the gameplay is mostly the same as "pikmin"'s. players control olimar, louie, and the pikmin. they can use them to pick up objects, reach other areas, and fight enemies. pikmin are plucked out of the ground, and they live in a nest called an onion when they are not deployed. there can be up to 100 different pikmin out of the onion, and there are five kinds of pikmin - the red pikmin, which are stronger and fireproof, yellow pikmin, lighter and immune to electricity, blue pikmin, which are immune to drowning, purple pikmin, stronger than red pikmin and can lift heavy objects, and white pikmin, immune to poison, poison if eaten, and have x-ray vision, allowing them to see buried objects. the pikmin can be thrown into the air to reach a higher place, and can be guided to get them all in one spot via a whistle. one new feature "pikmin 2" adds is the ability to switch between two leaders - olimar and louie.