is a 2015 third-person shooter game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game centers around player-controlled Inklings—squid-like creatures that can transform between humanoid and cephalopodic forms at will. The game centers on a variety of four-on-four online multiplayer game modes that sees Inklings use a variety of weapons that can produce and shoot ink while in their humanoid forms or tread through and hide in surfaces covered in their own ink while in their cephalopodic forms. It also includes a dedicated single-player story campaign.
Splatoon was developed by a young group of employees at Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis & Development (EPD) division, and originated from a competitive multiplayer ink-based territory control prototype game. Developers initially conceived its player characters as anthropomorphic rabbits, taking cues from their territorial tendencies in the real world. This idea was met with criticism from others around the company, who maintained that having rabbits shoot ink did not make inherent sense. This resulted in the team pivoting to squid-human hybrids and eventually characters that could transform between wholly humanoid and wholly cephalopodic forms. The visual characteristics of the squid characters, now named Inklings, were inspired by the mannerisms of skateboarders.
Splatoon received positive reviews, with critics praising Nintendo's decision to enter the genre with a new franchise, the game's overall style and presentation, gameplay mechanics, and its soundtrack. However, criticism was directed at the exclusion of voice chat and private lobbies, the small number of multiplayer maps at launch, and issues with online matchmaking. Nintendo provided post-release support for the game by adding new maps and weapons to the game, adding a feature to allow users to create private lobbies and holding time-limited events called "Splatfests". Splatoon was awarded and nominated for several year-end accolades from several gaming publications.
It spawned a multimedia franchise; a sequel, Splatoon 2, was released for the Nintendo Switch on 21 July 2017, followed by another sequel, Splatoon 3, which was released on the Nintendo Switch on 9 September 2022. On 8 April 2024, Nintendo shut down the Nintendo Network service, discontinuing official online play for the game.
Gameplay
Splatoon is primarily a team-based third-person shooter that 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 an Inkling, who have the ability to transform between humanoid and squid forms. In humanoid form, Inklings can shoot ink in their team's color, which can be used to cover the environment or "splat" opposing players or enemies. Transforming into a squid allows players to swim through the 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 walk across in humanoid form, cannot be swum through in squid form and gradually deals damage. Players can use their ink to try and "splat" their opponents, which will send them back to their team's starting point whilst also providing a large splat of ink. In all modes, except for the two-player mode, 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.
Players go into matches wielding a primary ink weapon, each with differing statistics and traits, along with a secondary weapon (such as ink-filled balloons, sprinklers, and disruptive fields), and a special attack that can be charged up by covering enough ground with ink. Primary paint weapons range from those whose firing patterns resemble various types of firearms, to melee weapons such as Splat Rollers, Inkbrushes, and Sloshers (ink buckets). Ink weapons are sold in sets that can be purchased with money earned from matches, with more sets becoming available to the player as they gain experience. In addition, players can customize their character with headgear, clothes, and shoes from the neighboring shops, with more items becoming available as the player's level increases. Each item carries an ability that improves the player's statistics, such as faster respawn time or longer special duration. Additional abilities can be unlocked by gaining experience in battles. When encountering other players in the plaza, players can choose to order an item another player is wearing and purchase it the next day from the back alley dealer named Spyke for a higher price.
The game also supports Splatoon Amiibo figures, with each figure unlocking a set of missions which unlocks extra equipment (weapons and clothing) and a bonus minigame upon completion, the latter of which can be selected and played on the Wii U GamePad while waiting in lobbies. Players can also make posts to the game's Miiverse community, which appear in-game as graffiti on various buildings.
Multiplayer Online multiplayer was split into regular (turf war) and ranked game types. Each of these match types went through a rotation of two maps, which changed every four hours. In ranked games, players gained or dropped ranks based on consecutive wins and losses, ranging from C− to S+. Having a higher rank increased the amount of money and experience earned after wins.
There were four modes (rule-sets) used for online matches, all of which needed two teams consisting of a maximum of four players each. Turf War was the only mode for regular matches. Ranked matches changed between Splat Zones, Tower Control, and Rainmaker.
Turf War: Each team tries to ink the most turf as possible in their own color of ink within three minutes. The team that covers the most turf in their color ink when time runs out wins. Splat Zones (a king of the hill-style mode): Each team tries to control designated areas by keeping them covered in their ink; the team that achieves this get their counter value decreased at a constant rate. The team that has the lowest value on their counter wins. Tower Control: Each team tries to board the floating tower located at the center of the map. When a player boards the tower, it moves towards a target located at the end of the opponents' side of the map along a predetermined path. The team that had moved the tower closest to the opponents' side's target wins. Rainmaker (a capture the flag-style mode): Players on each team try to pickup the Rainmaker and carry it towards a target on the opponents' side of the map. Once the Rainmaker is picked up by a player, that player can drop the rainmaker only by getting splatted (killed) or going out-of-bounds. The Rainmaker can also be used as a weapon and does not use any ink. The team that had carried the Rainmaker closest to the opponents' side's target wins.
On April 8, 2024, online multiplayer was discontinued due to the shutdown of all online services for Wii U games, Splatoon included.
In Battle Dojo, the local multiplayer mode, two players compete to pop the most balloons, with one player using the Wii U GamePad and the other using the TV with a Wii U Pro Controller or Wii Classic Controller or either controller in conjunction with a MotionPlus-enabled Wii Remote to recreate the GamePad's gyroscopic controls.
Time-limited "Splatfest" events, held between June 2015 and July 2016, were also held in multiplayer play. During these events, players could choose between one of two teams, and earn points towards a player rank and their team based on their performance. Members of the winning team, decided by popularity and overall performance, earned Super Sea Snails, which could be used to re-spec and add additional perks to equipment, with the losing team earning fewer snails. Following the final Splatfest event, which ended on 24 July 2016, Super Sea Snails can be earned by winning a certain number of matches.
Campaign Octo Valley is the game's single player campaign in which players are recruited by veteran and leader of the Squidbeak Splatoon, Cap'n Cuttlefish to rescue the Great Zapfish, Inkopolis' source of power, from the Octarians, a race of octopuses with whom the Inklings warred in a century-old territorial conflict known as the Great Turf War. Players use a default ink weapon for this mode, which can be enhanced with upgrades or power-ups by collecting Power Eggs littered across the campaign's levels. The goal of each level is to navigate through enemies and obstacles to reach and rescue the Zapfish at the end. Each level also contains a hidden "sunken scroll" which reveals backstories and lore surrounding the setting of Splatoon. After clearing all of the levels in an area, players fight a boss called an Octoweapon to proceed to the next. Clearing each boss unlocks blueprints that can be exchanged at an armory for more weapon options.
Synopsis
Setting The Splatoon series takes place 12,000 years into the far future on a post-apocalyptic Earth following the extinction of humans and virtually all other mammals, implied to be due to the effects of rampant climate change. Marine animals then evolve to reside on land and in the present day occupy the regions of Inkadia and the Splatlands. These include the Inklings and Octarians, terrestrial squids and octopuses respectively. The city of Inkopolis, which includes Splatoon's hub world Inkopolis Plaza, is located within Inkadia.
Plot The Great Zapfish (a creature resembling an electrically charged catfish) that powers the city of Inkopolis suddenly vanishes; the incident is the subject of a news report hosted by resident idols Callie and Marie of the Squid Sisters. An Inkling teenager spots an elderly Inkling man scanning the immediate vicinity of Inkopolis Plaza from a manhole cover and follows him to Octo Valley. The elder Inkling, stationed at a camp in Octo Valley, introduces himself as Cap'n Cuttlefish, the former military captain of the Squidbeak Splatoon who led the Inklings to victory against the Octarians during the Great Turf War one century prior. Cuttlefish accuses the Octarians of stealing the Zapfish in revenge for their defeat. Cuttlefish recruits the teenage Inkling as Agent 3 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, and tasks them with intercepting Octarian forces to retrieve the Zapfish. Along the way, Agent 3 combats gargantuan foes known as the Great Octoweapons.
Certain sunken scrolls scattered throughout Octo Valley detail the Great Turf War whose early battles were dominated by the Octarians. When the Octarians were ultimately bested, they were forcibly relocated into underground domes. In the present day, an energy crisis afflicts Octarian society as their settlements gradually lose power.
After defeating the third Octoweapon, Cuttlefish speaks to Agent 3 over radio but is kidnapped by an unseen individual. Heeding a distress call sent by Cuttelfish, Agents 1 and 2 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon introduce themselves to Agent 3, also over radio, and remotely assist them in reaching Cuttlefish. Agent 3 breaches the arena where the Zapfish and Cuttlefish are being held and is formally confronted by the individual who apprehended them both: DJ Octavio, Cuttlefish's wartime arch-rival and the leader of the Octarians. After Agent 3 pushes Octavio further into the arena, Agents 1 and 2 hijack Octavio's speaker system to play the Squid Sisters' song "Calamari Inkantation", freeing Cuttlefish and implicating themselves to be the Squid Sisters in disguise. Agent 3 manages to defeat Octavio in battle, liberating the Zapfish. The Zapfish's return is reported on to the public by the Squid Sisters, who claim ignorance to its original whereabouts.
Development