Splatoon

 Wii U
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1429 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,235 out of 1429
  2. Mixed: 104 out of 1429
  3. Negative: 90 out of 1429
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  1. sideshownate
    Aug 13, 2023
    7
    I dont remember what expections I had for this game but whatever it was that wasnt it. Still fun
  2. PearlinaFan23
    Jul 5, 2023
    7
    Such a good game, and truly revolutionary. The reason it's so low is because of the servers being discontinued, but I did love my time with it
  3. Triblue
    May 22, 2023
    7
    Jeu original et sympa. Le gameplay est cependant un peu répétitif et au final la plupart des parties se ressemblent.
  4. Metabetalpha
    Mar 21, 2023
    7
    As a jr main, amazing , but this game is BROKEN AS HELL! kraken and bubbler ruled the battle field, along with the 4 horse men of the apocalypse Vslosh, Crange, Zimi splating and cherry H3 with that with THAT meta, it SUCKS to play ranked sometimes
  5. DanielGG91
    Nov 15, 2022
    7
    Tenía muchas ganas de probar este juego y por desgracia no pude terminarlo porque me mareaba. Lo que pude jugar me gustó.
  6. Manucoel
    Feb 25, 2021
    6
    This game is alright I guess had some fun playing some games, buying some guns and clothes but just felt kinda boring after a while.
  7. Frost_Cube
    Jan 30, 2021
    7
    The game it's amazing I think that it's true when nintendo says that this game is the MarioKart of the Shooters.
    Some people is cheating about the lack of content but the game is amazing and the updates will solve this.
  8. Prof_Wild_Young
    May 1, 2020
    7
    TL;DR - I love it, but there needs to be more of it. A bit bare bones but the Wii U was failing so I don't mind. I've only grown to like it more as its sequel disappointed me.

    I have a lot of detailed cons and few pros, but that's just because I'm really good at complaining and not describing good. I, in fact, adore this game a lot. Pros: Unique and Fun Twist - There simply isn't    TL;DR - I love it, but there needs to be more of it. A bit bare bones but the Wii U was failing so I don't mind. I've only grown to like it more as its sequel disappointed me.

    I have a lot of detailed cons and few pros, but that's just because I'm really good at complaining and not describing good. I, in fact, adore this game a lot.

    Pros:

    Unique and Fun Twist - There simply isn't anything that plays like Splatoon, I'd gladly experience inking action day in and day out not only because of an engaging reward system, but actually being fun at its core. Not many games can say that.

    Colourful - It's just pretty okay?!

    Cons:

    Missing basic features - Since Nintendo has proven to be just like other companies as of late, I've decided to criticise them for this instead of being thankful that they're 'in the past'. Why no bots? Why no servers? Why can't the game tell me what I have and haven't bought already? No gear or weapon sort? etc

    Gear - The fun grinds to a halt when it comes to the gear system. One of the big reasons I stopped playing back in the day is because it literally took 6 months to get the rolls on my Motor Boots right, keeping in mind that I was going for the most common roll and not anything weird. On that note, miss Splatfest and you're out of luck, simple as that. I don't blame anyone if they have, in fact, I actively encourage that you use save scumming or even cheating to bypass this system. What a kill joy.

    Lacking content - Far too few online modes, especially casual ones. Use the Bucket tool on a pre-existing weapon palettes, re-arrange the pre-existing sub and special assets and release it. Stages? Re-release stages that ended up being overhauled overtime as 'classics'. New modes? Easy: Team Splatmatch (Team Deathmatch), a way to play pre-existing Ranked Modes casually without needing S rank and a friend, pre-existing modes but with asymmetrical multiplayer elements (usual team of 4 VS Player-Controlled and fully armoured Agent 3, fit with fully upgraded mains of each weapon class, every sub and all specials, equipped before the match). Some of these are basics, hence why I'm asking for them, others I understand due to the platform's popularity.

    Blasters + Sloshing Machine - Nintendo thought it was smart to make a weapon class that can't miss, kills fast and has the advantage regardless of range. No, no it wasn't. Direct hit, instant kill. Miss twice, still a kill! Using a weaker Blaster that kills in 2 directs or 4 misses? Fires faster to compensate, I already mentioned you can't miss, it's exactly the same but with better coverage and maybe a more helpful set. Long range? Good, bully them without them even realising what's happening or being able to touch you. Short range? You DEFINITELY can't miss now and your range is way longer than you think due to the explosions. The only thing it can't do is get coverage, which doesn't matter as it will face every round essentially unopposed. Could be balanced out by removing automatic fire for tap shots and requiring an additional button press for the ink bullet to explode to make them actually take skill to use and even make them more versatile, then maybe even buff their ink coverage to compensate for these changes.

    Balance - Honestly, if specials had a one second delay before activating, it would make all the difference. I'll stand by the idea that chaos is part of the fun, but when you make it impossible to lose or impossible to win, there is no fun to be had, or at least less fun to be had playing, so Bubblers should be gone come the sequel. Kraken is fine if it is given either more knockback or it's health works closer to the big training dummies rather than being invincible. Other specials are fine. Weapons, can confirm that Rollers are NOT overpowered, coverage and instant kill is all they have as the most basic observation skills means you can shoot it down. Shooters are sweet, but the Semi-Shooters L3 and H3, why do they exist? Chargers exist to be annoying, nuff said. Splatlings are my new favourite, if only they released Heavy with a more decent set, but Mini is really good too! Slosher, I don't use it and hate that no one else uses it either, but it's so cool! I gave Blasters and the Sloshing Machine an entire section... yikes.    … Expand
  9. neehawgamer
    Mar 22, 2018
    7
    It's good but not great. It was awesome at first, but now I only play about once a month.
    The reason I only give it a seven is because it takes me so long to get into a match at the very start.
    But it's pretty good.
  10. Rstiles7
    Apr 1, 2017
    7
    While this is definitely a good game, I am not as fond of it as other people are. The online mode does allow you to use a variety of weapons that work very differently, there are very few stages to play on (only 2 to choose at a time) and the gameplay gets kind of boring after about an hour. The story mode isn't bad either, but it's nothing too impressive or memorable. Also, almost everyWhile this is definitely a good game, I am not as fond of it as other people are. The online mode does allow you to use a variety of weapons that work very differently, there are very few stages to play on (only 2 to choose at a time) and the gameplay gets kind of boring after about an hour. The story mode isn't bad either, but it's nothing too impressive or memorable. Also, almost every time I play this game online I run into connection or server errors that force me to leave the game early, which completely eliminates any fun I could be having. Though, I do really like all the customizations you can add to your character, as it adds in even more variety when playing online. Overall, good game, but far from the best Wii U game or Nintendo's best online experience.… Expand
  11. Laer
    Mar 14, 2017
    7
    Cambia balas por pintura, matar enemigos con pintar el terreno y unas criaturas semejantes a los calamares de aspecto amistoso, y obtendrás un juego de disparos marca Nintendo. Se une a uno de los pocos de este genero que pueden jugar libremente menores de edad.

    Es divertido, con un aspecto amistoso y desenfadado. La historia es curiosa, pero no pasa de ser un mero tutorial donde    Cambia balas por pintura, matar enemigos con pintar el terreno y unas criaturas semejantes a los calamares de aspecto amistoso, y obtendrás un juego de disparos marca Nintendo. Se une a uno de los pocos de este genero que pueden jugar libremente menores de edad.

    Es divertido, con un aspecto amistoso y desenfadado. La historia es curiosa, pero no pasa de ser un mero tutorial donde adaptarse a los controles.

    El punto fuerte es el multijugador, y desde luego es entretenido, pero no quita que tenga ciertos problemas. Faltan opciones, como cambiar armas en mitad de la partida, variedad de mapas y poder elegir a cual de ellos jugar sin que estos se impongan, entre otros.

    Un buen acercamiento de Nintendo a este genero, de una manera correcta pero con ciertos fallos, hacen de este juego algo interesante para el catalogo de WiiU.    … Expand
  12. Captain_Heropon
    Mar 4, 2017
    6
    Alright, so I actually took the time to write a full and lengthy review for this, but it was a bit too long and complex, so here it is in a basic format:

    PROS: Fun and "unique" (for lack of better terms) gameplay, which some would find addicting. Some fun stages, each one having something unique in its own way. Good variety of weapons, despite some feeling a little unusual to use.    Alright, so I actually took the time to write a full and lengthy review for this, but it was a bit too long and complex, so here it is in a basic format:

    PROS:
    Fun and "unique" (for lack of better terms) gameplay, which some would find addicting.
    Some fun stages, each one having something unique in its own way.
    Good variety of weapons, despite some feeling a little unusual to use.
    Several cool online modes such as Ranked Battles and friend rooms.

    CONS:
    The solo story mode is very meh, however there isn't a whole lot you can do to make it good, because it just doesn't quite fit for this type of game.
    Zero communication during online matches aside from "Booyah!".
    Several things that would just make me sound picky, including things like losing level points just because you or some other person had a communication error and the repetitive and annoying music.

    So basically, it's an alright game. Probably not completely my taste, but I can see why some people would like it so much. Not sure whether or not I'd recommend it.    … Expand
  13. Pendrodamus
    Aug 20, 2016
    7
    One of Nintendo's best IPs. I think it has alot of work put into it, and shows the prowess of the new blood working at Nintendo. A few things bug me about the game, like the lack of voice chat. After playing TF2, I totally understand why they wouldn't include that, because of those damn squeakers and 12 year olds. However, I still would've liked the option.

    Overall, it's a pretty nice game.
  14. yiric4
    Aug 18, 2016
    7
    fun but only having 2 maps when i decide to play makes it too boring. also cant queue as a team with friends unless its ranked is dumb. screw flanders
  15. vahn
    May 2, 2016
    6
    When it first came out I didn't jump into the hype train since that, for one thing, I was not able to play online due to my impossibility of using wi-fi (yes, some people don't have wi-fi) and because I simply thought it was a poor man's shooter with basically nothing new, except the insertion of ink instead of bullets. And no, I'm not a CoD player so I'm not comparing it to that atrocity:When it first came out I didn't jump into the hype train since that, for one thing, I was not able to play online due to my impossibility of using wi-fi (yes, some people don't have wi-fi) and because I simply thought it was a poor man's shooter with basically nothing new, except the insertion of ink instead of bullets. And no, I'm not a CoD player so I'm not comparing it to that atrocity: at least splatoon didn't die a year later.

    With that said, this game is just ok. Sorry but it is just that: ok. I played for about 2 days and I was starting to get bored to infinity already...which is sad because the game is actually pretty good and fun, but there are so many issues with it that I simply couldn't play past day 2.

    For one thing, the single player mode is bad: it's boring, it's completely detached to online mode (which makes sense) and overall rushed just to make those 40 euros (or 60 dollars in america apparently) worth your time. I immediately quitted and went online because hey, that's what this game's for right?

    And it's....just okay, again.

    Now the thing I liked about the game is how the controls are pretty well done - except the retard **** who thought that starting the game with motion control was a good idea: i got stuck for half an hour because I couldn't turn around!. Still I like the controls of it and it's fun to move around as a squid and to shoot your weapons. On that part I have no complains: it works, it's fun, and it's also original.

    But everything else just doesn't work and burns you out damn quick.

    For starters you can play in 2 (TWO) arenas every 4 hours (which I also had to research because I didn't play long enough to see the rotation)...and whoever came up with that was probably high or lobotomized, because it gets repetitive insanely fast. The maps are fine though, don't take me wrong, but 2 maps every 4 hours? Seriously why? Why not just simply allow more? I don't know but they clearly don't care since everyone seems fine with this. I don't.

    Secondly, matches last only 3 minutes and according to the wiki (yes because I couldn't manage to play these matches yet) there are about 3 types: Turf War (color the most of areas) Tower Control (King of the hill essentially) and Rain Maker (A sort of carry the flag). Now I don't have a clear idea of these types of matches because for 2 days straight I only had turf war and due to the bad idea of rotating every 4 hours it can easily becoming repetitive in less than 30 minutes.

    Plus, I wish the matches were longer: sometimes I'm having a lot of fun and having a blast until the timer is running out. Sad thing is, I wait more than 4-5 minutes for finding all players and this can be really annoying, especially when your best matches only last 3 minutes. Maybe in those 2 modes the timer is longer but again, I have no idea at all: in 2 days that I played, for about 3 hours each, I did not play any other mode but Turf War.

    And this simply means that this game is padded to no limit and because of that, I'm very sorry, I'm giving it a 6: for 40 bucks (still full price after a year?) I was expecting more, MUCH more, but considering you can play better fps games overall, and some of them even being free (("cough" TF2 "cough")), I just can't recommend this game fully.

    If you have friends then MAYBE I'll give it a pass, but alone this game gets boring really fast and considering the relatively high price point, I simply cannot recommend it when there are better games around.    … Expand
  16. Oomzy
    Apr 8, 2016
    5
    An Alright game at best really. I like Splatoon more than standard Competitive multiplayer games but it has some clear problems.
    Pro's:
    -Singleplayer is great! -The Game plays well with Turf War being a creative game mode. -Buying clothing and weapons is beneficial and suits the playstyles of most players. Con's: -Every four hours you can only play TWO maps...FOUR if you have the    An Alright game at best really. I like Splatoon more than standard Competitive multiplayer games but it has some clear problems.
    Pro's:
    -Singleplayer is great!
    -The Game plays well with Turf War being a creative game mode.
    -Buying clothing and weapons is beneficial and suits the playstyles of most players.

    Con's:
    -Every four hours you can only play TWO maps...FOUR if you have the ranked battles leading to the multiplayer being repetitive after like four matches.
    -Rollers are overpowered. I mean cmon. It's not fun to just watch as some person sits in ink all day and pops up to insta kill others.
    -Map design is....Ehhh for the most part. The Pirhana map is my least favorite as it just looks dull. What happened to all those creative things in the singleplayer levels? I understand it would be more of a challenge but Cmon! Do something more than just making us run around 24/7
    -Only one game mode? Why not more? I'm getting sick of playing TURF WAR over and over and over.
    -Character customization is limited(Except for the outfits)
    -I can't communicate with other players WHY? If you're trying to host competitive games then COOPERATION via voice chat is needed! And before you reply with: "Ooooh just use Skype or host a LAN party in your house!" Some people dont have Skype or can't host Lan parties.

    Splatoon is an overhyped, Bare bones game. Really only the singleplayer campaign is actually worth checking out. 5/10......You know you've failed your multiplayer game when the Doodle Jump clone you play in the lobby is more entertaining.    … Expand
  17. misterchiller
    Nov 24, 2015
    7
    I wish I could give more points! The idea is great, the gameplay feels good, I like the music, yeah it is actually fun but... this game doesn't work well without any communication. It is a teamgame! So I don't understand why most people give full points here, it is not understandable at all. I can understand Nintendo because people at internet are toxic, especially at online games... butI wish I could give more points! The idea is great, the gameplay feels good, I like the music, yeah it is actually fun but... this game doesn't work well without any communication. It is a teamgame! So I don't understand why most people give full points here, it is not understandable at all. I can understand Nintendo because people at internet are toxic, especially at online games... but without any teamplay I'm gettig bored after a short time. At least since the update you are able to invite friends to a party.

    Now we are coming to the worst, Every time when you start this game you have to watch the splatoon news. 2 girls are telling you about updates and the current maps... which is so annoying because you can't skip it and you have to read their bla bla bla slowly, again and again. Please nintendo since you screwed so much up on the wii u, let me skip this stuff!!!!!
    When the map pool is changing between the rounds you will get send straight to the splatoon news also.

    Yeah the map pool, 2 maps on normal games, 2 maps on ranked... not much at all, another thing that can be really boring. Well this game doesn't have much maps yet at all, but I think they are pretty active with releasing new weapons.

    Not a bad game, but so much wasted potential!    … Expand
  18. Masterbaiter
    Nov 19, 2015
    6
    A charming kid-friendly game that is held back by its lack of content and restrictions. Modern Nintendo prevented this game from being far greater than what it currently is. With very few weapon selections, no teamspeak, and very few game modes this shooter fails to meet expectation.
  19. rainey06au
    Oct 30, 2015
    7
    Splatoon is a unique take on team based battle games. The game is well made, and the control scheme is intuitive and easy to learn for all ages. I'll be honest that I did buy this game primarily thinking that I could play local multiplayer with my daughter, but unfortunately I was expecting something this game is not. However we have still had a lot of fun taking in turns online. Overall ISplatoon is a unique take on team based battle games. The game is well made, and the control scheme is intuitive and easy to learn for all ages. I'll be honest that I did buy this game primarily thinking that I could play local multiplayer with my daughter, but unfortunately I was expecting something this game is not. However we have still had a lot of fun taking in turns online. Overall I enjoy this game but not quite as much as I hoped.… Expand
  20. WeTechThat
    Oct 22, 2015
    7
    Now that Splatoon has received a lot of its content and has become a more fleshed-out experience, I think it's fair to give the game a review now.

    First, let's get the bad out of the way. There is little to no offline play. Sure, there's a decent single-player campaign, but there's not a lot to it. Beat this level, collect this scroll, rinse and repeat. The Battle Dojo is a joke, don't    Now that Splatoon has received a lot of its content and has become a more fleshed-out experience, I think it's fair to give the game a review now.

    First, let's get the bad out of the way. There is little to no offline play. Sure, there's a decent single-player campaign, but there's not a lot to it. Beat this level, collect this scroll, rinse and repeat. The Battle Dojo is a joke, don't even try it. It's a slapped on "Shoot more targets than your friend" that makes even Wii Play's "Shoot more targets than your friend" seem like a much better game. Also, the amiibo functionality is a bit shallow. It gives some Super Mario Galaxy comet-like twists to some of the campaign levels. However, the different challenges they present you with is either "Complete level with ___ weapon" or "Beat this in ___ minutes!". The gear is cool, it is not worth $13 for each figure.

    The main problem with Splatoon, however, is just how much of an internet based game this is. What happened to local multiplayer? Sure, the online is a great feature of the game, but when Nintendo eventually takes down the Wii U servers this game is going to be worthless. Having local multiplayer turf war would make this game an endless supply of fun and I would probably give it a 10. It's that much of a factor. I know Nintendo is capable of making it happen, so what gives?

    All of that aside, Splatoon is fantastic. The variety of weapons, maps, and gear are great. The game's main mode, turf war, is the most fun I've had with a shooter since Star Wars Battlefront 2. The integration of miiverse is well done. Anyone with a good internet connection looking for a fresh shooter experience should seriously consider this game. It has one of those dumb ranked systems that other online games have, which I'll never understand why they thought "If your team sucks, your rank goes down!" instead of "If you score a lot of points, then you get a better rank!" was a good idea. However, that is just a minor gripe on an otherwise perfect multiplayer game.

    If this game gets a real local multiplayer mode in the future, you can give Splatoon a 10 for me. Otherwise, Splatoon is a solid 7. Only get it if you like online play.    … Expand
  21. CntrlAltDel101
    Oct 1, 2015
    6
    A decent game. Some fun game modes. Interesting take on the shooter genre.

    This game got boring really quickly though. Not worth full price, maybe grab it in the sales if you fancy something a little different.
  22. ShiroiKabocha
    Sep 26, 2015
    6
    It's a game that attempts all new mechanics to try and shake up the third-person shooter genre. However, it falls flat because of the low amount of content that it contains. Only a few of the weapons feel effective online and the small amount of content in single player is underwhelming. But if they can improve future iterations, then Nintendo will have a very good and successful franchise.
  23. DestinationMarc
    Sep 8, 2015
    7
    "Splatoon" is the first original first-party Nintendo console game since Pikmin, and it's really good! I really enjoyed a lot of things about this game, but with all the good things it has to offer, there are those that frustrate me a good deal as well. First, the good things: I really dig this game's feel. The aesthetics and music are really varied, ranging from a hip-hop Jet Set"Splatoon" is the first original first-party Nintendo console game since Pikmin, and it's really good! I really enjoyed a lot of things about this game, but with all the good things it has to offer, there are those that frustrate me a good deal as well. First, the good things: I really dig this game's feel. The aesthetics and music are really varied, ranging from a hip-hop Jet Set Radio-esque feel, to a Japanese-inspired feel, to alt. rock; it's really amazing how cultured the game is, without it feeling too random and out-there. The characters are memorable and enjoyable; not one character made me cringe (maybe Shelldon with his constant weapon speak almost every time you visit him, but I can get past that). The single player is one of the greatest things about this game in my opinion; it mixes good platforming and shooter aspects while keeping some familiarity (like visiting a few multiplayer maps) and at the same time making the experience fresh and new. The bosses are really neat, but as everyone else may agree with, the main story mode antagonist, DJ Octavio, definitely takes the cake as probably one of Nintendo's greatest final bosses. My only gripe with story mode is it feels a little too short; if you know what you're doing as you're going through stage after stage and boss after boss, you can easily finish the single player in about an hour and a half to two hours. There's definitely more to be desired there. Now, onto the main attraction, and where most of my beef resides, the multiplayer. While the gameplay is fun and invigorating, you don't get a whole lot of choice when it comes to battling people online. Sure, there are plenty of modes, mostly in Ranked Battle, but they're always on a rotation, and the same goes for the stage select. I really wish they could've taken a page out of Mario Kart 8's book and let the players decide what mode and stage they wanted to go to, and then just leave it up to randomly selecting from that. Instead, you could be playing the same stage multiple times in a row, or the mode might get a little boring the more you keep playing it. It sounds a little contradictory for me to say that, having just said the gameplay's invigorating, but it'd really be nice to get to choose your mode so you're not always playing the same thing, again in terms of Ranked Battle. Turf War is one of the main modes, and that's always fun...until players higher in level than you start pummeling you, which leads me into another thing I want to bring to light: I really wish there was a level range chooser. Let me explain; there should be an option to choose to find players around the world that are in your approximate level range. Back before the big August update the level cap. was at 20, and a lot of the time I'd get stuck with nothing but Level 20s, which led to a lot of losses. I'm not complaining or whining here, and it's not that I suck, but it seems pretty unfair to me. I'd be a Level 12 and get stuck with seven Level 20s; scenarios like this would always happen. If we had a chooser for level range, you could be a Level 19 and play with others around that range instead of, for example, four Level 28s and like three Level 35s, all more experienced than you and those on the opposing side can easily wipe you out. It may be something of a nitpick, but I think this would improve the game tenfold. Another thing I want to bring up is how bland local multiplayer is; you can't play 4v4, just 1v1, and while you can choose your stage, costumes and weapons for your Inklings are mapped to those stages, so again there's not a lot of choice. Also the only mode you can play locally is a balloon-popping game, which is very disappointing. One last thing I want to talk about is just how dependent this game is on online connectivity; yes, it's needed for online multiplayer, duh, but upgrading yourself with costumes and weapons is dependent on that too, which is also disappointing. First off, you can't even get anything if you're playing the game for the first time 'til you're Level 4, and secondly, you need coins to buy things, but you can only win them online. These issues here are why I've rated this game a 7. If these get fixed in another big update, of course I'll give it something higher, but as it stands, "Splatoon" is an excellent, albeit flawed, game. I would still recommend you check it out, but keep these things in mind!… Expand
  24. omgsmash
    Aug 24, 2015
    6
    Splatoon is the first original nintendo game in a while and i gotta say it is pretty unique but it is not polished and hardly has that much content . you cant make your own match and there are only 5 game modes. Seriously? you also cant exit out of lobbies once you join them. your stuck in a game unless you turn the wii u off. Also the game is too reliant on online wifi. other than theSplatoon is the first original nintendo game in a while and i gotta say it is pretty unique but it is not polished and hardly has that much content . you cant make your own match and there are only 5 game modes. Seriously? you also cant exit out of lobbies once you join them. your stuck in a game unless you turn the wii u off. Also the game is too reliant on online wifi. other than the campaign, there is nothing you can do if your connection is bad. and there is not even voicechat. Splatoon is a very tactical shooter and it requires communication. there is also a poor variety of weapons and modes like I mentioned before. My biggest complaint is that when you have splitscreen there is only one mode you can do you which is balloon pop which sucks. there are only 2 players max for splitscreen and for online there are only 4 v 4. why not 5v5 or 6v6. this game still has a lot of potential but it still lacks tons of content there could be in this game… Expand
  25. CrazyCatMan34
    Aug 6, 2015
    7
    I think the game is great I like how it was child friendly it isn't scary or violent. the single player mode was kinda easy except the final boss. I like how there's festivals (splat fest) but I still feel like there where still connection issues even after the delay... I don't think a 1vs.4 match is fair, but otherwise it's a good game.
  26. WilsonBenitez
    Jul 24, 2015
    7
    this game is amazing with great graphics and a great new way to play first shooter games but it lacks game modes and if u dont have internet collection u preety much cant do anything
  27. DYEGameBro
    Jul 24, 2015
    7
    My heart quickens as I take cover from incoming fire, its noise perpetuating my panic. I check my ammo, find that it’s adequate, and take a deep breath. Finally, I leave cover with all guns blazing. Then I get squashed by a paint roller. My killer gives a resounding cry of “Yeah!” and continues his rampage. Splatoon is a game unlike any other, to put it in layman’s terms. It’s the firstMy heart quickens as I take cover from incoming fire, its noise perpetuating my panic. I check my ammo, find that it’s adequate, and take a deep breath. Finally, I leave cover with all guns blazing. Then I get squashed by a paint roller. My killer gives a resounding cry of “Yeah!” and continues his rampage. Splatoon is a game unlike any other, to put it in layman’s terms. It’s the first original game from Nintendo in 14 years and its first shooter, and it certainly shows it in the amount of fun I’ve had with it both online and off. But is it worth a purchase, and is it worth picking up the failing Wii U console for?

    Splatoon takes place in a post-apocalyptic future in which the Earth is populated by half-human, half-squid/octopus hybrids, called Squidlings, and one where warfare is fought with ink. Its cities and people take after Japanese architecture and conventions, and the biggest craze amongst young Squidlings is a sport called “Turf War.” In it, two teams of four scramble to cover as much of the arena (but only the floors, mind you) in their team’s colour using all sorts of weird and wacky ink-based weapons. Either that or you can simply shoot the enemy themselves to make them explode in a satisfying splat. Don’t rely on this too much though, as enemy ink will slow you down and make you more vulnerable to damage. It doesn’t match your outfit, either. They change between a Kid form and a Squid form as well, which buries them inside the ink, making them go fast (I hear the red paint makes you go faster), or concealing them entirely if you stand still. Jumping out of ink in an ambush is incredibly fun, and makes you feel like some kind of jungle warrior. This crazy hobby is how you’ll be playing the online component for the time being, but this mechanic of colour-based combat carries over to the single-player modes as well.

    The single-player campaign centers around your squidling, who has been recruited in secret, and rather hastily, into a one-squid army dedicated to stopping the nefarious plans of the Octolings. The Octolings resent the Squidlings for winning a war long ago, and want to take revenge. They do this by capturing Zapfish: Small, sad-looking things which power the Squidling’s civilisation. These Zapfish are recaptured at the end of each level, and you need all of them in a level zone before moving on to the next one. But the last Zapfish in each zone is guarded by a boss, and they’re some of the most well-designed bosses I’ve seen in a long time. Each of them is difficult enough to feel like a challenge, but not too hard to feel frustrating. The final boss in particular was a real toughie!

    This lack of seriousness can be seen in the game’s visual style and soundtrack as well. It’s refreshing to see colour be used as a primary mechanic in a shooter, and the overall aesthetic of the game is bright and imaginative. The soundtrack is also sublime, and one I’ve already downloaded! It sounds like a mix between Musato Muzika’s Crash Bandicoot 2 soundtrack, 70s British punk rock, and human music. These components all add to the overall originality that the game has to offer, and proves that Nintendo’s still got it when it comes to ideas.

    Splatoon is a game that the Wii U desperately needed. It is an original IP that breathes fresh air into a stale genre and a game that makes Amiibo purchases viable (if arguably mandatory). It’s certainly a fantastic online game, but it’s nothing worth buying a Wii U exclusively for. If you already have one you have no excuse not to pick this up, but this won’t make you leap off the fence in order to take the dip and buy one. The Wii U needs a few more games like this in order to do that, but it’s a step in the right direction. I just hope that the next game (and let’s face it, there’s gonna be another one) improves on the formula and doesn’t make the same mistakes this one did. But for now, it’s one of the Wii U’s strongest titles and one of the most fun games you’ll play this year.    … Expand
  28. R7critical
    Jul 18, 2015
    5
    Splatoon was a disappointment, sadly. I had high hopes for this game due to all the hype surrounding it, but I was really let down. Lesson learned: (again?) Don't trust the hype for online shooters.

    ONLINE GAMEPLAY: Everything is level gated, Players of max level have an enormous advantage in equipment and weapon choice. You have no freedom of choice to choose the map you would like    Splatoon was a disappointment, sadly. I had high hopes for this game due to all the hype surrounding it, but I was really let down. Lesson learned: (again?) Don't trust the hype for online shooters.

    ONLINE GAMEPLAY:
    Everything is level gated, Players of max level have an enormous advantage in equipment and weapon choice.

    You have no freedom of choice to choose the map you would like to play, you are limited to two maps every few hours of which one is selected for you at random. If you don't like those maps, too bad? Come back later? Not an acceptable answer in my opinion.

    Weaponry comes in sets, this means you are often stuck with a sub-weapon or special you don't enjoy using just because you like the main weapon, there is no option to customize the sets.

    Supers are attached to weapon sets and can be amazing (the kraken - invincible and instakills) or completely useless (killer wail- gives too much warning)

    Matchmaking is completely random and you will frequently end up fighting against players who have maxed out their rank and are wearing finely tuned gear even though you just started playing.

    Customization of your look is almost non-existent, as you must choose your clothes based on the primary bonuses they provide. Almost everyone seems to be wearing gas masks, camo hats, and blue moto boots.

    You are not rewarded based on your individual progress so much as on if your team of random people were able to collaborate better than the enemy team, you receive a large point and money bonus based on victory or losses, so if you had the highest score but your team was asleep, you are punished. This is especially the case during the mandatory event "splatfest" where you are awarded half the splatfest rank points for losing than winning, and if your overall team loses the event you receive half the upgrade items that the winning team did.

    There are a few obvious contenders for "Best Weapon" in the game, so you see these weapons in almost every match. Aerospray, Gal, and Carbon roller come to mind.

    Most weapons are one or two shot kills, so often confrontations are all about "who was behind who" or "who has longer range than who"

    Splatfest events ARE MANDATORY. YOU MUST HAVE MANDATORY FUN CITIZEN. NO YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY OTHER MODES DURING THIS TIME OF MANDATORY FUN.

    SOUND:
    I hope you like unintelligible "squid-pop" consisting of an annoying high pitched nonsense language, and the same few songs OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

    No voice chat for friends or premade groups. Hope you have skype or teamspeak!

    VISUALS:
    Not bad, the graphics look pretty good on this Wii-U title. You don't get much time to admire them in the actual game mode though since every second not smearing everything in your color coded ink is essentially defeat.

    ONLINE CONNECTION ISSUES:
    Unless you have a very fast internet connection you WILL have problems with Splatoon.

    Connection lost, "why isn't my ink showing up" and "why is everything the enemy's color now it was mine a nanosecond ago" were frequent problems, especially when playing with people who were obviously overseas.

    Requires an always on internet connection to access most options such as stores.

    SINGLE PLAYER GAMEPLAY:
    Probably the best part of Splatoon, but sadly very short and you can 100% finish it in an afternoon.

    Normal enemies are ridiculously easy as they are COMPLETELY unaware of your presence if all you do is hold the squid form button and throw grenades. Bosses are the only challenge, and those are still rather easy to defeat. The final boss however does become almost tedious by the time you reach his final form.

    The weapons in this mode actually feel really good and you can customize your loadout, as well as upgrade it.

    Content is locked behind the purchase of three specific amiibos, your collection of amiibos besides these will do nothing, so much for first party games supporting your amiibos.

    FINAL WORDS:
    I am glad nintendo is trying new things, but I would like it if they took the time to review other games of the genre they are getting into and perhaps cut out the really bad bits such as leveling up in an online multiplayer versus game.

    If they just have to keep levels in, then perhaps they should gate off maximum level players from playing against people who just started, and some kind of score based matchmaking system that does not pair you with W33DG0KU420 who is too busy doing bong rips to touch his controller VS a team consisting of maximum level players from japan who've had a long time to practice at this game and are almost guaranteed to cause weird lag shenanigans. VERDICT: Rent/Borrow. Enjoy the single player mode for an afternoon, ignore the online component. Do not buy.    … Expand
  29. cliki
    Jul 6, 2015
    6
    I don't fully understand why so many people view this game with such high regards. Perhaps they expect mediocrity because none of the positive reviews seem to mention any of the game's downfalls that I can find.

    1. Lag/high latency/connection issues. It feels although I get 500-1000ms latency in most battles of Splatoon even though my normal games will rarely exceed 100. This means    I don't fully understand why so many people view this game with such high regards. Perhaps they expect mediocrity because none of the positive reviews seem to mention any of the game's downfalls that I can find.

    1. Lag/high latency/connection issues. It feels although I get 500-1000ms latency in most battles of Splatoon even though my normal games will rarely exceed 100. This means you will wonder why the inkling you just splatted somehow has their weapon still shooting you while laying on the ground.
    2. Lack of content. The selection of ink guns is decent...fairy average in-fact with most 'shooters', but other gear and maps is lackluster. You can buy different gear through amiibo...thankfully this at-least isn't pay2win.
    3. Matchmaking. When you manage to get into a server, (extra busy on saturdays), you will likely find yourself on completely imbalanced teams. This is assume everyone actually connects, which seems to be an issue about 5% the time. Other cannot join to balance out the teams once the match has started...so be thankful it will only last 3-5 mins.
    4. Don't like the music? Too bad, you have no option to turn it off.

    There are a fair bit of positives to the game as-well...like originality, nostalgia (if you enjoyed water/paint gun fights) and cute factor. Other than that, this is not a $60 game...it's worth 30-40 at best.    … Expand
  30. hiroofheroes00
    Jul 3, 2015
    7
    Splatoon is a fun TPS, it's got fun game modes, fun weapons,poor customization, a pretty decent single player mode that doesn't reward you for collecting the collectibles and amiibo gear which I found ridicolus, but I would be able to deal with that if it wasn't because of overpowered weapons (ESPECIALLY rollers), only TWO game modes (let's remember this is a 60$ game), no private lobbies,Splatoon is a fun TPS, it's got fun game modes, fun weapons,poor customization, a pretty decent single player mode that doesn't reward you for collecting the collectibles and amiibo gear which I found ridicolus, but I would be able to deal with that if it wasn't because of overpowered weapons (ESPECIALLY rollers), only TWO game modes (let's remember this is a 60$ game), no private lobbies, no voice chat, you can't use other controller than the gamepad unless you play the local multiplayer (which you will not 99% of the time) and the poor management of Nintendo with the multiplayer experience (especially the stupid FOUR HOUR map rotation), you can only play certain game modes on certain types of battle (so if you don't like playing rankeds have fun always playing turf war). Basically this game had a lot of potential and Nintendo wasted it.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Best Wii U Game of 2015
1
#1 Most Discussed Wii U Game of 2015
6
#6 Most Shared Wii U Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 88 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 75 out of 88
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 88
  3. Negative: 0 out of 88
  1. Time
    Nov 10, 2015
    100
    There’s nothing else quite like it, nor the cathartic dopamine jolt to be had when you squid-skim up a paint-smeared quarter pipe, an Inkzooka at the ready, leap over the edge, take aim with your weapon, and reduce a startled opponent to goo.
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  2. SpazioGames
    Oct 23, 2015
    85
    We waited a bit before giving a vote to Splatoon, but after three months, the game is full of new weapons, has some awesome new modes, and it's still really, really fun. It's a WiiU killer app, one of those games that are not only extremely original, but so well made they utterly deserve a big and supporting community. If you have a WiiU and want an atypical shooter, this is the game for you.
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  3. CD-Action
    Sep 18, 2015
    75
    Please don’t just look at the score and “meh” Splatoon, because this online shooter is the best thing that happened to Wii U in a long time. It just needs some major updates, because on arrival it’s just 75% of The Game of the Year. [09/2015, p.46]
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