Pikmin 4 Dandori Academy
Updated · 4 min read
Dandori Academy is the headline new mode in Pikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy (releases November 12, 2026). It turns efficient Pikmin command — Nintendo’s dandori — into timed exam stages with medals and optional Pikmin Bloom rewards.
This guide sticks to Nintendo store, Nintendo Support, and official Pikmin Bloom copy. Stage layouts, medal thresholds inside the game, and weekend attempt limits beyond what Nintendo published are left out until primary sources confirm them.
At a glance (official)
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Edition launch | November 12, 2026 | Nintendo eShop |
| Stages planned | 72 released over time; difficulty varies | Nintendo eShop |
| Monthly cadence (Bloom campaign) | Six courses each month | Pikmin Bloom campaign |
| Practice | Practice each course as many times as you like | Pikmin Bloom campaign |
| Exam window (after full release) | Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday | Pikmin Bloom campaign |
| Connectivity | Internet required for exams and downloading distributed stages | Nintendo Support Ver. 2.0.0 |
| Prep patch | Ver. 2.0.0 (November 4, 2026) adds Switch 2 Edition support | Nintendo Support |
What Nintendo says the mode is
From the Switch 2 Edition eShop page:
- Dandori is commanding Pikmin effectively — and sometimes competing.
- Dandori Academy is an extensive series of exam stages to test skill and earn in-game medals.
- 72 stages release over time; choose difficulty that matches your skill.
- Footnote: full version of Pikmin 4 is required to use this content (upgrade pack path for owners of the original game).
Nintendo Treehouse coverage on the same store page shows exams across three difficulty levels, with the highest-difficulty example featuring an Empress Bulblax.
Practice vs weekend exams
The official Pikmin Bloom campaign page is explicit:
- You can practice each course freely.
- After the full Switch 2 Edition is out, exams can be taken every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
- For Bloom reward requirements, practicing does not count — you must take the exam for the eligible course.
Nintendo Support Ver. 2.0.0 separately requires an internet connection to take exams and to download distributed stages.
Bloom rewards tied to Academy (official)
Same Bloom campaign page (same Nintendo Account; tap Send / Send Dandori Academy Information):
Full game examples
- Take the “Mushroom Mash” exam (and other listed exam goals as they appear on the campaign page).
- Earn Dandori Points from Academy play: 600 (Cave Map item for Bloom’s Secret Caves when that feature ships), 1400 (choose a non-red Oatchi-Rider costume color), 2500 (further listed reward).
- Six courses per month; each course awards up to 125 Dandori Points.
Demo
- Complete the demo, and/or take Elementary A Mushroom Mash or Elementary B Treat Transport as an exam (not practice).
- Those demo rewards match first Day 2 (or later) Story Mode settlement rewards and cannot be claimed again if already received.
Details and UI steps: Demo guide and the Bloom campaign page.
How this relates to Ver. 2.0.0
Nintendo Support – How to Update Pikmin 4 (Latest: Ver. 2.0.0, November 4, 2026):
- Adds support for the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition (upgrade pack playable from November 12, 2026).
- Notes internet for Academy exams / distributed stages.
- Distributes the Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy demo alongside the same-version demo patch.
Full wording: Updates. Edition overview: Switch 2 Edition.
Related Bloom store promo (optional)
To celebrate the November 12 launch, Pikmin Bloom announced a 1,000-step Spot Challenge at Nintendo NEW YORK and Nintendo SAN FRANCISCO from November 12–25, 2026 (local store hours / time zones on that page). Completing it once per person yields a Gold Seedling that grows into a Pikmin 4 Spaceship Decor Pikmin. This is a mobile / retail event, not an in-game Academy stage.
Related guides
FAQ
What is Dandori Academy in Pikmin 4?
A Nintendo Switch 2 Edition mode: an extensive series of Dandori exam stages to test skill and earn in-game medals. Nintendo’s store says 72 stages will be released over time at varying difficulties.
When can I take Dandori Academy exams?
The official Pikmin Bloom campaign page states that after the full Switch 2 Edition releases, Dandori Academy exams can be taken every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You can practice courses as many times as you like.
Do I need the internet for Dandori Academy?
Yes for exams and downloading distributed stages. Nintendo Support Ver. 2.0.0 notes an internet connection is required to take exams and download distributed stages for Dandori Academy in the Switch 2 Edition.
How many stages are planned?
Nintendo’s Switch 2 Edition store page: a total of 72 stages will be released over time. The Bloom campaign page adds that six Dandori Academy courses are released each month, and each course awards up to 125 Dandori Points toward Bloom rewards.
Is Dandori Academy in the free demo?
Yes in limited form. Nintendo Support says the Switch 2 Edition + Dandori Academy demo is being distributed. The Bloom campaign page names demo exams Elementary A Mushroom Mash and Elementary B Treat Transport (practice does not count for the demo exam reward).
Does Dandori Academy unlock Bloom rewards?
Yes, per the official Bloom campaign page: take named exams (including Mushroom Mash in the full game), earn Dandori Points thresholds (600 / 1400 / 2500), and send data on the same Nintendo Account. Demo rewards match first Day 2 Story settlement rewards and cannot be claimed twice.