Splatoon
| Splatoon | |
|---|---|
| Developer | Nintendo EAD |
| Publisher | Nintendo |
| System | Wii U |
| Release Date | JP May 28, 2015 US/EU May 29, 2015 AU May 30, 2015 |
| Rating | ESRB: E |
Splatoon is a light-hearted shooting game that was originally released for the Wii U in 2015. In it, players can control beings known as Inklings who can turn into squids and battle with ink. It was the most successful new franchise of the Wii U's era.
Plot[edit]
The game's single player campaign, Octo Valley, follows a story in which the player character works for a war veteran named Captain Cuttlefish and goes on missions to save the Great Zapfish, which acts as the source of power for Inkopolis. Each level also contained a hidden sunken scroll, which revealed part of the game's backstory.
Gameplay[edit]
The game primarily consists of competitve matches between Inklings. When in their humanoid forms, Inklings can shoot ink out to "splat" other characters or to mark their territory. After shifting into squid form, they can travel through all of the ink that they've spread, replenshing ammunition in the process. Different weapons can be obtained, as well as different gear to customize one's Inkling and provide them with special effects. The game is also compatible with amiibos, which could be scanned to unlock missions containing extra equipment.
When playing locally, players can take part in a single-player campaign or one-on-one battles. When utilizing online play, up to eight players can take part in four-on-four matches. Online matches were divided into several different types of matches with different rules: Turf Wars (the default mode, about gaining the most turf through spreading one's ink), Splat Zones (about defending one's territory through a limited time span), Tower Control and Rainmaker (about bringing a totem towards an objective somewhere in an opponents' territory). There were also occasionally Splatfest events that were held over a limited amount of time, in which players could choose one of two teams to support. The final Splatfest was held in June 2016. The game also received general DLC updates periodically, which included new modes, stages and weapons.
Legacy[edit]
The Inkling has gone on to appear as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Sequels[edit]
In 2017, Splatoon 2 was released for the Nintendo Switch.