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. thewwwyzzerdd
    Jun 5, 2015
    9
    New IP from Nintendo and they hit it out of the park! I wont explain the concept of splatoon since you can easily find a trailer or video review that will do that better than me, but I will say that the game does everything it tries to do extremely well. The weapons are surprisingly well balanced, and even with only a handful of maps and 2 multiplayer modes every game feels fresh.

    In    New IP from Nintendo and they hit it out of the park! I wont explain the concept of splatoon since you can easily find a trailer or video review that will do that better than me, but I will say that the game does everything it tries to do extremely well. The weapons are surprisingly well balanced, and even with only a handful of maps and 2 multiplayer modes every game feels fresh.

    In multiplayer lobbies fill up fast with 8 players then they get divided randomly into 2 teams. after the match is over the teams are shuffled, dropped players are replaced and you go again. Some people complain about the lack of voice chat, but in this case while i wont argue that voice chat could have been utilized well here, I honestly dont feel like it detracts from the experience. games are fast and maps are pretty tight, if you need to be told what to do, or tell someone else what to do its probably too late already.

    Ranked mode adds a nice refreshing take on king of the hill, its fast and frantic. This mode has more competitive matchmaking with a c- through a+ rating system. you gain more points and experience for winning but unlike in standard turfwar you will often gain no exp and lost ranked points if you are on the losing team. The only exception here is if the time runs out rather than the enemy team winning by holding the objective for 100 seconds.

    Lets talk single player. The single player here is a real unsung hero. The levels are well designed, the story surprisingly deep. The story mode teaches you everything you need to know about the games mechanics to jump into multiplayer, but does so without resorting to putting you in wattered down death matches with enemies. The turf war scenario or splatzone (king of the hill) mechanics are never used once in the single player. It has its own gameplay identity focusing more on movement mechanics, and platforming.

    So some will argue that the game was shipped "incomplete" because nintendo is releasing new content steadily over the summer (and presumably beyond), but honestly the game was solid out of the box. Dont get me wrong it wasnt the most robust experience ever, but Ive paid 60 bucks for way worse games with way more content and much less quality. This game was great out of the box and gets better with every content update.    … Expand
  2. 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
  3. mewtilator
    Jun 3, 2015
    10
    At first I thought I was a kid, but then i realized I was a squid. Also this game is incredibly fun, anyone with a Wii U should get it. Games are short and fast paced, sweet fashion choices and A+ memes by other users.
  4. alan666
    Jun 3, 2015
    10
    This game is marvelous. It is filled with personality and customization options. It makes ou addicted to paint everything. The thrills of playing online are incredible, and the single player campaign is nice.
    After playing Splatoon, other FPS's looked like they don't have life.
    Highly recommended!
  5. imapera
    Feb 17, 2016
    10
    Best WiiU game, it was from release date and now it have enforced that condition! Absolute brilliant game in each and every its aspects.

    New, fresh, addictive and perfectly done. 10/10
  6. leopoldo
    Jun 29, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is a game focused on multiplayer. The game is exclusive to the Wii U, and one of the best. The story is quite simple and childish, but that was the idea (I think). Customization is extremely simple, and there are few different weapons, but those that appear in the game are great. The multiplayer is basic and simple but incredibly fun, the graph is in cartoon style and there areSplatoon is a game focused on multiplayer. The game is exclusive to the Wii U, and one of the best. The story is quite simple and childish, but that was the idea (I think). Customization is extremely simple, and there are few different weapons, but those that appear in the game are great. The multiplayer is basic and simple but incredibly fun, the graph is in cartoon style and there are few bugs, you will not have many problems with it. Has three annoying problems in the game, first: the lack of communication between players is very bad in a multiplayer game without it is not possible to plan tactics with your friends, this diminishes the fun of the game; Second, the online games are very short; Third: Nintendo has a bad online network, make the matches fall often. In the end, Splatoon is an extremely fun multiplayer game, but with some annoying problems, but surely one of the best Nintendo game that year. 8/10… Expand
  7. vegitojt
    Jul 8, 2015
    9
    The only online shooter I really Like
    It's a new concept with tons of inavations on it.
    A lot of weapons and new content every week being unlock, so we can enjoy the game little by little and have something new to play
    I have no problems with the conection
  8. Andjelico95
    Jun 6, 2015
    8
    (This review is about the multiplayer)

    I'm not a big fan of multiplayer games, but this game has a revolutionary, exciting, fresh mulitplayer mode, i am not disappointed at all! I have tried the single player mode, and it was good, but playing online was better on this game, which is a shock for me. The gameplay is fun on many ways. You can level up, collect coins, buy new weapons    (This review is about the multiplayer)

    I'm not a big fan of multiplayer games, but this game has a revolutionary, exciting, fresh mulitplayer mode, i am not disappointed at all! I have tried the single player mode, and it was good, but playing online was better on this game, which is a shock for me.

    The gameplay is fun on many ways. You can level up, collect coins, buy new weapons and gears, and obtain different abilities, lovely! There are few maps (Very nice maps!), but there will come more soon.
    The soundtrack on this game is amazing too, it's so different.

    The graphics and psycics are sweet on this game, you can almost feel and smell the ink.

    There is also a addictive mini-game while waiting for a battle start on multiplayer mode, i will give a big plus for that too.

    This game is easy to learn, and fun to master. Good job Nintendo, as always!    … Expand
  9. Berezau
    Jun 2, 2015
    9
    Splatoon is a great new spin on the shooter genre. Plenty of gear, weapns and strategising for different playstyles. The mechanics and short length of online matches keep things dynamic and snappy. Short, but very enjoyable single player campaign (the last boss is great!). Yes, limited content amount on launch, but the gear, weapons and various stats make for dynamic options. AbsolutelySplatoon is a great new spin on the shooter genre. Plenty of gear, weapns and strategising for different playstyles. The mechanics and short length of online matches keep things dynamic and snappy. Short, but very enjoyable single player campaign (the last boss is great!). Yes, limited content amount on launch, but the gear, weapons and various stats make for dynamic options. Absolutely brilliant new game.… Expand
  10. Jorick
    Jun 12, 2015
    10
    Great game, a lot of colors! For a non FPS player, it's really fun. Objective based gameplay. Kills help but it's not the main goal! Customization of you squid is fun, and the single player campaign is done really good!
  11. mrreviwer
    Jun 26, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is a great game and it's totally worth your money. But they should add a xbox 360 version. Please help me spreed the news . I think the single player mode was perfect. I recommend this to you.
  12. Polymorph85
    Jun 26, 2015
    10
    One of the best online multiplayers to date. Reinventive, and makes you tilt and turn the controller on other consoles/shooters to get that perfect aim.
  13. TheDarkMudkip47
    Jun 27, 2015
    10
    Splatoon is nintendos best game ever and you know what it might save the wii u it's the best shooter ever because it's not that hard to get used to and easy to get at least decent at it and if you want to get into shooters try to start at splatoon
  14. echa
    Jul 3, 2015
    9
    This is a game I really can recommend for everybody, especially if you're a fan of Team Fortress 2 kind of games! I love the splatoonfest idea, gives something to wait and compete for.
  15. redubs
    Jul 4, 2015
    9
    The only reason I bought a Wii U. Worth the £160 for Wii U premium and Splatoon. I've been playing it for a week and still enjoying it just as much. A new game mode came out a day or two ago, they keep adding new content this keeps me coming back for more. Really enjoying this game, my game of the year so far.
  16. Dartek
    Jun 4, 2015
    9
    Splatoon is a great game, with a fresh propose, you can think that the game is incomplete but actually Nintendo is doing a great work updating it and adding more content, also you can really use the amiibos, a must have for the Wii U
  17. syphist
    Oct 10, 2016
    0
    Absolutely terrible online connections. I paid to have a good time, and losing my connection a minute into EVERY match is terrible. I wish I could redeem a refund on this game.
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. oLTooN
    Jan 5, 2016
    3
    This game is awesome, great, brilliant and funtastic. Its original, adictive, and unique in its kind. It's impossible to define it with words, it's something that you have to try to understand. It offers a completely new way of online gaming, you can make team with your friends or search unknown foes randomly in 2 or 3 online game modes, and you know what? I HATE THIS GAME.
    I hate it    This game is awesome, great, brilliant and funtastic. Its original, adictive, and unique in its kind. It's impossible to define it with words, it's something that you have to try to understand. It offers a completely new way of online gaming, you can make team with your friends or search unknown foes randomly in 2 or 3 online game modes, and you know what? I HATE THIS GAME.
    I hate it because Nintendo needs better servers, I've played not more than 20 hours and all because Sever lose conection before the game is finished. I've completed the offline mode with all scrolls and even finished amiibos quest, it took me around 10 hours gaming. Maybe you think I need better internet conection, but hey! When I play Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, I don't lose conection 1 minute after I start playing and I can even use wireless conection, because believe me, I used cable to play Splatoon online but really it doesn't work. The big diference is: when you play MH3U and you lose conection, the game continues, the other players disappear, but you stay playing alone against the Monster, at least it gives you the chance to complete the quest (anyway I don't lose conection very often in MH3U and I played 300 more hours than Splatoon).
    This game needs something to improve the internet conection, it could be a graphic downgrade or even to include more offline modes or a deeper single mode. I think they have to stop giving new stages and work harder to solve the internet problem, because not everyone has good internet conection and it's rubbish when you don't know how the game reacts when you lose conection before buying the game. They can even do that if you lose conection all players pass to be CPU players, the game doesn't stop, you finish the game that already started and also gives chance to level up. But this last it's just fantasy of mine. I

    really hope the find a way to fix that because it's a wonderful game.    … Expand
  23. Saikron
    Oct 5, 2015
    3
    I heard that this game didn't have much meat to it when it released, so I waited 4 months to buy it. It still doesn't have much meat to it. Until you level up to 10, you can only play 2 different maps for the day. The maps are kind of simplistic, so I got bored with both maps within an hour. I had to wait until the following day for two more maps. I guess these are randomly picked becauseI heard that this game didn't have much meat to it when it released, so I waited 4 months to buy it. It still doesn't have much meat to it. Until you level up to 10, you can only play 2 different maps for the day. The maps are kind of simplistic, so I got bored with both maps within an hour. I had to wait until the following day for two more maps. I guess these are randomly picked because I only got to play one new one and the same one from yesterday. As far as I can tell there is only one game mode for online play, and that is to try to paint more of the map with your color than your opponent can paint with theirs.

    Paint rollers are so strong that two sneaky guys can flip 25% of the map in the last few seconds of the game. They're supposed to be short range weapons but you can sling paint from them almost as far as the automatic rifles shoot.

    Once you start to get matched with higher skilled players it seems like every game is either a boring, crushing loss or a boring, complete victory. 3/5 of the time one team is forced into their spawn and can't leave. This is partly based on team skill, but it's also based on what weapons you picked before you joined. It can be nearly impossible for one team to leave their spawn vs another depending on the weapon matchup - WHICH YOU CAN'T CHANGE WITHOUT LEAVING THE GAME!

    I'm not sure I'll ever put the disc back in.    … Expand
  24. sonofashepherd
    Jun 12, 2015
    3
    Any game those main point is online should include certain, basic features. Voice chat, Teams, Modes, Matches, Loadouts, Leveling, a real reason to keep playing the game!

    Sadly This game does very little of those things. The lack of maps and modes alone make this not worth the price. The game is fun for a limited time, very similar to many recent games from Nintendo. They have somehow    Any game those main point is online should include certain, basic features. Voice chat, Teams, Modes, Matches, Loadouts, Leveling, a real reason to keep playing the game!

    Sadly This game does very little of those things. The lack of maps and modes alone make this not worth the price. The game is fun for a limited time, very similar to many recent games from Nintendo. They have somehow forgotten how to make a classic game.

    The graphics are on par with most other Wii U titles, they don't seem to get better or worse and I really believe they have already hit the limit of what the dated hardware can do and that is sad considering this is supposed to be the next Gen system for Nintendo.

    As much as I don't want to believe it I think Nintendo, like this game, is short lived and soon forgotten all together. After 4 months I am willing to bet very few will be talking about this game.    … Expand
  25. Llama-lord
    Aug 22, 2015
    0
    It's to reliant on the internet:(. Every thing you do on it needs the internet and unfortunately not ever one has quick enough wifi to play the game. Like what about the people who live,in the country and don't get good enough reception how are they going to play? The only good thing I can say about the game (because I can't play it) is the colours.
  26. hiphoptherobot
    Jul 4, 2015
    0
    Most of these reviews are glaringly dishonest. This game has just enough creative potential to make you hate it. The concept is top notch, the weapons creative and varied, and the gameplay is really quite clever. These wonderful aspects are buried in issues. For starters, it is a game based on teamwork with no ability to communicate. It's sort of like driving a car with no wheels. TheMost of these reviews are glaringly dishonest. This game has just enough creative potential to make you hate it. The concept is top notch, the weapons creative and varied, and the gameplay is really quite clever. These wonderful aspects are buried in issues. For starters, it is a game based on teamwork with no ability to communicate. It's sort of like driving a car with no wheels. The weapons are great, but really imbalanced. So all of that work, and clearly there was a lot, in making each series of weapon unique and interesting is wasted by having to favor the same handful of weapons over and over. The servers are another major issue. Maybe this is because of the wireless-only feature of the wii u, but at peak hours both for the US and Japan the servers disconnect about 60-75% of the time. I'm buying a USB adapter and hoping this will help, but it is absolutely not an issue with my internet. I've checked it in every way possible and this only occurs in this game, none others. If this game didn't have potential, then I wouldn't give it another thought. It has potential. Once again Nintendo has put out something sloppy and done an amiibo cash grab.… Expand
  27. 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
  28. AGWS
    Aug 29, 2015
    3
    There's a lot of potential for Splatoon to become one of Nintendo's best new properties, but its first offering leaves a lot to be desired and is extremely light on content, usability, and basic features. The motion controls are awful and the kind of thing you would have expected designers to abandon after the early Wii days. The biggest issues with Splatoon's usability seems to stem fromThere's a lot of potential for Splatoon to become one of Nintendo's best new properties, but its first offering leaves a lot to be desired and is extremely light on content, usability, and basic features. The motion controls are awful and the kind of thing you would have expected designers to abandon after the early Wii days. The biggest issues with Splatoon's usability seems to stem from nobody actually trying to approach the game as a normal user would. You can't adjust game settings from in a level or even from within the single-player hub world. You have to quit out of the level and then out of the single player hub world to get back to the main hub world to change something as simple as the camera settings, but that forces you to re-watch an unskippable series of scenes where you're told about the available maps in multiplayer mode. Given the extremely limited number of stages, that's not even helpful. You're not allowed to actually select which stage you play on, so the fact that the stage icons show up on the screen where the game assigns you to a match does everything that scene does without the interruptions.
    The characters themselves are super stylish and cool but their world is just kind of a simple cartoon Japan and doesn't carry the style through. I'd have much rather they created a world that fit these characters and was as unique as they are. I was expecting to build up to beaches or places where the ocean is crashing in or coral reefs encroaching onto dry land, but there's none of that. You never get any different weapons or abilities either, so even though the campaign is extremely short and you can beat in a day or two, it feels stale by the end. Story-wise, there's really no distinction between the good guys and bad guys. The bad guys are evil because they want to enslave some creatures to power their dying city, versus the good guys who want to enslave these creatures to power their thriving city. There's a good way to do the "we're not so different, you and I" plot, but the game doesn't seem to be aware of its hypocrisy or acknowledge it in any way. Plus, the Octolings have way better design than the Inklings so I found myself more attached to the bad guys than my own allies. The character themes don't gel or relate to the core game either. The game makes a point to call out that all the Inklings care about is fighting and fashion, but the final boss is a DJ so there's a weird disconnect there.
    With such a minimalist single player campaign, you soon find yourself in multiplayer but it quickly wears thin. Multiplayer doesn't seem to have the faintest hint of any kind of matchmaking. When I was level 2, I was going up against a team of players ranging from levels 9 to 20 and in the 4v4 match, two of my teammates immediately dropped out. Your level limits what kind of weapons and loadouts you can have and also your stats and abilities. I'm sure none of the higher level players are happy when I show up because my rank means I'm using stock weapons and my stats are lousy. There's no pre-match interaction or set-up, so you can easily load into a battle where everybody is using the same weapon and nobody can play off strengths and weaknesses. You're not even allowed to change weapons between matches.
    It's super grindy to unlock items for multiplayer but at the very end of a match, you can get a communication error and nobody will earn any experience and you get nothing for the match because even though you were transitioning to the results screen, the game counts it as a disconnect. There are only two maps per mode (and you're restricted to one mode until level 10), so the grind itself is incredibly tedious. I bought the game Thursday evening and by Saturday night I felt like I'd seen everything it had to offer minus unlocking new weapons that don't seem all that different and new stats from gear. I can only play three or four matches before turning the game off because it's getting tedious. I was really hoping that given the lessened focus on killing opponents, there would be some kind of cooperative mode where you're working together to fulfill a mission or join forces against a giant boss or something. Instead, it's just two modes with only two possible maps at a time each and lots of grinding. Even after all that grinding, there isn't much variety in the weapons, which is a place the game really could have shown off some style with Ratchet and Clank-levels of weirdness.
    Splatoon feels like it could be the start of a great franchise thanks to the style the characters have, but it also feels like nobody considered how actual users would play the game, interact with menus, try to strategize or communicate with each other, or want different modes to play. If we find out that the game was supposed to be a Christmas release that was yanked up to summer to try to drive some interest in the Wii U and that's why it's so unpolished and bare bones, I would have no problems believing that.    … Expand
  29. DontBuySplatoon
    May 29, 2015
    0
    I bought this game thinking I could play online with my friend but there was no way to send a game invite or join his game. Not that it would matter because the game does not even feature voice chat. Online games are short and shallow, it feels like baby's first fps. I do not recommend this game at all and am returning it to the store tomorrow.
  30. TeneSicarius
    Jul 17, 2015
    1
    It is a really fun game, but the network is so bad. If there is even a second of lag, I'm kicked to the loading screen. This game is fun enough to be 10/10, but this is based on how many games it would let me play. Between being kicked out of a lobby as soon at it was full, to being disconnected as soon as the game began, to the most rage inducing moments when the game is over, but thatIt is a really fun game, but the network is so bad. If there is even a second of lag, I'm kicked to the loading screen. This game is fun enough to be 10/10, but this is based on how many games it would let me play. Between being kicked out of a lobby as soon at it was full, to being disconnected as soon as the game began, to the most rage inducing moments when the game is over, but that isn't when it saves, so I never get any reward for playing. I can't even join the lobbies I'm kicked from, because this system is so stupid.… Expand
  31. destiny6573
    Jul 16, 2015
    4
    All You Do Is Shoot The Ground With Ink And Splat Players With Red Ink to Make It Like Blood A Bloody Copy Just Know one Knows It But It Is DIFFRENT WORLD BLOOD
  32. lucasisback
    Jun 20, 2015
    0
    My favorite game of all time, until splat fest came. I have previously heard about splat fest issues in Japan, but I let it slide, because it's Nintendo. Splatoon is largely an online experience; Therefore, I had expected Nintendo to fix this problem before splat fest arrived to the USA. Sadly, splat fest was canceled due to the same issue. I am officially sick and tired of Nintendo andMy favorite game of all time, until splat fest came. I have previously heard about splat fest issues in Japan, but I let it slide, because it's Nintendo. Splatoon is largely an online experience; Therefore, I had expected Nintendo to fix this problem before splat fest arrived to the USA. Sadly, splat fest was canceled due to the same issue. I am officially sick and tired of Nintendo and Splatoon. By my once lovely Nintendo, because I'm not buying from you anymore!… Expand
  33. Spazer
    May 21, 2016
    0
    This game has clearly the worst online ever ! A real joke, this is unreal ! Lag, lag and lag due to a prehistoric peer to peer system which implies best connections (japanese) hosting ! I just can't play a single match without getting issues, though I have an excellent fiber connection...see -> my ping in Japan is around 329 ms ! (less than 10 ms in France where I live) Ah ah ah ! SoThis game has clearly the worst online ever ! A real joke, this is unreal ! Lag, lag and lag due to a prehistoric peer to peer system which implies best connections (japanese) hosting ! I just can't play a single match without getting issues, though I have an excellent fiber connection...see -> my ping in Japan is around 329 ms ! (less than 10 ms in France where I live) Ah ah ah ! So funny Nintendo to make us play in such pathetic conditions !

    We got many updates for this game but Nintendo still kids with his customers : no build for a local or European room which would be the strict minimum (after one year) so as to correct this aberration.

    Best option would be real servers, but it will never happens, why ? Because Nintendo just doesn't care !!! 10 billions of cash flow and they are incapable of proposing servers. A quite stingy firm, isn't it ?

    So, on my side, next time I won't care about NX...(as a Nintendo fan).

    Anyway, the online of Splatoon is the stupidest and the most frustrating thing I have ever seen.

    Tendo must wake up asap !    … Expand
  34. Ican_pheelit
    May 30, 2015
    0
    This is just a COD wannabe if they really wanted to rip off COD they need to do a better job seriously Nintendo the simimilarity to COD is tremendous try being original for once
  35. pauljcrary
    Jun 23, 2015
    2
    Really Nintendo.... You just HAD to make a shooting game. I know it would boost your popularity, but shooting is NOT RIGHT. It doesn't fit with the company. It got REALLY boring overtime because it is SO repetitive, even campaign! Even Smash could it up like throwing a Pokeball at a 999% Mario. Just, don't buy it.
  36. 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
  37. 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
  38. curzon_dax
    Oct 3, 2017
    10
    This game was amazing. The last boss was a 10/10. The rest of a game was a 9 since it could be slightly more complex and interesting but whatever, get a 10.
  39. 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.
  40. 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
  41. 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
  42. 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
  43. NinjaLandGameYT
    Jul 23, 2015
    8
    Splatoon - Wii U - Review

    + Great Art Style + Fun game-play, that is fast and frantic + Single Player adds a break time and more content + Multi Player done right by Nintendo, Matches are fast and fun - Not enough variety in Multi Player, But they are slowly upgrading the game and DLC - Amiibo Unlocks are expensive and hard to find Overall - It's a fun game to play, especially    Splatoon - Wii U - Review

    + Great Art Style
    + Fun game-play, that is fast and frantic
    + Single Player adds a break time and more content
    + Multi Player done right by Nintendo, Matches are fast and fun

    - Not enough variety in Multi Player, But they are slowly upgrading the game and DLC
    - Amiibo Unlocks are expensive and hard to find

    Overall - It's a fun game to play, especially with friends, the free upgrades and DLC are keeping the game alive. But it starts to wear down after about 20 hours or so.    … Expand
  44. 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
  45. DartMaul
    Aug 25, 2015
    10
    This is just AMAZING. This game is a fantastic online competitive third person shooter, what else can I say? I didn't saw this coming Nintendo, I was one of the "mah, this looks like an indie"... Well, I was so wrong! This game is, as I was saying at the beginning, Amazing.
  46. PseudoSonyer
    Aug 26, 2015
    10
    Very affordable game for anyone open to a new means of fun. Uses both amiibo and the GamePad to get the most of the WiiU and the on-line experience is great too. Lots of colors, gadgets, perks and maps to enjoy the 4 different modes: Turf War, Rainmaker, Tower Control and Splat Zones. Free DLC available enhances the experience along with more people joining everyday.

    The campaign is    Very affordable game for anyone open to a new means of fun. Uses both amiibo and the GamePad to get the most of the WiiU and the on-line experience is great too. Lots of colors, gadgets, perks and maps to enjoy the 4 different modes: Turf War, Rainmaker, Tower Control and Splat Zones. Free DLC available enhances the experience along with more people joining everyday.

    The campaign is short but satisfying, the Boss Battles are unique and the Final boss is one of the hardest in gaming history.

    The Splatfest are the best part of the game, engage in bloody battles to protect your favorite topics, from Dogs vs Cats to Transformers!!

    No doubt, one of the best games on the WiiU and a system Seller.    … Expand
  47. Viltgance
    Dec 5, 2015
    10
    One of the best multiplayer games of all time. Extremely addictive and fun, me and my buddy seriously can't put our controllers down and we have been playing for months already. A fresh new game in an oversaturated genre, this game should be played by all.
    *****Nice to see you get so much content out of the box with absolutely no Microtransactions or paid DLC.......Nintendo your    One of the best multiplayer games of all time. Extremely addictive and fun, me and my buddy seriously can't put our controllers down and we have been playing for months already. A fresh new game in an oversaturated genre, this game should be played by all.
    *****Nice to see you get so much content out of the box with absolutely no Microtransactions or paid DLC.......Nintendo your business model is A++, you guys just need to better job marketing it*****    … Expand
  48. 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.
  49. Ensigned
    Dec 4, 2015
    10
    Best family friendly shooter of all time. If you are looking for a way to bond with your teens and kids as a family, this is the game for you. Honestly, who needs family therapy when you have Splatoon! Laughs and fun for everyone. Gameplay is PERFECT.
  50. GamecubeLover
    Aug 15, 2016
    10
    Creative story, amazing addicting gameplay, great graphics, and much much more. This game is a masterpiece and way more than like paintball...its a beautiful canvas.
  51. CzarSquid
    Feb 27, 2022
    0
    If you ever wanted a game that is all load screens and 1 minute of gameplay then this game is for you
  52. 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
  53. Williamtpt
    Mar 16, 2017
    9
    Juego increible, super adictivo, solo le falta variedad en los mapas al momento de jugar online, pero no entorpece demasiado la experiencia final del juego.
  54. Honelith
    Mar 26, 2017
    10
    Simply one of the best online multiplayer games ever created and further refined in Splatoon 2 which is even better! But back to Splatoon 1, I love the quick fast paced nature of the matches, which caters to newbies and pro players. Because even if you can't aim, anyone can simply learn to dodge, place down traps and get away so you can continue inking more of the arena. Great art styleSimply one of the best online multiplayer games ever created and further refined in Splatoon 2 which is even better! But back to Splatoon 1, I love the quick fast paced nature of the matches, which caters to newbies and pro players. Because even if you can't aim, anyone can simply learn to dodge, place down traps and get away so you can continue inking more of the arena. Great art style and interesting music that never gets old with plenty of items, ranks and weapons to buy and unlock which keeps you playing well into the end game stage.… Expand
  55. Kirisoul
    Sep 24, 2015
    10
    Was going to give it a 9 for relatively small amount of content, but updates have continuously fixed that up. Splatoon's aesthetic style, gameplay, and overall package are all top notch. I had never played shooters before Splatoon, and was simply curious since the mechanics looked interesting. But now 4 months after the game release, I'm still actively playing it. There's a lot ofWas going to give it a 9 for relatively small amount of content, but updates have continuously fixed that up. Splatoon's aesthetic style, gameplay, and overall package are all top notch. I had never played shooters before Splatoon, and was simply curious since the mechanics looked interesting. But now 4 months after the game release, I'm still actively playing it. There's a lot of strategic depth behind this game's cute exterior, which is of course very Nintendo-like.… Expand
  56. starmarx39
    Jul 14, 2016
    10
    Splatoon's approachable aesthetic and surprisingly deep competitive mode kick down the door of the hardcore online genre and firmly establish their community in the online space.

    Fast, creative, gorgeous to look at and shockingly compelling, Splatoon feels like the tightest shooter to hit the gaming space in years.
  57. QDog
    Sep 6, 2015
    10
    I waited 3 months to review this game because I wanted to see how it evolved and if it still held my attention. I can honestly say that I have put more hours into Splatoon than any game in years. It's charm and easy to play yet difficult to master gameplay makes it quite addicting. If you have a Wii U and don't have this game, you're cheating yourself. If any single game is worthI waited 3 months to review this game because I wanted to see how it evolved and if it still held my attention. I can honestly say that I have put more hours into Splatoon than any game in years. It's charm and easy to play yet difficult to master gameplay makes it quite addicting. If you have a Wii U and don't have this game, you're cheating yourself. If any single game is worth getting a Wii U, it's Splatoon. As a person who does NOT like shooters, I LOVE this game.

    I can't wait for the next Splatfest.    … Expand
  58. Delta46
    Aug 17, 2015
    10
    One of my all time favorite games. The multiplayer is what really shines here. There is so much variety and fun to be had here. The single player is a nice short distraction. Amazing game.
  59. alphaomega88
    Jan 6, 2016
    10
    Absolutely the most addictive shooter I have ever played, no contest. This game gets it right, it is easy to pick up and play casually and have a fantastic time with, and it has all the right elements of an extremely competitive game for more intense players to also have an absolutely fantastic time with, and that is just the multiplayer. The single player alone is quality enough to rateAbsolutely the most addictive shooter I have ever played, no contest. This game gets it right, it is easy to pick up and play casually and have a fantastic time with, and it has all the right elements of an extremely competitive game for more intense players to also have an absolutely fantastic time with, and that is just the multiplayer. The single player alone is quality enough to rate this game an easy 8. Best game this year, and most fun shooter ever IMHO.… Expand
  60. vintagegamer16
    Dec 5, 2015
    10
    Splatoon is great, unique even for having a different winning objective. A must have system seller for the WiiU. The Music is stylish and the single player is a must play through as well.
  61. SaltyNoodles
    Apr 4, 2016
    10
    This game really reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend a few years ago. I basically said "wouldn't it be great if there was a first person shooter style game, but with an upbeat tone, and cute, colourful graphics?". And Splatoon absolutely quenches my thirst for a game like this and more. It's fast paced, got a few different ways to play, adorable, and gives you the sort ofThis game really reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend a few years ago. I basically said "wouldn't it be great if there was a first person shooter style game, but with an upbeat tone, and cute, colourful graphics?". And Splatoon absolutely quenches my thirst for a game like this and more. It's fast paced, got a few different ways to play, adorable, and gives you the sort of sense of community of any multiplayer game but without the option for your teammates to scream insults into your ear. It's a wonderful experience.… Expand
  62. Aozz101x
    Dec 18, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is one of the Best games for Wii U!, a new FRESH shooter to long running games such as Halo and Call of Duty.

    The Good:
    - The Game has a lot you can do, Single Player, Multplayer, Splatfest, Local Multplayer, customized you're inkling! ;)
    - it has an interesting story mode

    The Bad
    - lack of more options on local multplayer
    - Short Story Mode, but it's pretty good still!
  63. FreedomFighters
    Feb 25, 2018
    10
    I'll be completely honest with you guys, as fun as this game looked, I kind of worried it was gonna fail. No voice chat, lack of features and maps at launch, poor advertising, and the struggles of the "Global Testfire" just had me worrying more and more about "what if this great looking new IP from Nintendo comes out and ends up not doing so well?" Fortunately, "Splatoon" is an absolutelyI'll be completely honest with you guys, as fun as this game looked, I kind of worried it was gonna fail. No voice chat, lack of features and maps at launch, poor advertising, and the struggles of the "Global Testfire" just had me worrying more and more about "what if this great looking new IP from Nintendo comes out and ends up not doing so well?" Fortunately, "Splatoon" is an absolutely fantastic game that succeeds in almost every aspect.
    The game is extremely fun to play, unique, fresh (no pun intended) and visually gorgeous, and now with all the free updates available, there's a lot to try out in the game. Also, even though the game's campaign is pretty short, it's still wildly fun to play and features some amazing level design and mission variety that'll keep you on your toes all throughout.
    The game isn't immaculate, though. The local multiplayer is definitely lacking and, me being someone that doesn't play online games that often, it sucks that I can't play battles locally and get the same experience (I know "Splatoon 2" is going to fix that, though, which is good). Oh, and the lack of voice chat is still disheartening and annoying.
    Even so, "Splatoon" is an excellent game that should not be missing from your Wii U collection. Stay fresh, kids and squids!
    Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"    … Expand
  64. Hechss
    Nov 24, 2015
    10
    Splatoon is pure fun and creativity! And after uncountables updates its content is truly large. A multiplayer shooter like none other exists. Can't stop playing it!
  65. 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
  66. JJTX
    Mar 24, 2019
    8
    Splatoon is the most innovative and exciting new Nintendo IP in at least a decade. Even if you've never played any kind of online team-based shooter before, you'll easily catch on to Splatoon's accessible and friendly approach to the genre. The single-player campaign is surprisingly deep, though the final boss battle far overstays its welcome. The real meat here is the online multiplayer,Splatoon is the most innovative and exciting new Nintendo IP in at least a decade. Even if you've never played any kind of online team-based shooter before, you'll easily catch on to Splatoon's accessible and friendly approach to the genre. The single-player campaign is surprisingly deep, though the final boss battle far overstays its welcome. The real meat here is the online multiplayer, which is always busy -- you'll never have trouble finding enough players for a quick battle. Motion controls, while optional, are surprisingly effective and easy to use. Splatoon is a must-play for all Wii U owners.… Expand
  67. tybyrd93
    Aug 13, 2015
    9
    To say I was skeptical about this game at first would be an understatement, but after hearing so many good things about and all the free updates and DLC, I decided to give it a shot. I'm so glad that I did. Splatoon is a great shooter combined with nintendo's signature brand of creativity and fun gameplay. Multiplayer is incredibly fast-paced and addicting, while the campaign puts mostTo say I was skeptical about this game at first would be an understatement, but after hearing so many good things about and all the free updates and DLC, I decided to give it a shot. I'm so glad that I did. Splatoon is a great shooter combined with nintendo's signature brand of creativity and fun gameplay. Multiplayer is incredibly fast-paced and addicting, while the campaign puts most other shooters single player modes to shame. The levels, enemies, and boss fights are very well done. Unlocking and upgrading gear gives you something to work towards at all times. While it does have a few flaws (namely only two maps being in rotation in multiplayer at a time and not being able to switch load-outs without exiting your session), splatoon is a masterclass in putting a fun twist on an otherwise homogenous genre of games. It's a must own for Wii u owners, Nintendo fans, and fans of shooters in general.… Expand
  68. ToFewViews
    Sep 13, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is the Wii-U's main shooter and rather then focus on the killing of other players It focuses on the painting of the map, Giving you points for painting as much as the map as possible.You play as an "Inkling" that is a human/squid person witch gives you the ability to swim through your teams Ink, You can use this method to get up walls/sneak around. Splatoon also has a fairly deepSplatoon is the Wii-U's main shooter and rather then focus on the killing of other players It focuses on the painting of the map, Giving you points for painting as much as the map as possible.You play as an "Inkling" that is a human/squid person witch gives you the ability to swim through your teams Ink, You can use this method to get up walls/sneak around. Splatoon also has a fairly deep single-player campaign that is worth playing and a split screen Co-op mode. This is a nice change of pace when it comes to recent shooters and is enjoyable. Splatoon may look childish with it's colours and non violent game-play but you will be surprised how complex it feels. Winning/Playing earns you XP and Currency witch is used to level up/unlock new items then customize your character to your play style, Splatoon has a huge section for weapons from small auto rifles,big paint rollers,sniper rifles and much more. Weapons aren't the only things you can buy and upgrade, Hats, Shirts etc all available as well and consistently changing. Almost everything in Splatoon rotates on a 4 hour clock, New Maps, New Cloths etc all are available every 4 hours.This helps to keep the game fresh and new. The world Splatoon takes place in is amazing, It has little details everywhere you notice and makes you feel like your playing in a real world not just a city made to disguise lobby/loading screens. Music in Splaton is great as well, most times I find myself playing my own music but not with this game. Splatoon is a great shooter for anyone with a Wii-U regardless of age and I highly recommend you try it.… Expand
  69. Harraseda
    Sep 13, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is a new, fun, fresh experience, unlike anything Nintendo, or any other developer has made before. I just hope it is supported by more updates and DLC in the future to ensure it stays this way.
    + Fun, fast gameplay
    + Fresh, unique idea
    + Great visuals
    + Phenomenal Final Boss
    - A few annoying design ideas
    - Amiibo lock away considerable amounts of content
  70. Sporty_Andy
    Sep 13, 2015
    10
    My favorite game on WiiU without doubt. I'm always have a reason to play it, and when I'm on it, I can't drop the joystick.
    The story mode it's only a simple and funny platform game, but his online it's and addictive shooter and I know nobody who doesn't loved it before play it!!
  71. soquer
    Dec 14, 2015
    8
    to be the first attemp by a shooter from nintendo is not bad, the negative points are that you cant choose the map and the maps offered every four hours most are not to my taste, the positive points are the hours and hours of fun
  72. Operationgamer
    Oct 22, 2016
    9
    Splatoon is, hands down, one of the best, if not THE best game on the Wii U. It's innovative, charming, graphically impressive, and a whole lot of fun. The controls do take some getting used to, though, and there's also an annoyance in some multiplayer maps in Tower Control mode where players with chargers or any other long-range weapon could camp out in a high area and snipe players,Splatoon is, hands down, one of the best, if not THE best game on the Wii U. It's innovative, charming, graphically impressive, and a whole lot of fun. The controls do take some getting used to, though, and there's also an annoyance in some multiplayer maps in Tower Control mode where players with chargers or any other long-range weapon could camp out in a high area and snipe players, resulting in the match going nowhere at times. Other than that, thumbs up.… Expand
  73. seburo
    Jul 16, 2015
    10
    Just to compensate for the dumb-asses that grant zeroes to feel better... I'm sure that is NOT a Zero whatsoever. Even if you are not into online shooters the off line mode is stimulating and rewarding. :)
  74. spongeswift
    Mar 20, 2017
    8
    In the beginning I thought Splatoon was gonna be dumb but man was I wrong. Splatoon's story mode is kind of easy and quick but it's a pretty good time! Also turf wars was really fun I would find myself playing on that mode for hours. Now the big flaw of Splatoon is how the online is arranged. A 2 map rotation is ridiculous because why not choose 2 random ones and let people vote on itIn the beginning I thought Splatoon was gonna be dumb but man was I wrong. Splatoon's story mode is kind of easy and quick but it's a pretty good time! Also turf wars was really fun I would find myself playing on that mode for hours. Now the big flaw of Splatoon is how the online is arranged. A 2 map rotation is ridiculous because why not choose 2 random ones and let people vote on it instead of making me sit around and play the same 2 maps for hours. Also the other modes should also be used for fun instead of making you play competitively unless you want a bad score. Overall Splatoon is a grand time and everyone should get their hands on it.… Expand
  75. 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
  76. MightyMING
    Nov 21, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is a fast pace third person shooter. The graphics are colourful, clean and crisp, the game can be enjoyed by all ages but it does seem Nintendo was aiming to make a kid friendly shooter. The maps are small compared to other online shooters but I guess that's because it's only an 8 player game. There wasn't enough maps for the game at launch, but thankfully Nintendo added more. IfSplatoon is a fast pace third person shooter. The graphics are colourful, clean and crisp, the game can be enjoyed by all ages but it does seem Nintendo was aiming to make a kid friendly shooter. The maps are small compared to other online shooters but I guess that's because it's only an 8 player game. There wasn't enough maps for the game at launch, but thankfully Nintendo added more. If your only gaming device is a Wii U, I highly recommend buying this shooter, but if you got a PS4/XB1/PC there is many other better online shooters available.… Expand
  77. Rolowayane
    Oct 29, 2015
    9
    Aquí el claro ejemplo de un juego ORIGINAL. Divertido, acompañado de un apartado gráfico muy bueno, SIN LAGS, una banda sonora muy acorde a la temática del juego y una jugabilidad impecable. No le di el 10, sólo porque le falto un modo cooperativo en modo offline, sólo se juega un modo competitivo offline.
  78. 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.
  79. larrycom
    Jul 29, 2015
    10
    Diversion en odo momento, desde el tutorial te diviertes, pintarlo todo es tan, pero tan divertido que nada se le compara. La campaña si bien es corta, es perfectamente rejugable, y el modo online es frenetico, donde lo importante no es matar al rival, lo que te hace ganar es pintar el terreno. Lo mejor es que no habra niños rata, que tanto disfrutan de insultar por ese chat de voz queDiversion en odo momento, desde el tutorial te diviertes, pintarlo todo es tan, pero tan divertido que nada se le compara. La campaña si bien es corta, es perfectamente rejugable, y el modo online es frenetico, donde lo importante no es matar al rival, lo que te hace ganar es pintar el terreno. Lo mejor es que no habra niños rata, que tanto disfrutan de insultar por ese chat de voz que tanto reclaman. Creo que es el mejor juego online de la generacion.… Expand
  80. Fireantus
    Aug 9, 2015
    8
    This game is good. Like, really good. I read some reviews claiming it’s very barebones for the high price and I can somehow see it, but now, when I write this review, this game got enough updates to put some meat on the bones and so it is clearly not an empty, hollow skeleton it was at the release, so… Right now, if you think about buying this, I rise a thumb up and recommend becauseThis game is good. Like, really good. I read some reviews claiming it’s very barebones for the high price and I can somehow see it, but now, when I write this review, this game got enough updates to put some meat on the bones and so it is clearly not an empty, hollow skeleton it was at the release, so… Right now, if you think about buying this, I rise a thumb up and recommend because SPLATOON is FUN.

    The whole idea of making their very own online shooter that will be non-violent (as much as the genre allows!) was a daunting task to put it softly, and yet, they managed… The game is whimsical, colourful, funny and most importantly, ridiculously exhilarating, right now it is my #1 game for stress relief! Why? Let’s take a brief look…

    --- Look and Feel ---

    The game looks like a candy! It’s absolutely beautiful in every possible way… Yes, it is not next-gen graphics, it does not strive for realism, it does not provide astonishing light effects and some mind-boggling details to focus on. It doesn’t have to, because it knows what it want to be. And it want to be a bright, enjoyable world full, bah, rich in colour and this light mood that makes you firmly believe that even if you do shoot others into explosive oblivion of ink, it’s more a game, a fun play than actual fighting and fierce competition. Characters are just charmingly cute, the details and rich choice of their customization through outfits adds a big and delicious touch of personality to each Squiddo…

    Arenas are quite different from each other, well designed and most importantly, beautiful to look at! Even more attention to detail was put into… The ink! The whole painting the land process looks real, feels real and matched with great music and sounds effects give you this delightful “get dirty and wet with the paint” feeling. Animations are also on point, smooth, nice… Enjoyable.

    This is a beautifully looking game in the very Nintendoish way. Bright, happy, colourful.

    --- Cogs and Gears ---

    So, the game is still pretty bare, but bear with me (no pun intended… perhaps!). As for online multiplayer shooter it still lacks some essential tools, like the long awaited teamspeak which will never come due to two issues – first, there are no regional separation, and so you can have a mixture of all languages in a single team. Hoping all of them will talk English is selfish and vain. Secondly, and I understand Nintendo here, is the vile hatred and pure acid it would bring… Show me ONE online game in which players are polite, not-swearing wads. Nintendo want none of that in their colourful game on the consoles for families, right?

    Putting that aside, the game still do not have rich selection of Arenas (it’s hardy Q3A…), the special abilities on the gear offers miniscule bonuses and the gear is made in such a way that any chance to make builds is horribly squandered and the weaponry, when quite balances, does not really offer anything extremely unique in feel. Which is fine, because thanks to that the games are more balanced. It might piss off hardcore players who expect game solely based on skill, but Splatoon never aimed to be “Nintendo variant of Quake”, but a light, quick shooter to have some fun. And they surely did that well.

    --- Fun Factor ---

    Oh gosh… Plenty of that here! This game is insanely fun and basically thanks to this elusive and hard to define factor I am giving it such a high grade. On the first look it might feel a little wonky, a little empty in content, easy to burn through… And, on some level, this is true. However it is very important to notice, that even when you are piledriving through the game, it always remain extremely fun. Each fast paced match is thrilling and awesome. You very rarely feel that there are some defeats that you cannot win through if you pull your act together (and usually it happens only if one of your team member is AFK or disconnect). Even the repetitive maps have surprisingly high refresh rate, as you rarely focus on the arena alone, and more on the fast paced play going on, trying to cover it all in ink and splat some fools that come to your sight… Even extremely simple and straightforward single player campaign is so fast-paced and breakneck you do not really find yourself thinking “well, this is dumb” but rather “woo-hee, here we go!”.
    All in All, Splatfest is growing nicely. New maps, new modes, new weaponry is coming as we speak, the game expands… And I still continue to love it and I feel better if during a day I burn 30-40 minutes splashing ink around.    … Expand
  81. Camazza2008
    Sep 21, 2015
    10
    Game incrivel , divertido , e unico , recomendaod a todo tipo de gamer , por apresenta uma nova pespectiva no shooter , tem um modo on line bem elaborado , e com as splatfest que a Nintendo produz , ele tem ficado mais incrivel
  82. forevernes
    May 20, 2018
    8
    splatoon es la gran nueva ip de nintendo, una joya, no por sus graficos y historia si no por su gran jugabilidad, muy adictivo, el single player es excelente debo admitir que es muy corto y la falta de contenido es una grave falta, pero no son excusas para disfrutar este obra de arte innovadora en el genero shooter que estaba saturado por el mismo cliche de siempre, nintendo vino asplatoon es la gran nueva ip de nintendo, una joya, no por sus graficos y historia si no por su gran jugabilidad, muy adictivo, el single player es excelente debo admitir que es muy corto y la falta de contenido es una grave falta, pero no son excusas para disfrutar este obra de arte innovadora en el genero shooter que estaba saturado por el mismo cliche de siempre, nintendo vino a revolucionar el genero, y convertilo en un genero distinto a la altura de mario kart y smash, el modo heroe tiene unos de los mejores boss de los ultimos años en consolas de nintendo una genialidad de los jovenes creativos del grupo 3 de nintendo,bueno a seguir pintando todo y disfrutar de esta nueva joya Splatoon!! 8.5… Expand
  83. Donderpants
    Nov 23, 2015
    10
    Best game this gen. To be honest, that's not saying a lot, playing Super Mario Galaxy today is still better than anything else made this gen, but Splatoon is an excellent game. Love the music, the art style, and the concept.
  84. johnem95
    Dec 25, 2015
    8
    Splatoon is one of the most addicting games the Wii U console has to offer. The gameplay, which nicely mixes shooter and territory-covering elements is fresh and fun, the various weapons and gear are exciting to unlock, and the various different ways you can play really gives players of all skill types a chance to excel at one aspect of the game or another. Plus, Nintendo consistentlySplatoon is one of the most addicting games the Wii U console has to offer. The gameplay, which nicely mixes shooter and territory-covering elements is fresh and fun, the various weapons and gear are exciting to unlock, and the various different ways you can play really gives players of all skill types a chance to excel at one aspect of the game or another. Plus, Nintendo consistently updates the game with new weapons, gear, and multiplayer maps, which is awesome.

    My main gripe with this game would be that I wish the maps in multiplayer randomized after each match. Playing the same two maps repeatedly for a couple of hours gets unpleasantly repetitive real quick.

    Other than that, this game is pretty much ink-credible. Overused pun to describe this game, I know. But it's true.    … Expand
  85. Stevie53
    Jul 11, 2015
    10
    Splatoon ist ein ausgezeichneter Third-Person-Shooter, dass für Jung und alt nur zu empfehlen ist. Der Storymodus bietet im Vergleich zum Online Modus abwechslung. Das Ziel die Oktolinge als Inkling zu bezwingen ist ein großer Spaß und manchmal etwas tricky, speziell alle Secrets zu finden. Der Online Modus bietet im Vergleich zu anderen Shootern was ganz neues. Das killen steht hierSplatoon ist ein ausgezeichneter Third-Person-Shooter, dass für Jung und alt nur zu empfehlen ist. Der Storymodus bietet im Vergleich zum Online Modus abwechslung. Das Ziel die Oktolinge als Inkling zu bezwingen ist ein großer Spaß und manchmal etwas tricky, speziell alle Secrets zu finden. Der Online Modus bietet im Vergleich zu anderen Shootern was ganz neues. Das killen steht hier nämlich nicht im Vordergrund sondern das einfärben, was eine völlig neue Idee und für mich ein neuer Schritt im Genre Shooter ist. Auch die Auswahl zwischen Standardkampf und Rangkampf finde ich persönlich als ziemlich gut. Was mich beeindruckt ist, dass man diesem Spiel auch einen Funken "Jugendslang" verpasst hat. Am besten an diesem Game ist allerdings, dass ständig neuer Content (Waffen, Stages, Onlinemodi) hinzugefügt wird, damit hält man das Spiel ständig auf trapp. Auch die Splatfeste finde ich eine ziemlich epische Idee. Einziger Kritikpunkt: Die Disconects. Aber dieses ist meckern auf höchstem Niveau.
    Zusammengefasst ist Splatoon ein brilliantes Spiel von Nintendo, die mit ihrem ersten kreativen Shooter meine Welt begeistert haben. Für mich ein ganz klarer Must-have als Wii U Besitzer.    … Expand
  86. iRonnoc
    Jul 13, 2015
    9
    This game is pretty much why I love Nintendo games. Rather than following the initial formula for video games, they decide to change things up and create something completely unique, and Splatoon is a perfect example of that. Now, you have CoD, your standard shooter, where you shoot with no particular goal to follow other than to shoot people, but Splatoon, on the other hand, is a gameThis game is pretty much why I love Nintendo games. Rather than following the initial formula for video games, they decide to change things up and create something completely unique, and Splatoon is a perfect example of that. Now, you have CoD, your standard shooter, where you shoot with no particular goal to follow other than to shoot people, but Splatoon, on the other hand, is a game where shooting people isn't the goal of the battle. If you don't know, Splatoon's main mode involves you spreading your ink to cover turf, and the team with more area covered by the end of the match wins. On top of that, you can swim through your own ink as a squid to go faster, and covering ink also gets you cash that you can spend on weapons and gear, and it levels up your gear and your Inkling (That's your player by the way). The game also has a one-on-one multiplayer mode, but I didn't find it to be too fun, because first off, the objective of the mode itself is boring, and you can only choose from a predetermined weapon and gear setup. The game also comes with a single player mode where you can even unlock new weapons, but it didn't last me that long. If you manage to level up to level 10, you can participate in Ranked Battles online, and if you can manage the insanity, you'll be rewarded with a huuuuuuge amount of in-game money. If you can't, then you've wasted your time and you get nothing. But the game as a whole offers a huge amount of variety, and even if you manage to get everything, achieve level 20, beat story mode with all upgraded equipment and all the scrolls, and get to rank A+, I bet you could still have the urge to keep on playing the game.… Expand
  87. Benji_Nottz
    Jul 18, 2015
    10
    Splatoon is a joyful game that is unquestionably an instant classic. The game plays like a dream and can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore gamers alike. Splatoon levels allow for deep tactical gameplay that is so balanced it would be no surprise if it became a popular choice for gaming tournaments. The casual gamer will not feel left out either.
    Splatoon feels incredibly fresh and yet    Splatoon is a joyful game that is unquestionably an instant classic. The game plays like a dream and can be enjoyed by casual and hardcore gamers alike. Splatoon levels allow for deep tactical gameplay that is so balanced it would be no surprise if it became a popular choice for gaming tournaments. The casual gamer will not feel left out either.
    Splatoon feels incredibly fresh and yet brilliantly nostalgic. It hit's all the right notes ensuring you will be smiling throughout. It's colourful and playful nature is infectious and makes for the best multiplayer shooting game perhaps since Goldeneye.
    Splatoon is gaming at it's best: It dares to be different, it doesn;t try to hard to make sense, it gives the middle finger to realism and focuses solely on pure fun.
    The online works almost flawlessly and wait times are very tolerable.
    Reviewing this 2 months after release it is safe to say Nintendo made good on their promise to release more content and releases of new levels and weapons continues to flow. Splatfests, occasional competitive events are a hoot too.    … Expand
  88. 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
  89. 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
  90. Spookanide
    Jul 31, 2015
    8
    Here's my review, I'm going to pick at some criticism of people on this game and give my own thoughts. I bought this game at the EU retail price of $35 (like captain toad), which I think is a steal considering how much content this game is getting and how long you can stay invested in it.

    1: The game has no voice chat Because we all know how nice it is to be cursed out by squeaky    Here's my review, I'm going to pick at some criticism of people on this game and give my own thoughts. I bought this game at the EU retail price of $35 (like captain toad), which I think is a steal considering how much content this game is getting and how long you can stay invested in it.

    1: The game has no voice chat
    Because we all know how nice it is to be cursed out by squeaky 12-year-old boys (implied sarcasm). Nintendo wants to keep player-to-player interaction to a minimum for obvious child safety and profanity reasons. Putting open voice chat on Splatoon would ruin Nintendo's reputation. However, I do not understand why they don't allow it for friends who are playing together like in Smash. Maybe they will patch it in sometime in the future.

    2: No party system
    You can join your friends if they are playing a game, but your teams are assigned randomly to avoid good players herding together and destroying all randomly selected opposition. I think this is a great design choice. In the coming expansion players will be able to go versus against pre-assembled teams, outside of the random lobby.

    3: You can't switch your loadout during a match
    In fact you can't do anything during a match, not even adjust your camera sensitivity. Why? Because you are playing a match and you should focus on playing and learning your weapon load-out. I think it's an excellent way to keep players in the game somewhat forcefully and make them learn how to play their weapon. If you allow people to change their load-out during games, it will be a constant schizophrenic mess of people testing weapons and then throwing them in the corner as soon as they get splatted.

    4: The single player is short
    Well of course it is, as this is a completely multiplayer centric game. Considering some weapons require you to beat the single-player campaign I'm actually glad that it's short.

    Thinking back on how relatively incomplete this game launched and its pricing, I'm also suspecting a completely rushed launch. The number of maps was lacking and the game has constant connection issues. The lag is atrocious at times. This ends up with the server often deciding that two people splatted each other at the same time, or that you get splatted by a sniper without even seeing the aim pointer.

    What it boils down to are the fun mechanics. You paint the floor, and the enemy can't walk in it. This makes the front lines of the battle and any enemy movement clearly visible. The respawn times are short and you can "jump" to your allies by simply touching the game pad. There is simply no end to the pvp if you don't want it to. Speaking of the game pad, as a mouse guy I love the precision that motion controls offer me.

    There are as many play styles as there are weapons in this game. Trying to learn them and optimize them with the right clothing boosts is a lot of fun to me. The clothing is equipped with a main skill boost and up to 3 sub skill boosts. The same clothing will always have the same main boost, but the sub boosts are assigned randomly. Three sub-skill boosts combined make up for one main skill boost.
    You can re-roll these random slots, so creating a set of clothing for a particular weapon and play style is highly beneficial in my opinion.

    You can sink a lot of time into this game. I keep finding myself coming back to it and the total playtime is up there with smash. The game is certainly lacking in local multiplayer options, but I suspect they will do more for this in the future. The core game is very solid, completely unique and fun. Leave the devs to simmer a little longer if your shops are asking $60, but at $40 and below it is absolutely worth it.    … Expand
  91. Zeus81
    Aug 2, 2015
    10
    Splatoon has totally revolutionized the shooter genre, with it's amazing paint based mechanics, and has delivered a knockout blow to the endless stream of cookie-cutter, rehashed games appearing on the other consoles.

    This is hands down the best game of the year. If you own a Wii U, you MUST own this game.
  92. RuiPTG
    Aug 22, 2015
    10
    When this game was announced I had a feeling I was going to enjoy it. But once I actually tried it, I was blown away. It looks amazing, plays great, and the multiplayer often becomes HIGHLY competitive (in a great way). This is, in my opinion, THE shooter (that isn't quite simply a shooter) to own on the Wii U!
  93. Nikoback
    Aug 25, 2015
    9
    A great game that demonstrates how games can provide longevity with more content, Splatoon's gameplay is an absolute blast to hear about, and a absolute blast to play. It's still got it's fair share of gripes (Rotation can be a double edge, horrible weapon balance), but it's definitely one of the best games I've played this year.
  94. Pejelo
    Aug 28, 2015
    10
    Que Call Of Duty ni que nada, este juego es colorido y divertido, nada de muertes, sólo hay que conquistar territorio, por lo que es más desafiante a que mates. Colorido y Divertido, perfecto para Niños... debería ser para los Niños Rata, es un juego para su edad, no Call Of Duty y esos juegos muy violentos y sangrientos, Splatoon, para Niños porque si.
  95. PhantomMac
    Sep 3, 2015
    9
    Splatoon is a lot of fun. The colours and graphics are great. The online multiplayer is very good and matches you with players of a similar level. The music is good and gives them game a different feel to other Nintendo games. This is worth getting and kids love to play this game.
  96. juanpi322
    Sep 2, 2015
    9
    Es un juego adictivo, que en el principio era bastante vacio pero con todas las actualizaciones se a convertido en un juegazo, lo unico que faltaria podria ser el chat de voz solo en combates privados y amistosos(con amigos) para tener una mejor estrategia, pero por ahora un 9,veremos si con lo adicional se gana un 10
  97. AmiiSkyKaos
    Sep 3, 2015
    9
    Best online game I've played, I'm not a fan of first or third person shooters normally but this game is more my style (Fresh pun) sadly tho if you lack Internet say for example a kid whose parents never gave internet access to for there Wii U then this is a short story and nothing else so I can't give this a 10 because next gen when Nintendo cuts the servers for the Wii U this game will beBest online game I've played, I'm not a fan of first or third person shooters normally but this game is more my style (Fresh pun) sadly tho if you lack Internet say for example a kid whose parents never gave internet access to for there Wii U then this is a short story and nothing else so I can't give this a 10 because next gen when Nintendo cuts the servers for the Wii U this game will be done for but until then stay fresh =P… Expand
  98. AMMANN7
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    10/10

    A new IP that splats life on the Wii U

    + Controls
    + Innovative gameplay
    + Level design
    + Inkling
    + Splatfest
    + Customization variety
    + Simply fun and addicting

    - Short campaign
    - Map rotation
  99. guajefer
    Jul 8, 2016
    9
    Es un juego DIVERTIDÍSIMO. ¡Por fin un shooter que innova! Splatoon goza de un modo online súper-adictivo, con partidas rápidas y mucha diversión conquistando el terreno pintando. Un shooter cuya finalidad nunca es matar, aunque tengas que hacerlo para sacar ventaja al equipo rival. Infinidad de posibilidades de mejora de tu inkling, armas de varios tipos con secundarias y especiales deEs un juego DIVERTIDÍSIMO. ¡Por fin un shooter que innova! Splatoon goza de un modo online súper-adictivo, con partidas rápidas y mucha diversión conquistando el terreno pintando. Un shooter cuya finalidad nunca es matar, aunque tengas que hacerlo para sacar ventaja al equipo rival. Infinidad de posibilidades de mejora de tu inkling, armas de varios tipos con secundarias y especiales de múltiples combinaciones y sobre todp, un online estable. Me gustaría que si hubiera secuelas, tuviera una campaña un pelín más larga, pero en definitiva JUEGAZO.… Expand
  100. o_rfilho
    Sep 13, 2015
    10
    Uao what can I say about the game that revolutionized the shooter game
    Splatoon is the best shooter game and one that made tons of WiiU owner pist the hell out like myself
    still its a great game enjoyed every 200+ hours of playing this game hope that Splatoon opens more doors for new IP for this type of game

    ps

    IF YOU DONT OWN IT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT GREAT GAME THIS IS
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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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