Splatoon Features
Soapbox As Splatoon's Online Wraps Up Nearly 9 Years On, How Does It Compare To Splatoon 3?
Dye hard
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, as its online days draw to a close, Nile bids farewell to Splatoon on Wii U, a shining proof of concept... On 8th April 2024, Nintendo will be
Talking Point What Do You Want From A 'Splatoon 4'?
New stories? Fresh game modes? MORE Big Man?
It has been an entire year since Splatoon 3 was released (don't worry, we're just as shocked as you are) so, naturally, our minds are beginning to drift towards what comes next. The correct answer is that mysterious 'Side Order' DLC — which is meant to show what would've happened if Team Order had...
Feature Nintendo Fans Needn't Lose Sleep Over Foamstars, Square Enix's 'Splatoon Rip-Off'
Fun-but-messy foamin'
When Square Enix's Foamstars was announced during the recent PlayStation Showcase, Nintendo fans everywhere were thinking one thing: "Er, Splatoon-much!?" After going hands-on with this PlayStation exclusive for 45 minutes at Summer Game Fest, this exclamation still rings true. It definitely looks like Splatoon, and it also...
Feature Why Is Splatoon So Popular In Japan?
Nintendo is squids in
It happened almost overnight. One day in May 2015, Splatoon merch appeared everywhere in Japan. Baby inklings dangled from kids’ backpacks. Squid-girl stickers adorned pencil cases. Convenience stores advertised raffles for figurines, coffee cups, and Splatoon-branded bags. This explosion of Splat-swag was perhaps more of a...
Soapbox Splatoon 3's Midnight Launch Felt A Bit Different
Veteran video game journalist James Mielke camps out
Ah, the venerable midnight launch. The once-expected tradition of camping out for midnight game launches — so timed as to technically adhere to official game street dates while still capitalising on gamer obsessions and enthusiasm — is, at least in New York City, on the verge of extinction...
Feature Our Verdict On Splatoon 3's Chill Season 2022 Update - New Stages, Weapons, And Modes
A splat in the right direction
Splatoon 3 came out back in September and we've been having a great time with it ever since. While the list of tweaks and additions in this threequel was long, and the mechanics have never been smoother, there were some out there (us included, to an extent) who felt that the series' third entry was good, but...
Talking Point Has Nintendo Done Enough To Justify Splatoon 3's Existence?
Let's break down the latest Direct
Over the past few months, there's definitely been a growing concern amongst fans that Splatoon 3 might not be able to justify its own existence. Regardless of your opinion on them, live service games like Fortnite and Apex Legends have proven that it's perhaps more beneficial to launch what is effectively a...
Poll It's The Year Of Splatoon 3 - Are You Excited?
It's keen to make a splash
Cast your mind back to the original concept trailer for Nintendo Switch (or watch it above, up to you). Nintendo had shown photogenic people playing Switch in the park, on a plane, at rooftop parties, and also in esports. Though Nintendo has generally gone for a relatively low-effort approach to pushing its role in...
Feature Game Of The Decade Staff Picks - Splatoon
Woomy
Following on from our reader-voted Top 50 Games of the Decade, Nintendo Life staff members will be picking their personal favourite Nintendo games between the years 2010-2019. Today, Alex recalls the growing pains of his first major step into his career, and how one squid and/or kid-based shooter made all the difference... “These controls...
Feature Take A Look At The Awesome NES Splatoon We Never Got To Play
"I caught them when they were probably very busy finishing the game"
Splatoon is fantastic in 3D, but what exactly would it look like in 2D? That's what former Vitei (Steel Diver, Tank Troopers) staffer Nathan Heckel pondered last year. "While I was at Vitei wrapping up work on Tank Troopers as a gameplay programmer, I wanted to start my...
Talking Point Splatoon 2's Salmon Run Shows Off the Switch's Local Multiplayer Strengths
Flawless fun
When Nintendo confirmed that the co-op Salmon Run mode in Splatoon 2 would take place in specific limited time windows, there were some understandable groans. Nevertheless since the game's launch it's not been much of an issue, as the mode has been available pretty much whenever we want to play it. The function of the time windows is...
Preview Going Solo in Splatoon 2's Single Player Hero Mode
Off we go to Octo Canyon
Due to the online servers not yet being available this preview is entirely focused around the single player campaign. Make sure you keep an eye out for our full review where we look at the whole kit and caboodle! If there’s one complaint people had about the original Splatoon it’s that the single player Hero Mode,...
Talking Point Splatoon 2 is Set to be a Vital Early Arrival on Nintendo Switch
The Global Testfire adds some extra spice
When Splatoon was unveiled at E3 2014, this writer was initially unsure of its appeal. Then the reaction of the community on these pages began to take shape, and fans tweeted, and the fan-art began - it was evident that Nintendo had produced a new IP with huge potential. By the time we got closer to its...
Talking Point Splatoon May Be Winding Down, But Its Legacy Could Be Significant
Modern trends with a Nintendo touch
In the remainder of 2016 we'll re-share some of our favourite feature articles from the year. This article from 4th August reflects on the end of an era after the final Splatoon Splatfest, and how the colourful shooter established a DLC model for Nintendo that's sure to return in the future. Recently we had the...
Talking Point Splatoon Began With an Early Access Approach, and Has Provided a Valuable Lesson
Free updates that kept on giving
Cast your mind back to launch day Splatoon. Single player campaign? Check. Slightly mediocre local multiplayer mode? Check. Online modes? Well, some of them. Back when we were publishing our Splatoon review, its writer and our video man Alex was gushing in his praise, yet some debate was had within our team about...
Poll We Want Your Views on Splatoon Version 2.0
Splatfests, Private Matches, being both a kid and squid
Splatoon changes every week, but the most recent update was one of the biggest yet. It threw in much demanded private matches and the opportunity to team up with friends, while also adding a big batch of new gear, some extra music and boosted level caps. When you add the latest Splatfest round...
Talking Point Competitive Gaming With Super Smash Bros. and More Can Be Vital for Nintendo
New audiences and more headlines
It's been Evo weekend in Las Vegas, arguably the most notable fighting game tournament in the world. Super Smash Bros. Melee and the Wii U entry are two of the biggest titles of the event, with recognisable competitors and a lot of press coverage revolving around the series. If Masahiro Sakurai takes personal...
"I want to grow Splatoon as an IP"
Splatoon was a bit of a risk for Nintendo - it was a new IP in a genre that the company has little experience in. However, the title has proven to be a sizeable critical and commercial smash hit all over the world, repaying Nintendo's faith in a young and creative development team. We were lucky enough to sit down...
Guide Master Splatoon's New Tower Control Mode with these Easy-to-Use Tricks & Tips
We all want control
Splatoon's new Tower Control game mode has been released to the public, and as with any new set of rules it can take a while to learn how best to approach the matter. That's why we've played and played since silly o' clock in the morning in order to better understand the ins and outs and more importantly deliver our findings and...
Guide Use these Splatoon Tricks & Advanced Techniques to Improve your Inking
Think ink
Splatoon has been out for nearly a week and already people have been looking at the inner workings of the game's intricacies in order to give them an edge when it comes to the crunch. We're nothing if not diligent and have compiled a good number of tips that can help give you the upper hand online. This is by no means a complete guide,...
Interview Splatoon Producer Hisashi Nogami on Claiming New Territory for Wii U
Aimed to create "an entirely new form of gameplay"
Though the claims that Nintendo simply doesn't tackle new ideas aren't entirely fair, there's little denying that Splatoon has been a breath of fresh air on Wii U. As a new IP that utilises a genre so rarely entertained by Nintendo - a third-person shooter - it appears to have succeeded in grabbing...
Hands On Checking Out Splatoon's Freshly Unlocked Ranked Battle Mode
Laying it all on the line
If you booted up Splatoon this morning you might have noticed that without even the need to download an update that you can now play on the new Port Mackerel map. You can also buy the N-ZAP '85, a new weapon which looks suspiciously familiar. Of course what will be most exciting for competitive gamers is the introduction of...
Parent Trap Splatoon Gets Family Tested, And Comes Through With Flying Colours
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson investigates Nintendo's new smash-hit
With Splatoon out in the wild we can get a first proper impression of how the game is going down with families. With this in mind I checked in with the Huo family to see how they'd taken to the local and online components of Nintendo's new shooter. They took a while to get used to...
Poll Early Impressions on Splatoon and That All-Important Online Multiplayer
Fitter, younger hamsters spinning the server wheels?
Nintendo's releasing a game that prioritises online play, so naturally plenty reach for popcorn. Splatoon is on store shelves and appears to have had solid numbers hopping online to splat each other with ink, while some may even be tackling the single player campaign - those rogues. The old...
Guide Tips On How To Become A Squid Hotshot In Splatoon
Get inked
Today marks the launch of Splatoon, Nintendo's infectious take on the traditional team-based online shooter. While this ink-splattered offering is far more friendly and accessible than your typical web-based blaster, there are still a few key points you might want to keep in mind before dashing - or should that be swimming? - headlong into...
Reaction There is a Positive Angle to Nintendo's Splatoon Global Testfire Issues
Lessons learnt
When Nintendo announced the first round of Splatoon Global Testfire sessions we described the idea as a clever Nintendo Direct highlight, as it achieved multiple goals. It created 'event'-style hype, gave curious Wii U owners a look at the game, and also allowed Nintendo to stress-test the online component with an audience of a decent...
Parent Trap Splatoon Is The Perfect Family Firepower-Fest
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson gets inked up in Nintendo's new hit
Splatoon has been bubbling away for a while, but it's only now - thanks to the recent Global Testfire events - that we start to see how unusual and engaging a game this will be for a whole new audience of shooting fans. Every family is different but a video game flash point for many...
Reaction The Splatoon Global Testfire Demo Is a Clever Nintendo Direct Highlight
Stress tests servers, creates an 'event' and builds hype all at once
Nintendo isn't quite as old-fashioned as some like to pretend; it is, after all, a multi-billion dollar entertainment company that manufactures and sells consoles. In recent times it's signalled a serious intent to tackle the smart device market, shake up its customer loyalty...
Feature What We Want to See in the Splatoon Direct
Inking in the details
It's now less than a day until our next Nintendo Direct or, to be more precise, a Splatoon Direct. Nintendo is mimicking its Direct scheduling approach from 2014, filling the spaces between its latest major broadcast and E3 with presentations focused on retail releases. Mario Kart 8 had its own - fairly lengthy - Direct not...
Talking Point Splatoon Is a Typically Colourful Nintendo Dabble in the Mainstream Market
It can't be gory with all that ink
When Splatoon was revealed at E3 2014, this writer was rather unimpressed, which in the clear perspective of hindsight was a very narrow-minded reaction. Eager to see more 'hits', the oddball, super colourful third-person competitive shooter seemed like a peculiar announcement - both fundamentally Nintendo-esque...
Poll Is Splatoon a Blockbuster That'll Help Revive the Wii U?
We want your thoughts on its online play, amiibo and lack of voice chat
The Wii U has a small batch of highly promising titles on the way, though only one notable arrival is currently expected worldwide in the first half of this year - Splatoon. European gamers do have Yoshi's Woolly World to look forward to on 26th June, admittedly, but that title...
Opinion Splatoon Is to Shooters what Mario Kart Is to Racers
Ron and Alex share their thoughts on Nintendo's new IP
Our resident writing aficionado Ron and video guru Alex both got a chance to try their hands at a preview build of Splatoon recently, and despite writing an official preview, they felt they had more to say on a more personal note. We've made them scrawl out a few words to help explain just what...
Preview We Take Aim at Splatoon to See if It Offers the Best of Both Worlds
Catching up with Splatoon's solo and multiplayer modes
During past Nintendo Direct presentations, the main focus of Splatoon has undoubtedly been the multiplayer gameplay, leaving many caught off guard when it was announced that Nintendo's upcoming squad-based shooter would feature a single player campaign as well. Not much has been revealed about...
First Impressions Taking Aim With Nintendo's New Online Shooter IP, Splatoon
Colour us ink-pressed
Whatever your expectations for Nintendo's Digital Event at E3 this year, it's safe to say that they probably didn't include squid-girls flinging ink at each other across a cityscape in team-based battles. A surprise in every sense of the word, Splatoon came out of nowhere to significant fanfare as one of Nintendo’s flagship...
