. (Unknown)
  5. Space
  6. Ship
  7. ANTEN
  8. PROJCT
  9. CLOSE
  10. CAUTION
  11. DANGER
  1. Top half, in orange; probably a reference to the Wii U.
  2. Top half, in orange, below cat symbol.
  3. Top half, in orange; short for Pikmin 3.
  4. Below #1; possible decryptions are "NI - NB", "NY - NB", "NI - NJ", "NY - NJ".
  5. Top half, in gray.
  6. Top half, in gray.
  7. Near the top; short for "antenna".
  8. Bottom half, next to beam.
  9. Bottom half.
  10. Bottom half.
  11. Bottom half.
SPERO's visor                    
                   
Automatic
Ultrascope
This is impossible to see in-game, as the camera can never get close enough. This text is located on the visor-like object on the side of the ship. It is also a reference to a Nintendo toy called the Automatic Ultrascope.
Mission Mode and Bingo Battle screens                                                                     System start program for-Pikmin Three Bottom-right corner.
Saving screen               System
Mission Mode platinum medals                               Pikmin platinum

See also


 

This article was a featured article from June 1st, 2016 to August 1st, 2016.