Poll: What Did You Think of the Splatoon 2 Global Testfire on Nintendo Switch?

Great!

Never got a chance to play because Nintendo always does things bass ackwards like give us 1 random hour a day to play instead of an entire weekend like every other online beta...ever

Loved the test fire but it really is just more splatoon. Unless there is a major single player story campaign thisgame really will feel like splatoon 1 "deluxe edition" much like Mario Kart 8 for Switch.

Only managed the one session, during which I played 6 games. It was my first time playing Splatoon as well so I can't compare to the original. I really liked what I played but I think if I was gonna pick it up at full price I think I'd need a bit of a deeper experience. It's great as it is, but at the moment it doesn't seem to offer much more than, say, Rocket League, which is my current go-to online multiplayer game, which I bought for much, much less than the full Splatoon 2 RRP.

Would be interested to hear from Splatoon fans if there's much more to the game beyond what was available in the testing period.

It was fine, I guess.
It's Splatoon. The Splatoon 1 testfire was a lot more fun.

I hate to be negative but Splatoon on Switch is INFERIOR to the WiiU because this isn't he hardware the game was designed for.

1) Gamepad + Splatoon = Intended Splatoon Design

2) Gamepad controller is more functional and comfortable. (Map. Secondary Sound. Wider grip.)

3) Portability adds little. While I love the hybrid concept, a 7" screen is crippling if you're fighting people on big TVs.

4) Cost. $60 for the game and now online play isn't free. That's a lot for existing WiiU players.

Overall Splatoon works on Switch and Nintendo did as great a job as possible. But single screen is not what this game was initially designed for so unfortunately it does feel like a port and a compromised experience.

been waiting for something like this. Still waiting on your reception NintendoLife, maybe a quick summary from all the writers that got to play?

Personally I was underwhelmed. The music was meh and the stages were boring. Made for a blah experience. I hope the rest is better, cause right now I don't care much to get it.

I don't have a Switch just yet. So I can't really say much here. Looks fun though.

At least many people have times according to the polls.

Something that always bugs me about these polls. Why have an option for people who didn't play? What's the point? The polls are asking what the demo was like, people who don't even own a Switch shouldn't even click on the article (except to see results), let alone have an option tailor made to them. It messes up the percentages of the others.

End of rant

Completely forgot about it, was too busy playing Zelda BotW

@Nik-Davies Some of us like just to be involved, that why i liked the above "I haven't played it, but I want a box to tick"

I played Splatoon on my Wii U more than Mario Kart and Smash Bros combined. It was easily my go-to game for the system, and the main reason I bought a Switch.

In terms of it not being a sequel as some say, it is really too early to tell. I mean, they added new arenas, changed a lot of sub weapons and all the specials are different. I'm not really sure what those critics were expecting to change.

I liked it beyond the obvious limitations of 2 stages and 4 guns. After adapting to "B is for jumping", I did better. Not a fan of the new Supers, though.

I thought it was very fun but extremely hard to get used to. The GamePad is much more comfortable to use than the Joy-Con.

Would've loved to play, but didn't due to other obligations. Here's hoping they're going to have another one of these....

It needs more raw culture. Polished games and music don't do it justice.

It also makes me remember how much fun I had with all the other modes. Turf war is the least fun imo.

And the jump button needs to be x.

All in all, I really, really liked it though. Had a lot of fun

I didn't get to play because I don't have a Switch yet, but I saw one of Alex's videos. He was killing it on there. He said he played the first one for 400 hours. I wonder what his rank is.

@EternalDragonX yup. I wasn't able to be bend my whole life around nintendo's whim. This time

Looking forward to reading impressions though.

Switch is my first Nintendo console since the GameCube, and I've been hoping for a game to fill the multiplayer shooter void for on-the-go gaming. After having a blast playing Splatoon for the first time (multiple sessions), I'm hopeful it will be a fantastic option and that third parties will follow suit in releasing their own games on the platform.

@Nik-Davies Makes sense if you ask me. Not in the way the other guy suggested, but more so "splatoon doesn't interest me as a whole" which should be taken into consideration since it's 1 of the only 3 major games on the system this year.

I loved it, as my first ever splatoon experience. It's a great game!

I was hoping to give it a go, but was busy with other things when each of the sessions were going on.

It was pure awesomeness, but I did feel like some buttons should be customizable, and we need a mini map in bottom right. I kept looking down cause I was to used to doing that on the WiiU to get a quick glance at where I would be most useful. I'll get used to it tho just a QoL/habit thing.

I'll say I was definitely underwhelmed. I liked Splatoon a lot, and this felt exactly like that - so I guess it was good. But I don't really see a reason to buy this over just firing up the originally and playing that. I guess if the online community evaporates for the original entirely, I might pick this up, but until then, I can't see myself spending $60 on this. Perhaps my mind will change as they reveal more content.

It was great fun just like the first one, but it still felt like the first one. Which I'm fine with. I played at my office over the weekend with my mobile hotspot and it got me thinking to how awesome the switch that I'm even able to do that!

The only thing I have against the game is the lack of the second screen experience for the fact a game like this greatly benefits from that option, but I'm sure I'll get use to it overtime.

To those who don't want to "double dip" there might not be a choice soon, when they inevitably sunset the Splatoon 1 servers.

Something about it felt a bit.... off? Something about the audio balance felt off to me, and it felt a little bit different/weird to me control-wise, but not in a way I can easily explain without more time with it. I'm hoping it's tightened up a bit for launch, and I hope launch happens ASAP. I loved the original on the Wii U, and I hope this doesn't disappoint! If nothing else, a really strong single player campaign would help a lot, but we'll see.

@SegaBlueSky If the first game is anything to go by, Turf War is only a small part of the package. Splatoon had a 10 hour story mode and other multiplayer modes such as Tower Control, Splat Zones and Rainmaker (capture the flag, of sorts). I believe there were at least 20 maps as well, and ranked battles, leveling up your character, and leveling up your gear kept the game from feeling stale. I'm sure I put 100 hours into Splatoon. Well worth the asking price.

I would like the map button better if the map had transparency so you could see the action behind it. I also don't like having to click X to pull it up and then X again to take it away. Would be much quicker to have the map show up only when X is in the downward state and as soon as you let go it disappears. This would allow for quick glances at the map without having to perform more than one action.

Also, playing the game handheld with motion controls (my preferred way to play) flat out doesn't work. You can't be constantly tilting the screen you're trying to focus on.

the jump button tho. THE JUMP BUTTON!!!!! please let us modify it back to X. ;//

I enjoyed it despite it basically being more of the same with an inferior map. For me the grip was a lot more comfortable than the Pro Controller, which I think was due to the weight difference having an effect on the gyro sensors.

I loved Splatoon on The Wii U, and this one held up well in comparison. Having to press a button to use the map will take getting used to, and I'm not sure it will ever be as intuitive as the touch screen was on Wii U, but it works.

Content is king here. To me, there needs to be enough new stuff to justify itself as a sequel, but having some old maps return is necessary, too. Expanding on everything that made the first one great is the obvious solution. Putting that into action will be the difficult part.

Hopefully they roll it out with more content out of the gate than the first one. The periodic updates helped keep the hype rolling, but the game felt a little slim at launch.

I'll be waiting to see what they announce in the coming months.!

Way, way to early to judge. I know far to little to judge entirely. So far, I can say I enjoyed what I had. Also, thank god the large Gamepad is gone. Playing on that thing caused my hands to cramp badly.

Only got to play one session. Love the duelies. Hate the jet pack special. I hope like briwipdx said we mod the jump button to x cause that messed me up plenty of times.

I've really been a fan of Splatoon since the original came out, along with my wife playing from time to time. The concept of turf war itself is great, and can be a blast, but what pulls me away from it at times is the Super competitiveness of online play, which I'm usually not into. Getting shot a thousand times by a stranger gets old after a while for me. I'd prefer to see more local fun.

Too early to judge. But it probably won't feel as fresh as the original did since it's just more of the same.

never played the original so cant compare but it was great multiplayer fun, price would factor in my purchase and I'd need a great 1 player mode to consider buying it.
If this was at the £49.99 price point I wouldn't get it.

If 720p means 60fps at all times then i'd take that allday. The first one had significant slowdowns on certain maps and situations.

@Cherkov @NewAdvent

I really don't understand the not-a-sequel talk.

First, it's ostensibly a multiplayer shooter. The core of those don't change much from sequel to sequel.
Second, Splatoon 1 was a dramatically different game from it's launch to it's last Splatfest thanks to some amazing updates and support - why shouldn't Splatoon 2 get the benefit of the doubt?

Lastly, if you were to make a list of what people who played Splatoon wanted in a sequel (squidboards, NeoGAF, Miiverse, etc.) it would be new maps; haircuts, pants, more clothing options; new campaign; new and tweaked weapons; rebalanced supers; new modes; LAN play and spectator mode.

Other than no new modes being announced yet, seriously what more can you want? Do you even ink?

I thought I would have an issue with trying to super jump without the gamepad, but I adapted pretty quickly and ended up liking it better than the gamepad by the end of the testfire.

I'm surprised at how many people weren't particularly happy with it. I loved every minute.

I much prefer playing with the Switch Pro Controller than the bulky Wii U Game Pad. I only regret not trying it in handheld mode or with split Joy-Con.

I'll be getting it day 1, I just hope that there's another test fire between now and launch!

Splat Charger all day. Now give me a blaster.

I would have played if I didn't get an error message every time I tried to connect to a match. So, I guess the menu music is nice? Hopefully Nintendo will get its act together with servers before the game actually comes out.

100% agree with it being more of an expansion of the first game. I will argue the game is far better on the Wii U with the gamepad because you can always see the map.

I'll just stick with the first game. I enjoy Splatoon, but not enough to purchase the "sequel".

EDIT: If people have an issue with other's opinions then that's just too damn bad. After reading the comment section I am not alone in feeling this way. Respect other's opinions and if you want to drop $60 on the game go ahead.

The point of the test fire was to indoctrinate people who haven't played, while reassuring people who have. This not-a-sequel nonsense is baffling. Of course they are going to pick the most basic maps and weapons so people of all skill-levels can come to grips. Moreover, if they change the mechanics, the formula, too much then prior fans would riot (like me-I live in fear of any blaster changes).

I suppose it's too much to expect rationality. Sometimes I guess people just want to have an opinion.

I've only played for the very first hour and kept thinking 'You know, this is definitely fun but will I really get up at 3:30 AM to play this? Or at 8:00 PM when I'd much rather watch a movie until I fall asleep? I'd much rather just play the original whenever I want.' And I can't even explain how grateful I am for thinking like that. Sure, it did give me a few hours more sleep but more importantly a renewed interest in Splatoon! I haven't had that for the past 18 months - and Splatoon was my second favorite game of that year! I fell off in my crazed attempt of reaching level 50 before going back to university, which required me to reach at least a level per day. It was so frustrating, I simply quit on the game and no update or splatfest could get me back in - until now. I've already cleaned up my WiiU (was a tad dusty after months of neglect) and can't wait to play the original again. Hopefully there are still a few people online!

HOWEVER, as much as I was ... not interested in playing more Splatoon 2 due to having to go out of my way to play it, I am still really looking forward to it. And I gotta ask myself and you: What did we expect? Radically different gameplay? I didn't - I'd be heartbroken if they even changed it a tad too much. Just like with all other shooters, you'll get more of the same. From the looks of that one trailer, there'll almost certainly be another story mode. Plus, you can even play locally together ... provided you have at least two Switches and two copies of Splatoon 2, that is. Is it enough to purchase a sequel like this? For me, the name 'Splatoon' is enough. For you? I don't know you. You be your own judge.

Also, did anybody else press X to jump instead B due to playing way too much Zelda and then opening up the map, be shot at and die or simply fall to your death? I did this so many times, it's embarrassing.

@EternalDragonX Yeah I'll admit that's really really stupid. I played ONCE. It was the first round, because it was convenient for me. It felt like... Splatoon. So yeah.

In terms of feeling like a proper sequel, this is why people always complain about shooter not feeling fresh. It's hard to change the game mechanics much without making the audience too mad, especially when most shooters are multiplayer centric. Plus we still haven't seen the singlet player this game has to offer. So yeah, it doesn't feel like a true sequel to a certain degree, but with this type of game genre, it really doesn't need to.

Honestly until I see the new campaign, I refuse to say this doesn't feel like a sequel.

Its really not different than the first but it was a great game what can we ask more?

It bugged me a lot that the jump button wasn't x anymore tho, only complain so that's a good thing

The story mode in Splatoon 2 better be REALLY expanded, because the multiplayer is pretty much the exact same. And if they have that "only two maps at once" bullcrap again, then I'll probably skip this game. I played the first one a lot the month it came out, but I quickly lost interest because of the "two map" structure.

Ended up playing 2 of the testfires on my friends Switch.
Thoughts:

• 1000 plus hrs of muscle memory of X to jump is difficult to overwrite (lol)
• New maps were just okay not particularly interesting especially The Reef
• Gamepad feels better in comparison just for the fact accessing map was easier and quicker.
• Dualies are fun probably most fun weapon to use in testfire
• New specials are a fresh change from invincible specials
• Turf War is still something that becomes boring fast, would have been nice if they'd of had a SZ testfire or something.

@wiggleronacid I disagree about shooters feeling samey (unless it's COD of course). Compare the handling and graphics of Halo 1 to 2 for instance, or even Battlefield 4 to 1, there are always control improvements to most of these games.

I love the comments about "it felt just like Splatoon 1, yeah no crap, because it is Splatoon 1, you think they actually made a whole new Splatoon from scratch??? hahhahah NOOOOO. Nintendo needed games for the Switch so they took Splatoon 1 and added a few new arenas and some weapons and there ya go, slap a Splatoon 2 logo on it and call it a day... No one will know the difference lol.

Never played the first so it's a new game to me,me and my daughter enjoyed it alot.

Also the ability to bring a split screen player with you online is a must. The game doesn't require a gamepad anymore, this needs to happen!

Nintendo straight up took the two games from the Wii U that were not played by the masses because not a lot of people bought the Wii U (Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon) and just tweaked those two games with more content for a Switch release. Let's just be honest, it's blatantly obvious that the Switch was rushed to market.

@spawn1210 so no different to what cod does every year.

I don't have a Switch yet so I missed out. I am addicted to Splatoon and I'm sure I'll also get addicted to Splatoon 2. Put 900 hours into Splatoon already. We shall see how much I put into Splatoon 2. Amazing game though!

@SegaBlueSky I also love Rocket league, but man is it nerve-racking when you have bad randoms!

Splatoon is on the same level of "just one more" turning into a few more hours of "one more!" for me. I also love that there can't be toxicity with chat in splatoon, makes for an overall more chill experience.

"I haven't played it, but I wanted a button to click"

thank you for being so inclusive, NL!

@jwfurness That's really, really good to know - exactly the info I was looking for. Thanks, think you've sold Ninty another copy there

@spawn1210 MK8 is what you say it is (and they didn't claim otherwise.) Splatoon is a genuine sequel. Even if it were a sequel on WiiU, this is what it would have looked like, because that's just how online shooters roll...

@Marshi Splatoon 2 features local 8 player gameplay and 2 Camera operators... It is designed from the ground up for competition play! It is correctly differentiated from Splatoon 1.
Plus, the single player campaign in S1 was brilliant! S2 will be totally different..... We must need to wait to find out the details.....

Why do people care so much about the map not being on the Gamepad? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it only get used once when you die in order to "teleport" somewhere? I guess it helps for finding new areas that need ink if, for some reason, you can't find any by just looking around, but I don't see why pressing the X button is so much more cumbersome than looking down at the Gamepad.

And to everyone saying it feels too similar, I recommend you go take a look at all the major shooter franchises and take at look at how different they are when a new game comes out. A lot of the time, they're practically the same thing with a fresh coat of paint. Heck, take a look at game franchises in general. Some change a lot, but others like Monster Hunter have largely the same gameplay, just with new monsters and weapons and maps. Besides, you can't take a testfire with 2 maps, 4 weapons, no story mode etc etc and decide that there's absolutely nothing new here.

it needs a mini map option.

The Test Fire was my first experience in Splatoon. Way more fun than I expected it to be. It'll be great to have this game portable too. Day one buy for me.

I really enjoyed it but it certainly feels like safe sequel territory atm

Connections werr terrible in fjrst 2 sessions. Fine after that.

Watch this commercial again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke05YELaAgA

and try to tell me Nintendo isn't fun. haha. i only got this from the library, but the song alone makes me think i'll have a blast with splatoon 2. .... er... have a splat with splatoon 2?

Liked it but found the restricted 1 hour slots made it impossible for me to play except for one match on Saturday evening.
Would have been better if it was just open for 24 hours at the weekend.

Played and looked VERY close to playing Splatoon, which I got bored of on Wii U.
I'll undoubtedly end up buying it thiughbfor the same reason I bought the original on Wii i. Total software drought.

Splatoon is not a system seller neither does it add volume to an insanely small launch library.

COME ON NINTENDO. They need games out..... NOW

@KittyKatta good on you for not drinking the kool aid.

I am stoked

@KirbyTheVampire I wasn't able to join in the testfire myself so I don't know how everything will feel for me yet, but the map can be used to see where enemies are coming from and also for jumping to other teammates or your own base if you need to. I think it should still be fine in Splatoon 2 though, in 1 you had to look away from the TV to look at the map while you still look at the TV (though the map blocks your view when up) and can toggle the map on and off from there.

It's still too early to tell really, as the Testfire's hand was largely forced with regards to weapon choice, game mode, and even map type, which perhaps pushed it into looking more like the original than the end result will feel.

There's no way we weren't getting the Splattershot, Charger, and Roller, which are pretty much the staple weapon types of the game. There's no way it wasn't going to be Turf War, which is the idea Splatoon is built around. And it was unlikely the maps were going to be too crazy.

So in many ways it did feel like the first, judging from the Test Fire alone. Whether the new game has enough new weapons, modes, maps, as well as elements outside the online game to feel truly different from the original remains to be seen.

Still, even if it doesn't, the original was Splatoon, and one of the best things to happen to the Wii U by far, so even just more of the same isn't a bad thing.

I had a lot of fun, and I want to play more, so I guess the Testfire did its job.

@Nik-Davies It gives potential trolls an option instead of just voting negative (if they fall for it)

I played one session, then I got bored.

@KittyKatta I really agree with you on the gamepad. I don't know how many times I instinctively looked down to check the map only to see a pro controller in my hands. Hands down the gamepad is how this game was meant to be played. Nonetheless I love Splatoon and will gladly support the Switch version. Nintendo, anyway to patch in the gamepad as a controller on the Switch???

@KirbyTheVampire There's a big difference between putting a fresh coat of paint on a game and porting a game and selling it as a sequel when almost nothing has changed except potential items and characters that are addons. I think MK8 drew the short straw and was labeled "deluxe" and Splatoon got the numbered sequel because Nintendo didn't want to make it look like they were porting everything and charging more. Looks like a majority of people here are seeing through that....

I have my Switch hooked up to a LAN adapter when docked and (obviously) on wifi when undocked. I tried out the test fire to see how the system performed on line with this game and I must say that it was a smooth experience overall whether docked or in portable mode.

As for Splatoon 2, I'm not a fan of shooters and only bought the first game to try out and support the game. I don't think I'll be buying Splatoon 2 but fans of the game should be excited for this one.

I'm personally waiting for MK8D!

@RedMageLanakyn Exactly. Also Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will outsell Splatoon 2 no question.

@RedMageLanakyn Did the gameplay need to change a significant amount for it to be a worthy sequel? There's no point in changing something for the sake of changing it. That could potentially just ruin what was good about the original.

Besides, all they ported over was the visuals and the core gameplay. The weapons, specials, maps, story, hub etc etc will all be different.

There's a big difference between this game and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, seeing as the only thing that got added to that was the new battle mode and being able to hold two items at a time.

I loved it, but as similar as it is to the first Splatoon, the only thing that currently is making me want to buy it, is the hair customization. I just really REALLY love the new styles you can have by customizing the hair!

@Moon Quick question, but did you send someone named Isaac (AKA me) a friend request? Cause I got one from a guy named Moon, and I'm guessing that was probably you, right?

So far, It certainly looks more like a Wii U port with a few added bits and bobs than a proper sequel imo. But, I guess we'll have to see what the single player story mode is like to make a call on whether it's a true sequel or just a glorified DLC pack with a 2 slapped on it so as to brainwash the fanboys into drinking the Kool-Aid. . . .

And, I'm not saying it's a bad game, in any way, shape, or form; but I've yet to see anything that truly justifies that "2" as of yet.

I really don't want Nintendo to get into a habit of basically launching a bunch of glorified DLC packs masquerading as proper sequels on Switch going forward, that's for sure. I want all the pretty much souped-up Wii U ports PLUS brand new games in each of these beloved franchises. So, for example, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is awesome—but there has better be a frikin' Mario Kart 9 on Switch at some point too.

My favourite way to play was handheld with motion controls, because I could stand and spin around and never have to worry about using the right analog or Y button. That way I could keep my thumb on the B button and not make the mistake of instinctively jumping with the X button. Plus, I never got confused whether I was facing my home base or the enemy base based on which way I was standing in my living room. Oh, and I loved sporting the hockey helmet with visor, lol.

@EternalDragonX The purpose of a test fire isn't a demo to appease the fans it's a stress test on the server. While it would have been nice if there were more convenient times that wasn't the purpose at all.

I had some connection issues, but I'm pretty sure it was because of a weak WiFi signal. Apart from that it felt a lot like the first one.

As I played the original Splatoon for "only" 40 hours (including the single player and most of the Amiibo challenges), I will only buy it at launch if it has substantial single player content.

@Scotty78 As with every open beta for a game it is BOTH a stress test and advertising.

It was great really enjoyed, did loose connection lots but hey game was fine ... I just want to know about the offline story!

@Nik-Davies I'm guessing because otherwise, people who didn't play will vote for the negative option and skew the results.

@Scotty78 Such a great stress test that most of us never got play it.

Loved it! The original recipe was so good ...Why change it? I started with the pro controller which was flawless. Next hr I played off TV which was a bit more challenging (couldn't figure​ out how to adjust my view so I was looking down at the switch the entire time...User error most likely) This game needs to reach a wider audience and with anticipated switch popularity, I think it will.

@NewAdvent So much traffic that I never got play, it was a bad idea plain and simple. they would have had more players if the times were longer.

@KirbyTheVampire I guess I'm just not a huge fan of companies looking for a double dip by adding a few things and charging full price. A few games at the launch of PS4 and X1 got it right by allowing people to "trade up" to current gen versions at a discount. Nintendo should've offered that on both MK8 and Splatoon, IMO.

my first time playing splatoon and i really enjoyed it. will def be picking it up day one for sure

@EternalDragonX 3 hours per day there were like 7 sessions. The hours weren't random, they were calculated to get as many people as possible on as a given time so that they can stress test their servers. If they had allowed it for 24 hours then everyone would get on at a different time and it wouldn't have provided a good test.

@NewAdvent So true!

I didn't get to play for very long but I did enjoy it as usual. So long as there is a decent single player component, I'm in!

It's clear that Splatoon 2 is an expansion like Mario Kart 8.

44% so far irate, childish Switch owners are refusing to accept this truth.

It was fun!! I had hard times using the default control scheme, so I had to switch to the fps style. But other than that I had a good time. Easy on the eyes too. Day one purchase for me.

I only played two matches and never even tried the Dualies. Basically reminded me that online multiplayer isn't for me.

Still seemed fun for those that like it.

@KittyKatta Then don't be negative - look at it in a different light:

1. Splatoon on Switch is superior to SPlatoon on Wii U - BECAUSE YOU CAN PLAY WITH 2 TEAMS OF 4 IN THE SAME ROOM!

2. BECAUSE IT'S PURPOSE BUILT FOUR TOURNAMENTS!

Hurrah!

It is clear this is basically a port with a slight amount of new options and weapons. Unless it has a new updated Single Player I'm unsure how they can call this Splatoon 2.

Any other WiiU players feel kinda bad for people playing Splatoon for the first time?

I played the WiiU version in between TrstFire sessions and was reminded of how perfect that game is. I think they did as good (great!) a job as they could in porting It to switch, but single screen is not the way Splatoon was designed to be played. So the experience of Switch players can't reach that of original WiiU players.

I have a switch but I did not play. Just something that is not my cup of tea. Plus, I'm not going to plan around the random hours of the day when I can actually play it. I have other things that need to get done.

@MailOrderNinja You got all that just from playing a few hours with limited weapons while stuck in one game mode?

I spent all weekend setting up Windows just the way I like it, after my laptop's HardDrive died.. Getting all my backup files up and running, installing all my devkit, and so on.
Finally got everything to a decent standard on Sunday night, and thought "Right! Time to get stuck in!!"

Checked the Splatoon2 schedule, and...

.. Dangit..

@Marshi I haven't played it myself, but just by watching it I have to disagree. There are so many changes that it definitely has to count as a new game:

-no second screen (sadly)
-jump button has changed
-new mechanics like:
a) dodging with the Splat Dualies
b) keeping your charger with chargers
c) vertical swings
-all special weapons are new
-new sub-weapons
-new main weapons
-new stages
-finally suited for tournaments (local play, spectator mode etc)
-other minor changes that weren't possible in the original game

The new weapons and mechanics alone completely change the meta of the game, so it's a completely different game (unlike MK8 Deluxe, for example).

@shani I say again that i lived every single minute of the test fire and definitely intend to purchase the game day one. But every single thing you have put there are things that could be added through dlc. This is as much a sequel to Splatoon one as Mario Kart 8 deluxe is to Mario Kart 8 for the Wii U.

I enjoyed it but I need a release date, full list of features and other incentives to pay full price. It's fun to play, I've seen that, now I need something to push me to purchase.

@Kalmaro I don't think it's hard to see that's the case, though to be fair most MP sequels are exactly that: small iterative changes.

I think it's fine, I want Splatoon on my new device either way. I would have been perfectly ok with a port. To look at this and the short turn around and not know it's a way to put Splatoon on the Switch to sell to a larger audience is silly. Especially since they have to change so little to make a "sequel" a viable option. Why call something a port if you can add some new stuff and call it a sequel?

@KittyKatta gazing down at a map during a fast paced online match I'd hardly intuitive design. The lack of 4-player split screen is another.

@RedMageLanakyn Fundamentally we don't know what Splatoon 2 is yet, though. Your original post seemed to assume that the Testfire constitutes the entire game, which may be massively off. I mean, yes, thanks to the Testfire we know the final game will include Turf War mode, and the Splattershot, Charger, and Roller as available weapons. But that much was as obvious as the next FIFA game including a pitch, a ball, and a couple of goals.

The argument that "Splatoon 2 isn't a true sequel because it doesn't have enough content to differentiate itself from its predecessor" can only be made when we know what extra content is or isn't there, which is dependant on the final product, not the stripped-down test version designed to showcase the very core gameplay and stress the servers.

The Testfire certainly didn't have a huge amount to differentiate it from the original (although the specials, sub-weapons, changes to the functionality of Charger and Roller were notable), but it was just that; a Testfire.

We know that when you strip the game down to its three core weapon types (plus one new one for luck), and stick to the most 'vanilla' gamemode on couple of pretty basic maps, you get something very similar the original. i.e. Turf War in Splatoon 2 with the Splattershot, Roller and Charger is much like Turf War in Splatoon 1 with the Splattershot, Roller and Charger. No surprises there.

What we don't know is; what what new weapons will feature in the final game; or what new maps; or what entirely new game modes will feature; or what the entire single player will be like; or what overall online integration will be like (i.e. will there be online competitions, or alternatives to splatfests?); or what practically every other aspect outside of online multiplayer will be, etc.

Until we know what the full game will be like, we simply can't say how or if it expands upon on the core of the last game, leaving '"too early to judge" as the fairest option.

Also, @liveswired, see above. I hope you can see the absurdity and basic illogic of labelling people who ticked "too early to judge" as being "irate and childish".

"Too early to judge" means "I currently abstain from having having an opinion, based on lack of conclusive data". "Irate" means angry. Very angry.

You cannot "angrily not have an opinion". You cannot "passionately not be sure yet". It makes about as much sense as "sleeping furiously", or describing an event as "violently not occurring".

I'm expecting some curt response along the lines of "yes I know what 'irate' means", but the fact that you've attempted to ascribe such an intense word to people who gave the most restrained response available makes me doubt that.

Describe this post as "irate" if you want, as it conveys the opinion that yours was melodramatic and fundamentally illogical. But hold off using the word to describe people who have yet to express an opinion at all.

Otherwise you just look irate and childish.

@Marshi Sure, new maps and main weapons could've been added through a DLC.

But adding game-changing elements like the dodge, or the charge-saving, vertical roller swings, replacing ALL special weapons and their dependencies (it's not just adding the 3D models and the functionalty, you also have to consider their interdependencies with all the other elements of the game), removing the second screen functionality, adding local play, adding spectator mode?

You can't do those things via a DLC, because they're not just content (DLC = downloadable content). You actually have to completely rewrite the game's code from scratch to implement these things.
And that, in IT-development-terms, means it's a completely new and different version, aka a sequel.

And game development and game design aspects are the only relevant factors in determining whether it's an update/remaster or a sequel. What we as players think or feel doesn't matter.
So just because it feels similar to Splatoon 1, doesn't meen it's not a completely different piece of software. Actually, if they made you feel that it's similar, they arguably have done a superb job in achieving that.

@MailOrderNinja I guess the problem is deciding what constitues a sequel and what makes something just a 'port with changes'. i don't think we have anything official on that.

@shani Hmmm, i just didnt feel any major differences. Yes, of course there were differences, just nothing that made me feel like i was playing a brand new entry.
To be fair, i dont think we have seen anywhere near all of the new content this game will provide once it releases so i guess for now we will just have to wait and see.

@Kalmaro Good point, it really is hard to tell especially with multiplayer games since changes in that front tend to be incremental. I think as long as it has a new campaign we can call it a straight up sequel as much as you can call anything a sequel.

@Marshi Yeah I agree, there'll probably be a lot more new content once it's been released and a few month after that.
That's what I was trying to say anyway: Being a sequel or update is not so much about the look and feel of the player - actually it's a great achievement for the devs if it felt familiar to you - but the functionality.

I mean sure, they didn't reinvent the whole game - and why would they anway when the basic formula was already successful - but they implemented enough minor and a few bigger changes to make it a different game. It feeling similar doesn't go against that.
Of course, we need to see the finished game for a definitive verdict. But from what we've seen, I'd say it's certainly a sequel (and there have been other games with less changes that counted as sequels) - if not, what else would they have to change to make it a sequel? Turn it upside down and into a racing game?

The DLC argument doesn't make sense because the Switch is not a WiiU, the Switch doesn't have Splatoon 1. That's just basics, people! They'll make it a 'sequel' because they have both a continuation of the game lore and new content, with very little beyond the core experience coming back. And what does return will have changes. (some people should just re-watch January's Splatoon2 reveal for a refresher) And, for all intents and purposes, the WiiU is in its 'sunsetting' stage, as announced by Reggie. So Nintendo themselves are no longer developing for it, meaning it will not be DLC for the WiiU. Why is this so hard to understand?

@Maxz That's a good point. Hopefully they'll have a direct or two coming up, or some E3 info that will shed some light on what all is included. I just hope for nintendo and potential buyers that they get it right and don't skimp on content in order to make a quick buck while they work on a true sequel for the switch. That's the impression they've left with me on MK8D.

The turf war element us the main feature that stays the same.
As for a sequel its new maps, new weapons, new hub, new campaign, new Amiibo.

@MailOrderNinja That's about how I feel. As long as the story moves forward then I consider it a sequel. They even removed some of the abilities in this game and gave us new ones to boot.

Am I the only one who had serious connection problems? I tried almost every session and got connection errors every time. And when I did get in, the matchmaking was wonky as hell, I would be sitting there for a minute or two while one, two, three other player names appeared, then one would disappear, two would come back, etc... And then we would lose the connection during the match.

It was enormously frustrating. In the entire weekend we only got to play ONE complete match. My daughter is really happy about this, BTW, since that was her match. I mean, her team got annihilated, but at least she got to play it out!

Not looking to blame Nintendo here, I know my router isn't the greatest amd I have glitchy Internet service on a good day. But I've never had an experience quite THIS glitchy.

Anybody else have issues? The brief glimpses I got made it seem like a pretty fun game. I WANT to like it, and I know my squid - I mean, kid - is eager for it to be out.

@Spiders Don't know what your problem is but I never said it was not a sequel. All I said is that it needs more stuff to justify itself as a sequel, kind of like how you said it needs more stuff.

@shani I wouldnt say no to a splatoon karting game, actually! But seriously, i guess we will wait and see. Looking forward to the game regardless of if its an evolution or revolution of the series.

It's just kind of a bright-colored mess at melee range and the animations and effects are all so fast that I can't tell what I'm doing, how the other kid killed me, or what I could have done better.

People seem to be getting very angry here but I think that he argument on both sides are both valid.

This is a Port but it's not a Port.
Its a new game but it's still the same thing
This is for a new console but it's a lesser experience than the old console

Personally, I'm on the side that THIS IS A SEQUEL. It will offer a new 1 player campaign. It offers new local multiplayer options. And it has some gameplay improvements.

BUT... to me Splatoon was the crown jewel of the WiiU and if it doesn't offer much more beyond "New single player campaign then it may be a little too familiar to spend another $60 on.

Personally I think they need to fix the controls a tiny bit, besides that, great!

@JasmineDragon I had problems at the beginning of each session for a few minutes. But I chalked that up to everyone trying to get on at once. Once I was in, I was fine. I have a wired connection using my old Wii LAN adapter hooked up to my 5-port network switch which is hooked up to the router. But I couldn't get in on Sunday, which is a bummer because I was recording the entire weekend. I noticed that all the times I had problems getting in and I tried to go to the eShop to test, and couldn't connect either. I tried later in the day still nothing...until I powered the Switch off and on. Voila! I got a connection! (insert The IT Crowd reference here)

Still, you should probably check into your router situation. The matchmaking, well, that's up to the matchmaker. You were probably in the lobby when most (optimal connection) players were in matches. I had that problem when I backed out after finishing a match to get another look at the weapons. It didn't even take a minute until I was ready again, but I had to wait almost 3 minutes for players to show up. I figured I had thown myself out of the loop since I'm assuming most players started playing right at the start. I expect this won't be an issue when the main game comes out.

@KirbyTheVampire Wasn't me, sorry! I go by my real name on my Switch

Tried on two separate days to connect and I could never connect to a match. I don't know if it is just my college's wifi not working well with my switch but it wasn't a good sign for me. All my other gaming devices connect fine to online games at my school.

@Cherkov For sure, the full game needs more stuff than we got in the free demo version; not only to justify itself as a sequel, but also to justify itself as a 'full game' and not a 'free demo version'.

The number of people here 'reviewing' Splatoon 2 here is pretty surprising, considering they haven't played Splatoon 2; they've played a free demo with one game mode, two maps, and four weapons (three from the original, albeit somewhat tweaked). Splatoon 2 doesn't even have a release date yet, but that doesn't seem to be stopping the definitive opinions from rolling in.

That's not to say there isn't a risk that the game won't end up feeling a overly farmiliar when (and whenever) it arrives, but simply stating that "Turf War feels like Turf War, the Splattershot feels like a Splattershot, therefore Splatoon 2 is just Splatoon 1" is massively naive and premature.

There's huge scope for new weapons, maps, game modes to be revealed, as well as the small issue of the entire single-player, and the fact that weapons and maps will continually be added probably long after launch.

All of that has the potential to differentiate Splatoon 2 hugely from its predecessor, and yet here we are complaining that Turf War with a Splattershot still feels like Turf War with a Splattershot.

Over the coming months we'll be able to see how much new stuff is arriving, and how thoroughly the game will set itself apart. But for the for moment we simply don't know.

Loved it!!!

And, I had one of those epiphanies or whatever they're called, as I set up mobile hotspot at my work Sunday morning and played a full hour of buttery smooth, lag free Splatoon 2 Turf Wars in tabletop mode, with split Joycons in hand.

This is what the Switch was born to be. HD console gaming anywhere, with actual console games and actual controllers in hand, and with online hotspot from a phone (and using a pittance of data usage)... it's the entire Splatoon experience offered anywhere and everywhere.

Never thought I'd see the day I'd be playing Splatoon with controllers in hand with online and everything... at my work lol. It's nuts!!!

And btw. B is so much better than X. It's closer to the analog, just as X was on Wii U. The analog switched to the bottom, so the button needed to as well to stay close. It took me 2 minutes and I adjusted. Also... LOVE using split joycons. Aiming with right Joycon is so so so so so much better than tilting a fat gamepad the size of a napsack

I had fun, for sure, but I couldn't shake the feeling of deja vu. Given the limited weapon and stage selection it felt eerily too similar to the first game, but I'm reserving judgement until I see what else they have planned in terms of modes in the final product.

It was brilliant, cannot wait for the release. I played a few sessions on the 7" screen and it felt great, it was almost like playing it on the Wii U's gamepad. The game seemed higher than 720p, maybe 900p like Zelda? No one seems sure what the res is, there's a bunch of sites saying it's 720p, then you have others saying its 1080p.

@NewAdvent 7 am is a peak time? ...get outta here with that bull. Stop defending dumb company doing a dumb thing.

@leo13 Again, 7 am is a peak time?

@Scotty78 maybe some actual times that are considered peak hour may have been smarter for a stress test? Not to mention by the time splatoon is out they may have sold twice the amount of switches

@Marshi Me too.

@EternalDragonX Do you know what time zones are?

@EternalDragonX
???
They did 3 different times- morning, afternoon and evening to make sure most people could find a time thato worked with their schedule. And it was a global Testfire. Wasn't just 7am for you, it was midday and evening for others.

And really it doesn't matter what time it was. It was the fact it was condensed into an hr... that ensures everyone plays simultaneously to test server load.

I don't think you understand that's not a dumb decision. That's... actually a smart decision. It doesn't need defending, because common sense and logic defend itself. People are just leading you to see that logic for yourself.

Must buy even if it has to do something else to feel actual sequel.

Still. Testfire sessions were great and I enjoyed them a lot.

Must Buy.

It was good, but the 540p resolution and low tickrate need fixing STAT

@willobee yeah and I'm in the 7 am time zone in the largest market being the east coast of america.

@EternalDragonX
First of all, I don't know where you live so I don't know what the other 2 times translate to for you but they offered 3 different times.

Second, this was a weekend so for me the times were 4am, 1pm and 9pm and where it's a weekend I was able to play at 1pm and 9pm so there were 4 times I could easily but without too much issue.

Third, they charged you exactly $0.00 so no matter what worst case you choose not to participate and you're not out anything so why are you complaining that they offered something for free that didn't work out very well for you?

@EternalDragonX if you had it at 7am doesn't that mean that you also could have done 4pm and midnight. So on a Saturday either get up early (7am) or stay up late midnight or you can do 4pm

@masterLEON Thanks for responding in detail. I'm relieved to hear I'm not alone in having problems. I was also unable to get into the eShop afterwards. I'm ashamed to say I didn't try cycling the power at all, so maybe that would have fixed it.

I definitely need better Internet service anyway. That's going to happen soon.

@EternalDragonX 7AM ET is actually the same time as 8PM in Tokyo. So yeah, that was peak time...in Japan. Unfortunately, I think I only saw 2 Japanese players the whole time. Neither of them maintained connection. I would have loved to play against a squad of them!

9 out of 10 times I got an error saying the other console wouldn't connect. The one time i made it to a lobby it had a dozen people waiting as well. Waited for about 45 minutes for the game to start while most came in and eventually gave up waiting too. Never made it to a game

I was honestly so excited to play this testfire and my Switch litterally had internet connection problems every time I tried to play so I only got one session with it but for the most part it feels like an excellent game. I just hope Nintendo fixes their internet connection on Switch's so that when they start charging us to play internet they have at least a good connection that's worth paying.

@masterLEON and japan is a much smaller market than america. If they wanted a true stress test then they would have had peak hours in america

@leo13 i suppose you're right. But i have a family w kids so it wouldve been much easier for me personally if they had more times

@Marshi But what about new modes? Splat Zones, Tower Control, and Rainmaker really shook the first game up. I think it's safe to say that there will be new ways to play this time around.

@EternalDragonX So...11PM Friday, and 3PM and 11PM on a Saturday doesn't count as peak time then? I mean, a day when a lot of folks are off from their 9-5'ers and kids don't have school. Heck, for kids, 7AM on Saturday would be fine (as I recall from my own childhood). Compared to the west coast and the UK who both have 1 time slot in the middle of the night, ET and JP players got the sweet spot with all times within reasonable hours. But obviously, with 24 time zones in the world, the time slots wouldn't be right for some folks. That 'peak' time is in constant motion.

Also, Japan is definitely the smaller market. And I'm not saying they sold more Switches, even though those numbers haven't come out yet it's still not likely. However, Splatoon's popularity in Japan is the strongest of all the regions, it would be wrong to discount that. They're the only region to have 2 national, and annual, Splatoon championships actually run by Nintendo (the Splatoon Koshien). They have tons more official merch, official manga (comics), CD soundtrack, even concerts with the Squid Sisters at live events. Splatoon's popularity exploded over there, amidst a predominantly mobile gaming market. That's saying something! According to vgchartz, Japan almost equalled NA in Splatoon sales. What's most impressive is that Japan has only half the number of WiiU units as NA with 3.32 Million. That's almost a 50% attach rate vs. NA's 25%. And I have no doubt that popularity trend can continue with Splatoon 2's launch. If they do another Testfire, which will certainly happen, the real stress test will be at that point when a million or more Switches are out in the wild.

@memoryman3 er, 540p? How'd you manage that? It's 720 in dock and handheld.

Feels like a expansion more than a sequel, but it's still a great game, so can you really complain?

@hYdeks I gotta agree too. But let's not forget that if you take the current splatoon about 70% of it came in free dlc. So we are bound to see lots more content when the game releases and post release. I hope for a good campaign though since I won't always have wifi while playing the Switch

@masterLEON I think some of the times of the demo that didn't fit into people's schedule easily actually helps the Global Test fire. If this was just a regular demo than people wouldn't stay up and play their games in the middle of the night, but that's part of it they make it something you wait and hype for. I know there is strategy behind why they do this for multiple reasons.

1. They did it before, nothing really changed much between the setup of Splatoon 1 or 2 with the global testfire, so obviously they liked what they did before.

2. Nintendo is so good at building hype and the "man I've gotta have this" Nintendo did this with taking the time to incorporate one amiibo into multiple games, or having the Robot Operating Buddy beat that hard level for you.

3. Splatoon was a game that saved Wii U from complete fallout for it's time, so obviously Nintendo has plans for this to be just as big of a game as the last, and part of that is making people wake up at 7 in the morning in Saturday to play their game.

All in all Splatoon 2 should be a great game, but Nintendo makes sure they give the right tease to hype up this game for all regions

Played a few sessions, quite hope they change 'This Way!' back to "C'mon" as that is many times more useful/versatile.

I'm a fairly large fan of the original, can maintain about A+ rank nowadays and put several dozen hours into the game (prob 100+). I like the graphical improvements, and all the controller options felt better than I thought they would. The two screen WiiU setup can't really be beat, as the experience was tailor made for it, but it may still be workable (map + battling). I feel like it doesn't quite have the same feeling and charm as the original though, musically, and I've been pondering and trying to pinpoint it, and the best I think to describe it is the pacing feels a bit too fast now. The demo seems to lean a fair amount more to the competitive side (makes sense per their advertising), but a good part of Splatoon1's charm is accessibility. Splatoon1 can and does get hyper competitive, but it is still accessible. This newer version feels faster, but to the point where it makes the game less accessible and less good in different ways to the overall experience, imo.

The stages felt too close together and did not feel very distinct / unique from each other (especially compared to Walleye Warehouse and Saltspray Rig. Played three sessions and I know the general layouts of the maps as I'm walking through them, but I couldn't tell you which one was which by name or which distinguishing features were on the same map). The respawn timer also felt shorter, but less time to rethink your strat, revel in your loss or celebrate a revenge splat from a teammate.

Splatoon1 did involve much quick decision making, but it also had moments of relative quiet as you're rushing back to the battlefield. Gave you some time to ponder your strat, as well as the maps were larger, which made it feel like there were more places you could approach from, more likelihood you could sneak by unnoticed, and a longer chance you'd survive a bit longer if you're a new squid.

Overall I'm still looking forward to the game, being able to local multiplayer sounds great (very much hoping this allows for local + online at the same time). As is though I'm sure it'll be fun, but my initial impressions are I'm not sure it will be as fun for me compared to the original. Hoping they re-work and improve on the stage size, stage distinctiveness, and overall pacing of the game before release time.

I've played so much Splatoon. Mostly online.

"it is the same game" ..well umm. what makes you buy the other several game series?

What I've hoped for is 2-player online with split screen. Also if online playing is behind payment, are they reallly going to rely that much online like they did with first Splatoon?

For me I don't care if it's just enchanched version. I do feel like when they saw success of Splatoon, they started to concentrate to this one and just made neccessary updates for the WIiUgame.

More maps, more rotation to maps.

And I need to get pro controller. joycon thingie was not for my hands.

For the testfires? Ah yes, I am not good with charger so I end up rolling and testing out different ways to surprise with the special
Best ways probably having it ready, see opponent roller with it, wait it to jump and then jump right after them = you don't get splashed yet you splash them when you come down. BWHAHAHHAHA.

@Cherkov My problem, like I said, is that anyone thinks it needs to justify itself as a sequel.

I don't think it needs anything, I was listing the most common requests for Splatoon 2 that weren't taken care of or possible by updates from the fanbase (not looky-loos).

@Spiders No. What you said is "not-a-sequel" which was not what I said. See you on the turf chump.

I don't have the switch (yet) but played this at an event, I see peoples point about this mabe not being a true sequal but other franchises do just fine with a simular formula. What we must all remember is we have no idea if or what other features/game modes will be included. Would love a Splatoon run gun (like contra) type mode done in a simular style to mario 3d land.... I know Im dreaming!

@EternalDragonX so do I. I work 60 hours a week and I have a family with 3 young kids.

@Cherkov Twelve of one, a dozen of the other. Catch you in the pubs