Mechanic · progression · real-time strategy

Unit growth

A unit steps through a few stages of growth, on a timer or when given an item, and each stage changes what it can do.

stubAlso: growth stages, leaf bud flower, maturity, unit maturity, Pikmin growthUpdated 2026-10-22
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  2. Games
  3. References
  4. Sources

Unit growth moves a unit up a short ladder of stages. In Pikmin a buried sprout steps from leaf to bud to flower on timers and wilts back to a leaf if left as a flower1, and a leaf or bud Pikmin that drinks nectar becomes a flower at once2.

  • Timed stagesPikmin (2001), sprouts. A buried sprout steps from leaf to bud to flower on timers, and a flower left in the ground wilts back to a leaf.1
  • FedPikmin (2001), Pikmin. A leaf or bud Pikmin that drinks nectar becomes a flower at once.2

See also

Games

GameYearHowNote
Pikmin2001Timed stagessprouts · a buried sprout steps from leaf to bud to flower on timers, and a flower left in the ground wilts back to a leaf
Pikmin2001FedPikmin · a leaf or bud Pikmin that drinks nectar becomes a flower at once
Every claim about this mechanic, by game (2)
Pikmin 2001A buried sprout (PikiHeadItem) waits mGrowUpTime (p51, "growupTime（秒）") plus 0 to 2 seconds at random, then plays its growth animation and moves one stage, leaf to bud or bud to flower ((mFlowerStage + 1) % 3). A flower waits mWiltTime (p52, "kareTime（秒）") plus 0 to 2 seconds, then wilts: it becomes a leaf, and after mRebirthSeedTime (p53) plus 0 to 2 seconds it goes back to the buried state. The three times are read from parms/pikiMgr.bin; their code defaults are 4, 4, and 1 seconds. A plucked Pikmin keeps its sprout's stage.Code
A Pikmin that isn't yet a flower drinks when it touches a nectar puddle in its normal state, unless it is damaged, carrying (transport mode), or mushroom-headed; the puddle is an OBJTYPE_Water object, which a decompilation comment calls nectar. If it drank, its growth animation makes it a flower (setFlower(Flower)) at once, from leaf or bud.Code

References

  1. ^ abA buried sprout (PikiHeadItem) waits mGrowUpTime (p51, "growupTime（秒）") plus 0 to 2 seconds at random, then plays its growth animation and moves one stage, leaf to bud or bud to flower ((mFlowerStage + 1) % 3). A flower waits mWiltTime (p52, "kareTime（秒）") plus 0 to 2 seconds, then wilts: it becomes a leaf, and after mRebirthSeedTime (p53) plus 0 to 2 seconds it goes back to the buried state. The three times are read from parms/pikiMgr.bin; their code defaults are 4, 4, and 1 seconds. A plucked Pikmin keeps its sprout's stage.CodeprojectPiki/pikmin
    How we know
    305void PikiHeadAI::WaitInit::act(AICreature* item)
⋮
309	if (obj->mFlowerStage == Flower) {
310		item->mSAICtx.mCurrentItemHealth = pikiMgr->mPikiParms->mPikiParms.mWiltTime() + gsys->getRand(1.0f) * 2.0f;
311	} else {
312		item->mSAICtx.mCurrentItemHealth = pikiMgr->mPikiParms->mPikiParms.mGrowUpTime() + gsys->getRand(1.0f) * 2.0f;
    src/plugPikiKando/itemAI.cpp lines 305–313 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    326	f32& health = item->mSAICtx.mCurrentItemHealth;
327	health -= gsys->getFrameTime();
328	if (health < 0.0f) {
329		if (obj->mFlowerStage == Flower) {
330			item->mSAICtx.mStateMachine->transit(item, PIKIHEAD_Unk10);
331		} else {
332			item->mSAICtx.mStateMachine->transit(item, PIKIHEAD_Unk7);
    src/plugPikiKando/itemAI.cpp lines 326–332 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    163	addState(PIKIHEAD_Unk7, PikiHeadMotion::UgGrow);
164	addState(PIKIHEAD_Growuped, PANI_NO_MOTION, new GrowupedExec);
⋮
166	addState(PIKIHEAD_Unk10, PikiHeadMotion::Sioreru);
167	addState(PIKIHEAD_Kareta, PANI_NO_MOTION, new KaretaInit, new KaretaExec);
⋮
173	addArrow(PIKIHEAD_Unk7, saiMotionAction0Event, PIKIHEAD_Growuped);
174	addArrow(PIKIHEAD_Growuped, saiMotionDoneEvent, PIKIHEAD_Wait);
175	addArrow(PIKIHEAD_Unk10, saiMotionDoneEvent, PIKIHEAD_Kareta);
    src/plugPikiKando/itemAI.cpp lines 163–175 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    349	obj->mFlowerStage = (obj->mFlowerStage + 1) % 3;
    src/plugPikiKando/itemAI.cpp line 349 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    381	item->mSAICtx.mCurrentItemHealth = pikiMgr->mPikiParms->mPikiParms.mRebirthSeedTime() + 2.0f * gsys->getRand(1.0f);
382	obj->mFlowerStage                = Leaf;
⋮
393		item->mSAICtx.mStateMachine->transit(item, PIKIHEAD_Bury);
    src/plugPikiKando/itemAI.cpp lines 381–393 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    101		    , mGrowUpTime(this, 4.0f, 0.0f, 300.0f, "p51", "growupTime（秒）")
102		    , mWiltTime(this, 4.0f, 0.0f, 300.0f, "p52", "kareTime（秒）")
103		    , mRebirthSeedTime(this, 1.0f, 0.0f, 300.0f, "p53", "rebirthTime（秒）")
    include/PikiMgr.h lines 101–103 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    66enum PikiHappa {
67	Leaf   = 0,
68	Bud    = 1,
69	Flower = 2,
    include/GlobalGameOptions.h lines 66–69 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    2581			piki->setFlower(navi->mSproutToPluck->mFlowerStage);
    src/plugPikiKando/naviState.cpp line 2581 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗

    Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

    Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

    In the claim ledger

  2. ^ abA Pikmin that isn't yet a flower drinks when it touches a nectar puddle in its normal state, unless it is damaged, carrying (transport mode), or mushroom-headed; the puddle is an OBJTYPE_Water object, which a decompilation comment calls nectar. If it drank, its growth animation makes it a flower (setFlower(Flower)) at once, from leaf or bud.CodeprojectPiki/pikmin
    How we know
    407	if (!piki->isKinoko()) {
⋮
411		if (!piki->isDamaged() && piki->mMode != PikiMode::TransportMode) {
⋮
414			case OBJTYPE_Water:
⋮
416				// Nectar puddles are modeled as water; non-flower Pikmin can drink to grow.
417				if (piki->mHappa != Flower) {
418					piki->changeMode(PikiMode::FreeMode, piki->mNavi);
419					piki->mCurrNectar = collider;
420					transit(piki, PIKISTATE_Absorb);
    src/plugPikiKando/pikiState.cpp lines 407–420 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    516		if (mHasAbsorbedNectar) {
517			transit(piki, PIKISTATE_GrowUp);
    src/plugPikiKando/pikiState.cpp lines 516–517 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗
    2402	case KEY_Action0:
⋮
2404		piki->mFloweringTimer++;
2405		seSystem->playPikiSound(SEF_PIKI_GROW4, piki->mSRT.t);
2406		piki->setFlower(Flower);
    src/plugPikiKando/pikiState.cpp lines 2402–2406 at 9a21636 · upstream ↗

    Checked against the evidence by its author, an AI model, 2026-10-22.

    Checked by a second AI model, 2026-10-22.

    In the claim ledger

Sources

Code