The Dandori Battle inPikmin 4brings back the thrill of competition you get from the battle modes in previous entries. Dandori Battles pit you against an opponent in a timed competition to see who can collect the most treasures. Each Battle is assigned a Dandori level from one to five, with five being the most formidable.

Related:Pikmin 4: Beginner Tips

These higher-ranked battles can be grueling struggles for victory. To triumph over your opponent, you must obtain at least a bronze medal at the battle’s end. Here, we’ve lined up our top tips for helping you master the art of Dandori.

Scout With The Survey Drone

At the start of a battle, immediatelyuse the Survey Drone to get a lay of the land.Explore the map and plan out your route from here. You’ll want to make a note of each treasure and how many Pikmin you’ll need to carry them. The Survey Drone is a piece of gear thatcan be purchased from Russ for ten raw materials.

While it’s possible to keep an eye on your opponent at all times due to the split screen,the Survey Drone is invaluable due to its ability to freeze time.

A player using the survey drone in a Dandori Battle in Pikmin 4.

If you ever find yourself at a loss of what to do, use the survey drone to find your next objective.

You can alsoplace pins down for easier navigationacross bigger maps.

Build Your Pikmin Squad

Before scoring some points, you’ll need to build your Pikmin army.Start by using all the nearby pellet posies, then move out to eliminate the monsters closest to your base. When your squad is small,focus on taking down weaker monsters like Dwarf Red Bulborbs.Bringing beasts to the onion helps boost your score and gives you more Pikmin.

Once your squad is larger,try stealing monsters and pellets from enemy Pikmin.Managing to steal these resources prevents your opponent from getting enough Pikmin to obtain heavier, more valuable treasure.

A player aiming at a five count pellet posy in Pikmin 4.

Make Use Of Oatchi’s Abilities

It might feel tempting to hop on Oatchi and use his faster mobility. However, it’s best tosend Oatchi off to accomplish tasks while you keep movingto collect more treasure. If you’re out of Pikmin, use him to dig up treasure, carry objects back to the onion, or tear down walls.

The enemy can attack Oatchi with their Pikmin, so watch his health bar to ensure he’s safe.

Oatchi digging up buried treasure in Pikmin 4.

Shepherd and Collin will also inform you if your rescue pup is in danger.Use your whistle to protect your companionand move him to safety.

Get Rid Of Moss

Moss is the name of your opponent’s pup companion who’s capable of doing everything that Oatchi can.Moss can help sway Dandori Battles in your enemy’s favor, which is why it’s so important to take down Moss when she’s getting in the way. Just like Oatchi,Moss can be defeated with the help of your Pikmin.

Once Moss is struck down,she will respawn a few moments later back at the enemy’s onion.This is just enough time to round up a few treasures and take over whatever task she was trying to accomplish.

A player aiming to attack Moss at the enemy onion in Pikmin 4.

Let Your Opponent Do The Heavy Lifting

Many battles feature fierce enemies that can spawn all over the battlefield. Rather than risking your own Pikmin to take down these monsters,wait for your enemy to eliminate dangerous beasts.After that, use your Pikmin to swarm the deceased enemy and take it back to your onion.

The same can be said for any barriers that appear on a map.Let the enemy destroy walls, then rush in and take whatever lies behind the wall. Remember tohave enough Pikmin in your squad to overpower enemy Pikminif they try to take back their treasure.

The red leafling using their Pikmin to attack a Bulborb in Pikmin 4.

Prioritize Bonus Finds

Randomly during a Dandori Battle, items of enemies will be marked as Bonus Finds. These itemscan be double or triple their normal worth in terms of points.

Whenever a Bonus Find is on the field, that item should be your top priority.

A player taking a Bonus Find enemy back to the onion in Pikmin 4.

If your enemy reaches the item before you,use all your Pikmin and Oatchi to steal it.

If the Bonus Find is an enemy, be careful about eliminating it with Ice Pikmin.If you kill a frozen enemy, their body will shatter, leaving only nectar. Rely on Oatchi’s bite to finish off enemies instead.

A player using the Idler’s Alert to round up stray Pikmin in Pikmin 4.

Leave No Idle Pikmin

It’s easy to run out of Pikmin when you’re running around and dividing up the workload. Oftentimes, your squad will be waiting back at the onion. However, constantlyrunning back to the onion to gather Pikmin will waste time.

To round up stray Pikmin,use the Idler’s Alert,whichcan be purchased from Russ for 80 raw materials.If this gear isn’t available to you yet,use the Command menu to have Oatchi gather Pikmin for you.