Pikmin are some of the cutest creatures that Nintendo has ever created. That’s not including Pokemon because there are so many and it’s really hard to compare a Pikmin to let’s say a Pikachu. The point is Pikmin are cute and this was seemingly done on purpose to make players feel remorse for letting them die or leaving them behind on a mission.
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That feeling remains true inPikmin 4. There are nine total types of Pikmin in the game and two of those types are new. What are? What do they do? And how do they stack up to the other seven Pikmin? It’s time to rank out the usefulness of every single one.
9Glow Pikmin
Glow Pikmin are one of the two new types in the game. They look like glowing green alien ghosts that float and hide in mounds that look like ant hills. They are used exclusively for nighttime battles which is also a new feature.
This mode makesPikmin 4feel the most like an RTS as players have to gather Glow Pikmin as fast as possible before enemies start to invade their home turf. It’s a fun mode, but the separation between modes makes Glow Pikmin less useful overall.
8White Pikmin
White Pikmin were first introduced in the second game. Their bodies look like the main three colors except they have beady little red eyes. Nintendo presumably designed them to look like albino versions of the creature.
Their main hook is that they can resist poisonous clouds. If they are swallowed by a creature then White Pikmin can poison an enemy from the inside, so thesacrifice will not be in vain. They are useful, but they’re also weak making them a tricky Pikmin to use.
7Winged Pikmin
Winged Pikmin came into being with thethird game in the series. They are pink, have wings, and their eyes make them look like flies albeit less annoying ones. They are good at handling enemies in the air which is great but flying enemies aren’t that plentiful.
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The best feature of the Winged Pikmin is that they can bypass a lot of obstacles by flying objects quickly back to their home base. In exchange for their speed, they can also be shot down easily.
6Yellow Pikmin
Yellow Pikmin are one of the three most common in the series and they originated from the first game. They have three special skills inPikmin 4. First, they can be tossed further than any other Pikmin which helps reach things easier like treasure.
Second, they can dig the fastest sort of likeToad in theMarioseries. Third, they will not get electrocuted by traps or monsters and there is a lot of electricity in the game. Finally, they can be used to break through certain electrified barriers.
5Blue Pikmin
There are a lot of water segments in the game, so thankfully Blue Pikmin are plentiful. They don’t get affected by water, like from sprinklers, which makes everything includingOatchi run away in fright inPikmin 4.
Blue Pikmin can also go underwater to retrieve treasure or fight monsters without much fuss. They’re obviously the most useful at the beach level, but plenty of other opportunities will arise whenever a pool of water presents itself.
4Red Pikmin
Red Pikmin are typically the first creatures players will encounter in this series. They are resistant to fire, so they can fight fire-based enemies and walk into the fire without sweating. Red Pikmin also have the best attack power for the normal-sized types.
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They are perfect for scouting missions like when players enter abiome for the first time inPikmin 4. Take them out, explore, make note of traps, fight some monsters, make some sacrifices, and repeat.
3Rock Pikmin
Rock Pikmin were introduced along with Winged PikmininPikmin 3. Their name says it all as they look like rocks but with little leaves attached to their heads. They are technically stronger than Red Pikmin but only initially when thrown at enemies.
Their impact then is their greatest strength as they can knock down walls or break other objects too. Plus they have a tremendous amount of defense, allowing them to survive longer in battle.
2Purple Pikmin
Purple Pikmin were kind of like the prototype to Rock Pikmin but they do serve a different purpose in this new game. They first came to light during the second game. These beefy purple boys have the strength of ten Pikmin meaning that they can carry things mostly by themselves.
The more Purple Pikmin get attached to an object, the faster the transaction will become. Throwing them at enemies can also stun or throw them off balance which is key to winning manychallenging boss fights.
1Ice Pikmin
Ice Pikmin are new to the game along with Glow Pikmin. They are also the best inPikmin 4because they can freeze objects. Throwing a set amount in a pool of water will freeze it for traversal purposes.
Enemies can also freeze if enough Ice Pikmin attack them which is better than a stun animation. Like Yellow Pikmin, Ice Pikmin are also key to breaking down certain barriers. The only problem is that they can be hard to produce, so players must use them wisely.
Pikmin 4was released on July 26, 2025, and is available on Switch.
