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Pikmin 4 adds a whole bunch of new features and modes to an already content-rich series and game. Dandori Battles allow players to go head-to-head against the AI and other players in epic scraps. You will need to complete several of these over the course of the campaign, but you can also access them from your home base and the main menu.
As you progress through the game, Dandori Battles will start to add in new mechanics to keep thing feeling fresh. Naturally, they also get more difficult. This makes getting the coveted Platinum Medal at the end of a battle far harder later in the game. The guide is going to go over the core concepts of Dandori Battles to help you on your journey to mastery.
Note: As of writing, there is no way to turn off the split-screen perspective of Dandori Battles. This can make the mode a bit off putting and even disorientating.
More Pikmin 4 content:
Blue Pikmin | Beginners Guide | Every Pikmin Type | Shortcuts | Oatchi Upgrade Guide | Swim Guide | Foolix Guide | Hectic Hollows
Race To Score Points
To win a Dandori Battle, you need to score points. Your opponent will also be gunning for those points, which turns these battles into something more akin to a tug of war or even a race. There are two ways to generate points:
- Treasure
- Enemies
Treasure
Treasure, like in regular play, is key to your success. This could come in the form of Pikmin Pellets, food, or anything really depending on the stage. These are your primary targets for Dandori Battles as they offer the most points. The more you can collect, the better your score will be.
Treasure will respawn at regular intervals throughout the match. Be sure to keep an eye out for valuable goods and collect them often.
Enemies
Enemies are the dangerous folk that tend to protect treasure, or routes between treasure and your Onion. These are typically lower-tier enemies like Bulborbs, although they can scale to their Giant brethren from time to time. Taking out enemies is important for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, it makes transporting your gubbins safer. Secondly, you can transport their dead bodies back to the Onion for more Pikmin. The more Pikmin you have, the more you can do at once.
It’s a delicate balance at the start of the game between defeating enemies to grow your population and looting treasure to score big points.
Stealing Is Ok
One big thing to note is that you can steal your opponents stuff provided they haven’t returned it to their Onion. If 10 Pikmin are carrying a Strawberry and you want that Strawberry, simply send 11. Because your Pikmin have the strength advantage, they will start to pull that Strawberry towards your Onion.
Pulling off a successful heist can be difficult – especially against a real human. It’s all in the timing. If the player avatar is nowhere to be seen, then swooping in for the quick nab is always a good thing. Not only do they not score points, but those Pikmin are out of commission for a while AND you scored points. That’s a lot of win.
Bonus Targets
One of the first additional mechanics to unlock is Bonus Targets. These will spawn over the course of a Dandori Battle, amd offer you substantial boosts to your score. It is always a good idea to hunt these down. They are marked both at the top of your screen, and in game with a tag.
Naturally, you want to get as many of these as you can. These also perfect for stealing as you will get the most return off of them. The more bonuses you can score, the better.
Random Power-Ups
Later in the game you will unlock randomised power ups. These spawn across the map and can be picked up simply by walking over them. This will start a Mario Kart-esque selection process. Once the dial stops spinning, you will have access to your item.
There are a fair few to discover, but they are all powerful. Some will force your opponent to teleport back to their Onion, where others will spawn a host of Pikmin. Experimenting with these power ups can lead to some great results, and picking them up whenever you see them is advised.
You can only hold one at a time, however, so make sure to use them. They don’t do anything by gathering dust in your pocket.
Sneaky Bombs
One of the final mechanical unlocks is the dastardly bomb. This thing spawns on a map and when picked up by your Pikmin, won’t be sent to your Onion. Instead, it will be carried to your opponents Onion. If it reaches its destination, then it goes off and your opponent loses a massive chunk of their points.
These are represented by blocks that can be collected by your Pikmin. You can then transport these blocks back to your Onion to score big. These bombs are game changing as it directly attacks your opponents score whilst buffing yours. These bombs will be hard fought over, and be sure to watch out for their spawn.
Oatchie
Finally, you have Oatchie to help you in all your Dandori exploits. Oatchie is just as powerful as he has always been, and he even has access to any abilities he gained through training. Utilising Oatchie can make Dandori Battle far easier, especially if you use him to carry things.
Oatchie can quite easily become as strong as 100 Pikmin, which lets him carry any object by himself. This also lets him steal just about anything, and he should absolutely be used in this capacity often.
Do be aware that Oatchie is not impervious to damage, and your opponent will try to attack Oatchie directly. If Oatchie runs out of health, he will be knocked out and you will lose a key piece in the war for treasure.
That’s all we have on Pikmin 4 for now. Be sure to check out our other Guides and Lists for more Pikmin content.
