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. 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
  2. SJile
    Jun 8, 2015
    7
    Splatoon is a beautiful thing. Are you a kid or are you a squid? You just don't know. You don't care. You need to cover everything with ink, because your OCD demands it. It's fun, creative, fast-paced, and what's perhaps even more genius is that it allows anyone--skilled or unskilled--to succeed. This is a phenomenal feat if you are the game's primary demographic.

    Alas, if you are a    Splatoon is a beautiful thing. Are you a kid or are you a squid? You just don't know. You don't care. You need to cover everything with ink, because your OCD demands it. It's fun, creative, fast-paced, and what's perhaps even more genius is that it allows anyone--skilled or unskilled--to succeed. This is a phenomenal feat if you are the game's primary demographic.

    Alas, if you are a gamer who actually cares about improving and competing, it is also Splatoon's downfall. They have an almost meaningless "ranked" mode, which is essentially a cluttered, frustrating, uncoordinated version of king of the hill, with paint. The control area is small enough that one ink strike special will mitigate a team's possession, which seems weird to me. Because it's Nintendo, they were very careful to insure that nobody had too much of an advantage with skill alone. Rollers are a great equalizer for people who have no gaming experience or hands, and the gear bonuses appear to be totally randomized to ensure you don't get any smart ideas or feel inclined to play with an outfit that you actually like.

    You cannot communicate with your teammates online, and players are often afk or disconnected on account of Nintendo's lackluster server configuration. In a 4v4, this is typically a death-sentence for the unlucky team. You play with a mix of people across the world, which sounds neat, but any seasoned gamer will realize what it actually means: a mix of pings on a mystery server that people on one half of the globe or the other will have the advantage in.

    The game's other big flaw is that you can't seem to play with your friends locally unless you want to do the vastly inferior 1-on-1 balloon popping game. There is no local cooperative play, no split screen, and no ability to even play with your friends online, because while you can join their game, it's seemingly random which team you are on.

    At the end of the day, it's a fun game. You'll play it, have fun with it, grow frustrated at its blue shell equivalents, and wish it was more than it is. But you'll play it and have fun with it.    … Expand
  3. TheQuietGamer
    Jun 16, 2015
    7
    Nintendo makes a solid first foray into the multiplayer shooter genre with this Wii U exclusive title. Their new IP shows of impressive graphics, mostly tight controls (the jump button feels poorly placed and optional gyroscope aiming is a touch awkward and gimmicky), and addictive matches. With a interesting twist on how you compete Nintendo has brought gamers a shooter that is bothNintendo makes a solid first foray into the multiplayer shooter genre with this Wii U exclusive title. Their new IP shows of impressive graphics, mostly tight controls (the jump button feels poorly placed and optional gyroscope aiming is a touch awkward and gimmicky), and addictive matches. With a interesting twist on how you compete Nintendo has brought gamers a shooter that is both unique and fun even if some issues get in the way.

    With the focus of the game being on multiplayer the campaign isn't all that exciting. It basically just serves as a way to show off the game's shooting mechanics. It's solid all around, but outside of the boss battles there isn't that much exciting going on. It's brief, easy, and it doesn't take long until you notice the repetition starting to set in. Not even the enemy Octolings which have the same powers you do are all that interesting to fight. They are just as easily blown away. The huge boss battles are quite fun even if they are just a brief and easy as the rest of the game. The exception to this is the final boss which suffers due to dragging on for too long. Toppling these giant bosses is a treat and I wanted more from the game in that department.

    Overall the campaign in decent, but not terribly remarkable in any way. Probably the most disappointing part though is that it, along with the game as a whole, lacks any sort of personality. There are characters and a very thin story, but both just come off as intrusive and uninteresting. "Inkopolis News" is the worst offender and is just plain annoying. With no way to turn it off or skip it I'm left mashing the A in order to skip all the dialog and get through it as quickly as I can. While the stylistic vibe of the game doesn't give it much of a personality (which is a big disappointment for a Nintendo game) it does add some unique features to the gameplay. Specifically the multiplayer portion.

    Like I said before the focus is on the multiplayer and that is where the game delivers. The game's brief matches will have you jumping back in again and again. The goal of matches is not to shoot the other people, but to shoot the ground. Whichever team covers the map with more ink wins. Obviously you are able to shoot other players and "splat" them, but this new twist on how you approach matches gives the game a unique feel that makes it more enjoyable than it otherwise would have been. Matches reward you with coins and experience, both a which are used to get your hands on new gear.

    The game puts a lot of emphasis on fashion. However buying new clothes for you character is more than just a way to look different than other players. Each item of clothing comes with special perks like increased ink storage or faster movement which will help you create a play-style that suits you. The same goes for weapons. Choose the giant paint roller and you've got a character more suited to covering as much of the map as possible as opposed to combat. Choose the "Shickling" sniper riffle and you'll be more effective as a player who takes out enemies from afar while other players focus on inking the map.

    All of this versatility along with regular "Splatfest" events make for a very fun multiplayer experience that can and most likely will keep you coming back. Especially with the promise of more content coming in the way of free DLC. A few odd little missteps here and there like the lack of voice chat are noticeable, but don't ruin the experience. The map being included on the gamepad sounds lie it would be more useful at first, but then you realize that all it will do is pull you out of the action by taking you eyes off of the screen. Games like COD and Halo have done the exact same thing the gamepad does here, only onscreen right in the corner. I never used this gamepad feature once outside of spawning on my teammates location after being splatted. The lack of VC isn't a huge issue, but it would have made this team-based shooter a little more satisfying had they given gamers the tools to communicate and come up with effective strategies. Overall though it's not really a noticeable non-inclusion.

    While a few minor missteps, a disappointing campaign, and missing personality do bring the game down they don't change the fact that "Splatoon" is an all around good game. It's a fun twist on the multiplayer shooter genre and has the potential to be incredibly addicting. While I wouldn't say it's worth buying a Wii U for this is definitely a game very Wii U owner should have in their library.

    I give Splatoon a 7.9/10.    … Expand
  4. JT9588
    Jun 9, 2015
    7
    The game is addicting, but once you get over the addiction, you won't have any reasons to come back.

    It is a fun new IP by Nintendo, very creative and I had a lot of fun with it while it lasted, however there are many shortcomings to the game that just shortens its longevity. Firstly, the lack of content really limits this game. I have played this game for maybe a week now and I am    The game is addicting, but once you get over the addiction, you won't have any reasons to come back.

    It is a fun new IP by Nintendo, very creative and I had a lot of fun with it while it lasted, however there are many shortcomings to the game that just shortens its longevity. Firstly, the lack of content really limits this game. I have played this game for maybe a week now and I am beginning to grow tired of the existing modes and maps. It is a really fun game and it is very disappointing to see its potential limited by this.

    Secondly, the ranking system in Ranked Battles is flawed. For a competitive mode such as Ranked Battles, the ranking system is based on how your team performs, not how you individually perform. This defeats the purpose of an individual ranking system and Nintendo cannot just turn a blind eye on this. I don't have any drive to raise my rank because I know that it can be affected any second by poor players in my team.

    Lastly (this is a minor gripe), but I am a huge fan of the charger weapons and I feel like the charger weapon is too underpowered. Maybe if they removed the line of fire when you're charging, it will make the charger a little better?

    I am giving this game 7/10 due to its creativity and its potential, but ultimately it still feels like Nintendo rushed this game out to compensate for LoZ Wii U not coming out this year.    … Expand
  5. Muuvinki
    Jun 7, 2015
    7
    A new fresh game from Nintendo. Single-player seemed really short and actually leaves player wanting more.
    Multiplayer can be great experience but the in-game balance is terrible. In ranked matches expect extreme frustration and suffering.

    Nevertheless Splatoon is a good game with unique idea and brings entertainment for many hours.
  6. MiawMix
    Jun 7, 2015
    6
    Unique art style is the single redeeming point. This game seriously suffer from lack of content. Little choice of maps, weapons, and game play mode. No character variations and build. I'm bored already in 1 hours. For that price i kinda expect more.
  7. SomeNavyGuy
    Jun 6, 2015
    6
    I would never imagine that a simple game like this could also be so complex! It is a very good and a must try if you own a Wii U. What annoys me about this game is how the controls are currently programmed where if you use the right analog stick (Instead of the Motion controls) The X-Axis and Y-axis are programmed for different sensitivity levels and It makes it WILL screw you over in aI would never imagine that a simple game like this could also be so complex! It is a very good and a must try if you own a Wii U. What annoys me about this game is how the controls are currently programmed where if you use the right analog stick (Instead of the Motion controls) The X-Axis and Y-axis are programmed for different sensitivity levels and It makes it WILL screw you over in a firefight!.

    RENT if you can at first, because 60 bucks is a bit steep for this!    … Expand
  8. perydwyn
    Jun 5, 2015
    7
    I am not too sure how to sum up my thoughts and feelings on Splatoon as they seem to change slightly with each play session I have with the game. Lets start with the good aspects:

    *The controls are absolutley spot on. Tight coontrols are very important for this kind of game, and both the motion controls and the traditional analogue stick methods work very well, with no lag. If you can    I am not too sure how to sum up my thoughts and feelings on Splatoon as they seem to change slightly with each play session I have with the game. Lets start with the good aspects:

    *The controls are absolutley spot on. Tight coontrols are very important for this kind of game, and both the motion controls and the traditional analogue stick methods work very well, with no lag. If you can get used to the motion control scheme (it took me about an hour of play for it to click) it is the superior option. The level of precision that can come form slight tilts of the gamepad is better than even mouse control for shooting.

    *The animation is flawless, all running at a slick 60fps.

    *The cental game idea of claiming territory through paint is imaginative and fun, and makes the game (which is essentially a third person shooter) feel so fresh and new.

    *The game pad integration is really good. With the lack of voice chat (see below) being able to see what your team is doing on the gamepad and then instantly jump to their location is a great touch for adding more strategy to proceedings.

    Now the bad:

    *Lack of modes. At launch there was only a single online mode. Another mode was unlocked a few days after release, and yet more are promised in the coming months, but I can't rate the game on what could be released later. The single online mode at launch is good fun, but with a 3 minute timer it is far too short. Often you feel like you are just starting to get a grip on the current battle when it ends abruptly. The single player is surprisingly good for what is essentially an online game...but it is pretty short (should last about 5 hours).

    *Lack of voice chat. I HATE voice chat in most online games as it generally just decends into teenage brats shouting obscenities at each other. But in a game like Splatoon which is about teamwork, not being able to communicate with your team is a major let down.

    *Clunky interface. There are lots of small annoyances with the UI, such as having to listen to pointless chit chat from NPCs when all you really want to do is buy something, or even just jump into a match. There really should have been a skip button to avoid hearing all the pointless dialogue.

    As I said, it is hard to sum everything up as every time I play I generally have a new feeling about the game (sometimes better, sometimes worse. Overall I think it is a fun game, but it doesn't quite feel like a first party Nintendo game...It feels more like a good indie game, or an e-shop title.    … Expand
  9. vreynauld
    Jun 13, 2015
    5
    I don't get all the praise for the game. If any other shooter launched with this little content, they'd get destroyed in the reviews and rightfully so.

    You can reach max level in multiplayer in about a day and a half of decent play time. There's no skill or rank based matchmaking so fresh level 1's can find themselves dominated by a team full of level 19's and 20's with everything    I don't get all the praise for the game. If any other shooter launched with this little content, they'd get destroyed in the reviews and rightfully so.

    You can reach max level in multiplayer in about a day and a half of decent play time. There's no skill or rank based matchmaking so fresh level 1's can find themselves dominated by a team full of level 19's and 20's with everything unlocked in the game. Spawn camping is easy to do on several maps (the skatepark, for example) with roller and inkbrush spam. Nintendo has opened up two new maps but there's still only a total of 7 and you can only ever play 2 per mode per 4 hours. Since the game pairs you up with no regard to location, rank, or skill, the lag is absolutely horrendous as you end up with players from all corners of the globe. No real transparency on the scoring system means the map might look like your team has won but, in reality, the other team beat you by several percent. Vendor gear resets every 24 hours and after a few days you'll start seeing repeats. The first Splatfest is coming next weekend but it only lasts 24 hours! Single player is novel but also short. Easy to beat in one session if you really wanted to. This doesn't even get into the $35 amiibo paywall for more single player content.

    It's colorful and charming for a while but ultimately shallow and vapid.
    By the time the August Update hits only the diehards will be left.    … Expand
  10. 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
  11. Tubey
    Jun 2, 2015
    6
    A really nice take on the shooter genre, with vivid colours and spot on art design. The problems lie in its' depth - very few maps and a very obvious lack of depth in terms of multiplayer options. This game would be a blast if more care had been put into the meat of the title as much as the aesthetics.

    As it stands, it's a really good game, albeit one hampered by Nintendo's desire to    A really nice take on the shooter genre, with vivid colours and spot on art design. The problems lie in its' depth - very few maps and a very obvious lack of depth in terms of multiplayer options. This game would be a blast if more care had been put into the meat of the title as much as the aesthetics.

    As it stands, it's a really good game, albeit one hampered by Nintendo's desire to stay in the year 1992 at all costs when it comes to multiplayer. This wouldn't be an issue if it were not for the genre of the game itself, but a shooter in 2015 lives and dies by its' multiplayer offering, for good or bad. And it needs to be solid on release too, because the multiplayer community for games die off quick when it has no depth to keep it coming back for more (see Evolve for evidence of this).

    I can see it dying off really quickly, I really can. I'd recommend avoiding and picking up cheap for the single player experience in a few months, because there really is nothing to be had here for someone looking to invest time in multiplayer.    … Expand
  12. Revenant87
    May 30, 2015
    6
    Its nice to see Nintendo try something new with shooters, and whats there is pretty enjoyable in short bursts. The problem is that in its current state the amount of content the game offers is more fitting for a budget indie title than a full price major game.

    Theres a single player campaign that contains some imaginative and enjoyable boss fights but its overall fairly short and basic.    Its nice to see Nintendo try something new with shooters, and whats there is pretty enjoyable in short bursts. The problem is that in its current state the amount of content the game offers is more fitting for a budget indie title than a full price major game.

    Theres a single player campaign that contains some imaginative and enjoyable boss fights but its overall fairly short and basic. Obviously the main attraction is the online multiplayer, but sadly right now it has only two game modes (and i'm being generous since its basically just ranked and unranked) and a mere 5 maps. The lack of maps is further exacerbated by the baffling decision to only make 2 of them available at any one time, switching it up to a fresh pair every few hours. Add to this the short length of the battles (3 minutes) and you are going to get familiar to the point of tedium with the maps very quickly. Whats more these maps are not especially huge, intricate or varied either. Theres the usual level progression, weapon upgrade etc stuff as well as headgear, shoes and shirts you can buy that come equipped with special abilites but overall its pretty shallow stuff. The lighting quick pace of the matches and the same two maps being repeated over and over especially makes it hard to really maintain interest for extended periods of time, feeling more like something you dip into casually for half an hour here and there.

    I gave the game an extra point just due to the fact that the amount of content will increase over time. However at this very moment Splatoon is simply too one dimensional to justify being a full price purchase when held against the gaming world norms of 2015.    … Expand
  13. directrix
    May 29, 2015
    5
    A truly spectacular, enjoyable game worthy of a 10/10, albeit with one HUGE issue: the lack of voice chat. After all these years, how can Nintendo not understand that there NEEDS to be vocal communication in a team multiplayer game? It pains me to do this, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say voice chat is 50% of the experience in these kinds of games; I'm forced to take off 50%A truly spectacular, enjoyable game worthy of a 10/10, albeit with one HUGE issue: the lack of voice chat. After all these years, how can Nintendo not understand that there NEEDS to be vocal communication in a team multiplayer game? It pains me to do this, but I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say voice chat is 50% of the experience in these kinds of games; I'm forced to take off 50% off of my 10/10 score.… Expand
  14. 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
  15. firestonex
    Jun 3, 2015
    5
    Splatoon has a lot of potential but is lacking in SO many areas. It's online system is horrible. It is nearly impossible to play with friends. There is no lobby system and no easy way to get a party going. There is also no way to switch your weapons between deaths, This means that you can't change strategies during game-play to help your team. Local Multiplayer is pretty much nonexistent,Splatoon has a lot of potential but is lacking in SO many areas. It's online system is horrible. It is nearly impossible to play with friends. There is no lobby system and no easy way to get a party going. There is also no way to switch your weapons between deaths, This means that you can't change strategies during game-play to help your team. Local Multiplayer is pretty much nonexistent, only for one mode.
    There are no option for 2 local players to play together online, which you could do in Mario Kart 8. The countdown clock is meaningless.

    The game IS addictive, but it has so many problems. For a full list of all these problems and more, check out Video Games Awesome. Fraser Agar and Becky Blow played the game, and while they had a lot of fun, they go over all the problems that this game has. As Fraser said, "This is a great demo"    … Expand
  16. Salme
    Jun 2, 2015
    5
    Splatoon is what people deserve: a shooter with good base that lacks on everything else. No local play besides a silly mode of popping ballons at 2015 is just plain idiot.No bots and no splitscreen, no good shot'em'up. But the worst of all is the people saying this is a masterpiece. It could have been a good game but the lack of basic things make Splatoon a mediocre game.
  17. Mememaster1337
    Jun 29, 2015
    5
    The game is okay. I honestly cannot see how this is appealing. After watching the digital event in 2014 Splatoon looked ok. But the internet thought different, because fanart was popping up a long ways before the game came out. There are 4 modes in the game, but one of them is locked behind amiibos, and the local multiplayer is not worth your time. No, I do not consider ranked battles aThe game is okay. I honestly cannot see how this is appealing. After watching the digital event in 2014 Splatoon looked ok. But the internet thought different, because fanart was popping up a long ways before the game came out. There are 4 modes in the game, but one of them is locked behind amiibos, and the local multiplayer is not worth your time. No, I do not consider ranked battles a different mode, I consider it a sub-mode. The online feels like Destiny, and the single player is very lackluster. But it's fun the first couple of times, and innovates on the shooter genre, plus the music is catchy in a good way! Just wait for a price drop, if that ever happens because the game is super popular. I you love it, that's great!… Expand
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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.
  22. 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
  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. 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
  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. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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.
  29. 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.
  30. 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
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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

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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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