Seesaw block

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A seesaw block inPikmin 3.

Seesaw blocks are pairs of blocks that, together, act as a scale. They are only found inPikmin 2 andPikmin 3, and only aboveground. Usually, one of the blocks in a pair is low enough to walk onto, the other higher, but still low enough forPikmin to bethrown onto it. The block with the most weight on top of it will go down, and the other will go up in the process. Their purpose is to provide access to higher ground."Carrying" numbers appear above the blocks, allowing players to understand the weight exerted on each one. InPikmin 2, the leaders have no influence on the weight a seesaw block is submitted to, but they do inPikmin 3.

InPikmin 2, these blocks are made of wood, and the two blocks in a pair are almost always found right next to one another, with the exceptions being the ones near theAir Brake and theMassage Girdle. InPikmin 3, they look like decorated boxes, and the two blocks in the same pair are always found far away from one another. In addition, there is another tool called anelevator platform that functions the same, but is presented differently.

Use[edit]

Pikmin 2[edit]

To use the seesaw blocks, the player must have their leader stand on the lower block and throw Pikmin onto the higher block, such that there is more weight on the other block; at that point theleader and Pikmin left with them will raise up, allowing them to walk onto the ledge above. Unfortunately, this means some Pikmin must be left behind, leaving the player with fewer up the top and the chance of forgetting where the others are.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to get around this. Throwing a fewPurple Pikmin to the higher block reduces the number left behind, as they weigh more. To reduce the number further, with both leaders, one of them should remain at the bottom and take the other to the top by outweighing them with one Pikmin. Next, the player should throw all the Pikmin from the lower leader to the higher one on the ledge. The drawback is that this allows only one leader to get to the top. Alternatively, the player can throw all Pikmin up onto the target ledge except one, then use that one to outweigh both leaders (on the lower block) and raise them to the higher position where the other Pikmin are. This, however, leaves one Pikmin down below, prone to being forgotten.

Another, harder method allows one to get all Pikmin and leaders up. The player must throw all but one Pikmin on the target platform (preferably aWhite Pikmin). The player should throw the final one onto the higher seesaw block, then quickly call it back, so that it reaches the rising block during the weight shifting animation, which cannot be interrupted. Once the Pikmin is close, the leader can throw it on the target platform before the seesaw blocks' animation is over. If done successfully, the player should have all Pikmin on the target platform and the leaders on the higher seesaw block, without said block going down, giving the leaders the chance to walk onto the ledge. Alternately, that last Pikmin can be thrown diagonally across the higher seesaw block, onto the ledge, such that it walks across the block and makes the leaders rise when whistled.

Pikmin 3[edit]

InPikmin 3, because the matching blocks are far away from one another, two leaders are needed to operate them effectively. The leader that should go up should stay on the lowered block, while another leader near the other block should throw Pikmin to increase the weight there. Meanwhile, the first leader will rise up and access the ledge they needed. If the player wishes to bring Pikmin up with them, it is recommended to throw said Pikmin onto the upper ledge, instead of letting them ride on the block, otherwise that will just mean more Pikmin will have to be put on the other side to balance it out.

Locations[edit]

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Pikmin 2

Awakening Wood: one pair is used to get to theAir Brake, at the southwest, and the other is near theWhite Flower Garden on the northeast, providing access to the area that leads to theBulblax Kingdom. These seesaw blocks near the Bulblax Kingdom are slightly larger, and use a different model.
Perplexing Pool: one pair can be found at the central west, providing access to the center of the area for players that take the western path, and the other two pairs belong to the group of four blocks at the north, needed to get to theMassage Girdle.

Pikmin 3

Tropical Wilds: there is one pair, with one block next to the beach at the north, and its counterpart inside the tree structure the first block leads to. Pikmin can be thrown onto the second block from the outside by use of a nearbyBouncy Mushroom, and can be called by having a leader peek under a hole to the west of the structure.
Tropical Wilds Remix: One block is on the same beach as its Story Mode counterpart, while the other is near the entrance to theSandbelching Meerslug arena.
Looking for Louie: The two halves of the one pair are found at opposite sides of the area, and allow Olimar to ascend a ledge.

Elevator platform[edit]

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Elevator platforms are pairs of tin cans, bound together by a piece of rope, hanging from a pulley system. They act the same as seesaw blocks, but instead of protruding from the ground, they rise and lower in the air. Despite being possible to walk under them it is not possible to getcrushed by them. InHey! Pikmin, they act as minor tools and are presented in three different colors; red, yellow, and blue. However, inPikmin 3 and theSuper Smash Bros. series they're only red.

A single elevator platform.
Brittany and her Pikmin on some elevator platforms.
A pair of elevator platforms.
Brittany andYellow Pikmin using an elevator platform.

Weighted platform[edit]

A pair of elevator platforms in the Garden of Hope.

The weighted platform in theGarden of Hope.

InPikmin 3, in theGarden of Hope, a platform with various weights on it appears near theAstringent Clump. Due to this, the base weight of the platform is of 10 Pikmin, meaning 11 Pikmin are needed to weight the other platform down.

Locations[edit]

Pikmin 3

Story Mode
- Garden of Hope: there are two pairs in the western area with theAstringent Clump; both pairs are necessary to reach this fruit, and one must use the first pair to reach the second pair. The latter platform on the second pair has three large bolts attached to its rope, meaning it needs at least a weight of 10 to be lifted. Alternately,Winged Pikmin can be told tocharge at the fruit to get it. There is also another pair in the cave with theDusk Pustules.
Mission Mode
- Beastly Caverns: in the Collect Treasure! version of this stage, the east cave has a pair of elevator platforms. One has aSunseed Berry, with a registered weight of 15. Moving it off the platform will lower the other platform, which holdsWhite Pikmin, two withbomb rocks.

Hey! Pikmin

Snowfall Field
- Ordeal of Flame: seesaw blocks are found multiple times in this area. A pair of red ones are found in the beginning of the level. Then, after going in a tunnel, there are two blue ones that need to be utilized to collect theAutomatic Fortune Teller. There are two more sets of them close to the end of the level, one red and one yellow, and they are required to collect theDual Wheeler.

Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Main article:Garden of Hope.

Elevator platforms are a stage hazard in theSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate arena "Garden of Hope". They surround the main platform of the stage, with one to the left of it, and its pair to the right. If weight is put on one of them, it will sink, and the other will rise. If there is no weight on either, they slowly return to a neutral position. ThePeckish Aristocrab can fall off the stage and very quickly pull down one of the platforms, rapidly raising the other one. If the platforms leave the screen, they disappear, but return after a few seconds.

Glitch[edit]

Main article:Seesaw block glitch.

There is a glitch that can teleport aleader next to theship. It is performed by having atreasure return to the ship while the leader is moving up on one block of a set of seesaw blocks and is, therefore, only possible at theAwakening Wood orPerplexing Pool. When the treasurecutscene finishes, the leader will be inside the block, and can walk about within its boundaries; but if he moves off one side, he falls out of the level and reappears at the ship. The side of the ship he reappears at is the same as the side he walked off the block.

This glitch may be used in the Awakening Wood to obtainBlue Pikmin early, which makes the5 day run possible, and in the Perplexing Pool, where access to theShower Room is gained without demolishing theelectric gates before it.

Weight oddities[edit]

When a leader is standing on a seesaw block and the player pauses the game, a number with the leader's supposed weight will be displayed.

Captain Olimar's weight, shown as 0 after pausing the game.

In some circumstances, the weight exerted on a block can make no logical sense.

Pikmin 2
- Leaders don't weigh anything; the numbers do not go up when one or both leaders are on top of a block.
- If a leader is holding a Pikmin while on top of the block, the number will reflect the weight of the Pikmin, unless it is aPurple Pikmin. A held Purple Pikmin only weighs 2 units, instead of the usual 10.
Pikmin 3
- When a leader is holding a Pikmin, one extra unit of weight is applied on the block, for a total of 3 units. This glitch happens on seesaw blocks, but not on elevator platforms.
- Winged Pikmin can never contribute to a seesaw block's weight. When airborne, this makes sense, but if a Winged Pikmin gets knocked back by an enemy while attacking it (e.g. aYellow Wollywog), it will be grounded for a bit, and then walk for a few seconds to chase after the enemy. Even in this state, it will still not contribute any weight.

In addition, inPikmin 2, if a leader or enemy is standing on a seesaw block alone, no weight value is shown. But when the player pauses the game or triggers a dialog box, thefraction numbers actually appear, and reveal that these objects weigh 0. The same also happens withbags, since they are internally seesaw blocks.

Gallery[edit]

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Pikmin 2[edit]

A pair of seesaw blocks.
The set of four blocks in the Perplexing Pool.

Pikmin 3[edit]

The seesaw block reached viaBouncy Mushroom.
Seesaw blocks inLooking for Louie.

Trivia[edit]

There is an unused feature inPikmin 2 where a pair of seesaw blocks can spawn in caves. These blocks will spawn on top of the path that Pikmin take when carrying objects, and Pikmin carrying objects will stop when blocked by a seesaw block unless the block is weighed down, which will push the other block somewhere else on the level up.