The Pikmin series is no stranger to exploration and discovery. Perhaps you remember those chunky Duracell batteries sticking out of the snow near the beginning of Pikmin 2 during the GameCube days. With Pikmin 4, the story is no different; you'll discover and explore plenty of treasures, areas, and enemies.
There are plenty of familiar creatures you'll encounter if you've played previous Pikmin titles, like Mamutas or Breadbugs, but what enemies are completely brand new to the series? Read on to learn about every new enemy, from the most common all the way up to a handful of bosses.
Beware of spoilers for Pikmin's 4 bosses in this article.
9 Grub-Dog Family
If you're unfamiliar with the greater Grub-Dog family, you probably know them better as Bulborbs. It would be pretty unthinkable, after all, to ignore one of the most iconic species in the Pikmin series. Pikmin 4 introduces four new Bulborb variants: Albino Dwarf Bulborbs, Frosty Bulborbs and their smaller Dwarf friends, and the Jumbo Bulborb.
Although you have to be wary of any enemy in the game, Bulborbs are so cute it's tempting to just watch them stumble about from afar, especially the Albino Dwarfs; they almost look like mini marshmallows.
8 Blowhog Family
Blowhogs have been around since the very first Pikmin game, but you're probably used to them blowing fire like organic flamethrowers. The Blizzarding, Icy, and Snowy Blowhogs are similar, but you'll have to avoid a chilly mist instead of fire.
The Tusked Blowhog, on the other hand, takes a more hard-headed approach; this enemy is going to charge you, so be ready to make use of your dodging skills. This enemy, despite having a snout that's similar to other Blowhogs, probably uses it more like your average sniffer.
7 Snootwhack Family
These dark and light green enemies, Snootwhackers, almost look like a cousin of the Pokemon Donphan with its curled trunk, four legs, and stocky figure. The only real difference between these two new additions is their size, which is why they're called Miniature and Mammoth Snootwhackers, respectively.
While you'll probably have little issue with the Miniature variant, be wary of the Mammoth Snoowhacker; it has tough skin and a trunk that it will whip around and smash onto the ground. Also, certain items you use on it may not work how you'd intend them to.
6 Dweevil Family
If you have a fear of spiders or spider-like creatures, you're probably not too excited to hear that there are two new members of the Dweevil family to discover: Iceblown and Venom Dweevils. Be sure to use the appropriate Pikmin types if you're fighting these creepy critters.
In terms of lore, did you know that Dweevils get their color from the things that they eat? To be specific, their exterior color is determined by the symbiotic bacteria of the plants and animals they eat, which in turn have an influence on their pigmentation.
5 Shellcake Family
Shellcakes are an entire new family in the Pikmin series, and you can find three different types in your adventures: Freezecakes, Scorchcakes, and Shockcakes. Given their names, they're categorized based on their relevant element and the environments they're found in.
Otherwise, they all resemble crab-like creatures that decided to use hockey pucks made of rock fragments as their shells. While you might pass them off as a bunch of glorified rice cakes, don't be deceived; they're quite agile, which makes sense because the Piklopedia describes them as fierce hunters.
4 Amphituber Family
Members of the Amphituber family are quite fond of wet environments, so if you stumble upon a Chillyhop, Wollyhop, Wolpole, or Yellow Wollyhop, a body of water likely isn't that far away. Given this habitat and behavior, it probably isn't surprising to you that these creatures aren't big fans of blue Pikmin.
You shouldn't have too many issues with these amphibious enemies. Chillyhops can be a bit tricky though, because every time they land, cold air whooshes out from beneath them, which can freeze your Pikmin if you're not careful.
3 Sporovid Family
Members of the Sporovid family are an interesting bunch. They are either original, spore-producing species, or creatures that have been infected by such spores; poor fellas. Sporovids unique to Pikmin 4 are Toxstools, Moldy Slooches, and Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs.
Keep in mind, if your Pikmin get sprayed by toxic spores, they'll turn into zombies and attack your uninfected Pikmin. Try to make quick work of the infected, because they are conscious but no longer in control of their body.
2 Miscellaneous Additions
While many new enemies can be lumped into the same family to create cohesive categories, a fair amount are unique, singular additions. Thus, they have earned their place in the "miscellaneous" category. As you play, you'll likely come across most, if not all, of these diverse creatures found in the table below:
| Species | Family |
|---|---|
| Aristocrab Offspring | Onionshell |
| Bloomcap Bloyster | Mollusking |
| Bogswallow | Polyocular Slug |
| Downy Snagret | Snavian |
| Grubchucker | Crablipps |
| Muckerskate | Spitterspatter |
| Pricklepuff | Pricklepuffs |
| Startle Spore | Chrysanthemum |
| Sunsquish | Squishsquirt |
| Waddlequaff | Gourdfeather |
| Gildemandwee | Amphibiland |
| Anode Beetle | Beetle |
| Shearflea | Mandiblard |
1 Bosses
There's no shortage of bosses to encounter and battle in Pikmin 4. While some are quite familiar, like Empress Bulblax, there are others that will be novel, with some even having unique boss arenas that match their theme, appearance, or abilities.
If you were dying to know, these new bosses include: the Ancient Sirehound, a fearsome Arctic Cannon Beetle, the scorpion-like Crusted Rumpup, a rather opulent looking Gildemander, the Groovy Long Legs, a dance floor favorite, a bouncy Masterhop, a pretty pokey Porquillion, the elegant Snowfake Fluttertail, and a big Titan Blowhog.