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Splatoon (video game)

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Splatoon
File:2717093-spratoonbox.jpg
Europe & North American packaging artwork
Developer(s)Nintendo EAD Group No. 2
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)Yusuke Amano
Tsubasa Sakaguchi
Producer(s)Hisashi Nogami
Programmer(s)Shintaro Sato[4][5]
Artist(s)Seita Inoue[6]
Composer(s)Toru Minegishi[6]
Shiho Fujii
Platform(s)Wii U
Release
Genre(s)Third-person shooter, Platformer[7]
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Splatoon (Japanese: スプラトゥーン, Hepburn: Supuratūn) is a third-person shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo for Wii U, and released in Japan on May 28, 2015, in North America and Europe on May 29, 2015, and in Australia on May 30, 2015. In Splatoon, the player shoots colorful ink at opponents as well as surfaces, which the player character can swim through to hide from enemies, increase movement speed, or climb up walls. In the online multiplayer mode, two teams vie to cover more of the map in their color of ink, while in the single-player campaign, the player infiltrates an enemy octopus army that uses its own arsenal of ink weapons. The title is a portmanteau of the words "splat" and "platoon."

Gameplay

In Splatoon, players control characters referred to as Inklings. Here, the player uses an inkling in human form to shoot colored ink across the game environment.

Splatoon is primarily a team-based third-person shooter which is playable by up to eight players in online four-versus-four matches, although the game also features local one-versus-one multiplayer matches and a single player campaign. Players control characters called Inklings, who have the ability to change between humanoid and squid forms. In humanoid form, Inklings can shoot colored ink across the game environment, with the player's goal being to cover the most territory in their team's color before the match ends. For each round, the color of the two teams change randomly. Transforming into a squid allows players to swim through ink of their own color, even up walls and through grates, hiding from the enemy and replenishing their ink supply in the process. Conversely, enemy ink is much slower to move across in humanoid form and cannot be swum through in squid form. Players can use their ink to try and "splatter" their opponents, which will send them back to their team's respawn point whilst also providing a large splat of ink.

Players go into battle wielding a primary weapon, such as a mid-range gun, a sniper rifle, a giant paintbrush, or a giant paint roller; a secondary weapon, such as an ink grenade, an ink curtain, or an ink sprinkler; and a temporary special weapon (including a shield, an ink tornado launcher, and a rocket that drops an ink deluge from the sky) that can only be used after covering enough ground in ink.[8] In addition, players can customize their character's movement speed and other statistics with different in-game outfits.[8] In all modes, players can use the Wii U GamePad to view a map of the surroundings and instantly launch towards the location of another teammate, as well as use optional gyroscopic controls to assist with aiming.[9][10]

The game also supports Splatoon series amiibo, with each Amiibo type unlocking a set of missions which unlock extra equipment and a bonus minigame upon completion, which can be played on the Wii U GamePad while waiting in lobbies.[11]

Multiplayer

There are currently two online multiplayer modes in the game: Turf War, in which two teams attempt to cover more of the arena in their own color of ink before time expires, and Splat Zones, a king of the hill-style mode where the teams try to control a designated area by keeping it covered in ink for a certain period of time.[12][13] Various other modes will be released in free post-launch downloadable content.[14] In one of these modes, Tower Control, the objective is to stand on a mobile tower to make it move towards a goal in enemy territory.[11]

In Battle Dojo, the local multiplayer mode, two players compete to pop the most balloons. One player uses the television while the other uses the GamePad's screen.[10]

Campaign

In the single-player campaign mode, the player character must reach the end of each level while platforming, solving puzzles, and battling several types of enemies called "Octarians" that have stolen multiple "Zapfish", creatures used for the electricity of "Inkopolis". While the online modes focus on simply painting the ground, the campaign mode focuses on using the ink to move forward.[12][13]

Controller Support

For single player and online play, Splatoon requires the Wii U Gamepad and cannot be played with a Classic Controller or a Wii U Pro Controller. For local multiplayer, one of the players must use the Wii U Gamepad while the other player can use a Wii U Pro Controller, or Classic Controller.[15]

Development

Splatoon is being developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development. In mid-2013, one member of the Animal Crossing development team, Shintaro Sato, created a four-versus-four paint-based territory control game set in a featureless arena.[16] After management approved making the prototype into a full game, the team started expanding its concepts, creating the ability to hide in ink,[17] and wanted to somehow incorporate squids.[18] After coming up with these ideas, the developers had trouble "filter[ing] it down" to a "simple, fun game." Shigeru Miyamoto told the team that there was "no appeal" to the game in that state. Afterwards, the developers added the ability to hide in ink and verticality to the maps, but it still felt unfocused.[18] The art director sketched different ideas for the player character, including animals, "macho men," robots, and Mario,[17] but the co-directors wanted to include a playable squid.[19] They also needed the character to be human in order to hold weaponry, but thought that a squid-human hybrid "wouldn't sell".[19] In January 2014, they realized they could make the player character switch between human and squid forms, which allowed them to come up with other ideas, such as swimming through ink or sustaining damage while maneuvering in enemy ink.[19] From the beginning, the GamePad could display a real-time overview of the map so the player could see which team was ahead.[5] The development team was determined to make interesting sound effects, so they repeatedly pounded slime to create the sound of a squid diving into ink.[4]

The team working on the game is composed of much younger members compared to other teams that work on Nintendo franchises. Game director Tsubasa Sakaguchi and producer Hisashi Nogami admitted that they, along with the rest of the team, play first person shooters and games on other companies' hardware (such as Call of Duty and Battlefield) as part of their job, and also because they love video games in general.[16] Splatoon was revealed in a trailer during Nintendo's E3 2014 Digital Event video presentation, and a demo of its multiplayer mode was playable on the show floor.[20][21] The game's single-player campaign, where the player fights an army of octopi, was announced in a November 2014 Nintendo Direct.[22] In the January 2015 Nintendo Direct, the company revealed that the game would release worldwide in May 2015.[8] In the April 2015 Nintendo Direct, Nintendo revealed a new Amiibo line specifically for the game, the local 1-on-1 multiplayer mode Battle Dojo, and worldwide release dates.[10]

In April 2015, co-director Yusuke Amano revealed that the game would not include voice chat in order to avoid the negativity found in other online games and to provide players "a safe, clean environment" while playing.[23] Other details that have emerged are that Splatoon will not include online matches with customized rules, aiming sensitivity can only be changed before or after each match, and that in-game money earned and equipment unlocked in the single-player mode cannot be used in multiplayer, and vice-versa; instead, according to Hisashi Nogami, "the link is more focused on skill. You practice your controls and develop skills in single player and then you can take those with you into multiplayer".[24]

Promotion

Prior to the game's release, a global playable demo called Splatoon Global Testfire took place on three one-hour blocks between May 8 and May 9, 2015 and one two-hour block on May 23, 2015.[25] In Japan, a collaboration with Masahiro Anbe's Squid Girl manga series has been announced.[26] Splatoon outfits are also featured in the Nintendo 3DS title, Girls Mode 3: Kirakira ☆ Code.[27]

Release

In North American Best Buy stores, a 32 gigabyte Wii U with a Splatoon download voucher and Nintendo Land pre-installed was available when the game launched,[28] while a 32 gigabyte console and a physical copy of the game is available in Australia and New Zealand at launch and in Europe in mid-June.[29] Splatoon series Amiibo figures will be released alongside the game, with Boy and Girl Inklings sold seperately and a Squid figure sold exclusively as part of the game's special edition bundle. Players who pre-ordered the game at GameStop received a download voucher for Splatoon-themed Mii costumes for use in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.[30]

In the United Kingdom, a lorry containing a shipment of special edition copies of the game was hijacked in transit, resulting in GAME having to cancel all their special edition pre-orders.[31][32]

Producer Hisashi Nogami has stated that he and the rest of the development team hope to create post-launch downloadable content.[33]

Reception

Pre-release

Splatoon was well-received when it was revealed. Many in the gaming press were surprised that Nintendo was creating a shooter IP and praised the new gameplay ideas that distinguished it from other titles in the genre.[4][9][16][21][34]

Release

Splatoon received positive reviews, receiving an aggregated score of 81% on GameRankings based on 28 reviews[35] and 81/100 on Metacritic based on 45 reviews.[36] GamesRadar gave the game 3.5/5 stars, praising the game's refreshing take on the shooter genre, while criticising some elements such as lobbies and Amiibo-locked content.[37] GameTrailers gave the game a score of 8.4/10, praising the game's mechanics and presentation, while lamenting that the game feels sparse at launch.[38]

Accolades

List of pre-release awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Result Ref.
2014 Destructoid's Best of E3 Best Nintendo Exclusive Nominated [40]
Best Shooter Nominated
Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2014 Best Online Multiplayer Nominated [41][42]
Best Original Game Nominated
Gamescom Award Best Console Game Wii U Nominated [43]

References

  1. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (2 April 2015). "Splatoon Release Date and amiibo Information Splat Into View". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "Splatoon（スプラトゥーン）". Nintendo Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Otero, José (1 April 2015). "Here's All the News from April's Nintendo Direct". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c Robinson, Martin (20 June 2014). "How Nintendo is reinventing the shooter with Splatoon". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  5. ^ a b Otero, José (23 June 2014). "Splatoon: The Origins of Nintendo's Adorable Squad Based Shooter". IGN. Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b Nintendo Dream September 2014 (Vol. 245) Splatoon developer interview.
  7. ^ Henderson, Rik. "Splatoon in-depth preview: By jove Nintendo, you've only gone and done it again". Pocket-lint. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  8. ^ a b c Nintendo Direct 1.14.2015 (YouTube video). Nintendo of America. 14 January 2015. Event occurs at 15:19. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  9. ^ a b Crecente, Brian (10 June 2014). "Splatoon is Nintendo's take on third-person squid shooters". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 8 November 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b c Otero, José (1 April 2015). "Nintendo Shows Off Splatoon Amiibo and 1v1 Mode". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ a b Whitehead, Thomas (8 May 2015). "Feature: The Key Details on Splatoon, Nintendo's Shot at a New Wii U Hit". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  12. ^ a b Otero, José (23 March 2015). "Splatoon: Making Messy Mischief in Nintendo's New Shooter". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ a b Olney, Alex; DelVillano, Ron (23 March 2015). "Preview: We Take Aim at Splatoon to See if It Offers the Best of Both Worlds". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 23 March 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ Karmali, Luke (7 May 2015). "Here's All The News From The Splatoon Nintendo Direct". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "Splatoon Manual" (PDF). Nintendo Europe. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  16. ^ a b c Totilo, Stephen (3 July 2014). "Nintendo's Big New Multiplayer Shooter Is Very...Nintendo". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  17. ^ a b Hilliard, Kyle (22 June 2014). "Splatoon Interview – It Couldn't Be Mario, It Had To Be Squids". Game Informer. GameStop. Retrieved 22 July 2014. {{cite web}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help)
  18. ^ a b Blain, Louise (9 April 2015). "Miyamoto thought there was "no appeal" to Splatoon at first". GamesRadar. Future. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ a b c Vogel, Mitch (9 April 2015). "A Splash of New Details Emerge on Splatoon's Development and Inspiration". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ Play Nintendo - Nintendo E3 Digital Event (Trailer). Nintendo of America. 10 June 2014. Event occurs at 34:58. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  21. ^ a b Sleeper, Morgan (12 June 2014). "First Impressions: Taking Aim With Nintendo's New Online Shooter IP, Splatoon". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Nintendo Direct 11.5.2014 (Trailer). Nintendo of America. 5 November 2014. Event occurs at 30:11. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  23. ^ Starkey, Daniel (9 April 2015). "Splatoon Dropped Voice Chat Over Toxicity Concerns". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 26 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ Otero, José (21 April 2015). "Splatoon: Hands-on With 1V1 Battle Dojo, amiibo, and More". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ Benson, Julian (7 May 2015). "You Can Play Splatoon for Three Hours This Saturday". Kotaku. Gawker Media. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ http://www.animenewsnetwork.co.uk/interest/2015-05-28/squid-girl-teams-up-with-splatoon-inkling/.88650
  27. ^ http://www.siliconera.com/2015/05/27/splatoon-fashion-is-headed-to-style-savvy-3/
  28. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (21 April 2015). "Best Buy Nabs Exclusive Splatoon Wii U Hardware Bundle in North America". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  29. ^ Doolan, Liam (22 April 2015). "Splatoon Wii U Hardware Bundle Confirmed for PAL Regions, Arrives In Australia and New Zealand 30th May". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  30. ^ http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/05/07/pre-order-splatoon-get-a-free-costume-for-smash-wii-u
  31. ^ http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/lorry-transporting-splatoon-stock-has-been-stolen/0150087
  32. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-32915183
  33. ^ Sheridan, Connor (22 April 2015). "Splatoon dev teases possible post-launch DLC plans". GamesRadar. Future. Archived from the original on 22 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  34. ^ O'Brien, Lucy (10 June 2014). "E3 2014: Nintendo Keeps It Short & Sweet". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 3 December 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ a b "Splatoon for Wii U". GameRankings. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  36. ^ a b "Splatoon for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  37. ^ a b Roberts, David (May 27, 2015). "Splatoon review". GamesRadar. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  38. ^ a b Moore, Ben (May 27, 2015). "Splatoon Review". GameTrailers. Retrieved May 27, 2015.
  39. ^ Otero, Jose (May 29, 2015). "Splatoon Review". IGN. Retrieved May 29, 2015.
  40. ^ Aziz, Hamza (18 June 2014). "Destructoid's Best of E3 2014 winners!". Destructoid. Modern Method. Archived from the original on 11 July 2014. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 1 July 2014 suggested (help)
  41. ^ "Game Critics Awards Best of E3 2014". Game Critics Awards. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 3 July 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  42. ^ "2014 Winners". Game Critics Awards. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  43. ^ "gamescom award 2014: the nominees are known". Gamescom. Bundesverband Interaktive Unterhaltungssoftware. 6 August 2014. Archived from the original on 7 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 8 August 2014 suggested (help)
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