Pikmin 3 Mission Mode - Defeat Bosses #03: Sandbelching Meerslug (Platinum/No Deaths)

In Defeat Bosses, the goal is simple: defeat the boss! In this mode, pikmin deaths will be counted, but they do not matter when receiving your ranking. The only thing that matters is the time you took for defeating the enemy before you. This means beating bosses with no deaths isn't necessary for a better score. I just do it for the added difficulty.

Defeat Bosses - Stage #03: Sandbelching Meerslug
Pikmin available: Red / Rock / Yellow

The third boss in the game. This time it's pretty hard to beat without deaths simply because of his first attack. There are pikmin sprouts all over the map and it could head anywhere for its first sink-in. If it goes too far away, and you can't get to the bomb rocks in time, it will swallow a few sprouts.

Speaking of bomb rocks, there are quite a lot in this arena. A few available immediately and many more if you dig for them. You can use them during the slug's sink-ins and have it swallow them. It'll knock it out of the sand.

Alternatively, you can actually attack it while in the quicksand. If you lock on and charge, if it takes enough hits, it'll jump right out of the sand without eating anything! It's a bit desperate, but this tactic saved my ass in this run and I could get him without deaths and with a platinum rank.

Good luck!