Wild Pikmin
Wild Pikmin are occasionally encountered throughout the series as a way of obtaining Pikmin without needing to grow them through the use of an Onion. They are often found fighting an enemy, programmed such that they cannot die until they are in possession of a leader. They can also be found sitting idle or in the ground as sprouts. Although rare in earlier games, this becomes a major gameplay mechanic in Hey! Pikmin and Pikmin 4.
It is unknown how these Pikmin were propagated but several possibilities are implied, such as Olimar and/or Louie having previously visited the area and may have left them behind, or that Pikmin have learned to become self-sufficient. There are also certain events which can naturally produce a seed as well as creatures able to uproot the sprouts. All games' versions of Challenge Mode either start the player with a set number of Pikmin or sprouts available to pluck, but these are not counted here as they are not part of any game's main Pikmin count.
Pikmin
Wild Pikmin are never encountered in Pikmin as all 3 Onions in the game initially sit dormant and must be activated before the first Pikmin seed is produced. However, the good ending of the game implies that wild Pikmin become more common as they are able to fend for themselves thanks to Olimar's leadership.
Pikmin 2
In Pikmin 2, the player will encounter 5 of each of the 3 original Pikmin types when they are first discovered.
- Valley of Repose - 5 Red Pikmin are found fighting a Dwarf Bulborb at the very beginning of the game.
- Perplexing Pool - 5 Yellow Pikmin are found sitting high up in a tree at the center of the area.
- Awakening Wood - 5 Blue Pikmin are found fighting some Wogpoles in an area behind an electric gate.
Once again, the ending of the game and other scenes show Pikmin that might not have been grown by the game's leaders.
Pikmin 3
In Pikmin 3, Yellow, Red, and Rock Pikmin are first discovered as wild Pikmin. Winged and Blue Pikmin must have their respective Onions activated first.
- Distant Tundra: On day 1, up to 30 wild Yellow Pikmin can be found by Charlie before he is captured by an unseen creature. These Pikmin disappear afterward and never added to the game's Pikmin count. When Alph and Brittany visit the area later, there are 2 Yellow Pikmin found in a cave with their Onion as well as 3 sprouts.
- Tropical Wilds: On day 1, there are 4 wild Red Pikmin found by Alph along with their Onion which is trapped on a branch and must be freed.
- Garden of Hope: There are 6 Rock Pikmin trapped inside a Medusal Slurker near their Onion.
Pikmin 4
The concept of wild Pikmin in Pikmin 4 becomes an official term used in-game as it is now a major mechanic for obtaining Pikmin. Wild Pikmin are encountered in nearly every cave of the game and obtaining them is often the only way to progress through the cave. They are always found in groups of 5 either fighting enemies, as sprouts, sitting idle, or hidden within obstacles such as jars and hydro jellies. Caves can be revisited as many times as needed to increase numbers, though wild Pikmin found in obstacles will not reappear (as destroyed obstacles do not come back after a cave is completed). The number of wild Pikmin in a given cave can vary greatly between visits depending on how many of a type the player controls (the number stored in Onions does not affect this). No wild Pikmin will spawn if the player has 100 Pikmin, though Candypop Buds will often be found in locations where groups of sprouts or living Pikmin would normally be.
After a Pikmin type is discovered in the wild, Oatchi will learn a command that can sniff out that type if the player wishes to find it again. If there is any cave in the area containing that type, a blue scent will appear for him to follow and he will automatically walk to the cave. The game also considers the presence of Candypop Buds in a cave to mean wild Pikmin of that type are found there. Once that type's Onion is found, Oatchi loses the ability for that type as they can now be easily grown above ground.
Glow Pikmin can also be considered wild Pikmin as 10 automatically propagate from Lumiknolls at the beginning of each night expedition. This would make them the only wild Pikmin found above ground. Aside from Red Pikmin, the natural progression of the game has the player encounter each type of Pikmin in the wild before finding their respective Onions. It is possible to discover every type of Pikmin by collecting their Onion first, though some (such as the Ice Pikmin Onion) would require the player to intentionally evade wild Pikmin of that type in several locations.
Below is a chart of every cave in the game with the types of wild Pikmin that can be found there. Burrow of Beginnings is the only regular cave in the game to have no wild Pikmin, while Pikmin found in Dandori Battles, Dandori Challenges, and Trial of the Sage Leaf are not part of the game's main Pikmin count.
| Cave |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burrow of Beginnings | ||||||||
| Last-Frost Cavern | ✓ | |||||||
| Crackling Cauldron | ✓ | |||||||
| Aquiferous Summit | ✓ | |||||||
| Industrial Maze | ✓ | |||||||
| Hectic Hollows | ✓ | |||||||
| Drafty Gallery | ✓ | |||||||
| Secluded Courtyard | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Sightless Passage | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Kingdom of Beasts | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Seafloor Resort | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Subzero Sauna | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Below-Grade Discotheque | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| Engulfed Castle | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Doppelgänger's Den | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Frozen Inferno | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Plunder Palace | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Ultimate Testing Range | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Dream Home | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Cradle of the Beast | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| The Mud Pit | ✓ | |||||||
| Subterranean Swarm | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||
| Cavern for a King | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Hey! Pikmin
Growing mechanics are completely removed in Hey! Pikmin and obtaining Pikmin is done entirely by encountering them in the wild. Every area has a set number of Pikmin that can be encountered, and they are usually found in groups hidden behind objects or obtained within cutscenes. Areas can be revisited to collect more Pikmin, though many groups only appear on the first visit or if they player controls less than a certain number of that type.
Trivia
- In both Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4, Purple and White Pikmin are the only types in the game never found in the wild either alive or as sprouts. The only way they can be obtained below ground is via Candypop Buds.