Website and data research by 101Leafy.

Hints

The hints Story mode shows when you get stuck, in the order they come up in the story, each with the game's own picture. Pictures with words on them are shown in this page's language. The last few can come up at any time.

Tropical Wilds

Keep going. You may just encounter a rather curious creature...
If you don't see a way forward, look for pieces to make a bridge.
Keep moving ahead.

Find S.S. Drake!

Get more Red Pikmin by harvesting pellets and creatures.
Use or to check your surroundings carefully. ( won't work if using a horizontal Joy-Con.)
Use the power of Pikmin to push the box out of the way. Many Pikmin make light work!

Garden of HopeFind Brittany!

Take the Pikmin out of the Onion.
Gather up the fragments and rebuild the bridge.

Garden of HopeSave Brittany!

Retrieve the Fruit!

Charge won't reach the flying creatures. Lock on with and throw Pikmin with to defeat them. Look closely now—they seem to have captured something.

Garden of HopeBrittany and the Fruit

Get more Rock Pikmin by harvesting pellets and creatures.
Throw Rock Pikmin to shatter the crystal.

Garden of HopeThe Captain's Signal?

Shatter the crystal wall!
Throw Pikmin to the other shore to look for bridge fragments there.

Garden of HopeDefeat the Armored Mawdad!

Use Rock Pikmin to break the exoskeleton, then strike with all your might!

Garden of HopeRecover the Device!

Haul the strange item over to the S.S. Drake.

Distant TundraFind the Captain!

Done for the day? Skip ahead by selecting End Day in Options.

Distant Tundra

Try throwing Yellow Pikmin at the electrical cables.
Get more Yellow Pikmin by harvesting pellets.
Try to roll the iron ball.

Distant TundraReunite with Brittany!

Find a place where you can trade Pikmin.
Gather up the fragments and rebuild the bridge.
Find a place where you can trade Pikmin.
Gather up the fragments and rebuild the bridge.

Distant TundraWhere's the Captain?

Use the iron ball to smash your way through the wall.
There's an iron ball hidden here...

Distant TundraDefeat the Vehemoth Phosbat!

Switch on the lightbulb.
Look around for other lightbulbs.
Build a bridge so you can light up the whole cave.
There must be bridge pieces around here somewhere.
Throw Pikmin when it stops to use its vacuum attack or when it's motionless on the wall.

Tropical WildsFind the Cosmic-Drive Key!

Done for the day? Skip ahead by selecting End Day in Options.

Tropical WildsFollow the Mystery Signal!

The Pikmin can build a bridge from the other shore.
There should be bridge pieces nearby.
Work together as a trio and cross to the opposite shore.
Push down the shopping bag to reunite the three crew leaders.

Tropical WildsThe Sandbelching Meerslug

Try digging up whatever's buried in the sand.
When that gargantuan creature starts breathing in, throw a Bomb Rock into its mouth!
Look for a Bomb Rock buried somewhere nearby.

Tropical WildsRecover the High-Tech Device!

Haul the strange item over to the S.S. Drake.

Twilight RiverTo Twilight River!

Done for the day? Skip ahead by selecting End Day in Options.

Twilight RiverSave the Winged Onion!

Look around for bridge fragments.

Twilight RiverWinged Pikmin!

Get more Winged Pikmin by harvesting pellets and creatures.
Try using Winged Pikmin to pull the Flukeweeds.

Twilight RiverSOS from Olimar

Get more Winged Pikmin by harvesting pellets and creatures.
Try using Winged Pikmin to pull the Flukeweeds.
Move the branch that's blocking the river.

Twilight RiverSave Olimar!

Hop on a floating leaf to reach the next map.
Collect bridge pieces to create a path to Olimar's signal.
Try looking for bridge pieces.
Toss allies onto a Bouncy Mushroom to bounce them to the opposite shore.

Twilight RiverDefeat the Scornet Maestro!

Lock on with and charge ahead with Winged Pikmin when Scornet's away.
Attack the Scornets to rescue your Pikmin!
Forge a path by fighting through the Scornets.

Twilight RiverRetrieve Olimar!

Is this Olimar? Haul him over to the S.S. Drake.

Twilight RiverFind Fruit!

Done for the day? Skip ahead by selecting End Day in Options.

Garden of HopeFollow Olimar!

Where did Olimar(?) go? Search for him!

Garden of HopeFind the Hocotatian!

Get more Blue Pikmin by harvesting pellets and creatures!
Gather up the fragments and make a path.
There are some fragments nearby.

Garden of HopeSave the Hocotatian!

Focus all your might on one of the creature's legs.
When the creature collapses, go for its weak point!
Keep your distance from any rocks that start to move when the boss is knocked out...

Garden of HopeRetrieve the Hocotatian!

Carry Olimar(?) back to the S.S. Drake.

Formidable OakHead to the Formidable Oak

If you've done all your work for the day, skip ahead by selecting End Day from the Options menu.

Formidable OakSave Captain Olimar!

Rescue Olimar from the mysterious life-form!
Don't let the mysterious life-form grab Olimar again!
Whistle to rescue any Pikmin caught inside the mysterious life-form.
Attack the mysterious life-form to free Olimar!
If the mysterious life-form transforms, attack with the right type of Pikmin.
Build a bridge to create a shortcut.
There are bridge fragments nearby. Some are buried, so look carefully.
Gather bridge pieces to make a path.
Switch on the lightbulb to light up the cave.
Work together to switch on the lightbulb.
Use Winged Pikmin to build a bridge that can serve as a shortcut.
Only Rock Pikmin can withstand those vicious thrusting attacks!
Smash the cores it spits out by assigning the right Pikmin for the job.
When it's floating in the air, lock on with and throw Pikmin at it.

Any time

If you throw the other player, they will leave the squad. To reunite, select while you press and hold .
You can check co-op play controls any time from Actions in the Control Guide.
If you get stuck in Story mode, press to view a strategy hint. You can hide them by going to More in Other Settings and setting Hint Display to Off.
Press to open Options and view Basic Information or go to Other Settings to change controls to your liking.
Lost a lot of Pikmin? Open Options, select Retry, then select Restart Day.
Want to restart from an earlier day? Open Options, select Retry, then select Earlier Day.