Hocotate Ship

This article was a featured article from 29th August, 2008 to 10th October, 2008.

File:Ship 2.jpg

The Ship.

The Ship refers to the Hocotate Freight company's rocket which Captain Olimar pilots in Pikmin 2. Unlike the S.S. Dolphin, the Hocotate ship is capable of speech, and takes on the role of giving advice throughout the game. Olimar makes his opinion of its personality being pompous and quirky known in his notes. Once the President's debt is repaid, the ship is upgraded into a much sleeker, golden model. So far, the actual name of the ship has been unclear, being called The Ship in many parts and also The Hocotate Ship in others.

The ship is thought to be destroyed by the Quaggled Mireclops in Pikmin 3.

Capabilities

The Ship can store Pikmin, and does so, storing both White Pikmin and Purple Pikmin. Unlike the S. S. Dolphin, the Captains cannot check how many treasures have been collected- nor can they restore their suit's damage meter. Standing in the green light and pressing A before Purple or White Pikmin have been discovered does nothing. The ship has two cockpits, and is capable of deep space communication, sending a report each night to Hocotate and receiving e-mails. To do this, it must be in orbit around PNF-404. The ship can dispatch a Research Pod for traveling underground.

Click [show] to display spoiler image.
The Ship once the debt has been repaid, shown here in Perplexing Pool.

Research Pod

When traveling underground into caves, the Ship dispatches its nosecone, known as the Research Pod, and sends it with you into the cave. It is used to store any treasures and enemy carcasses to be sold to pay off the debt upon exiting the cave. In emergency cases, it can empty its cargo, take in Olimar, Louie and the Pikmin, and return to the surface; should this happen any carcasses and treasures collected are lost. After you pay off the debt and the ship is upgraded, a scratching noise can sometimes be heard when near the golden research pod.

Sales Pitch

When one complete "series" of treasures has been collected, the ship's Sales Pitches become available. This is an advertisement for the treasure as if it were a product.

Example:

Superstick Textile

The latest must-have item for all ship emergency-repair kits, this miracle fabric is a lifesaver! Its adhesive power is so great, once it's applied, it can never be removed...not even surgically!

Other appearances

Super Mario Galaxy

Super Mario Galaxy's version of The Ship.

Super Mario Galaxy has a planetoid shaped very similarly to the Ship located in the "Space Junk Galaxy". It is likewise a red, rusted color.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The Ship also appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. During the beginning of a match, Olimar enters the stage in the ship and jumps out to pluck three Pikmin. When Olimar uses his Final Smash, "End of Day", he hops in the Ship while Bulborbs cause damage to his opponents. Olimar then crashes down back on the stage, sometimes further harming his opponents. In the Subspace Emissary, Olimar's ship is seen along with a number of other airborne vehicles in the attempt to enter Subspace as well as the beginning of the level Outside the Ruins. In the Great Maze section of the Emissary, it appears in the background as part of the level's scenery. If Olimar uses his Final Smash while on top of the Bulborb in the "Distant Planet" stage, the ship steers away from the Bulborb as it falls. The ship also appears as a trophy and a sticker. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the trophy names the ship "Hocotate Ship".

Nintendo Land

The Ship as seen in the Nintendo Land Plaza.

The ship has a role in the Nintendo Land attraction Pikmin Adventure. The ship is the goal point in every level of the minigame.

Monita's Notes

"This is the ship that Olimar piloted during his legendary employment at Hocotate Freight. This one doesn't actually speak, though, which is probably best for everyone."

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS

The Ship appears in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS. However, it is not the real ship, and rather a bomb disguised as the Ship. It is an item that will lift off, and will unexpectedly drop, causing it to drop and likely explode. The Ship also appears as a part of Olimar's final smash.

Gallery

The Ship.

Ship 2.jpg

The Research Pod.

The Angel seen on the Ship's side.

The ship cockpits

Artwork of the Hocotate Ship

The ship as seen in Pikmin 3. It sadly appears to have made its final landing. However, notice its lack of gold-plating.

A closer look at the beaten up Ship in Pikmin 3

A look at the rear of the crashed Ship in Pikmin 3.

The angel logo on the side of the crashed Ship in Pikmin 3.

An unopened Ship figure without stickers.

Trivia

• Although the Ship was obviously there when Louie ate the golden pikpik carrots, it never told the President.
• When the ship becomes gold, the second cockpit will have a television in it.
• The ships name is never mentioned, imprinted, or even told in a gamer's guide. It is referred to as "the pre-Dolphin" or simply "the Ship". This would explain why it is generally older or messier.
• In an earlier version of the game, Olimar's journal on the Network Mainbrain refers to the ship as "Dolphin 1".
• In Pikmin 3, it has crashed for the last time on the Pikmin planet.
• It was unknown what The Ship's name was in Pikmin 2, but in the american/NTSC version of Pikmin 3, Olimar refers to it as the "Hocotate Ship" in his notes, while in the european/PAL version of Pikmin 3, he simply calls it "the Ship".
• In Louie's expedition log he says he is a crew member of the S.S. Dolphin.  It is unknown if he was referring to the Ship or Olimar's ship.
• In Pikmin 3, it is possible to get out of bounds at the boss arena in the Garden of Hope, allowing you to get up close to the destroyed Ship and walk around it.
• Even if the ship is able to get the treasure all by itself, it always sends the captains to retrieve them

See also

• S.S. Dolphin
• S.S. Drake