Louie's Treasure Crew

Lore & Background

Captain Louie is a co-worker of Captain Olimar at Hocotate Freight. After the events of Pikmin, Olimar returns to Hocotate and learns that Louie lost a shipment of luxury carrots to a "space rabbit," forcing the company to take out a large loan. When Olimar drops a bottle cap he brought as a souvenir, the intelligent Hocotate Ship appraises it as valuable. The company president orders both Olimar and Louie to take this ship to the distant planet and collect more treasure to save the company. Louie and Olimar crash land and are separated but later reunited with the help of local Pikmin. While collecting valuables, they encounter white and purple varieties of Pikmin. Louie's crew notes indicate he is only interested in cooking and eating the alien flora and fauna. After enough treasure is found to cover the debt, Olimar takes off for Hocotate, only to realize Louie was left behind. Olimar and the president return to rescue Louie and collect more treasure. They eventually encounter Louie in a deep cave atop a giant, weaponized spider-like creature called the Titan Dweevil. After defeating it, Louie is recovered. In a special epilogue, it is revealed that the missing shipment of luxury carrots was eaten by Louie, who falsified his report to avoid trouble. A ship's log implies he may have been controlling the Titan Dweevil.

In Their Own Story

After the events of Pikmin, Captain Olimar returns to his home planet Hocotate. He learns from his employer that his co-worker, Louie, lost a shipment of luxury carrots to a "space rabbit." The company is forced to take out a large loan to cover the loss and immediately sells Olimar's ship. When Olimar drops a bottle cap he brought home as a souvenir, an intelligent company ship appraises it as considerably valuable. The company president orders Olimar and Louie to take this ship to the planet where the treasure was found and collect more of it to save the company. Olimar and Louie crash land and are separated but are reunited with the support of the local Pikmin. While collecting valuables, they encounter white and purple varieties of Pikmin, which Olimar had not encountered before. Louie's crew notes indicate that he is only interested in cooking and eating the alien flora and fauna. After finding enough treasure to cover the company debt, Olimar takes off for Hocotate, only to realize that Louie was somehow left behind. Olimar and the president decide to return to rescue Louie and collect more treasure to strengthen the company's finances. They eventually encounter him in a deep cave, atop a giant, weaponized spider-like creature called the Titan Dweevil. The various types of Pikmin are needed to disarm and defeat it. Louie is recovered and the crew departs the planet, leaving the Pikmin behind. In a special epilogue, it is revealed that the missing shipment of luxury carrots was eaten by Louie, who falsified his report to the president to avoid trouble. A ship's log implies that he may have been controlling the Titan Dweevil.

Reader's Guide

The player controls both Captain Olimar and Louie from a third-person microscopic perspective to retrieve treasures from the surface of an unknown planet. The gameplay focuses on leading and directing a horde of Pikmin to accomplish this mission. Because the player controls two leaders simultaneously, they can have the leaders separate with their own Pikmin hordes to complete multiple tasks at once. The player can amass a limitless number of Pikmin, but only up to 100 are allowed on the field at any time. Unlike Pikmin, the game lacks a time limit and gives the player an unlimited number of days. The player explores four distinct locales on the distant planet, which vary in theme, enemies, and treasures found. Caves are scattered throughout the landscape, which the player, the Pikmin horde, and the ship's AI can enter. Caves contain multiple treasures and enemies spread across multiple sub-levels. While inside a cave, time does not pass on the surface due to a time warp caused by a strong geomagnetic field. However, the Pikmin Onions do not follow the player, meaning they must bring enough Pikmin beforehand to use within the cave. Caves are also home to larger, stronger enemies that serve as the game's bosses, which upon defeat award treasures that bestow new abilities to the player characters. Cave layouts are randomly generated, but certain floors are not, generally boss floors. Caves are also the only place to find the "Violet" or "Ivory" "Candypop Buds" that make Purple or White Pikmin. The player completes the game after collecting all 201 treasures.

Did You Know?

• Louie lost a shipment of luxury carrots to a 'space rabbit,' which forced Hocotate Freight to take out a large loan and led to the treasure-hunting mission.
• In a special epilogue, it is revealed that Louie actually ate the missing luxury carrots and falsified his report to the president to avoid trouble.
• A ship's log implies that Louie may have been controlling the Titan Dweevil, the giant weaponized spider-like creature encountered in a deep cave.
• Louie's crew notes indicate that he is only interested in cooking and eating the alien flora and fauna on the distant planet.
• Louie was left behind on the planet after Olimar took off for Hocotate, requiring Olimar and the president to return and rescue him.