Jump to content

Splatoon 2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by InklingGirl error (talk | contribs) at 01:28, 28 April 2019. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Splatoon 2
Packaging artwork, depicting Inklings in human and squid form in combat
Developer(s)Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s)Nintendo
Director(s)
  • Yusuke Amano
  • Seita Inoue
  • Shintaro Sato
Producer(s)Hisashi Nogami
Designer(s)
  • Jordan Amaro
  • Koki Kitagawa
Programmer(s)Shintaro Sato
Artist(s)
  • Seita Inoue
  • Keisuke Nishimori
Composer(s)
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch
ReleaseJuly 21, 2017
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Splatoon 2[a] is a third-person shooter game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch, which released worldwide on July 21, 2017. It is a sequel to Splatoon, and includes a story-driven single-player mode, the Octo Expansion (a paid downloadable item that includes another single-player mode, special pieces of octopus-themed gear, and playable octolings after completing the game), and an online multiplayer mode. By December 2018, Splatoon 2 had sold over eight million copies worldwide, selling better than its predecessor and making it one of the best-selling Switch games.

gameplay

Like its predecessor, Splatoon 2 is a third-person shooter in which players control anthropomorphic squid or octopuses, known as inklings and octolings respectively, and use colored ink to cover land, attack opponents and clear goals. Inklings and octolings can morph between humanoid form, during which they can fire ink with their weapons, and squid or octopus form, during which they can quickly swim through ink of their own color and replenish their ink supply.

The sequel adds new standard, sub and special weapons, including dual-wield pistols called dualies that allow the player to perform dodge rolls, and jetpacks known as inkjets. Like the previous game, it features the standard turf war mode for regular battles, in which two four-player teams have three minutes to cover the most turf with their color of ink. splatoon 2 also maintains the first game's rotation of splat zones, tower control and rainmaker for ranked battles, unlocked at level ten, while also adding a new clam blitz mode. League battles allow players to form teams with friends playing the same modes as in ranked battles. A new mode, salmon run, allows up to four players to team up cooperatively to tackle waves of enemies called salmonids and collect boss salmonids' eggs.[1][2]

Once per month, a splatfest is held, during which players choose one of two teams, usually based on common debates such as heroes versus villains and pancakes versus waffles.[3] splatfest topics are usually announced one week in advance, and players are given the ability to choose their team in the game's lobby. Topics are usually region-specific and happen at different times of the month. Splatfest battles are turf wars only, but players can choose between normal and pro modes. Winning battles awards 'clout' to the winning team, and at the end of the splatfest, the winning side is decided by evaluating popularity and clout earned in both battle modes. All players who participate earn rare rewards, but players who chose the winning team receive a slightly higher cut.[4]

The game features a single-player campaign called hero mode, in which the player rescues captured zapfish across various levels while fighting off evil octarians. Unlike the previous game's single-player campaign which had a pre-determined weapon set, the player can now earn various weapons, some of which are required when playing levels for the first time. In addition to sunken scrolls that unlock artwork and in-game lore, players can collect sardinium to upgrade their hero mode weapons, and tickets that can be exchanged for temporary reward boosts in multiplayer battles, such as increased experience or in-game money.[5] using a single weapon to beat all of the hero mode levels grants the player a hero weapon replica (identical to the campaign weapon) to use in multiplayer matches. In the octo expansion DLC, players play as an octoling in a new single-player campaign featuring eighty missions.

Players can play multiplayer online through an internet connection or play locally, although local play requires multiple consoles and copies of the game. The game also features lan support with an adapter accessory for local private tournaments. The game supports amiibo figures, which allow players to store their character's custom look and unlock additional content. Free post-release updates and events are ongoing.[6]

Plot

Splatoon 2 takes place approximately two years after the final Splatfest event of the first game, in which the pop idol Marie defeated her cousin and fellow Squid Sister, Callie. After having drifted apart in the months following the event, Marie worries that Callie was negatively affected by the result. After leaving Inkopolis to see her parents, Marie returns home to discover that the Great Zapfish that powers the city has gone missing again, as has Callie. Fearing that the evil Octarians are once more involved, Marie again takes up her role as Agent 2 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon and recruits an Inkling from Inkopolis Square, the player character, to become Agent 4 and investigate.[7] With assistance from Marie and weapons expert Sheldon, Agent 4 makes their way through Octo Canyon fighting Octarians and recovering several stolen Zapfish, including ones powering the Octarians' war machines, such as the Octo Oven and the Octo Shower. They discover that Callie herself has sided with the Octarians after being brainwashed by their leader, DJ Octavio, who has escaped his imprisonment after his defeat in the first game and once more is using the Great Zapfish to power his new DJ stage, the Octobot King II. Marie arrives with Sheldon and frees Callie from her mind control, and together they help Agent 4 defeat Octavio once more. With the Great Zapfish safely returned to Inkopolis, the Squid Sisters happily reunite and resume their musical career.

Octo Expansion

The game's DLC opens with Cap'n Cuttlefish, the leader of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, discovering an unarmed and unconscious Octoling who has lost their memory. Having lost track of the protagonist of the first game, Agent 3, Cuttlefish decides to help the Octoling instead of attacking them after hearing them humming one of the Squid Sisters' songs while unconscious. Discovering that they are trapped in a subway-like testing facility called the Deepsea Metro, the two come across a talking telephone that identifies the Octoling as 'Subject 10,008', which Cuttlefish shortens to 'Agent 8'. The Telephone informs them that in order to reach "the promised land", they must traverse through the Metro to collect four objects known as 'thangs'. Agent 8 is given assistance via radio by Pearl and Marina of the pop band Off the Hook. As Agent 8 clears tests in the underground facility, they obtain small items called Mem Cakes that serve as physical manifestations of their lost memories.

After completing several test chambers and collecting all four thangs, which combine into a large blender, the Telephone attempts to kill Agent 8 and Cuttlefish by tricking them into getting into it. However, they are rescued just in time by Agent 3, who is promptly knocked unconscious. Agent 8 then climbs through the depths of the facility towards the surface, via a hole that Agent 3 left in the ceiling, while Cuttlefish stays behind to keep watch over Agent 3. As they reach the exit, Agent 8 is confronted by Agent 3, who has been brainwashed by the Telephone and tied up Cuttlefish. Agent 8 defeats them, freeing them from their mind control.

After reaching the surface, the trio is retrieved by Pearl and Marina, but the facility itself begins to rise from the ocean, revealing itself to be an enormous statue of a human, which shocks everyone due to humans having been extinct for several millennia. From within the statue, the mangled but still functional Telephone introduces itself as Commander Tartar, an AI built by a human scientist prior to mankind's extinction who was programmed to pass the knowledge of humanity on to the next sentient race that emerged after the world flooded. While initially believing Inklings and Octarians to be this sentient race, Tartar was disgusted with both their societies and instead reprogrammed itself with a new objective - to destroy all sentient life and create a new apex species from a genetic ooze made from the finest test subjects. As it prepares to fire an enormous solar-powered cannon from the mouth of the statue and destroy Inkopolis, Agent 8 and their group create a plan to stop it from charging. Together, they cover the entire statue in ink before Pearl uses a voice-powered Killer Wail weapon to finally destroy both it and Tartar. With the threat averted, the group finally returns to Inkopolis Square, where Agent 8 joins society with both the Inklings and their fellow Octolings that had already arrived.

After completing the main storyline in the Octo Expansion, if the player completes all eighty levels, they get the opportunity to battle against their memories of Agent 3. If Agent 8 defeats this 'Inner Agent 3', they gain the “Golden Toothpick”, a unique piece of gear, as a memento.

Release

A limited-time global multiplayer demo for the game, known as the "Splatoon 2 Global Testfire", was released in March 2017.[8] A special edition of Nintendo Treehouse Live was streamed during the first session, in which members of the Nintendo Treehouse participated in the demo.[9] Similarly to the demo of the original game, it was only available to play for a specific time period, across six one-hour play sessions in one weekend.[10] Another demo session demonstrating the game's Splatfest events was held on July 15, 2017.[11]

The game was released worldwide on July 21, 2017.[12] In Japan and Europe, neon-green and neon-pink Joy-Con controllers and Splatoon-themed Pro Controllers were released alongside the game.[13] A game card-free version, which features a download code inside a game case instead of a game card, was also released in Japan, as well as a Switch hardware bundle including a download code for the game.[14] A similar bundle was released in the United States as a Walmart exclusive.[15]

New amiibo figures of new Inkling Girl, Boy and Squid designs from Splatoon 2 were released alongside the game. These figures, alongside previous Splatoon figures, unlock exclusive in-game clothing and music tracks and allow the player to save a loadout of weapons and clothing to the figure so they can be readily accessed at any time. Characters with these saved load-outs can be posed alongside the player for taking screenshots.[16] Amiibo figures of Pearl and Marina from Off the Hook were released on July 13, 2018,[17] and feature similar functionality to those already released,[18] while a final trio of figures of Octoling Girl, Boy and Octopus designs were released in Japan and Europe on November 9, 2018,[19] and in North America on December 7, 2018.[20]

Like the previous game, Splatoon 2 was continually updated post-release with free content. From launch, at least one new weapon was added to the game almost every week, while new stages and game modes were added at irregular intervals. In late April 2018, this changed to having a large group of weapons added every month instead, with new stages continuing to be added until October 2018.[21] While these regular updates were originally due to continue for around a year after the game's launch, with monthly regional Splatfest events being held for around two years,[22] the regular updates were later extended to last until the end of 2018.[23] The game's content update in December 2018 was announced as the final one, albeit with balancing patches and Splatfest events due to continue into Summer 2019,[24] but it was later revealed that more minor updates would release in early 2019.[25]

The series' first set of paid downloadable content, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion, was announced in a Nintendo Direct broadcast on March 8, 2018. Released on June 13, 2018, the expansion provides a new single-player mode with eighty missions starring an Octoling (formerly of the evil Octarians) known as Agent 8, who attempts to escape from a cavernous subway system without their memories. For the first time, Octolings are playable in online matches if the expansion's levels are beaten. The expansion was made available to pre-order shortly after its announcement, with exclusive in-game clothing items available for doing so.[26] A new amiibo set featuring the Octoling Girl, Boy, and Octopus was released on December 7, 2018.[27]

Promotion

Prior to Splatoon 2's reveal, clips of the game were featured in the announcement trailer for the Nintendo Switch.[28] Its unanticipated appearance led to speculation by the media and public over whether or not the footage shown was that from a port of Splatoon or a sequel.[29][30][31] It was also presented in the trailer in a way that promoted the game as an eSport,[29][32][33] following investments by Nintendo in Splatoon eSport tournaments in late 2016.[34]

Splatoon 2 was officially unveiled to the public during the Nintendo Switch reveal presentation held in Tokyo on January 13, 2017, where it was announced for release in Q2/Q3 2017.[35] The reveal was accompanied by a trailer featuring the game's new maps and weapons,[36][37] and an on-stage appearance of producer Hisashi Nogami in-character as a scientist from the Squid Research Lab, a fictional scientific group from the game, which appeared in various promotional material for the original Splatoon.[38]

Similarly to the first game, Splatoon 2 features Splatfest events that include crossovers with other brands, both from other Nintendo properties such as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[39] and third-party franchises including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,[40] McDonald's,[41] Uniqlo,[42] Nike,[43] Sanrio[44], Meiji, and Pocky.[45]

Other media

A manga series based on the game and illustrated by Sankichi Hinodeya began serialization in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic magazine in May 2017.[46] It was published in North America by Viz Media in late 2017.[47] A motion comic adaptation of the manga was announced in July 2017 and released on YouTube the following month.[48]

Splatune 2, a two-disc official soundtrack featuring music from the game by Toru Minegishi, Ryo Nagamatsu, and Shiho Fujii, was published by Enterbrain, released in Japan on November 29, 2017,[49][50] and debuted at number eight on Billboard Japan's Hot Albums chart.[51] A second soundtrack album, Octotune, was released in Japan on July 18, 2018. This album features tracks added in the game's Octo Expansion DLC and other post-release updates, as well as a recording of the game's first live concert.[52] It peaked at number five on the Hot Albums chart.[53]

Similarly to the first game, a series of real-life concerts featuring the game's signature band Off the Hook have been performed in various locations. Their first concert was held at Tokaigi 2018 in Japan on February 10, 2018,[54] a second was performed at Polymanga in Switzerland on March 31, 2018,[55] a third concert which featured a new song, "Nasty Majesty" from Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion, was performed at NicoNico Chokaigi in Japan on April 28, 2018, and a fourth concert was performed at Tokaigi Game Party 2019 in Japan on January 26, 2019, which featured more songs from the Octo Expansion, and was the first concert to only feature Pearl and Marina. Like the first game's concerts that featured the Squid Sisters, Off the Hook appear as holographs with a live backing band, while the Squid Sisters also made special guest appearances in the first three concerts.[56]

Reception

Splatoon 2 received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[57] Critics stated that Splatoon 2 retained what was great about the original game while adding new features to keep the game fresh.[62][65] Nintendo Life praised the improved single-player campaign.[65] Destructoid and Game Informer criticised the accessibility within the game's multiplayer modes—weapons couldn't be changed between matches at that time, though this was added in a later update, no split-screen play, and the Salmon Run mode is only playable online at certain times—but praised the new weapons and gameplay.[58][60] The Verge blamed the lack of a built-in voice chat feature and ease of viewing the map for taking away from the multiplayer experience, yet still calling the game an improvement over the original.[67] GameSpot cited Splatoon 2 as "a fresh take on the already unique shooter" but pointed out that using a mobile app for voice communication made multiplayer more complicated than it needed to be.[62] Game Revolution and GamesRadar both praised the colorful artstyle and depth of the multiplayer combat.[61][63] IGN gave the game a score of 8.3/10—higher than the initial score of the original game but lower than its re-review—praising the "addicting" Salmon Run mode and improved graphics, while making similar complaints about the game's matchmaking system.[64] Electronic Gaming Monthly and Nintendo World Report both stated that the game felt "more like Splatoon 1.5" than a true sequel to the original, but nonetheless complimented the game's new additions.[59][66]

Eurogamer ranked the game 17th on their list of the "Top 50 Games of 2017",[68] while Polygon ranked it 43rd on their list of the 50 best games of 2017.[69] The Verge named Splatoon 2 as one of their 15 Best Games of 2017.[70] The game was nominated for "Best Switch Game" in both Destructoid's Game of the Year Awards 2017 and IGN's Best of 2017 Awards,[71][72] the latter of which also nominated it for "Best Shooter" and "Best Multiplayer".[73][74]

Sales

Splatoon 2 debuted second on the UK software sales chart in its launch week, behind Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.[75] It had 59% better first week sales than Splatoon and became the third biggest launch of a Switch game in that country.[75] In Japan, Splatoon 2 sold roughly 648,000 copies at retail within the first few days of its launch.[76] Including download copies, the game had sold over two million in Japan by early 2018, making it the first home console game to do so in the country since 2010's Wii Party.[77] The game shipped 1.56 million copies in Japan and 3.61 million copies worldwide in its first fiscal quarter on sale.[78] By March 2019, the game had sold 8.70 million copies worldwide,[79] making it the top-selling Switch game in Japan,[80][81] and the sixth best-selling worldwide.[79]

Awards

List of awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Result Ref.
2017 Golden Joystick Awards Best Multiplayer Game Nominated [82][83]
Nintendo Game of the Year Nominated
The Game Awards 2017 Best Family Game Nominated [84]
Best Multiplayer Nominated
2018 NAVGTR Awards Animation, Technical Nominated [85]
Game, Franchise Family Nominated
SXSW Gaming Awards Excellence in Multiplayer Nominated [86][87]
14th British Academy Games Awards Multiplayer Nominated [88][89]
CEDEC Awards Game Design Won [90]

Notes

  1. ^ スプラトゥーン2 (Supuratūn 2) in Japanese

References

  1. ^ hernandez, patricia (april 12, 2017). "splatoon 2 has co-op, out in july". kotaku. gizmodo media group. Archived from the original on february 18, 2018. Retrieved february 17, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "game modes". splatoon 2 - nintendo. nintendo. Archived from the original on february 18, 2018. Retrieved february 17, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "splatfests". nintendo. Retrieved april 22, 2019. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  4. ^ "version 4.0 has arrived". nintendo. september 13, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ ressler, karen (may 18, 2017). "splatoon 2 trailer shows single-player mode". anime news network. Archived from the original on may 20, 2017. Retrieved march 13, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate=, |date=, and |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ "splatoon 2". nintendo. Archived from the original on may 24, 2017. Retrieved may 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |archivedate= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  7. ^ "Squid Sisters Stories". Splatoon 2 - Nintendo. Nintendo. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ "Prepare for summer with the free Splatoon 2 Global Testfire demo event, starting March 24th". Nintendo UK. February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
  9. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (March 21, 2017). "Nintendo Treehouse to Host Live Broadcast of Splatoon 2 Global Testfire". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Phillips, Tom (March 16, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Testfire beta now available to download on UK Nintendo Switch eShop". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on March 20, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |dead-url= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ Wales, Matt. "There's Another Splatoon 2 Demo Coming Before Release, and it'll be Splatfest-Themed!". Kotaku UK. Future. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  12. ^ Goldfarb, Andrew. "Splatoon 2 Release Date, Amiibo Set Announced". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 12, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ Ashcraft, Brian. "Splatoon 2 Hardware Announced For Japan And Europe". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  14. ^ "Splatoon 2 Is Getting A "Game Card Free" Physical Version In Japan". Kotaku UK. Future. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ "Walmart-exclusive Nintendo Switch Splatoon 2 bundle revealed". Walmart. August 17, 2017. Archived from the original on December 13, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  16. ^ "amiibo". Splatoon 2 - Nintendo UK. Nintendo. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  17. ^ Live from Squid Research Lab (March 8, 2018). "Last month we shared news that 'Off the Hook'..." Tumblr. Archived from the original on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 13, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ Gartenberg, Chaim (June 12, 2018). "Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion launches on June 13th". The Verge. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  19. ^ Nicol, Haru (July 20, 2018). "New Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion Amiibo Release Date Announced". GameRevolution. Evolve Media. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  20. ^ Wong, Alistair (October 11, 2018). "Splatoon 2's Octoling Amiibo Will Release In North America On December 7, 2018". Siliconera. Curse. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  21. ^ "Nintendo UK VS on Twitter". Twitter. September 26, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  22. ^ McFerran, Damien. "Splatoon 2 Will See Fresh Content For A Year, Splatfests Scheduled For Two Years". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  23. ^ Reseigh-Lincoln, Dom (June 13, 2018). "Splatoon 2's July Update Brings A Fresh Stage And Brand New Weapons". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  24. ^ Doolan, Liam (November 25, 2018). "Final Content Update For Splatoon 2 Will Be Released Next Month". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved November 27, 2018.
  25. ^ Nintendo Versus (January 27, 2019). "New weapons inkoming! 10 weapons from Sheldon's Picks that appeared in the original Splatoon will be added to #Splatoon2 in a future update!". Twitter. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
  26. ^ "Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion". Nintendo UK. Nintendo. March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  27. ^ Good, Owen S. (July 21, 2018). "Splatoon 2's Octoling amiibo launch in December". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  28. ^ Kohler, Chris (October 20, 2016). "Everything We Know About Nintendo Switch". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  29. ^ a b D'Anastasio, Cecilia (October 20, 2016). "Nintendo Shows Off New Splatoon Footage, Unclear If It's A New Game". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  30. ^ Sato (October 20, 2016). "A Closer Look At Splatoon, Mario Kart, And A New Mario Game For Nintendo Switch". Siliconera. Curse, Inc. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  31. ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (October 20, 2016). "What's New in Splatoon and Mario Kart for Nintendo Switch". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  32. ^ Beck, Kellen (October 20, 2016). "Nintendo may be hinting at a big gaming shift with its new console Switch". Mashable. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  33. ^ Gilliam, Ryan (October 31, 2016). "Sorry, Nintendo: Splatoon wouldn't make a good esport". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  34. ^ Rahming, A.K (October 26, 2016). "Nintendo is Setting Its Sights on eSports". Nintendo Enthusiast. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  35. ^ Webster, Andrew (January 12, 2017). "Splatoon 2 is coming to the Nintendo Switch". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on January 14, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  36. ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (January 12, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Announced for Nintendo Switch". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  37. ^ Imms, Jason (January 12, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Announced for Nintendo Switch, Due for Release This Summer". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017.
  38. ^ Hongo, Hudson (January 13, 2017). "The Real Star of Nintendo's Big Switch Event Was a Mysterious Squid Expert". Gizmodo. Gizmodo Media Group. Archived from the original on January 22, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  39. ^ Doolan, Liam (December 6, 2018). "Super Smash Bros. Inspired Splatfest Will Take Place In Splatoon 2 Next Week". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  40. ^ Craddock, Ryan (April 26, 2018). "Splatoon 2 Is About To Have A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Splatfest Tournament". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  41. ^ Strawhun, Aiden (September 3, 2017). "Japan's Next Splatoon 2 Splatfest Is A McDonald's Showdown". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  42. ^ Brian (December 1, 2017). "Splatoon 2 – Japanese Splatfest #5 announced". Nintendo Everything. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  43. ^ "Japan's Latest Splatoon 2 Splatfest Is Brought to You by Nike". DualShockers. March 18, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  44. ^ Wong, Alistair (May 10, 2018). "Splatoon 2 Gets A Collaboration With Sanrio Characters In Japan". Siliconera. Curse. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  45. ^ Sato (October 26, 2018). "Splatoon 2's Next Japanese Splatfest Is A Battle Of Pocky". Siliconera. Curse. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  46. ^ "New Splatoon Manga Launches on May 15". Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ "Viz Media Licenses Splatoon Manga". Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  48. ^ "There's a Splatoon Anime on the Way to YouTube". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  49. ^ Greening, Chris. "Toru Minegishi returns as sound director for Splatoon 2". Video Game Music Online. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 22, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  50. ^ Wong, Alistair. "Nintendo Releases Splatoon 2 Recording Session Video For Splatune 2 Release". Siliconera. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  51. ^ "Hot Albums" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. December 11, 2017. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  52. ^ McFerran, Damien (April 19, 2018). "Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion Is Getting Its Own CD Soundtrack". Nintendo Life. Gamer Network. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  53. ^ "Hot Albums" (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. July 30, 2018. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  54. ^ Wong, Alistair (February 13, 2018). "Watch Splatoon 2's Off The Hook Concert Here". Siliconera. Curse. Archived from the original on March 13, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  55. ^ @NintendoEurope (February 19, 2018). "A special virtual concert starring Pearl and Marina of Off the Hook fame will also be part of the spectacle! Stay tuned for more details…". Twitter. Archived from the original on March 21, 2018. Retrieved March 12, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  56. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF1vpOnvWAE
  57. ^ a b "Splatoon 2 for Switch". Metacritic. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  58. ^ a b Carter, Chris (July 18, 2017). "Review: Splatoon 2". Destructoid. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  59. ^ a b L Patterson, Mollie (July 24, 2017). "Splatoon 2 review". Electronic Gaming Monthly. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  60. ^ a b Shea, Brian (July 18, 2017). "A Fresh Coat Of Ink - Splatoon 2 - Switch". Game Informer. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  61. ^ a b Vincent, Brittany (July 21, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Review – Catch of the Day". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  62. ^ a b c Plagge, Kallie (July 18, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  63. ^ a b Horti, Samuel (July 18, 2017). "Splatoon 2 review: 'Bright colours and squelchy sounds draw you into a mechanically complex shooter'". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on July 21, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  64. ^ a b Graeber, Brendan (July 24, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Review". IGN. Archived from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  65. ^ a b c Olney, Alex (July 18, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Review – Switch". Nintendo Life. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  66. ^ a b Ronaghan, Neal (July 18, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  67. ^ Webster, Andrew (July 18, 2017). "Nintendo's excellent shooter Splatoon is even better on the Switch". The Verge. Archived from the original on July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  68. ^ Eurogamer staff (December 29, 2017). "Eurogamer's Top 50 Games of 2017: 20-11". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2017. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  69. ^ Polygon staff (December 18, 2017). "The 50 best games of 2017". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 21, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  70. ^ Verge staff (December 15, 2017). "The 15 best games of 2017". The Verge. Retrieved June 30, 2018. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  71. ^ Valdez, Nick (December 14, 2017). "Nominees for Destructoid's Best Switch Game of 2017". Destructoid. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  72. ^ "Best of 2017 Awards: Best Switch Game". IGN. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  73. ^ "Best of 2017 Awards: Best Shooter". IGN. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  74. ^ "Best of 2017 Awards: Best Multiplayer". IGN. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  75. ^ a b Dring, Christopher (July 24, 2017). "UK Retail Charts: Crash Bandicoot just beats Splatoon 2 to No.1". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved July 24, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  76. ^ Whitehead, Thomas (July 26, 2017). "Splatoon 2 delivers extraordinary launch sales in Japan and boosts Switch hardware". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  77. ^ "Splatoon 2 is first game to hit 2 million sales in Japan this decade". Metro. January 11, 2018. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved January 31, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  78. ^ "Nintendo Co. Ltd. Earnings Release for the Six-Month Period Ended September 2017 - Supplementary Information" (PDF). Nintendo. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 7, 2017. Retrieved December 4, 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  79. ^ a b "Top Selling Title Sales Units". Nintendo. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  80. ^ Arif, Shabana. "Super Mario Odyssey Hits 10 Million Sales". IGN. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  81. ^ "Famitsu: Splatoon 2 For Nintendo Switch Has Shifted 3 Million Units In Japan". My Nintendo News. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  82. ^ Dwan, Hannah (October 27, 2017). "Public voting and the nominations for the 2017 Golden Joystick Awards are now up". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 12, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  83. ^ Weber, Rachel (November 17, 2017). "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild scores big at the 35th Golden Joystick Awards presented with OMEN by HP". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  84. ^ Makuch, Eddie (December 8, 2017). "The Game Awards 2017 Winners Headlined By Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's Game Of The Year". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 9, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  85. ^ "Horizon wins 7; Mario GOTY". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. March 13, 2018. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  86. ^ McNeill, Andrew (January 31, 2018). "Here Are Your 2018 SXSW Gaming Awards Finalists!". SXSW. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  87. ^ IGN Studios (March 17, 2018). "2018 SXSW Gaming Awards Winners Revealed". IGN. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  88. ^ deAlessandri, Marie (March 15, 2018). "Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice at forefront of BAFTA Games Awards nominations". MCV. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  89. ^ Makedonski, Brett (April 12, 2018). "BAFTA names What Remains of Edith Finch its best game of 2017". Destructoid. Retrieved April 13, 2018.
  90. ^ Doolan, Liam (August 23, 2018). "The Legend is Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2 awarded at CEDEC 2018". NintendoLife. Retrieved September 1, 2018. {{cite web}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help); Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)