Pikmin 4 Walkthrough: Complete Guide From Day 1 to Post-Game

Pikmin 4 Walkthrough at a Glance

This Pikmin 4 walkthrough takes you step by step through every location and main mission in the game, from the crash-landing prologue all the way to the post-game areas. For each region, you will rescue Castaways, collect Treasures, clear underground caves, and practice Dandori — the fast, organized planning that makes every exploration day count.

The campaign flows through a clear structure: a short prologue starring Captain Olimar, then a chain of overworld areas separated by mandatory Night Expeditions. If you prefer to watch the whole adventure before playing it yourself, a full no-commentary gameplay walkthrough on YouTube covers the entire game in HD, which is handy for checking boss fights or tricky cave sublevels.

Getting Started: Demo Save Import and the Prologue

Before diving into the main story, there is one quality-of-life step worth knowing. If you played the Pikmin 4 demo and reached a save point, the demo automatically created a save on your Nintendo Switch. When you boot up the full game on the same console, it will detect that save automatically — just follow the on-screen menu prompt to import it and pick up exactly where the demo left off.

From there, the game opens with a brief prologue in which Captain Olimar recounts crashing the S.S. Dolphin and the rescue mission that followed. Your first tasks are simple: find the last missing piece of the S.S. Dolphin and collect your first Pikmin along the way. It is a gentle tutorial that teaches plucking, throwing, and commanding your squad before the real story begins.

After the prologue, Exploration Day 1 tasks you with rescuing the Rescue Corps, who crashed while searching for Olimar. As the newest recruit — fittingly nicknamed Rookie — you are the only one left who can track down every stranded crew member.

Main Story Areas and Cave Guides

The core campaign is divided into three exploration regions, each packed with caves, Treasures, and Castaways. The table below summarizes the recommended day-by-day route, based on the area and cave breakdown in IGN's Pikmin 4 walkthrough:

A few tips as you move through these regions:

• Sun-Speckled Terrace is your training ground. Expand your knowledge of Pikmin colors and grow your crew size before committing to deeper caves.
• Blossoming Arcadia introduces tougher encounters, so lean on Dandori to split your squad efficiently between gathering Treasures and fighting enemies.
• Serene Shores wraps up the overworld portion of the main story with some of the most creative cave designs in the game.

Night Expeditions, Hero's Hideaway, and the First Ending

Once you have completed Sun-Speckled Terrace, Blossoming Arcadia, and Serene Shores, the structure changes: you must switch to Night Expeditions to keep progressing. You will need to complete three of these nighttime survival runs — scheduled on Exploration Days 12, 13, and 14 back at Sun-Speckled Terrace — to recover Bernard the Pilot and unlock the next area, Hero's Hideaway. Night Expeditions play very differently from daytime exploring, so it pays to read a dedicated survival guide before heading out.

With Hero's Hideaway unlocked, the endgame is in sight:

1. Exploration Day 15: Clear the Doppelganger's Den cave in Hero's Hideaway.
2. Exploration Day 16: Clear the Plunder Palace cave in Hero's Hideaway.
3. Exploration Day 18: Complete the Blossoming Arcadia Night Expedition to trigger the credits and unlock the first ending.

That final Night Expedition is mandatory — you cannot see the ending without it. Once the credits roll, the game keeps going with a full suite of post-game content.

Post-Game: Giant's Hearth and Primordial Thicket

Reaching the credits is only the midpoint. Two new areas unlock after the first ending, filled with Treasures, additional sublevel caves, and Castaways to rescue. Clearing them both is the path to 100% completion:

Primordial Thicket is the true finale, stacking four caves onto a single day and culminating in the Final Battle cave. Make sure your Pikmin types are upgraded and your squad is at maximum size before attempting it.

FAQ

How long does a full Pikmin 4 walkthrough take?

Following the recommended day structure, the main story spans roughly 18 in-game exploration days, with post-game content in Giant's Hearth and Primordial Thicket extending the run to 100% completion.

Can I import my Pikmin 4 demo save into the full game?

Yes. The demo creates a save on your Switch automatically once you reach a save point. Boot the full game on the same console and it will detect the demo save, letting you import it and continue from where you left off.

Do I have to complete Night Expeditions to finish the game?

Yes. Three Night Expeditions at Sun-Speckled Terrace are required to recover Bernard the Pilot and unlock Hero's Hideaway, and one final Night Expedition at Blossoming Arcadia is needed to unlock the first ending and the credits.

What unlocks after the first ending?

Two post-game areas — Giant's Hearth and Primordial Thicket — become available, adding new caves, Treasures, Castaways, and a final challenge to earn 100% completion.

Where can I watch a full Pikmin 4 playthrough?

A complete no-commentary HD playthrough is available on YouTube, and written step-by-step coverage of every area is available in IGN's Pikmin 4 walkthrough.