Both games use real-time strategy gameplay. The player plays as Captain Olimar, who can command his Pikmin. Olimar gets Pikmin by bringing pellets, a type of food, and bad guys to an Onion, which is the Pikmin's ship. Pikmin will come out of the Onion and get planted in the ground so that Olimar can pull them out. Olimar can use Pikmin to take stuff back to his base, fight insects and other creatures, or travel across places.