Rumour: New Splatoon Mini-Game Arriving Soon with Fresh amiibo Figures in Tow

Let's hope this one gets a big enough production run, if true. I still can't find that squid amiibo for a decent price.

Totally see it happening, especially as the amiibo hype has died down since the Smash non-DLC roster being completed.

I love that Alex also wastes time hopping from post top to post top in squid form. I'd be embarassed to know how much time I've spent doing exactly that.

I wonder if this mini game is the 8-bit 2d side scrolling shooter that was shown in the earlier Splatoon single player trailer ...

@Ralizah assuming your UK or willing to import £12.40
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00YHG9YN2/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00YHG9YN2&linkCode=as2&tag=gaknuk-21

Wait - there are more minigames other than Squid Jump?

@Grumblevolcano agreed, I'd assume Nintendo has something planed to drive sales. Two options spring to mind, an new Amiibo centeric game or Alts and costumes.

Ofcause we also don't have dedicated Zelda (unless Wolf is the start of that) or Star Fox series like Mario has.

@CB85 yeah, but it's a little-known feature. each amiibo gives you different ones, I have Squid Racer which is like Mario Kart (even has drifting)

Alex holds up 3DS with amiibo on top
one falls off
pure comedy

@CB85 Duh! All the amiibo unlock their own mini game. You're finding out about this now, why?

@abe_hikura Thanks for the link. U.S. citizen here. Unfortunately, according to the website: "Sorry, we can't deliver this item to the United States."

I'm holding out hope that NoA will reprint these someday. I could get a Japanese amiibo, but I'd rather not pay an arm and a leg for these things.

EDIT: Actually, looking at Amazon.com import prices, I might be able to get a Japanese one for under $20. I might go that route.

@CB85 I only just discovered this too. I thought the amiibo just got you challenges, but I guess there's mini games too!

When I read the headline I thought it was meaning another mini-game to co-star with Squid Jump. Instead he meant another Amiibo game

Yes! Want! >v<

I never lost hope for more content despite people telling me the last update was the end of content! Well look here now you people!

@Calllack hey care to tell me which one gives you the racing mini game?

What would they do? Unlock single player levels with the slosher and splatling?

@Ralizah I've seen it in stores, though I know that does you no good. It still surprises me how easy it is to find most amiibo after the initial scarcity.

I've always figured there would be more DLC as the guy pointedly said "the end of free DLC". You don't add the "free" in there unless you, or your bosses, are planning on putting out non-free DLC.

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/12/splatoon_developers_on_the_future_of_splatoon_and_dlc

Maybe there won't be actual paid DLC, but if they sell new amiibo that unlock things, that's DLC on a stick, or whatever you want to call it.

Yay more reason to complain on a bonus mini game that's not part of the core gameplay.

@rjejr - I would pay for single player DLC.....well new, not just different challenges for the existing, well maybe I'd pay for that too. If I ran Nintendo I'd have them working on a giant single player splatoon game based on the "Great Turf Wars". Then again if I ran Nintendo they would probably be bankrupt because of the games I'd have them developing.

@abbyhitter
How do you switch minigames? I'm fairly new to Splatoon, I have all the amiibos and have used them, but I still have the starter minigame. Do I need to beat all their challenges?

b-but I want pants not mini games!
(this is still cool. tho )

@Agent721 Yes. You have to beat the challenges to unlock the mini games. Once you unlock them, just press right or left on the mini game start screen in the online lobby to switch mini games.

@Gerbwmu I really liked the single player - I'm a big fan of platformers like R&C - but knowing Ninteod they'll drop it entirely for Spla2oon, just like they dropped Subspace Emissary from SSB4, can't have those cut scenes leaking online now can we?

I'd be willing to give up single player if we got couch co-op. Both my kids were really looking forward to Splatoon but hardly played it all, all the losing was too much for them. And they'd rather play something else together.

My youngest really wants Battleborn now, and a my oldest is into Magic the Gathering cards, so we may not even get Spla2oon. Well unless it's a handheld they could play local w/ their friends that they might do.

I'm all for you taking over Ntinedo, even if you went bankrupt at least it would be a good run getting there. I feel like all we get now is waiting, silence, old ports sold as news games, and more waiting in the silence.

@rjejr Silence and waiting is nothing new. Nintendo has always been like that. Only when they started doing Directs did they become less silent.

Edit: Also, I just realized that Microsoft has been pretty silent lately. Their new IP Quantum Break launches in about 2 months and we still know very little about that game. I think the only Microsoft news lately is EA unintentionally revealing the Xbox One's sales numbers and that they have the Doom marketing deal.

@rjejr
Everyone has complained since NES that Nintendo takes too long to make games and doesn't share information.
People have also complained since SNES that all Nintendo does is rehash the same games and IPs instead of releasing anything new.
Also Nintendo constantly is accused of doing the something with nothing new and innovative in their games.

I guess Nintendo cannot win.

@rjejr If Nintendo had a song to represent them it would totally be this:

(Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" by the way)

@Xenocity @IceClimbers Bad timing on my part.

The difference between NES and now is this thing called the internet. And Facebook. And Twitter. And who knows what else, I'm kind of old to keep up. I tried Meerkat but it seemed to go away 2 days later after Periscope came out.

So it's one thing to be secretive in the 1980's, in 2016 it's something else entirely.

It's also comepltley different to be secretive when you are beating #2 Sega into the ground and there is no #3. Now they are clearly second to Sony, and I'll give them tied for 2nd w/ MS b/c I don't like MS b/c it seems like XboxOne gets a pass even when it was doing the same numbers as Wii U, plus Ntineod has the 3DS and MS doesn't offer a handheld, just a phone nobody wants. But when you are 2nd, or 3rd, you have to try harder, not less.

And Niteod does have the means to end the silence. They have a news page, FB, twitter, Treehouse on Twitch, occasional press releases, those Nintnod Minute people on Youtube. And they also had Nintnedo Directs every 2 months. Then 3 months. And now whenever they feel like it.

If Ntnedo wants to get back into contention for 1st w/ NX they should make use of all those social media sites and get the NDs back on a schedule. Personally I'm all for getting rid of the ND's entirely - except for E3, that's different - and just posting info on Youtube, the sooner the better. W/ all the social media in the world we don't really need ND's. But if they aren't going to officially cancel them then they should have them.

Nitneod may have always been secretive back in the old days, but then for about 3 years they weren't, and they've gotten on the social media bandwagon, so the silence is extra deafening now.

Here's all the ND's, they were going strong in 2012, 13 and 14, but took that step back in 15. They need to get going again in 16 if they want NX to succeed.

http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct/archive/

Here's there news page that gets updated 3 or 4 times a week.

http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/#all

Compare that to the Sony PS blog which gets updated 4 or 5 times every day.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/

Nintod does a pretty good job on their Twitter feed for things that are happening now, but they've never really used it for future games.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica

I guess I shouldn't say Nintendo is silent, they are talking a lot, they just aren't saying anything. Their Facebook page hardly ever gets used.

https://www.facebook.com/Nintendo/?fref=ts

It makes me wonder if Ntinod even has a head of social media to coordinate all of these together? I don't feel any connection between their social media sites. Here's Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Nintendo

The eShop on Wii U is a tremendous step up from what they had on the Wii, so maybe NX and My Nintendo can make them feel ready to conquer the world again, by becoming enmeshed in it?

@Grumblevolcano The uploader has not made that video available in my country. That's ok, I'll go youtube it later.

What Nintedo needs for music video inspiration w/ the NX is come up out of the darkness into the light, like a groundhog. Somebody needs to photoshop an NX t-shirt on to the groundhogs chest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaSUyYSQie8

I don't know how to embed youtube vids, but I promise the link doesn't lead to Rick Astley.

If we really are getting two new amiibos then I'm willing to bet that they'll unlock slosher and splatling challenges. It seems like that would be the most logical choice for Nintendo to make.

Awesome! If this turns out to be true, hopefully the two amiibos will have Slosher and Splatling challenges. A new mini-game is awesome, too, but Squid Beats will probably remain my favorite. It's so much fun!

Eh, It'd have to be a pretty good mini game to get me to care about that part of it, I just want the toys!

Squid Jump is the best of the mini games anyway. The only other one I use is the music one to change the lobby music whilst waiting.

@abe_hikura
With amiibo doing as well as it has, im hopeful that more franchises will get their own. I really hope we get more zelda, maybe with hyrule warriors legends coming out. I really want a tetra amiibo, and a stand alone midna.

I'm still working on my amiibo challenges, finished all but end boss for inkling boy, and haven't started any others.

@CB85 I too had no clue about the additional mini games. To be honest, I have both Inklings (but sadly no squid) but I've never really played much of the single player. When I have time to play, I dedicate that time to online battles.

Now that I know I can unlock 2 more mini games though.......

@abbyhitter
Haha! Thanks!

@rjejr
Nintendo isn't as secretive as they used to be, they just aren't as open as Activision.

Bethesda, Ubisoft, EA, Epic, Square, Konami, Capcom, Microsoft and others only release information when they are ready or at key industry events.

Microsoft mainly releases information on games at events, mainly Industry events (mostly being E3). They rarely release information outside of events.
They still are refusing to release anything regarding how well Xbox Hardware and accessories are performing.

The only regular information we get from them are trailers and Xbox OS updates.

Sony doesn't really give information unless it is indie or update related.
Sony won't be releasing any real information on any 1st party or big 3rd party games until GDC in March.

Sony regularly answers questions related to gaming "problems" on twitter and the status of PSN.

The last major update from Sony was PS4 hardware sales update in January.

The leaks and rumors are stating Sony is saving everything for E3 to shut Nintendo and Microsoft out.

Since the last direct in November, Nintendo has given information on:

-Fire Emblem Fates Western version details, trailers via YouTube, sectional playtrhoughs from the press
-Smash DLC update and trailers
-Splatoon DLC and patches
-Twilight Princess HD updates, play throughs of certain portions of the game, new trailers

• A few tidbits on Star Fox Zero on Twitter
  Bravely Default 2 updates, trailers via YouTube, playthroughs from the media
  They also just got done giving us information for M&L Paper Jam and few other 3rd party games in January.

They also just gave us an update about the My Nintendo Rewards program, their incoming account system and Miimoto only last week.

Nintendo is staring to give information for upcoming 3rd party games, to ensure they aren't ignored.

There is also talk of Nintendo having some reveals at GDC in March.

So Nintendo has been focusing on the February, March and April titles while saving anything big for E3 and GDC.

Nintendo received a huge amount of backlash because they didn't save their big announcements for E3.
They also received a huge backlash for side stepping the gaming media and going the "casual"(social media) route with information

So Nintendo has been quite noisy over the past 3 months.

If anything Nintendo has been more open with Wii U than Microsoft has been with Xbox One.

@Ralizah

I can easily find the 3 pack available here in Metro Detroit with a few places having it on sale for significant amount (up to $10 off).

Though if you just want the squid, then importing is your best bet.

@Xenocity "or at key industry events"

Maybe if Ntineod went to more events it would seem like they give out more information? I feel like Sony attended an event per month for all of 2015 with all the times we saw Uncharted 4.

I think I can admit you win the battle of Nintnedo vs MS, but something I left out before which is also a big factor in Ntineod's over all silence. MS doens't have to say a thing - EA advertises, Activision adversities, Squenix advertises. The X1 gets big games like Madden, FIFA, SW:B, Destiny and Tomb Raider. MS doens't have to say a thing b/c all those other companies are doing the talking for them. Nitneod hardly has any 3rd party support on Wii U that's big on makreting and advertising, moslty just Lego and toys-to-life, and 3DS seems to be mostly limited to niche JRPGs.

So maybe Nintnedo does send out info more than any other one company, but on PS4 and X1 you have many companies talking about many games, on Nitneod hardware you have Nitneod, and Ntiedno needs to work a lot harder selling their games and hardware b/c nobody else is doing it for them. They may be a mighty one, but they are being drowned out by the inferior many.

And they still need a portal like the Sony blog coordinating it all.

I still need to unlock the third mini game XD

The one true amiibo, the mighty Judd, is upon us. ...I hope. A Marie amiibo would do if not.

@Agent721 Do a certain number of challenges on each amiibo (I think the world 4 boss challenge unlocks their minigame). Then while in the lobby online, use the left stick on the gamepad to toggle between the games you've unlocked.

@rjejr
Sony didn't say much of anything let alone go to any events for the past 6 months except for PSX in December

Nintendo schedule starting with August:
August: Penny Arcade, where they had a one of the biggest booths and demoed more games for everyone else. I do believe Sony and Microsoft skipped.

September: PAX, they had one of the biggest booths and more games than everyone else (hit the news over TPCi shutting down someone throwing an adult Pokemon party)Sony went but had a small booth, Microsoft skipped.

October: Fighting Game convention in (I think it was) where they showed off more Pokken characters and demoed the game. It was them, Capcom, TPCi and Namco. Microsoft and Sony didn't show.

November: they had a media day, where all the media was given demos and stuff on all the content in the Direct before they aired the Direct. Microsoft and Sony did nothing.

December they went somewhere. Sony had PSX, Microsoft did nothing.

January: CES though no one cared that they were there. Microsoft did do a CES event, but no Xbox stuff

February: They are doing something

March: GDC though oddly Microsoft will be the only platform holder not there.

April: Something

May: nothing major due to E3 coming in early June.

June: E3 presentation, NWC, Treehouse Live, and lastly they will have one of the biggest booths at the show. This year EA will join the list of publishers not attending (they will have an event separate for the media).

If you are visiting site like IGN, Gamespot, Eurogamer, 1up, etc... you won't get much Nintendo news and ads purposely.

Nintendo news and stuff on these sites do not bring in the revenue and clicks. It also irks 3rd parties when Nintendo stuff is on their sites.
Their readership do not want positive Nintendo articles and always scream horribly when they report positive Nintendo stories and reviews (just read the horrible comments that make up nearly all of the comments).

Also Microsoft, Sony and most major 3rd parties wine and dine the gaming media to the point of literally sending them on trips and sending them to 4 and 5 star restaurants and hotels.

If you break any of Microsoft, Sony and most major party rules, they blacklist you and your site. This means they will not allow you talk, advertise, and review their products. If you do they will sue you if you do. You also are not welcome at their events and booths and industry events.

The only thing Microsoft has been advertising for Xbox One is Halo 5.
The NFL uses Microsoft's software and hardware, is forced to advertise Xbox One at all the games, or lose all their Microsoft software and hardware.
Microsoft is also advertising Xbox One as part of the Windows 10 campaign, openly stating Xbox One can run Windows 10.

I rarely see an Xbox One ad outside of these 3 campaigns.

All the multiplatform titles normally state PS4 and have the Xbox One logo at the end with the other logos.

Sony has been advertising everything from 4K content on PS4, to FFVIIR, to unreleased games etc... on TV, Radio, Internet, Social Media, and in stores.

As for the Nintendo portal, Nintendo briefly had it a few years ago but due to complaints of it being too much news and information, causing 3rd parties and specific games being lost in the mess.

So everything is now segmented to ensure everything gets it's share of attention.

You should get a RSS New feeder such as Newsfire (I use it) to ensure you get all the published articles from the sites you like.

@SFR79

The squid.

@Xenocity "So everything is now segmented to ensure everything gets it's share of attention."

And how is that working out for them?

As I said in my post, maybe Sony didn't do much in 2015, but how many times was Uncharted 4 shown? How many times was Final Fantasy 15 shown? How many times was Zelda U shown in 2015? That's the bottom line, the big game exposure. Nintendo can attend all the obscure indie shows they want, call them "Nindies", but it isn't helping Wii U sales any.

And maybe none of those game sites cover Ntineod b/c Ninteod doesn't give them anything worth covering? I don't like IGN personally, too gaudy, I only use Nintnedo Life and Pushsquare and those Ntinedo sites I linked to earlier, but if Ntineod wants to make it as a successful videogame publisher they need to get on those sites. Unless they just want to make it as a casual gaming company, or a company geared towards children, which I'm fine w/, but they should still market to somebody. Wii U has a lot of great games, but 11 or 12 mil sold in 3 years isn't great. It's downright awful.

If they want to have NX be a success they need to get it out there, kids, parents, casuals, gamers, it doesn't matter so much who they go after, as long as they go after somebody. And from where I'm sitting they don't go after anybody very well.

I hope for a Squid Sisters double amiibo pack

Moderators, PLEASE give@rjejr a forum of his own, where he can discuss all the Nintendo sales issues on auto-repeat.

@jariw ditto Xenocity

@3dsgeek333
Thanks for the tips!

@leo13 ...But the Amiibo games ARE mini-games like Squid Jump!

@Ichiban @jariw I know right?, this entire thread is like 6 epic posts by them......

GET THAT SLEEPY CAT AMIIBOFIED

@Ichiban @jariw It's ok, I know how to copy and paste, but thanks for the offer.

@dkxcalibur Well at least I'm not the only one... XD

I only have the Inkling Boy amiibo but I've never seen any other minigame besides the Squid Jump one before online battles.

@Ralizah they have been re-printed my best buy has at least 3 3-packs.

if you wanted them sold on their own then sorry i dont think thats gonna happen.

@SFR79 sure, it's the Inkling Boy. also gives you cool samurai outfit.

Octoling boy, girl n octo-from, Sisters Callie n Marie, Judd the cat plus the old guy any as an Amiibo or all .

@Ralizah

Good news- the U.S. reprinted these months ago, and stock is so plentiful they're starting to slap orange clearance stickers on em. Here, let me link you.

Amazon ($29.81)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VHWMK44?keywords=Splatoon%20amiibo&qid=1454821969&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

BestBuy ($34.99 or $27.99 for GCU members)
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/nintendo-amiibo-figures-splatoon-series-inkling-girl-inkling-squid-inkling-boy/6373111.p?id=1219661371309&skuId=6373111

B&H Photo ($34.99 or $9.89/ea for Boy and Girl)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=Splatoon+amiibo&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

WalMart ($29.81 or $9.99/ea for Boy and Girl)
http://www.walmart.com/search/?query=splatoon%20amiibo

Among all the US retailers, checking online and in-store, you can pretty much find any amiibo you want now at at least one of them

If you want Squid solo, which has never been sold in the US, you can buy for roughly $9 + forwarder shipping costs from Amazon Japan, provided you sign up for a Tenso account.

Amazon Japan (¥1,113 + Tenso shipping costs- requires Tenso account)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/B00VFT4VGY/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=AN1VRQENFRJN5

@Ralizah

Honestly, Amazon Japan is the cheapest place for mass amiibo purchases. You sign up for a Tenso account, then browse this page and look at the prices on Amazon JP- keep in mind, the conversion makes it slightly less than the number you see too- so a Dark Pit for ¥735 is really just $6.29 US.

And they have basically EVERYTHING in stock. You could load up on 5 amiibo for an average of, let's just say $8, so $40 for 5. Add in $20 Tenso shipping ($25 tops- always choose EMS which is a little more expensive but reliable, with insurance, and arrives in just 3-5 days from the other side of the world) and you're looking at $65 for 5.

That's exactly $13 each, total. Which is less than you'd pay here at MRSP with tax.

Take a browse for yourself...

http://www.amazon.co.jp/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?__mk_ja_JP=カタカナ&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Amiibo&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3AAmiibo

@rjejr Eheh, don't mind them kids. I for one, agree with you 100% on the need for advertising and catering. They need to step it up big time for NX, period.