Bingo Battle (ビンゴバトル^?, lit.: 'Bingo Battle') is a 2-player competitive game mode in Pikmin 3. The mode involves each player attempting to fill a bingo card before their opponent by carrying various fruits, enemies, and marbles to the Onion. Player 1 controls a cyan team of Koppaites on the left side of the screen, while player 2 controls a pink team of Hocotatians on the right side. The mode is somewhat similar to the 2-Player Battle mode in Pikmin 2.

Players can take control of Pikmin of any type (up to two types), but only within their team. The only way to distinguish which Pikmin belong to which team is with the top of their stems: their leaf, bud or flower will be cyan when they belong to player 1's team, and pink for player 2's. Players start with a certain type of Pikmin – the same for both teams, but it is possible to find more Pikmin of their team buried in the wild. Plucking them increases the actual Pikmin count for the team, meaning that if the Pikmin are not plucked, they count as not belonging to the player in the first place.

Each player has an Onion, to which Pikmin can carry their spoils. Upon delivery, new Pikmin are created, and the Onion follows the same rules as it would in Story mode, except the maximum on-field limit for each player is 50 Pikmin instead. Seeing as leaders cannot access the Onion menu, the Onion is in charge of automatically spitting out Pikmin seeds whenever there is space for them in the field. Pikmin that die to opposing Pikmin attacks simply respawn at the Onion.

There are some special collectibles scattered around the stage, which have different effects when recovered. Leaders cannot damage each other or opposing Pikmin with punches, not even if enemies are around to enable punching. Enemy Pikmin can however attack opposing leaders and their army. If a leader has Pikmin latched on, the player can shake them off by repeatedly spinning / / . Like in Pikmin 2, leaders that are being attacked by Pikmin cannot do anything but move about and shake them off, but unlike in Pikmin 2, leaders can be downed from Pikmin attacks, although it does take a while.

In Pikmin 3, the Wii U GamePad provides a map of the area, and Off-TV Play cannot be enabled. Since there is no GamePad in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, each player can instead open the radar on their own half of the screen. In either game, this map merely shows the area in its entirety and cannot be interacted with. It shows the location of fruits, enemies, Cupid's Grenades, leaders and Pikmin. The color of the Pikmin's dots represent the Pikmin type, not the team. Oddly, in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, it is not possible to move while the radar is up, unless the leader is holding a Pikmin. In Pikmin 3 Deluxe players can also press a button to make the camera face north and, for a few seconds, display a blinking arrow that points to their team's Onion. Also in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, players can use the pause menu to restart the battle – this will use the same stage layout, but not the same bingo cards.

Maps[edit]

There are 12 stages to choose from in Bingo Battle. There are 6 themes (garden, construction site, cavern, sandbox, metal, and toy), and there are two stages for each theme. Three of the themes (cavern, metal, and toy) are similar to cave themes seen in Pikmin 2.

When the stage is selected from the Bingo Battle menu, one of its available layouts is randomly picked. Players only have the first stage available at the start of the saved game, but each time a battle is finished in the newest available stage, the next one in the list is unlocked. Likewise, each stage only has one layout available when played for the first time, and every time a battle is finished, another layout is unlocked on that stage, up to three layouts total. The order in which layouts are unlocked depends on the stage.

Ways to win[edit]

There are four ways to become victorious:

• Score a bingo: By completing a row, column, or diagonal line of four items on their bingo card, the player automatically wins.
• Stealing the Victory Macaroon: By enabling the Victory Macaroon mode, players can steal this object from their opponent's base and deliver it to their Onion to win. Similar to stealing an opponent's marble from 2-Player Battle.
• Causing a Pikmin extinction: If the player's entire population of Pikmin perishes, the opposing player wins. This cannot happen with an inter-Pikmin battle.
• Leader down: If a leader loses all of their health, the other player's team wins, even if there is another living leader on the team.

Options[edit]

Before starting, players must choose their control method. Players can choose any of the control schemes they could in Story Mode. It is possible to re-establish the control types for each player by choosing the icon on the lower-right corner of the screen, but it is not possible to change controls mid-battle – the exception to this is toggling Stylus mode on the GamePad via the pause menu.

Before the battle starts, players can also set the following match options:

• Victory Macaroon: Setting this to on will enable the Victory Macaroons. The default value is off.
• Battle Type: Allows players to choose the number of starting leaders: one or two. The default value is 1 vs 1. Every other time this option is set to on, the secondary leader on player 1's team toggles between Brittany and Charlie.
• Number of Pikmin: Allows players to choose the starting number of Pikmin (excluding those buried), for each team individually, in increments of five. If the chosen number of starting Pikmin plus the number of Pikmin buried in the wild exceeds 50, the number of starting Pikmin will be decreased accordingly. The option to start with 1 Pikmin is also available. The maximum amount is 50, and the default value is 5 for each team.

Bingo card[edit]

Each player starts with a 4 × 4 bingo card, that is randomly generated when the match starts. The card is filled with items that can be recovered in the current stage – fruits, enemies and marbles. Every time an item is recovered, that square becomes highlighted. By highlighting four squares in the same row, column, or diagonal line, the player wins. When a line is one item away from being cleared, a dotted line appears on the HUD. This can happen for more than one line at once.

Any item that is held inside an enemy appears as a question mark, and is only transformed into its correct drawing once the unknown enemy that held it is defeated. If an item has already been recovered by the opponent, a no symbol appears on top of it.

Collectibles[edit]

Certain special collectibles appear on the stage.

Victory Macaroon[edit]

The Victory Macaroon is a macaron (a sweet that sometimes goes by the name 'macaroon') with a team-colored flag on top. Each one starts near its team's Onion, and is available for capture by the enemy's Pikmin. If the opponent delivers the macaroon to their own Onion, they are declared the victor. A player's Pikmin can carry their own macaroon back to their base, but because it cannot be delivered to the Onion, the Pikmin carrying it behave oddly – they alternate between celebrating a successful delivery and re-grabbing it, until they eventually settle down and leave the macaroon alone. The Victory Macaroons will only appear if the corresponding option is enabled. The weight is 1, and the max carriers are 8.

Cupid's Grenade[edit]

Cupid's Grenades randomly spawn about the stage, and delivering one to an Onion grants the player with an item spin on their roulette wheel. More than one spin can be queued, and the number of spins available is presented on the HUD. Up to five spins may be in queue, and after an item is used, the next spin in the queue instantly takes place. Cupid's Grenades stop spawning after Lucky Marbles begin doing so. The weight is 1, and the max carriers is 2.

Golden Grenade[edit]

Golden Grenades resemble Cupid's Grenades, but are completely golden. When one is delivered to an Onion, the corresponding player's roulette wheel spin queue is filled. As such, it is more efficient to first use the spins in queue before recovering a Golden Grenade. The weight is 1, the max carriers are 2. They tend to appear next to the Onion of the player that is behind, when the other player is one-away from victory.

Lucky Marble[edit]

A Lucky Marble is a golden marble, that resembles The President of Hocotate Freight. Upon being delivered, it fills up a random unfilled space on the player's bingo card. If the player is one away before this powerup is activated, the screen will spread over to show that player's screen more, since there is a possibility that the Lucky Marble can fill the last slot needed. The weight is 1 and the max carriers is 8.

Lucky Marbles only begin appearing after the match has gone on for eight minutes. At this point, Cupid's Grenades stop spawning, and the music changes to a calmer mood.

Items[edit]

A player can get items by carrying cherries back to their Onion. If a Golden Grenade is obtained, the player gets five items in storage. To use the items, the player must press / / , tap the item icon if on Stylus mode, or hold / and choosing the rightmost option. Before an item becomes available to use, the roulette must first spin, which takes around three seconds. The spinning stops the player from being able to use items one right after the other. These are the possible items:

Strategies[edit]

Using items[edit]

Just as always, there is a proper time and way to use each item.

• More Pikmin: Because you can have no more than 50 Pikmin, you shouldn't use this if the sum goes over 50, otherwise it will be a waste.
• Lightning: Use the lightning when the opponent's leader has a large group of Pikmin with them. It is best used when the leader is busy fighting an enemy, or holding an explosive.
• Rock Storm: This is also best used when the leader is with a large group of Pikmin. Try not to use it if your opponent is near an enemy, as the rocks will destroy the enemy.
• Ultra-spicy spray: Best used before fighting a mini-boss. It is also good to use it before fighting your opponent's Pikmin. Finally, it is also good to use if any Pikmin are not flowered yet.
• Enemy Annihilator: Use this with as many enemies on screen as possible. If there is just one enemy left to win, find it and then use the powerup.
• Warp: Use it when your opponent is near an item or enemy that they need to win. Also good to use when they are trying to steal your Victory Macaroon.
• Bomb: Best to use whenever necessary. As always, use it to destroy enemies. Alternatively, try using it on any of your opponent's Pikmin trying to carry back an object.
• Shuffle: The Shuffle should be used when your opponent is close to a victory.
• Mine: This is essentially just another bomb rock. You can use it on enemies and obstacles, but it should be put onto an object that your opponent needs to win. Therefore, when they try to get it, they will lose Pikmin. Placing it near their Onion is also good. Try to keep it out of view as well, so the opponent won't notice it at first.
• Macaroon Recovery: Use it if your Macaroon is being taken. It won't have any effect otherwise.

Avoiding items[edit]

These are defensive strategies if any items are used against you.

• Lightning: Disband your Pikmin before it gets used or, if they are carrying an object, move away from them. You can also switch to another leader, if you know that said leader and their Pikmin will suffer less from the shock.
• Rock Storm: If you see it coming, the same strategy as the lightning can also be used. If they're already coming, just keep moving forward, and if possible, go near some enemies, as the rocks can potentially kill them.
• Enemy Annihilator: Try to use this to your advantage and carry back any enemies affected by this. Because the opponent might use it to kill enemies they need, try salvaging those enemies before the opponent can reach them.
• Bomb: If you see the opponent rushing in for you, keep in mind that they could have bomb rocks, so try to avoid them or bait them into using the bomb in a way where you can escape.
• Shuffle: There is no real way to avoid this. However, by having many items on the board, it is possible that it will still result in you being one away.
• Mine: If you can notice that your opponent has one, keep a look out to see where they put it. Otherwise, if you think a mine is set somewhere, disband your squad and check for mines, so that if there's a detonation, no Pikmin will perish. Remember to also rotate the camera around before recovering important objects, as a mine might reveal itself from a different angle.

Victory Macaroons[edit]

If you have Victory Macaroons activated, defending and retrieving your macaroon – as well as stealing your opponent's macaroon – can be a problem. The following are some helpful tips:

Defense[edit]

• Leave a leader with some Pikmin near the Macaroon.
• Watch over your enemy at all times.
• Use mines and other items when necessary.

Recovering[edit]

• Bring most of your army and swarm the Macaroon.
• Attack the opponent's leaders so they can't react.
• Use items at the right time to further distract leaders.
• Do not charge at the Macaroon from behind. The Pikmin will not reach it fast enough, and will give up chasing it. Instead try throwing from behind.

Stealing[edit]

• Use White and Winged Pikmin to get the Macaroon.
• While your Pikmin are busy grabbing it, distract the enemy Pikmin with a single Pikmin.
• Use items when your opponent's leaders show up.

Badges[edit]

In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, there are six badges the player can gain from playing Bingo Battle:

• Gadget Master: Using ten different types of items in Bingo Battle.
• Game Changer: Playing a round of Bingo Battle with the Victory Macaroon rule.
• Line 'Em Up: Playing a round of Bingo Battle.
• Bingo Buff: Playing 10 rounds of Bingo Battle.
• Bingo Fiend: Playing a round on all 10 Bingo Battle maps.
• Pincer Attack: Being one space away from winning a round in Bingo Battle on two separate rows and/or columns.

• Gadget Master. The badge shows a Cupid's Grenade in the middle of a roulette wheel.

• Game Changer. The badge shows a red Victory Macaroon.

• Line 'Em Up. The badge shows a blank bingo card.

• Bingo Buff. The badge shows a bingo card with a single row completed.

• Bingo Fiend. The badge shows three bingo cards.

• Pincer Attack. The badge shows a bingo card with two rows completed.

Gallery[edit]

• The stage select screen in Bingo Battle.

• The rules for a round of Bingo Battle.

• The blue team is one item away from winning.

• Player 1's card (left) has some unobtainable items, and player 2's card (right) has a couple of one-aways.

• The Enemy Annihilator item being used to instantly take care of a Yellow Wollywog.

• Alph stealing Olimar's victory macaroon.

• The blue team activating the Rock Storm item.

• The blue team carrying the red team's Victory Macaroon.

• One of the possible control schemes in Bingo Battle.

Trivia[edit]

• Bingo Battle and Mission Mode are the only modes in which the player can find White and Purple Pikmin in Pikmin 3.
• When the Koppaite team carries its last item back to the Onion, the Pikmin appear to chant 'Kop-pai, Kop-pai'. When the Hocotatian team does this, the Pikmin chant 'Hocotate', or 'Ho-cotate, Ho-cotate.'

Names in other languages[edit]

Victory Macaroon

See also[edit]