Arriving in May, Splatoon is one of our most-anticipated Wii U games in the coming months, even if we're still awaiting a final release date - with single player, local multiplayer and online multiplayer all included, it should offer plenty of content along with its quirky approach to third-person arena shooting.
The official Tumblr page, meanwhile, keeps serving up little insights into what's to come. It's been just over a month since our last summary, and the posts since then have had some interesting details. Fashion is an ongoing theme, but we're also given details on weapons and more - a few short videos are even included.
We figured it was time for another gallery to collate these updates, then, so check the past month's worth of posts below. Enjoy!
Breaking news! In this crazy squid society, "coolness" is apparently a pretty big deal. So much so, in fact, that the shopkeepers won't even give you the time of day if you're not cool enough. Battle it up to make sure you're as fresh and fly as possible before trying to buy the latest gear.
Participating in battles seems to be the key to earning experience and raising your rank. This rank is the yardstick by which your "coolness" will be measured!
From sandals to boots and everything in between, Shrimp Kicks has the hottest selection of Inkling footwear. With such a delicious…I mean, uh, professional-looking salesman, it's no wonder the store is so popular! If you see a pair of kicks you like, snap 'em up before they're sold out!
This is Crusty Sean, the owner and proprieter of Shrimp Kicks. He's got a mean shoe game and plenty of feet that he uses to model all of the hottest new styles. He might look like he's fried to golden-brown perfection, but his breaded exterior is actually a slightly morbid designer jacket.
You may notice some jellyfish wandering among the Inklings in the plaza. Jellyfish are the second-most common creature in the city, but they can't speak the Inkling language. "Oh yeah? Then why can Jelonzo speak Inkling?!" you might ask, rather annoyingly. Well, Jelonzo is a special jellyfish from distant waters. No one knows how he learned Inkling, but the way he botches the language is kinda cute!
This is Judd. He's a cat, if you can't tell. Long shrouded in mystery, details about Judd are just now beginning to trickle in. Firstly, we can confirm that he's (probably) not a dog. Also, Judd was born with the incredible ability to judge turf area at a glance to separate the winners from the losers. And it may look like he's wearing a snazzy cat tuxedo, but that's actually just the naturally occuring pattern of his fur. Some cats have all the luck.
Squid Research Special Report:
Our findings indicate that Charger weapons are capable of firing blasts of ink over long distances. They can be used to snipe distant targets, but they also leave long trails of ink on the ground, making them useful for quickly creating ink paths for allies to swim through.
Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! We at Squid Research Lab have an important research question to ask you: Will you be our valentine? No pressure to say yes, but we got you this really sweet and expensive card.Hmm… I wonder if Inklings give sweets to each other on Valentine's Day. Do you think they like chocolate-covered shrimp?
It's time for another hot info nugget from Squid Research labs! The manhole you'll find tucked in a corner of the plaza has been confirmed to lead to Octo Valley, the location of our campaign against the Octarian threat. It may be a lonely and desolate place, but such is the path a hero walks…
This unreasonably attractive gentleman goes by the name of Cap'n Cuttlefish. He's a decorated hero who fought in the Great Turf Wars of legend between the Inklings and Octarians. He now keeps solemn vigil over Octo Valley, watching for any fishy behavior. Though his clothes may be tattered, his heart is pure and nothing escapes his razor-sharp gaze. He also TOTALLY didn't write this post.
Squid Research Labs Special Report:
Our findings indicate that roller weapons excel at inking territory while on the move, but they can also fling ink in a wide arc. Flinging ink is a short-range attack to be sure, but it can be quite a powerful tactic. Interestingly enough, a statistically significant percentage of test subjects reported that switching between flinging ink and rolling ink on the ground is more satisfying than one might think!
This just in! Apparently there are a lot of highly reputable fashion brands in Inkling society. Some Inklings like to wear gear that's all the same brand, while others like to mix and match to create their own custom style. Whatever sinks your boat!
Another slow day here in the lab, so in lieu of any breaking news, I thought of a sweet squid knowledge bomb to drop on y'all! Back in the day, people used to use squid ink to write letters and such, but sunlight would fade the ink and cause it to turn light brown in color. Photos with a similarly faded-brown palette are called "sepia tone," but the word "sepia" actually refers to a type of squid! The idea of sepia-toned memories sure sounds romantic, but faded-squid-ink-colored memories doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it…
Boom! We've got some breaking news about one of the weapons used in Turf War battles. This here is the Splattershot! We've heard that it strikes the perfect balance between power, range, and rate of fire, making it the ultimate all-arounder. Easy to use but highly effective, it's apparently the gold standard against which all other weapons are measured!
This is Octo Valley, the jumping-off point for Splatoon's single-player story mode. It's also where Cap'n Cuttlefish has been keeping a solitary watch on the growing Octarian threat! Not the most social of pastimes, but the path walked by heroes is often a lonely one. To that end, it sounds like his grandkids haven't been visiting as much lately. Not that I asked, but he told me anyway…
Word on the street is that the Octarians' secret lair is somewhere beneath Octo Valley. In fact, Cap'n Cuttlefish told one of our undercover interns that he's fairly certain these teakettle-like thingies are the way in! He also told Meghan that he's convinced the Octarians are planning some kind of trap, to never let her guard down, and that if he was only a few years younger, he'd take care of those Octojerks himself…
These Octarian fighters were discovered a while ago, but we've just now learned their real name: Octolings! Like Inklings and their squid powers, these tricksters can switch between octopus and humanoid form at will. They apparently make up an elite corps of the Octarian forces. We've seen footage of them heavily armed with bombs and ink guns, so don't go messing around with these suckers unless you have to!
We've received new intel confirming that Octolings can appear in pairs or even larger teams from time to time. The thought of facing a solo Octoling makes me weak in the knees, so taking on two or more sounds like a one-way ticket to the danger zone! I had one of our undercover interns ask Cap'n Cuttlefish about this situation, and he said that back in the day, he took out a few Octoling squads by focusing his fire on one at a time. Seeing as he lived to tell this tale, sounds like some good advice!
This is the .52 Gal shooter. Each shot uses a LOT of ink, so it packs a serious punch. It has a low rate of fire, but if you aim carefully you can splat your foes before they know what hit 'em.
We've received video footage comparing the shot power of the .52 Gal to that of the Splattershot. Check it out!
When he's not officiating a Turf War, Judd the cat can often be found sleeping at the base of Inkopolis Tower. They say cats sleep more the older they get, but just how old is this guy?
Attention science lovers! We've received GROUNDBREAKING research footage of…Judd taking a catnap. Our camera crew has captured over 200 hours of video of this never-before-seen phenomenon. After analyzing this footage, we've discovered that, uh, Judd's tail has a really weird shape! So don't worry—your tax dollars are hard at work solving the mysteries of…cat stuff.
BREAKING NEWS! The Octarian threat is real! Thank goodness that brave soul was there to contain the invasion!
That's it for this summary - are you still hyped for Splatoon's arrival in May?
Comments 41
looks good..
I can't believe that I'm as jazzed for this game as i am Bloodborne. Thank you Nintendo for something different. Can't wait.
Nintendo is really avoiding to show too much, why only revealing 30 seconds of those 200+ hours of catnapping? I wanna see the whole thing D:<
@Tops - "as far back as their Valentine's post."
Yeah, I noticed that too.
Good to see a Nintendo game getting so much coverage. I know Pokemon games usually get abut years worth of news, but we've hardly seen anything of Star Fox, or Yoshi's Wooly World, or Mario Maker in awhile, and only 2 vids of Zelda U. Nice to know Nnitendo can build hype for a game if they feel like it.
Getting closer, but I still hold out hope for a squid mask!
Pretty much one of my most anticipated games ever
And i cant even say why exactly, it just looks like pure fun to play, from its artstyle to its modes and the overall premise.
And its the first time that im hyped for a (somewhat) pure online game since...ever.
I bet after Mario Party 10 drops the hype machine will be put in full force. Nintendo usually lets one game release before hyping the next.
I rarely play online games (except for Monster Hunter- that's an exception) and I play shooters even less frequently, but Spatoon has me hyped. The game just looks like a lot of fun to play... I just want to splatter some paint already!!!
Looking forward to this one...that ink!
You have to be fly and be cool in this game...
I NEED SPLATOON NOW!!!
So will there be male octolings?
Few months to go.
"his breaded exterior is actually a slightly morbid designer jacket."
BEST. LINE. EVER.
I say it before and i'll say it again that sea anemone shop owner looks cute!
Hype raised
Wow this game has style!
SPLATOOOOOOOOOOOON!!!
So, brands? The World Ends With You did that before, and it was a really cool mechanic to encourage different playstyles (Lapin Angelique taught me to stop playing overly safe), so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how far this will go! And I always had a thing for in-universe brands that are presented authentically, which the shoe poster gives me the impression of.
Also, Octolings are still looking kinda bizarre, but I hope they'll become playable antagonist characters for multiplayer. Maybe they'll be nicer with the right fashion?
I hope this games does well it's just not a title I'm interested in at all. If there's a demo I'll try it though, maybe I'll have a change of heart.
Imagine if real-life stores would only allow you to buy something if you were cool...I'd probably never be able to walk into a single store.
@NintendoFan64
There are stores like that... in fact there is a women's clothing store in New York (don't remember the name) where they'll ask you to leave if they think you are too fat.
I'm hoping for a big Nintendo Direct this month, and then one specifically for Splatoon next month.
I haven't been this pumped for a Wii U game since Windwaker HD!!
I am so ready for this game.
I'm calling it now, this is the game that'll be Nintendo's best "Wii U system seller". Not MK8, not Smash U, not Super Mario Bros U nor Legend of Zelda.
I'd love to see more video of this in action. It has such a cool art style.
I'm really digging the quirky art style for this game. My only complaint is that the male character designs don't really fit into the whole hair-as-tentacles aesthetic. Maybe if they'd given them dreadlocks or something.
The colors are still hurting my eyes, but with all the pumps and caps around I'm starting to suspect their intention with the whole color mish-mash is a late-eighties/early-nineties hiphop culture parody. Which is something I just might be able to get into.
If I wasn't already excited for this game due to it's gameplay and design, then the humour alone would be getting me interested. I laughed at just about every line.
@JaxonH @Einherjar Likewise, I rarely ever play shooters or online focused games, and yet this is still managing to grab my attention and makes me want to play it. Of course, I'll probably be diving straight into the single player, before moving onto the online content.
I really like the way they are setting up the campaign and making the whole game a part of one story and city.
Hmmm... Still not mention of online voice chat?
I hope the game itself keeps that sense of humour. Thankfully just two months away.
So much potential. I hope Nintendo advertises this one properly.
Great write-up! Thanks for the info! I have yet to watch the videos, but I will in a bit. This is a day one purchase for me. I'm very excited over it. Seems like the game is going to have a competitive scene also, which I'm stoked to see.
Nintendo need's to release a demo of this game on the eshop to convince me this game will be worth picking up.
I've been trying to keep up with all the vids but I've only noticed Squid vs Squid in versus videos . Can we choose to be Octolings as well or only Inklings ?
The cat video is the best of this game. Lol (catlover)
@Quorthon Per IGN there is no voice chat in Splatoon. Some of their staff had early access to the game and that was one of their biggest complaints. Nintendo apparently doesn't understand the appeal of voice chat in what will hopefully be a highly competitive team esport.
@outburst fingers crossed
@ikki5 That is just despicable! You shouldn't be denied service because of your looks!
I hope Nintendo spread the release date of Mario Kart 8 DLC pack 2 and Splatoon as wide as possible.
I dreamed I was inside this game shooting paint all over the place.
It was awesome, definitely buying this game at launch.
I love the way these snippets are written.
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