Splatoon

Splatoon is a 2015 third-person shooter developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. Players control Inklings, squid-like beings that can switch between humanoid and squid forms. In human form, they shoot colored ink to cover surfaces and splat opponents. As squids, they swim through their own ink at high speed, climb walls, and hide. The core multiplayer mode, Turf War, tasks two teams of four with covering the most ground in three minutes. Ranked modes include Splat Zones, Tower Control, and Rainmaker. Weapons range from shooters and rollers to chargers and blasters, each with sub-weapons and specials. Gear customization lets players equip headgear, clothing, and shoes that grant abilities like faster movement or quicker special charge.

The single-player campaign, Octo Valley, follows Agent 3 of the Squidbeak Splatoon. Under Captain Cuttlefish, Agent 3 must retrieve the Great Zapfish, Inkopolis's power source, stolen by the Octarians. The story unfolds across levels with unique objectives, culminating in a showdown with DJ Octavio.

Developed by a young team at Nintendo EAD, the game originated from lead programmer Shintaro Sato's concept of an ink-based territory control multiplayer game. The squid mechanics and ink-swimming were added later. Music was composed by Toru Minegishi and Shiho Fujii. The game runs at 1080p and 60 fps on Wii U, using the GamePad for a map display and super-jump targeting.

Splatoon holds a Metacritic score of 81/100. Critics praised its fresh take on shooters, vibrant style, and soundtrack. IGN gave it 8.6/10, GameSpot 8/10. Criticism focused on missing voice chat, private lobbies, and few launch maps. Post-launch updates added content and Splatfest events. It sold over 4.9 million copies, making it one of the best-selling Wii U games. It won Best Shooter and Best Multiplayer at The Game Awards 2015. Sequels include Splatoon 2 (2017) and Splatoon 3 (2022). Online play ended on April 8, 2024, with the shutdown of Nintendo Network.[edit]

Splatoon is a third-person shooter where players control Inklings in 4v4 online matches. The goal in Turf War is to cover the most ground with your team's ink. Squid form allows swimming through ink, climbing walls, and hiding. Weapons include shooters, rollers, chargers, and blasters, each with sub-weapons like bombs or sprinklers and specials like the Inkstrike or Kraken. Gear provides abilities such as Ink Saver or Run Speed Up. The GamePad displays a map for super-jumping to teammates. Ranked modes add strategic objectives: Splat Zones requires holding areas, Tower Control escorts a tower, and Rainmaker involves carrying a powerful weapon to the enemy base.[edit]

The single-player campaign follows Agent 3, an Inkling recruited by Captain Cuttlefish to join the Squidbeak Splatoon. The Octarians, led by DJ Octavio, have stolen the Great Zapfish, leaving Inkopolis without power. Agent 3 travels through Octo Valley, completing levels that involve splatting Octarians, solving puzzles, and defeating bosses. Each boss is a member of the Octarian military, such as the Octostomp and the Mighty Octobomber. The final battle takes place on a flying arena where Agent 3 faces DJ Octavio in a rhythm-based fight. After victory, the Great Zapfish is returned, and Inkopolis regains power.[edit]