Pikmin Training Lab
JokersWild
JokersWild
(Interactive Experience)
Train under Captain Olimar as a new employee of Hocotate Freight, and test out their new state of the art training facilities. Guide Pikmin of your very own on a number of training exercises in preparation for your new life on the mysterious planet PNF-404
In a dusty corner of Future City's Industrial District is the rundown headquarters of Hocotate Freight. The large warehouse has obviously seen better days; its exterior faded, and the large billboard on its roof chipped and dirt-covered.
To the right of the building, behind a chain link fence, stand two rocket ships, seemingly made of scrap metal. They both stand just slightly taller than the Hocotate Freight building, and will occasionally come to life with a flash of light and a plume of smoke.
Strangely, a very new-looking banner has been hung on the building's front. In strange, almost alien typeface are the words:
"PIKMIN TRAINING LAB
NOW HIRING NEW RECRUITS
FIND YOUR FORTUNE IN THE STARS"
Passing through the doors of Hocotate Freight, guests will find that the warehouse has been rearranged to make a sort of makeshift museum. A red carpet flanked by dirty velvet ropes has been haphazardly rolled out. Making their way further into the warehouse, guests will first find a small exhibit marked by a large banner reading "TREASURES OF THE COSMOS." These treasures are just normal everyday objects, but on a massive scale. Guests can see some of these wonders such as a "Temporal Mechanism" (a pocket watch,) a "Rubber Ugly" (a rubber duck,) and a "Courage Reactor" (a Duracell D battery,) all displayed atop some repurposed shipping boxes.
Further down, the rundown warehouse facilities seem to get a bit more futuristic, this as the quaint displays of intergalactic treasures shifts into a wall of very new-looking monitors. Over time, these screens cycle through all three types of Pikmin available in the Training Lab (red, yellow, and blue), explaining their strengths, weaknesses, and general purpose. Occasionally these will switch briefly to show a video advertising the planet PNF-404 as the perfect place to get away and get rich.
Just past the screens is are four large metal door, each leading to one of the attraction's pre-show rooms.
Passing through the doors, guests leave the dark and dingy warehouse and enter an oddly high tech lab. The walls, floor, and ceiling are a matching off-white, and are covered in various equipment, knobs, and buttons. At the far end of the room is a large screen with the image of an Earth-like planet labeled PNF-404. Standing at a podium in front of the screen is none other than Captain Olimar himself, dressed in his space suit. Four doors are placed on either side of the room, labeled "1-8." Guests are split into groups of three and lined up in front of each door. Here guests are also given a pair of "protective glasses" and a "Pikmin Training Clicker."
The door closes and Olimar welcomes guests, and briefly explains his adventures on PNF-404, and how he made Hocotate Freight one of the richest companies on Planet Hocotate. With its newfound riches, the President of Hocotate Freight has decided to expand his operation and start a recruitment campaign to find the best and brightest treasure hunters. After procuring a number of Pikmin, a training facility was constructed where anyone may come and see if they have the stuff to survive on a distant planet in a meticulously crafted simulated environment. Olimar then gives a brief introduction to the Pikmin themselves and talks about the valuable treasures hidden on PNF-404. The President of Hocotate Freight, naturally, interrupts over a speaker to make sure that these recruits know who most of the riches are going to.
Finally, the doors open and guests are ushered into their training room.
Stepping through the doors, guests will find themselves in a perfect recreation of one of four biomes found on planet PNF-404: forest, snow, water, and cave. The center of the room serves as the primary "play" area. It is themed to look like an enclosed space within whichever biome their lab is themed to. For example, forest will find guests in a small clearing surrounded by downed trees and rocks, while snowy will feature a small wall of packed snow (and maybe a snowman.). Outside of the play area is the test area which forms a "U" shape around the outside of the play area. In the middle of the U is a large Onion in a small open area accented by a tie-dye of moving color. Surrounding the onion is a course of hills, tunnels, bridges, and water hazards. Guests are soon instructed to put on their glasses and get ready for their training session.
Pikmin Training Lab is made possible mostly through use of Augmented Reality technology. The glasses guests wear are very similar to Google Glass or, more recently, Apple Glasses. When guests put their glasses on the world of Pikmin is revealed to them. The formerly empty test area now teems with life. Bulborbs and other odd creatures mill around waiting for their next meal of Pikmin. Numbered flowers bloom in certain areas around the area. And, most importantly, there is treasure abound.
To control the Pikmin, guests are given a single "Pikmin Training Clicker" which is essentially an HTC Vive controller. Guests may use the clicker to call and direct Pikmin to whatever goal they desire. Guests may use the special abilities of the red, blue, and yellow Pikmin to try to pass through gates, fight enemies, and collect well-protected treasure.
Of course, the training lab wouldn't nearly as much fun alone. Each training lab accommodates groups of three. Here, groups may work together, or against each other, to rack up points and collect as much treasure as possible.
The actual game is somewhat randomized. Treasure and enemies will spawn in random pre-determined places giving some level of variety. Much like the challenge maps in the Pikmin video games, guests are given three minutes to collect as much treasure and kill as many enemies as possible. Groups will earn a score and ranking depending on how well they do. Collect all of the treasure and take out all of the creatures to get the best possible rank!
Forest Biome
Snow Biome
Water Biome
Cave Biome
After the training session is over, guests are given a rank and are told if they've made the cut or not. In any event, it is highly suggested by the President to visit the giftshop on the way out.