Pikmin 3 Deluxe: How to Defeat Every Boss (Tips, Tricks, & Strategies)

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is finally here and it has brought back the same boss encounters that were present in the original version of the game. This guide will tell players how to take down the monstrous guardians of planet PNF-404.

The Pikmin series might involve controlling cute plant creatures and exploring cartoon environments, but the game has some massive boss monsters that need taking down. The fact that everything in the series is so small means that creatures like centipedes and spiders prove to be massive foes for Olimar, Alph, and their allies. Pikmin 3 Deluxe is no exception, as Alph’s crew needs to tackle some colossal beasts on their journey home.

Armoured Mawdad in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Armoured Mawdad is protected by a thick carapace that acts like armor. It loves to charge across the battlefield, so be ready to shift direction at a moment’s notice. In order to beat this boss, the player needs to break its carapace with Rock Pikmin. The two antennae on the front of its body are also susceptible to damage. Once the shell has been broken, the boss will take damage from any type of Pikmin, so long as it’s thrown against the fleshy part of its body.

Vehemoth Phosbat in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

The battle arena is the key to defeating this massive moth monster. This creature has the ability to become invisible in the dark, so the player needs to keep running from glow mushroom to glow mushroom. In order to expose this creature to damage, the player needs to light up all of the batteries in the arena with Yellow Pikmin. Once all of the lights are on, the boss will fall to the ground and it can be damaged by Pikmin. Once it takes to the air again, use Yellow Pikmin to weaken it and bring it to the ground, so it can be pummeled by a Red/Rock Pikmin charge.

Sandbelching Meerslug in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

This boss thinks it’s the Sarlaac pit monster from Return of the Jedi, but it’s a lot easier to kill. The Meerslug has the ability to tunnel beneath the sand and create a whirlpool to drag Pikmin and players in. Keep to the edge of the arena and use the whistle to pull trapped Pikmin out of the sand. Once the boss emerges, pound it with Pikmin until it falls to the ground, making it susceptible to damage. The boss becomes faster as the battle goes on, so make sure to be ready to stick and move whenever it starts spitting projectiles.

Scornet Maestro in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

This boss protects itself with a swarm of insects. Any attack made while the insects are swarming will be deflected. Wait until the boss commits to an attack, which involves shaping the insects into a weapon. This will leave it exposed to an attack from Winged Pikmin (and Yellow Pikmin if the player can get in range), dropping it to the ground. Once it’s on the floor, the other Pikmin can harm it. If the insects kidnap a Pikmin, just throw another at it to free its ally. Eventually, the boss will move the insects in front of its body into a battle formation. Dodge to the side when they charge and then go in for the kill, as it will be exposed to damage.

Quaggled Mireclops in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Once this boss rises out of the ground, use Blue Pikmin to attack its feet in order to bring it down if it steps in the water. Use Rock Pikmin to shatter the crystal on its body, exposing the head. If it attacks with its massive tongue, just run down of its body and out of its reach. The head can be attacked by Pikmin if the player can get into range. If the boss rises into the air, run, as it’s about to slam into the ground and instakill any Pikmin within range. Just keep bringing it down, dodge the tongue, then go in for attacks with Red Pikmin, and it should be an easy kill.

Plasm Wraith in Pikmin 3 Deluxe

The final boss of the game is tied to the timing mechanic of Pikmin 3 Deluxe. The Plasm Wraith will chase the player throughout the stage, while they carry the unconscious Olimar with them. If the day ends before they make it outside, then they need to repeat the day from scratch. If the player can get the boss outside, then it will still be waiting if they start a new day.

As for the boss battle itself, the intention is to break gold fragments of its body when they fall to the ground and use charging Pikmin to destroy them. This is the only way to permanently damage the boss. During the battle, the boss will tear pieces of its body off and create allies. Specific Pikmin are needed to defeat each foe. The water sphere requires the Blue Pikmin, the slime pool with the fire requires the Red Pikmin, the electric sphere requires the Yellow Pikmin, and the clear cube requires the Rock Pikmin. Just keep breaking the spheres and gobbling up all of the pieces as they fall to the ground, and the boss should go down.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe will be released for Nintendo Switch on October 30, 2020.

About The Author

Scott Baird
(2509 Articles Published)

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Scott has been writing for Screen Rant since 2016 and regularly contributes to The Gamer. He has previously written articles and video scripts for websites like Cracked, Dorkly, Topless Robot, and TopTenz.
A graduate of Edge Hill University in the UK, Scott started out as a film student before moving into journalism. It turned out that wasting a childhood playing video games, reading comic books, and watching movies could be used for finding employment, regardless of what any career advisor might tell you. Scott specializes in gaming and has loved the medium since the early ‘90s when his first console was a ZX Spectrum that used to take 40 minutes to load a game from a tape cassette player to a black and white TV set. Scott now writes game reviews for Screen Rant and The Gamer, as well as news reports, opinion pieces, and game guides. He can be contacted on LinkedIn.

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