Pikmin 3 Deluxe may not have been one of the most hotly anticipated games on Switch this year, but the series absolutely has its own group of dedicated fans. Despite Pikmin 3 Deluxe’s physical sales getting off to a slow start, the game performed very well in Japan.

As is the case with most of the Wii U games Nintendo has ported over to Switch, Pikmin 3 Deluxe has brand new content mixed in with the overall flow of the original game. However, Pikmin 3 Deluxe’s suit upgrade locations, including the defense-boosting Metal Suit Z upgrade, have not changed in the Switch port.

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Where is the Metal Suit Z?

The Metal Suit Z is actually located in one of the earliest areas of Pikmin 3 Deluxe that players will explore. However, players won’t be able to collect the Metal Suit Z during the early days of Pikmin 3 Deluxe’s day counter. The Metal Suit Z is found in the Tropical Wilds area, where much of the game’s opening tutorial takes place. Unfortunately, players will have to revisit the Tropical Wilds later on to find the Metal Suit Z.

This is because players are going to need to unlock the use of two or more captains before being able to reach the Metal Suit Z. So first, players need to at least play to the point where they have access to Brittany as a playable captain, which requires a lot of switching between Pikmin characters in the Distant Tundra. Provided players have at least two captains and access to the Tropical Wilds area, players can easily reach the Metal Suit Z upgrade.

Unlocking the Metal Suit Z

Thankfully, unlocking the Metal Suit Z is actually fairly easy. Upon landing in the Tropical Wilds, players simply need to walk down towards the white tile bridge. Players will have to build this bridge first to reach the Metal Suit Z, but be wary that there is a Hermit Crawmad enemy nearby. Players need to cross the bridge and walk up to the ledge next to the Pellet Posies and clover patch.

pikmin 3 brittany alph charlie

Next, players simply need to throw one of their Pikmin partners up on to the ledge and move forward down the path. Halfway down the path, players should see the Metal Suit Z capsule on a ledge. Throw Pikmin at the capsule and have them carry it back to the ship. Once the Pikmin reach the ship with the capsule, players will unlock the Metal Suit Z upgrade for their party.

The Metal Suit Z grants a sizable boost to each captain’s defense, though players likely won’t need it too much. It’s also worth noting that the suit upgrades are completely optional and can technically be missed over the course of Pikmin 3 Deluxe’s main story. Regardless, it’s still a nice optional upgrade to have.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is available now on Nintendo Switch.

MORE: Everything You Need to Know Before Buying Pikmin 3 Deluxe