Hole of Heroes
Pikmin Needed: Red, Yellow, Blue, White, Purple (recommended)
Sublevel 1: This is a small sublevel but it’s cramped with enemies: sheargrubs, burrowed bugs, chrysanthemums, bulborbs, etc. Traverse carefully and battle enemies in small groups to minimize losses. Return the nut (Corpulent Nut) to the pod and continue down to the next level.
Sublevel 2: Several aerial foes to contend with on this sublevel. Beware of the bomb droppers and snatcher bugs. Toss yellow pikmin high to reach them. There’s also the bug that messes up your treasure gauge and distracts your pikmin. Eliminate it on sight with tossed pikmin. Defeat beetles with yellow pikmin. The treasure could be buried so find with your treasure gauge and dig the jewel (Essence of True Love) up with white pikmin.
Sublevel 3: Hope you weren’t attached to mature pikmin because this level contains several blowhogs. Watch out for dropped bombs, which can be especially devastating if you’ve been blown down by a blowhog. Get your pikmin out of the way quickly! Recover the marble (Love Sphere).
Sublevel 4: There’s a sink hole in the chamber’s center--there’s also a snagret there. The sink hole poses a problem because it’s tough to get away from the menacing bird. Eliminate it as you have previously. Trigger its arrival; if it emerges slowly, toss pikmin onto its beak. If the snagret comes up quickly, retreat. Move into the alcoves to get as far away as possible. Pick up the talisman (Lustrous Element) and carry it to the pod.
Sublevel 5: The mamutas can mature pikmin when they smash into the ground. Utilize the nectar eggs to mature pikmin then gain more pikmin by using the candypop bud. You need some blues for the next level so if you’re short, get blues!
Sublevel 6: This sublevel is filled with water so you need blue pikmin; note that there are candypop buds here if you need to trade for blue pikmin. Beware of the wollywogs and dumples lurking around. Lure the crawfish from its hole then attack when it tries to return. Find and recover the peanut butter (Nutrient Silo) to complete the level.
Sublevel 7: Find the cannon bugs and bloyster in the middle. Keep your pikmin back as you use a captain to make the cannon bugs hit each other. To defeat the bloyster you’ll need to use both captains. Distract it by selecting one captain with no pikmin. When it moves toward that captain, switch to the other with purple pikmin and attack the bloyster’s tail. When it turns toward the new captain, switch again and distract. Repeat until the creature is destroyed. Recover the ring (Joyless Jewel) and return it to the pod.
Sublevel 8: On this sublevel you can acquire bulbmin and use candypop buds to create more pikmin. Reinforce your army and continue down.
Sublevel 9: There are bulborbs all over the place! Sneak up on sleeping ones but there’s also one that’s awake. Trap that mobile one near a ledge if possible (if he’s inside a recess while you’re on a ledge) so you can just punch it with your captain. Note that it regenerates also so you’ll have to return it to the pod unless you want to deal with it again. Use red pikmin on the fiery bulborb to uncover the can opener (Dimensional Slicer).
Sublevel 10: Spot the eyes poking out of the ground--that’s your enemy! Toss purples on its head but whistle them back before the creature squashes them. Take out these boss creatures one at a time. Watch out for poison traps and disable with white pikmin. Recover the block (Treasured Gyro Block) from one of the boss creatures and continue down.
Sublevel 11: You come face-to-rear with the empress again! You start near her rear-end where her larvae emerge from. Run to other side--with all your pikmin--and break the wall leading to the exit. While your pikmin work, use captains to eliminate any larvae that follow. You need an area to hide in; when the empress rolls, rocks fall from the ceiling. Attack her face with pikmin. Whistle pikmin back before the empress rolls and retreat to the alcove. Get block (Favorite Gyro Block) from her carcass.
Sublevel 12: Flip over the gold bug, just toss pikmin onto it, to gain the block (Lost Gyro Block) and return it to the pod. Utilize the candypop bud for more pikmin. Flip over other bugs to gain nectar.
[pikmin-059 "Take cover to avoid the armed spider’s projectiles." %>
Sublevel 13: There’s an armed spider in the sublevel’s center chamber. Use blue pikmin to attack because the spider rests in the center of a pool. After the initial bombardment, retreat behind the short walls at the chamber’s edge to avoid the spider’s laser and subsequent projectiles. After its barrage, resume the attack. Pick up the block from its body (Memorable Gyro Block).
Sublevel 14: Battle another mechanical spider! Stay away from the creature’s walk and strike when the spider rests and lowers its body. You may need to use blue pikmin if the beast begins near water. Get the block (Fond Gyro Block) and return it to the pod.
Sublevel 15: Eliminate the jellyfish first then go to the chamber’s center. Time to battle the raging long legs! It’s similar to the previous spider battles but slower and bigger. Stay away from its walk and hit the spider’s body with purple pikmin. Recover the device (Remembered Old Buddy) and conclude the cave.
The entrance to the last cave, the Dream Den, is found near where you recovered the seed and mushroom treasures. It’s the toughest cave in the game and there are no reinforcements on the way down. You must use all pikmin very carefully and have enough to defeat the toughest boss in the game on the den’s final floor.
