Pikmin 4 has introduced a small hub world for players to explore, gather Pikmin, take on Side Quests and even power up. Not only that, but you can also go shopping once you rescue Russ – something that happens very early on. Once unlocked, you should head over to Russ regularly for a small shopping spree.
Of course, there are plenty of things to buy ranging from permanent upgrades to one-off consumables. It can be difficult to tell which items are worth buying – heck it can be hard to determine which should be bought first. We’ve compiled a list of things we think are priority purchases to help you on your rescue mission.
More Pikmin 4 content:
Blue Pikmin | Beginners Guide | Every Pikmin Type | Shortcuts | Oatchi Upgrade Guide | Swim Guide | Foolix Guide | Hectic Hollows
How To Shop In Pikmin 4
To shop in Pikmin 4 you need two things:
- Rescue Russ
- Raw Materials
That first part will happen early in the game as a mandatory event, so don’t worry about that. The second bit is a smidge harder. Raw Materials aren’t easy to gather in large quantities in the early game. Not only that, but you need those same Raw Materials to explore the world.
To combat this dual use, we recommend keeping between 50-100 Raw Materials in your bank at all times. That way you won’t hit an unexpected roadblock.
Prototypes
As you progress through the game, Russ will create new gadgets for you to mess with. The part about this is the Prototype system. The first consumable item you buy is always free. This lets you experiment with various bits, bobs, and bombs before you drop the Raw Materials on them for real. There is no reason why you shouldn’t buy every available Prototype the moment they are available.
Best Gear And Items To Buy In Pikmin 4
Bombs
This one might seem a bit silly since Bombs can be obtained by exploring – albeit rarely. However, Bombs are so useful, we found ourselves buying all of Russ’ stock at the start of every day.
Bombs can be used in two main ways – you can either use them in combat or exploration. The best part is that they work wonders in both roles. If an enemy seems a bit too dangerous for your Pikmin, throw a Bomb and watch it melt. Most enemies can’t take a hit from a Bomb, so it is often a free kill.
Bombs can also break down walls. Your Pikmin can do it, but early on this can take a long time since you don’t have the numbers. Pikmin 4 is all about the efficient use of time, and Bombs are always the most efficient way to clear a roadblock. They are cheap, so use them as much as you can.
Elemental Guards For Oatchi
We are going to lump all of these together to save time, but you want to buy elemental immunity for Oatchie as soon as you possibly can. Heck, you want to prioritise Oatchie’s defence over your own in this regard.
The main reason for this is that Oatchie is really good at helping you out, and you can FEEL it when he’s loitering around doing nothing. This happens more often the further you get into the game because more dangerous environments and enemies start rolling out.
Considering Oatchie is constantly getting more powerful, you want to be able to lean on his strength as often as possible. We found Scorch and Electric Guard to be the most useful early, but every Guard is great and should be active at all times.
Gunk Busters
This one is odd because there isn’t that much movement-slowing Gunk in Pikmin 4. The problem with not taking Gunkbusters is that you will regret that decision every time you are slowed. Just buy them and move on. You’ll forget you have the upgrade, but you’ll subconsciously know that your choice made your life easier.
Oh, and this upgrade buffs Oatchie for free too, so you can move around on foot or mounted without fear of gunk. Nice.
Brace Boots
Following on from Gunkbusters, you want to get knockback immunity ASAP. How useful is this upgrade? I have no idea. Why? I bought it immediately and then never got knocked back. I can only assume this purchase not only saved my life but is the reason every Castaway in the game survived. Without this upgrade, anything could have happened. But it didn’t, and it won’t to you either if you blindly buy and forget.
Mines
Bombs are great, but what happens when you have a bomb that sticks to things? Well, you get a Mine and they are glorious. Hop onto Oatchie to keep your Pikmin safe, run up to anything, and then stick them with a Mine. Run away as fast as you can and watch the fireworks. Most enemies die to a single Mine so think of it as a problem deleter.
Tuff Stuff
Pikmin 4 isn’t all that difficult all things considered, but it does get more challenging the further you get. For this reason, you want to stock up on HP. This goes for you and Oatchie. You don’t want to lose progress because one too many Bulborbs nibbled at your ankles. Heck, you can even tank more hits from bosses, what’s not to like?
Treasure Gauge+
You may have noticed that after fully completing an area, you still haven’t landed on 100%. This is because there are some treasures hidden from you without the Treasure Gauge+ upgrade. It’s a bit of a sneaky way to get you to head back to old areas and hunt for items, but it’s a bullet you should absolutely bite. Without this you’ll be staring eternally at 99% completion, and nobody deserves that fate. Well, maybe Louie.
That’s all we have on Pikmin 4 for now. Be sure to check out our other Guides and Lists for more Pikmin content.
