Have you also tried bringing Oatchi into the water just to end up watching the poor thing gasp for air and practically drown? It was quite traumatizing for me, because I thought Oatchi could swim from the get-go, and I wasn’t planning on torturing my poor doggy like that.

If you were reluctant to bring Oatchi anywhere close to water after that, it’s understandable. However, don’t be mad at yourself for too long—you didn’t know! And Oatchi actually can swim, but there is a trick to it. In this guide, we show you how to make Oatchi swim in Pikmin 4, so that you can do more in this fun little game!

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How to make Oatchi swim in Pikmin 4

It turns out that, to make Oatchi swim in Pikmin 4, you do need to expose your faithful companion to water by forcing him into the deep end. It may look cruel at first, but Oatchi survives his first swim, so no harm done, right? Furthermore, this close contact with drowning is necessary for him to learn to swim, and you can see that in two in-game days.

Namely, two days after Oatchi’s inglorious bath, you learn that your dog doesn’t fear water anymore, and you can ride him safely across any watery surface, thanks to the Doggy-Paddle skill.

This skill is quite useful because it allows you to transport yourself and your Pikmin more easily, but there are some additional perks you can unlock by upgrading Doggy-Paddle. At Level 2, Oatchi swims faster, and at Level 3, Oatchi can get the underwater treasure to the surface and bite creatures when submerged. Each upgrade costs two Pup Drives.

That is all there is to know about how to make Oatchi swim in Pikmin 4. If you need more assistance with this adorable game, you can check out more guides in our dedicated Pikmin 4 section!