Splatoon

Splatoon
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[1][2]
Artist(s)	Seita Inoue[3]
Composer(s)	Toru Minegishi[3]
Platform(s)	Wii U
Release date(s)	JP May 28, 2015[4] EU May 29, 2015[5] NA May 29, 2015[6]
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter, Platformer[7]
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Splatoon (Japanese: スプラトゥーン, Hepburn: Supuratūn) is an upcoming third-person shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo for Wii U, which is scheduled for release in Japan on May 28, 2015, and the rest of the world on May 29, 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 known 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 a single-player campaign. Players control characters called Inklings, who have the ability to change between human and squid forms. In human 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. 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 human 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.

Two online multiplayer modes have been announced: 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.^[8][9] In both online 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.^[10] 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.^[11] In addition, players can customize their character's movement speed and other statistics with different in-game outfits.^[11]

In 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.^[12]

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. While the online modes focus on simply painting the ground, the campaign mode focuses on using the ink to move forward.^[8][9] The game will also support Splatoon series amiibo, which unlock special missions that give the player extra equipment when completed.^[12]

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.^[13] After management approved making the prototype into a full game, the team started expanding its concepts, creating the ability to hide in ink,^[14] and wanted to somehow incorporate squids.^[15] 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.^[15] The art director sketched different ideas for the player character, including animals, "macho men," robots, and Mario,^[14] but the co-directors wanted to include a playable squid.^[16] They also needed the character to be human in order to hold weaponry, but thought that a squid-human hybrid "wouldn't sell".^[16] 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.^[16] From the beginning, the GamePad could display a real-time overview of the map so the player could see which team was ahead.^[2] 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.^[1]

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.^[13]

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.^[17][18] The game's single-player campaign, where the player fights an army of octopuses, was announced in a November 2014 Nintendo Direct.^[19] In the January 2015 Nintendo Direct, the company revealed that the game would release worldwide in May 2015.^[11] 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.^[12]

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.^[20] 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".^[21]

Release

In North American Best Buy stores, a 32 gigabyte Wii U with a Splatoon download voucher and Nintendo Land pre-installed will be available when the game launches,^[22] while a bundle with a 32 gigabyte console and a physical copy of the game will be available in Australia and New Zealand at launch and in Europe in mid-June.^[23]

Producer Hisashi Nogami has stated that he and the rest of the development team hope to create post-launch downloadable content.^[24]

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.^{[1][10][13][18][25]} However, some observers have expressed their displeasure about the lack of online voice chat.

Accolades

References

External links

• Official website
• Official English Tumblr blog