Head to the Formidable Oak Walkthrough

This is a story walkthrough for Head to the Formidable Oak in Pikmin 3 Deluxe for the Nintendo Switch. This guide will cover the first day of the final area (Formidable Oak). Read on to learn the best path to avoid the Mysterious Life Form and more!

Head to the Formidable Oak Walkthrough

Objectives List

1: Take out an even amount of all types of Pikmin

Throughout the Formidable Oak, you will be constantly chased by the Mysterious Life Form, so you'll need to bring plenty of each type of Pikmin to expand the area you can mvoe around. Bring 20 of each Pikmin type, and if you are low on Pikmin coming into this stage, it may be a good idea to first select a different map where you can harvest some Pikmin for this final area.

2: Save Olimar from the Mysterious Life Form

Go up the oak, and you will see Olimar and the Mysterious Life Form, which is absorbing Olimar. The foe will not attack you here, so attack it to whittle down its HP.

3: Run away from the Mysterious Life Form with Olimar

After picking up olimar and heading into the cave, the Mysterious Life Form will begin chasing you from behind. The most important thing to do this day is to continue running away, ensuring Olimar doesn't get caught. Using a full 10 Pikmin to carry Olimar will allow you to move at a faster pace.

You can restart if Olimar gets taken

If Olimar gets caught by the Mysterious Life Form, it will take quite awhile to free him, so if this happens, you may want to just pause it and retry the day. If you do want to free him, charge your Pikmin at it when it turns gold, which will break its form and allow you to rescue Olimar again.

4: Create a path for Brittany

In order to clear a path to take Olimar back to the Drake, you'll need to have a path that Brittany can walk around to avoid Olimar getting swallowed. Have the exploration team proceed forward until coming to the area with the paper bag. Push it over the ledge to create an easy path for Brittany to run around. There are some enemies along the way, but if you charge all of your Pikmin at them from behind, you should be able to take them out quickly.

Using 'Go Here' will be extremely important

Use the map to constantly check the Mysterious Life Form's position relative to Brittany, and use 'Go Here' to keep her moving around the path and far away from it. The Mysterious Life Form is able to take a shortcut through the middle part of the path, so don't let it catch you by surprise.

5: Run away from the creature and expand the exploration area

The objective of the exploration team (the one not carrying Olimar) is to open shortcuts and expand the areas you can traverse. If you have the Pikmin build the bridge near where Brittany is running around, the path she can move around also becomes larger. Keep an eye on the creature's location and complete the bridge to move ahead.

The bridge fragments are divided into two areas

Fragments (Upper Area)
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Fragments (Dirt Mount)
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The fragments are found in two piles, with one on the ground, and another hidden in the dirt mound. Digging up the ones in the dirt mound takes a considerable amount of time, so have your Yellow Pikmin charge forward at the dirt mound to quickly dig up and carry the fragments, then head over to the large crystal and break it with Rock Pikmin while you are waiting.

6: Get the Bomb Rocks from the Dirt mound

Near the route Brittany is running around, there is a glass wall, which can be destroyed to find a dirt mound containing bomb rocks. Defeat the enemies there, then send several Pikmin in the mound to dig up the bomb rocks, and call for them to rejoin you.

Move the Iron Ball to break the glass wall

You can use Rock Pikmin to break the glass wall, but since it takes a bit of time, you can instead use the iron ball to break it much more quickly. You'll need to have 20 Pikmin on it to push it forward, so use the Dismiss command as soon as you run across this object.

7: Destroy the Iron Wall for the next day

If you can only get one thing done on this day, you should aim to destroy this iron wall, as it will make day 2 exploration significantly quicker. You'll need three bomb rocks to blow it up, so be sure and pick them up from the dirt mound. Bring them over to this wall, and throw the bomb-carrying Pikmin at it to break it. On subsequent days, you can have the whole party go straight through this route to save a lot of time.

Related Guides

Complete Story Walkthrough

Prologue
Exploration Day 1	-
Garden of Hope
Where's Brittany?	The Captain's Signal?
Defeat the Armored Mawdad!	-
Distant Tundra
Reunite With Brittany!	Where's the Captain?
Defeat the Vehemoth Phosbat!	-
Tropical Wilds
Find the Cosmic-Drive Key!	-
Twilight River
To Twilight River!	Save Olimar!
Defeat the Scornet Maestro!	-
Garden of Hope (Revisited)
Follow Olimar!	Find the Hocotatian!
Save the Hocotatian!	-
Formidable Oak
Head to the Formidable Oak	Find Captain Olimar!
Save Captain Olimar!	-