While known more for Pokémon catching, Mario karting, and bro smashing, Nintendo has jumped into the shooter genre with Splatoon. A little bit arcade, a little bit puzzle solver, and a lot of bright colors help Splatoon stand out in some bold ways.
Splatoon is a game that revolves around its online multiplayer. You gain money to spend on gear by playing multiplayer, you level up that gear and your character by playing multiplayer, and you gain access to new modes by playing multiplayer. Such a strong focus on one aspect of the game means that that mode needs to be fun to bring you back in over and over, which Splatoon is able to do. Matches are short and maps are on a rotation system and change every few hours or so. This makes it beneficial to play Splatoon in short bursts rather than to splurge for hours on end. “Non-binge” is a good way to describe Splatoon’s design. Nintendo regularly updates the game with free online events and gear almost weekly to keep players coming back for more at a consistent rate.
The main multiplayer mode is about area control. By shooting ink over the stage floor you add a certain percentage of the map to your team’s side. After a few minutes the match ends, sides are tallied, and a winner is declared based on the total amount of the board inked. There are also individual scores which are increased by covering the floor with ink and downing opponents, the former being the quicker way to gain points. Ranked match making mode gives a single control point and awards the team that controls the most space within that control point. There’s about as much diversity in game modes as any other FPS, but Splatoon’s 3 minute rounds keep the game fast-paced and prevent matches from becoming stale.
The only problem with matchmaking is how imbalanced it is. There doesn’t seem to be a way to match players properly based on level, and as such someone who just started out at level 1 can end up against someone at max level. It doesn’t sound like an issue outside of experience, but someone at level 20 is guaranteed to have better gear and weapons than someone who just began playing the game. It can make matches frustrating when it feels like you’re losing because of a difference in equipment, especially when you are locked out of that equipment for another 7 or 8 levels.
The controls for the game feel pretty good, at least as good as you can get on the awkward tablet that is the Wii U controller. The gyro-controls feel solid in this game, and when combined with the regular camera controls can result in very responsive pinpoint turns, which is important in multiplayer when trying to outmaneuver someone. If that layout isn't your thing though, you can always opt out of using the gyro-sensor in favor of a more traditional camera system using the pad's dual analog sticks. I wish the game supported use of the Wii U Pro controller, and you could just default to having the pad be your map, instead of forcing you to use the pad since it would work better for a more traditional control scheme.
The game is colorful and silly, a stark contrast to the grim, gritty, realistic styles of most modern shooters. The vibrant and electric tints of the various team colors along with the game’s upbeat, pop soundtrack create a fun and colorful environment.
Splatoon also boasts a single player mode that is focused more on puzzle solving than twitch-reflexes and moving quickly. It’s actually fun, and kind of a shame how little impact the mode has on the game’s multiplayer focus. Single player is divided into a series of short puzzle-platformer levels that last around 5 to 10 minutes with some kind of gimmick for each. I’m actually having a hard time thinking of a level that frustrated me, but it really is a well-crafted single player experience, what makes it a shame is that there’s very little incentive to play it. Single player does nothing for your multiplayer experience. You can’t gain money or levels through single player, and the gear it gives you is nice when you start out but is quickly outclassed by other gear you can purchase.
Splatoon is a really fun game, with really engaging and enjoyable multiplayer. Every facet of the game encourages grinding for coins and items, but not in a way that also encourages binge play. It’s for this reason that you can come back to Splatoon over and over without feeling burnt out on it. With a steady string of free updates and community driven events, Splatoon will mark a place in the Wii U’s library, similar to that of Smash 4 or Mario Kart 8, as one of the console’s must have multiplayer games.