Alph

Alph
File:Alph.png Official artwork of Alph from Pikmin 3.
Universe	Pikmin
Debut	Pikmin 3 (2013)
Smash Bros. appearances	SSB4 Ultimate
Most recent non-Smash appearance	Pikmin 3 (2013)
Console/platform of origin	Wii U
Species	Koppaite
Gender	Male
Place of origin	Koppai
Article on Pikipedia	Alph

Alph (アルフ, Alph) is the first of the three protagonists of Pikmin 3. He was the engineer on the S.S. Drake as well as the youngest crew member. After getting stranded on PNF-404, the world of Pikmin, it fell to him to reunite the crew, get the fruit they were sent to obtain and repair the ship's warp drive. The crew end up running into and saving Olimar in the end.

History

In Pikmin 3, a group of three, consisting of Alph, Brittany and Charlie, are tasked with saving their home planet of Koppai as their food supplies become near depleted. When data collected reveals that a distant planet, given the name PNF-404 (which also happens to be the home planet of the Pikmin), is rich with a variety of fruits whose seeds can be cultivated on Koppai to end the food shortage, the crew of three travel to the alien planet in the S.S. Drake. However, their ship malfunctions and they become separated just before landing, with the cosmic-drive key also being lost, which is mandatory for leaving the planet. Over the course of the game, Alph reunites with Brittany and Charlie, collects fruit, harvesting their seeds and using their juice for sustenance while on the planet, and eventually meet up with Louie, and later on Olimar, who they rescue from the Plasm Wraith. As thanks, Olimar gives them their lost cosmic-drive key, allowing them to return to Koppai safely with their findings.

In Super Smash Bros. 4

Alph's render in Super Smash Bros. 4.

Four of Olimar's alternate costumes replace his model with Alph, making him an alternate form of a playable character. He has his own alternate palettes as well, having ones resembling his crewmates Brittany and Captain Charlie, and his third alternate palette resembling Olimar. Despite using a different spaceship, the S.S. Drake, in Pikmin 3, Alph still uses Olimar's Hocotate Ship for his on-screen appearance and Final Smash. He has a trophy using his playable model, classified under the fighters category. However, it is obtained in the Trophy Shop instead of as a reward for clearing Classic Mode, similarly to the Koopalings.

According to design documents for the game available in Masahiro Sakurai's book "Thinking of the Making of Video Games 2" (桜井政博のゲームを作って思うこと2), Alph was planned to be included as a clone alongside Lucina, Dr. Mario, and Dark Pit, instead of just being an alternate costume for Olimar. Rock Pikmin were additionally planned to be included, where they would be heavy and short-ranged, but very powerful, similarly to Purple Pikmin. However, neither idea ended up implemented in the final release, presumably because of time constraints.

Trophy description

Alph is a young explorer who crashed on the planet PNF-404. As the engineer of the S.S. Drake, he feels responsible for finding the missing crew and the ship after the crash. Waking up in a pond, Alph quickly encounters a tiny creature— it's a Pikmin!

A member of the crew that crash-landed on PNF-404. This young engineer is separated from the rest of his team during landing, but as an engineer, he's just as worried about their ship, the SS Drake. While looking for his crewmates and ship, Alph encounters some strange yet helpful little creatures...

: Pikmin 3 (08/2013)

In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

File:SSBU Alph Render.png

Alph's render in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Alph is confirmed to return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable character, seemingly reprising his role from Super Smash Bros. 4 as being accessible via Olimar's alternate costumes.

Gallery

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  Alph and Olimar on Garden of Hope in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

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  Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

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  Trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

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  Alph and Olimar on Wuhu Island in Ultimate.

Trivia

• Alph is the only playable character in Super Smash Bros. 4 whose console of origin was the Wii U.