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Dwarf Bulbears (チビクマ) are enemies found in all four Pikmin games. Unlike the Dwarf Bulborbs and Dwarf Orange Bulborbs which are different animals entirely which mimic the appearance of their larger counterparts, the Dwarf Bulbear is a juvenile version of a larger Grub-dog, in this case the Spotty Bulbear.
In Pikmin, Dwarf Bulbears can flip themselves to dodge Pikmin attacks. However they do not have this trait in Pikmin 2. If this creature (like the Dwarf Bulborbs) is petrified in the Piklopedia, when it breaks out of the stone it runs around eating any thrown Pikpik Carrot at a greater speed than normal.
Biology[]
Like the Spotty Bulbear, Dwarf Bulbears have a black backside with red spots and a mammalian appearance. The Dwarf Bulbear also has the mouth texture and snout structure of the Bulbear. However, they have black eyes (though in the first, they had red eyes like the Bulbear's), while the adult Bulbear has purple (or red) eyes.
The Dwarf Bulbear is also rather durable, which reflects the defensive strength of the Spotty Bulbear. Dwarf Bulbears, when not following a parent Bulbear, tend to gather in groups of two to three, though there are certain instances where they will form a massive, widespread group of more than ten total.
Olimar notes that, though the Dwarf Bulbear is nearing maturation, "It has yet to claim its own patrol route." It therefore follows a Spotty Bulbear when its patrol path intersects with the area the Dwarf Bulbears gather. This proves to give both the adult and juvenile Bulbears an advantage, as the Spotty Bulbear can recieve protection from Pikmin attacks behind it which simultaneously allows it to feed without fear of being attacked, and the Dwarf Bulbears that follow it also receive protection which therefore allows it to feed without fear of attack.
Notes[]
Olimar's Notes[]
"A grub-dog larva in its third stage of development, this creature's body structure is nearing maturation. However, unlike mature bulbears, it has yet to claim its own patrol route, and thus is dependent upon its parents for guarding direction."
Louie's Notes[]
"Remove innards, stuff with sage and finely aged prosciutto, and broil until golden brown. The ultimate crowd pleaser!"
Nintendo Player's Guide[]
"What Dwarf Bulborbs lack in size, they make up in ferociousness. They eat Pikmin quickly and keep eating them as long as a fresh supply is available. You can flatten one of the beats in a single stomp, but only if your aim is very. Call your Pikmin of choice back if they miss."
Pikmin 3 Prima Guide[]
"Dwarf Bulbears aren’t nearly as dangerous as their fully grown counterparts. Toss a single Pikmin onto a Dwarf Bulbear’s back to quickly defeat this small enemy."
Alph's Notes[]
"Structural flaw: back
Weight: 3
Their behavior around a Spotty Bulbear reminds me of satellites orbiting a larger body. Like satellites, they exist in darkness and are hard to see but can be destroyed with a well-placed strike. If it's with the larger body, though, stay away. You wouldn't want to get... pulled into... its gravity? This metaphor is getting away from me."
Brittany's Notes[]
"It takes after the big guys in a lot of ways. They're not as brave, though. Walk up to one and just watch it run to get help. I'd laugh at it, but I'm usually running away by then myself."
Charlie's Notes[]
"I'll admit, these critters have a certain charm. I'd like to stuff one and keep it as a trophy in my office, but I'd have to pry it from the Pikmin's eager hands first."
Dalmo's Notes[]
"This little darling is always with its beloved mother, but when it grows up, she'll drive it away. Though it may seem cruel, she helps it develop the confidence to survive on its own by forcing it to fend for itself. Such practical creatures could teach us a lot about learning to get by in the world."
Pikmin[]
In Pikmin, Dwarf Bulbears are essentially stronger versions of Dwarf Bulborbs. They have three times more health than Dwarf Bulborbs, meaning they require three Pikmin thrown onto their backs to be killed. They preform backflips to shake off attacking Pikmin. Dwarf Bulbears will shriek when aggravated to alert any Spotty Bulbears in the vicinity.
Aside from Challenge Mode, Dwarf Bulbears only appear in the Distant Spring in groups of three, in place of where a Spotty Bulbear was killed the day before.
Pikmin 2[]
The Spotty Bulbear's behavior changes much in Pikmin 2, and so to does that of the Dwarf Bulbear. Spotty Bulbears roam the map in search of food rather than sleeping, and if they come near a pack of Dwarf Bulbears, the tiny creatures will yip and follow their parent.
Despite their aggressive behavior, Dwarf Bulbears are actually notably weaker than in Pikmin, and a single Pikmin thrown onto their back kills them instantly.
There are also a number of stylistic differences between Dwarf Bulbears in the two games. In Pikmin 2, rather than doing a backflip to shake off offending Pikmin, Dwarf Bulbears will simply shake their head like Dwarf Bulborbs do, which has the same effect. Their spots also no longer shrink and expand, and their eyes are black rather than red.
Pikmin 3[]
Dwarf Bulbears as seen in the Pikmin 3 footage shown on Nintendo Direct 12.5.12.
In Pikmin 3, Dwarf Bulbears act very similar to how they do in Pikmin 2. They follow their Spotty Bulbear superior around the map. They do, however, get easily distracted by Pikmin, and will stop following the Spotty Bulbear if a Pikmin is attacking them.
Battle Strategy[]
Pikmin[]
Olimar can easily defeat this creature by swarming it with a large group of Pikmin. If only a few are available, have Olimar throw Pikmin onto the Dwarf Bulbear's back and then call them back to avoid Pikmin deaths. This creature can cause the Crushing glitch to occur when defeated.
Pikmin 2[]
A group of Dwarf Bulbears can make defeating a large Bulbear especially difficult, as they will not only eat any Pikmin that fall to the ground, but may go directly for the captain and the rest of the Pikmin swarm. In order to cope with this threat, a well-timed Ultra-bitter Spray can be used to petrify the entire group of Bulbears, including the parent. With a bit of luck, a barrage of Purple Pikmin can also stun all the creatures within a small radius, even if they are not hit directly, leaving them vulnerable to attack. Also, if any number of Dwarf Bulbears are sniffing the ground and a captain happens to throw a Pikmin in their way, they will attack it, but, if they happen to see Pikmin and a Spotty Bulbear at the same time, they will eat the Pikmin thrown at them, and then run to follow the Bulbear, which they seemingly tell the captain's location to, because soon after, the Bulbear (regardless of whether it was actually looking at the captain at the time) will come over to attack it.
Captains[]
Attacking it from behind is the most legitimate strategy when using the captains.
Glitch[]
There's a glitch in the Piklopedia involving Dwarf Bulbears. While eating Pikpik Carrots, the juvenile Bulbears may die spontaneously.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Using an Action Replay to access a model test menu in Pikmin, the Dwarf Bulbear's code name is "chappb".
- In Pikmin, the Dwarf Bulbears sniffed the area with their snouts facing up, while the Dwarf Red Bulborbs sniffed with their snouts facing down, which probably is the reason why they detect Pikmin from further away.
- Even though they are the juvenile versions of Spotty Bulbears, they do not revive when they die in Pikmin 2.
- Their scientific name is Oculus terribilis, as opposed to Pansarus pseudoculli terribilis, which would be a member of the Breadbug family.
- Dwarf Bulbears are the only dwarf bulborbs in the Grub-Dog family.
- Dwarf Bulbears are one of two creatures that can die in the Piklopedia, the other being the Volatile Dweevil.
- There is an unused powerup in the Pikmin 2 battle mode in which it would spawn Dwarf Bulbears.