Pikmin 4 Onion Locations: Complete Guide to Finding All Onions

Finding all Pikmin 4 onion locations is essential for unlocking every Pikmin type and maximizing your squad’s potential. Onions serve as the home base for your Pikmin forces, allowing you to grow and manage different Pikmin types throughout your journey on planet PNF-404. This guide covers every onion location in the game, from the early-game Red Onion to the postgame White and Purple Onions.

Understanding Onions in Pikmin 4

The Onion acts as a home for all the Pikmin that players collect and grow. To expand your Pikmin army, you must carry nutrients back to the Onion, which can come from colored pellets or defeated creatures. After Pikmin transport these resources, new Pikmin seeds sprout from the Onion.

However, the Onion will only produce Pikmin for the colored Onions you have collected. This means you cannot grow specific Pikmin types until you locate their corresponding Onion. Pikmin 4 is the first game in the series to feature an Onion for every Pikmin type except Glow Pikmin, which do not live in an Onion.

Before searching for onions, understand that Flarics are a new addition to Pikmin 4. These pale-colored objects resemble Onions but serve a different purpose. When Pikmin bring Flarics back to your home base, the Onion absorbs them and increases the number of Pikmin you can have in your party. Colored Onions, by contrast, only allow that specific Pikmin type to be sprouted.

Early Game Onion Locations

Red Onion Location

The Red Onion is the first of the Pikmin 4 onion locations you will encounter. Red Pikmin are fire resistant thanks to their distinctive nose and serve as the strongest attackers among all Pikmin types.

After completing the Burrow of Beginnings tutorial area and rescuing Captain Shepard, you gain access to the Red Onion at the Rescue Command Post. This mirrors most other Pikmin games, where Red Pikmin serve as your starting force.

Yellow Onion Location

Yellow Pikmin are the second type you will encounter during your adventure. These Pikmin are resistant to electricity, can be thrown higher due to their long ears, and dig faster than any other Pikmin type.

The Yellow Onion is located in Sun-Speckled Terrace to the East. Look for the area near the breakable pots and the Dandori Cave. You will need to flatten a paper bag blocking the path, and behind it you will find the Yellow Onion. A duplicate Yellow Onion also appears in Blossoming Arcadia.

Blue Onion Location

Blue Pikmin possess gills on their faces that allow them to swim and breathe underwater. Obtaining the Blue Onion requires meeting specific prerequisites before you can retrieve it.

Players must first have the ability to field 50 Pikmin in their party. To reach this capacity, you need to collect several Flarics beforehand. The Blue Onion sits on a ledge near the central base in Sun-Speckled Terrace, surrounded by a body of water.

To access it, you need 30 Ice Pikmin to freeze the water. Once the water is frozen solid, Pikmin can build a climbable wall to reach the Onion. It takes 20 Pikmin to carry the Blue Onion back to your base. The Blue Onion also appears in Serene Shores.

Mid-Game Onion Locations

Ice Onion Location

The Light Blue Onion, also called the Ice Onion, can be found in Hero’s Hideaway, the fourth stage of Pikmin 4. Ice Pikmin possess the unique ability to freeze both bodies of water and enemies.

The Ice Onion is located on the North end of the map inside a freezer. To access the freezer, you must navigate through the Frozen Inferno cave located on the stove. For an easier time clearing this cave, purchase the Scorch Guard and Scorch Guard (Oatchi) from the gear shop.

After completing the Frozen Inferno cave, you will emerge near the freezer where you can collect the Light Blue Onion.

Rock Onion Location

The Black or Rock Onion awaits discovery in the Giant’s Heart area. Rock Pikmin are immune to crushing and stab attacks, and they can break glass and crystals when thrown.

The Rock Onion is located to the East near the Dandori Battle arena. A destructible wall blocks the path, which you can destroy using Bomb Rocks. Make sure to purchase extra Bomb Rocks from The Lab before heading to this location.

On your way to the onion, you must defeat a Bulblax. Having additional Bomb Rocks will make this battle significantly easier. Once you clear these obstacles, the Black Onion becomes accessible.

Winged Pikmin Onion Location

The Pink Onion resides in the Primordial Thicket stage. Winged Pikmin, or Pink Pikmin, have wings that enable them to fly, making them quick and capable of carrying items above ground and cutting across entire areas.

The Pink Onion is located to the East of the map near the Oasis of Order Dandori Challenge. Poison geysers block the path, which require White Pikmin to destroy. After clearing the geysers, you will find a box that requires ten Pikmin to push. Moving this box grants access to the Pink Onion.

Postgame Onion Locations

Two onion locations in Pikmin 4 become available only after completing specific postgame content. Both the White and Purple Onions require dedication beyond the main story.

White Onion Location

The White Onion becomes available after completing a side quest in the postgame. White Pikmin are immune to poison and will poison any enemy that eats them, making them valuable for specific combat situations.

After completing the main story of Pikmin 4, you gain access to Olimar’s Shipwreck Tale, an alternate story mode. Upon completing this side story, a new cave appears behind the Onion at the Rescue Command Post.

Inside this cave, you will find the Trial of the Sage Leaf quest, which consists of a series of Dandori Challenges labeled as Stories. There are ten different stories in total. The White Onion becomes available after completing the 5th Story: The White Key.

Purple Onion Location

Like the White Onion, the Purple Onion requires completion of the Trial of the Sage Leaf quest. Purple Pikmin are heavier and stronger than any other Pikmin type, with each Purple Pikmin counting as the equivalent of ten regular Pikmin.

The Purple Onion becomes available after completing the final stage of the Trial of the Sage Leaf, called Final Story: The Purple Key. This final stage features a Waterwraith, a challenging enemy. Taking out the Waterwraith first will make beating the stage significantly easier and securing the Purple Onion more manageable.

Tips for Finding Pikmin 4 Onion Locations

Pikmin 4 offers a mostly non-linear structure, allowing you to visit caves and collect treasures in any order. While the order of areas is fixed, the tasks you complete within each area can vary. Uniquely for a Pikmin game, there is no set order for unlocking Pikmin types.

Wild Pikmin can be found in caves, allowing you to unlock a type before finding its Onion. However, you cannot grow more of that type using the Onion until you have found that type’s specific Onion. Each area and cave has obstacles that require specific Pikmin types to clear, but the necessary Pikmin type can always be found somewhere in that area.

Only three Pikmin types can be outside in an area at a time, and only three can be brought into a cave, though finding Wild Pikmin can increase the number of types you can use in a cave. Each area and cave has a set of recommended types for optimal success.

When searching for onions, pay attention to environmental clues and obstacles. Paper bags, bodies of water, poison geysers, and destructible walls often indicate the proximity of an onion. Collecting Flarics along the way will increase your party capacity, making it easier to tackle the challenges required to reach certain onions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many onions are there in Pikmin 4?

There are eight onions in Pikmin 4: Red, Yellow, Blue, Ice, Rock, Pink (Winged), White, and Purple. Glow Pikmin do not have an onion.

Can I get all onions in one playthrough?

Yes, all onions are obtainable in a single playthrough. However, the White and Purple Onions require postgame content, specifically completing Olimar’s Shipwreck Tale and the Trial of the Sage Leaf quest.

Do I need specific Pikmin types to get certain onions?

Yes, several onions require specific Pikmin types to access. The Blue Onion requires 30 Ice Pikmin to freeze water, and the Pink Onion requires White Pikmin to clear poison geysers. Wild Pikmin found in caves can help you obtain the types needed.

What are Flarics and how do they differ from Onions?

Flarics look similar to Onions but have a pale color. When brought back to base, they increase your maximum party capacity rather than allowing you to sprout a specific Pikmin type. Collecting Flarics is essential for reaching the 50-Pikmin party requirement needed to obtain the Blue Onion.

Can I grow Pikmin without finding their Onion?

No, you cannot grow more of a specific Pikmin type using the Onion until you have found that type’s Onion. While you can find Wild Pikmin in caves and add them to your squad, you need the corresponding Onion to increase their numbers through the standard sprouting system.