Pink Leafling in Pikmin 4.

Tips for winning Dandori Battles in Pikmin 4

Mastering the art of Dandori

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When you’re not out collecting treasures and finding new Pikmin, you can participate in Dandori Battles which have you racing against an opponent to gather the most items. You can play them solo or with a friend. The battles are more challenging than they may initially seem, and it’ll take a fair deal of strategizing to come out on top.

If you want to up your game, learn these tips for winning Dandori Battles in Pikmin 4.

Oatchi in a Dandori Battle in Pikmin 4.
Screenshot by Destructoid.

Don’t spread yourself too thin

At first, Dandori Battles can be overwhelming. There are several items to collect, a timer is running, and you also need to worry about hostile creatures. Things get a little easier if you have a good idea of what plates you need to keep spinning. These are the tasks that you need to complete with your Pikmin:

  • Carrying items – to win Dandori Battles, you need to score the most points by collecting items and bringing them back to your base
  • Defense – you need the Pikmin and Oatchi to take on any creatures that cross your path
  • Overcoming obstacles – sometimes obstacles will stand in your path. Use your Pikmin to get around them.

Ensure you have enough Pikmin to delegate to each of these tasks. It may be tempting to have all your Pikmin carrying items, but you’ll soon find that it leaves you very vulnerable.

Oatchi and Leafling in Pikmin 4.
Screenshot by Destructoid.

Take advantage of Oatchi

You have the adorable pup Oatchi to help you out. You can use the dog as a mount, allowing you and your Pikmin to travel faster and jump over obstacles. Oatchi can also charge at enemies, which can be devastating to them. When you’re low on Pikmin, the pup can also carry items.

Cleverly using Oatchi’s abilities will allow you to increase your efficiency. Be careful when taking on enemies with the dog, as it can only handle so much abuse before its health fully depletes and it has to recover before it can be used again. Upgrade Oatchi as much as possible by speaking to Shepherd and spending your accumulated Pup Drive.

Attacking enemy's pup in a Dandori Battle in Pikmin 4.
Screenshot by Destructoid.

Attack your opponent

You and your opponent share a battlefield, allowing you to sabotage their efforts. This can be done by throwing your Pikmin their way and stealing items they are carrying, or by dropping off Sneak Bombs at their base. Your opponents can also interfere with you, so be prepared to defend yourself against hostile attacks.

Pikmin carrying treasure in Pikmin 4.
Screenshot by Destructoid.

Go big or go home

Although playing things safe and collecting items closest to your base is a solid strategy, sometimes it pays to be daring and go for the bigger treasures. These will net you more points though you’ll need lots of Pikmin to carry them, and you’ll have to beware of enemies and your opponent that could both sabotage you on the way.

In addition to Dandori Battles, there are also Dandori Challenges to complete. You’ll have to accumulate a certain number of points in a given time to win these challenges. Of course, this means plenty of treasure collecting and monster hunting.


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Author
Smangaliso Simelane
Staff Writer - Smangaliso Simelane is a writer with a passion for all things related to video games. He has been writing about video games since 2020.