Nintendo’s online focused team-based ink shooter, Splatoon, returns next year with the announcement of a surprise third entry.
Announced during today’s jam packed Nintendo Direct, Splatoon 3 takes your Squid/Kid adventures to a new place – the post apocalyptic world of The Splatlands. There your customized Inkling will do battle against others hardened by whatever catastrophic event has occurred as you become accustomed to your new surroundings in the city of Splatsville.
In terms of new features – details are light, given that the game is at least a year away if not more. Shown during the new trailer is a revamped take on customization – gone is Inkling gender, replaced with a more free form appearance options. Let’s not also forgot the new companion, your “little buddy”, oh and a brand new weapon a the Ink Bow!
Other details are almost non-existent, given that Splatoon 3 is at least 12 – 18 months from release and Nintendo doesn’t really dive deep into their games until a couple months before release.
Splatoon 2 was revealed alongside the Nintendo Switch in 2016, held a weekend stress test during the launch month of the console and released in the Summer of 2017. Support for Splatoon 2 – that is major updates and additions ended with version 5.0 in July 2019.
Check out the trailer and several HD screen grabs:
For the past two summers Squid Kids from all around the world have been able to beat the heat by partaking in Turf Wars on Switch. As we approach the second anniversary of Splatoon 2, Nintendo has announced the final Splatfest for the game alongside a “version 5.0” update which will bring the ability for players to host their own private Splatfests with their friends. While this marks the end of development of new content for Splatoon, it doesn’t mean that the online Turf Wars have to stop any time soon.
“Chaos VS Order” will be the final contest that Inklings and Octolings will decide by throwing down online. Make sure that July 18th – 21st is open on your calendar because that’s when then final concert in Inkopolis takes place. Dim the lights, chose your side and make sure to take in the final iteration of Shifty Station – also includes in the playlist will be every previous configuration will used in previous Splatfests during the weekend of the 21st!
Version 5.0 brings with it the ability for party hosts to create a Turf War Splatfests. All of the variations of Shifty Stations created by Nintendo will be selectable. It’s not known at this time of custom Splatfest “VS” themes will be supported – although I can certainly see why this may not be the case – it wouldn’t take long for someone to make something truly nasty and we know what happened when the Super Smash Bros level creator came online. Perhaps Nintendo will have a pre-defined dictionary of terms for custom Splatfests?
Are you sad that the development of new content for Splatoon 2 is coming to an end? Let us know in the comments.
It’s been a while since the last update but a new stage and weapons have been added to Splatoon 2.
The new stage Wahoo World is now available in rotation. Don’t let this amusing amusement park fool you though—while it’s a rather nice date spot for Inkling couples, the battles here are no less ink-tense. Just remember to keep your guard up and not get distracted by the sights.
Now for the new weapons that have been added to the game. Of course, as is the new norm, there are also FOUR new weapons available. Ammo Knights in game is now stocked with:
Rapid Blaster Pro Deco w/ Splash Wall & Ink Armor – With a decorated pro headlining this kit, we’d recommend it for aggressive players who can manage their range.
Carbon Roller Deco w/ Burst Bombs & Autobomb Launcher – This kit rolls out a new design for the Carbon Roller and is great for players who like making big messes in a short amount of time.
Custom Dualie Squelchers w/ Splat Bombs & Ink Storm – Squelch your need for tactical support with this kit! This one’s for playmakers who like to boost the effectiveness of their teammates.
Undercover Sorella Brella w/ Splat Bomb & Baller Live out your dreams of being an action-movie star! With this kit, pin back the opposition, close the distance, and go toe to toe with your opponents.Hopefully these findings will help your own Inkling research. Stay tuned for more updates!
Nintendo has announced the latest Splatfest coming to Splatoon 2.
In promotion of the upcoming “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” animated series on Nickelodeon, this will be a TMNT themed tournament-style Splatfest. Round 1 takes place May 4th and features Raph vs. Leo.
Round 1: Raph vs. Leo
May 4 (Friday), 9 p.m. PT – May 5 (Saturday), 9 p.m. PT
Round 2: Mikey vs. Donnie
May 11 (Friday), 9 p.m. PT – May 12 (Saturday), 9 p.m. PT
Finals
May 18 (Friday) 9 p.m. PT – May 19 (Saturday), 9 p.m. PT
“We love working with unexpected partners to expand our brand and bring smiles to people’s faces in surprising ways,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Teaming up with Nickelodeon and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles made perfect sense, as we share many of the same fans who enjoy family-friendly entertainment and classic characters.”
While we don’t know when we’re going to learn more details about the upcoming Switch iteration of Super Smash Bros., we know for sure that we’ll see the game in action at E3.
On June 11-12 in Los Angeles, an invited group of players will gather to play Super Smash Bros. as Nintendo hosts an event featuring gameplay for the upcoming Nintendo Switch title. This will be the first-ever exhibition tournament featuring the recently announced Super Smash Bros. game coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018.
Qualified teams will also compete in the first world championship for Splatoon 2 since the game’s launch.
Both competitions will be livestreamed.
The event will be just one of Nintendo’s activities at the E3 video game trade show, which runs June 12th – 14th. Additional details about Nintendo’s E3 plans aren’t yet known.
Prior to the Splatoon 2 World Championship, Nintendo will host U.S./Canada online qualifiers. The U.S./Canada qualifier will be the Splatoon 2 U.S./Canada Inkling Open 2018 hosted by Battlefy. Open qualifiers for teams of four ages 13 and up will take place on April 21 starting at 2pm ET, and finals will take place on April 28 at 11am ET. Teams will compete in Turf War during the open qualifiers and in Ranked Battle modes during the finals.
“Nintendo always takes an original approach to video game competitions, and the portability of Nintendo Switch enables unique gameplay possibilities,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re looking forward to watching some of the best players in the world test their skills against each other in these two uniquely competitive games.”
A new single-player expansion is coming to Splatoon 2.
The first paid DLC is coming to Splatoon 2 this summer and it’s a big one. One of the things that I’ve been hoping for with the second Splatoon title was the ability to play as an Octoling. That is going to be possible thanks to the new expansion.
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion adds a hefty new single-player mode that lets players play as new character Agent 8, an Octoling with lost memories. The new single-player campaign features 80 missions, as well as new stories that shed new light on beloved characters.
Players that complete the Octo Expansion campaign will unlock the ability to play as Octolings in multiplayer battles. While Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion launches this summer, players can already pre-purchase the DLC in the Nintendo eShop. Pre-purchasing the DLC will give gamers Octo-themed in-game gear to use in battle right away.
Another major Splatoon 2 update is also on the way. In April, Splatoon 2 is getting a major free update to version 3.0. The update will contain 100+ new pieces of gear, more stages rolling out throughout spring (Piranha Pit, Camp Triggerfish and Wahoo World) and a new rank (Rank X).
If aren’t among the 4.9 million who have picked up a copy of Splatoon 2 yet, a great deal is just around the corner.
On March 16th, the Splatoon 2 Starter Edition will launch in stores. The special bundle includes the full game, a 100-page Splatoon 2 strategy guide, and two sheets of Splatoon stickers. The bundle will retail for a suggested retail price of only $59.99 USD. That’s the same price as the stand-alone game, so this new Starter Edition adds even more value.
Splatoon 2 launched for Nintendo Switch last summer and has sold more than 4.9 million units worldwide so far. The action-filled game pits teams of Inklings against each other in a variety of fun and messy modes. Since launch, Nintendo has consistently rolled out new content for the game, including recurring fan-favorite competitions called Splatfests, a new battle mode, as well as new gear and stages, like the just-announced Dark Tetra Dualies weapon and basketball-arena-themed Goby Arena stage.
Also, as we brought you yesterday, Nintendo has announced a brand new 2-pack amiibo of Pearl and Marina, two of the most popular new characters in Splatoon 2. These amiibo figures will launch in stores later this year.
Pearl and Marina, two of the most popular characters in Splatoon 2, are getting their own amiibo figures.
This talented duo forms the group ‘Off the Hook’ and has been burning up the Inkling music charts. First, you’ve got Pearl, the cute and sassy MC with a talent for spitting fire. Then you’ve got Marina, the dazzling DJ genius dropping beats on the wheels of steel. Like Callie and Marie before them, everyone loves them as the broadcasters of Inkopolis News and Splatfest events.
The amiibo figures will launch in stores exclusively as part of a 2-pack later this year. No word on exact date of the releases.
Nintendo has announced the next Spaltfest for Splatoon 2. Off the Hook is getting ready for another big performance, and all Inklings are invited to a new Splatfest this weekend! Splatfests are the festival events where you can champion one of two special causes. Turf War wins during this time will help your side out and the winning side is determined by popularity, Solo Win percentage, and Team Win percentage.
The Splatfest is set for Friday, January 12th at 11:00pm ET thru Saturday, January 13th at 11:00pm ET.
The question being decided is for movie lovers and aficionados: do you prefer comedies or action movies ? That’s right, it’s side-splitters vs. explosions. Jokes vs. adrenaline. Slapstick vs. fight scenes!
The theme of this Splatfest is going to be shared globally so the results will be delayed until late Sunday morning.
Nintendo is going to unleash possibly the largest post-release update to Splatoon 2 tomorrow that brings with it new stages, an increased level cap, holiday themed weapons and so much more.
Like with previous content drops the four brand new stages won’t be immediately available once tomorrow’s patch goes live. Instead they’ll be drip fed to players over the course of several weeks to give Squid Kids something to look forward too through the early winter. Splatoon 2’s first brand new stage is the shopping mart styled MakoMart which will go live on Black Friday, November 24th. Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall will make a return from the original Splatoon on Wii U sometime in the future.
Other quality of life improvements coming to the game include the ability to swap out weapon and clothing loadouts between matches without having to exit the lobby screen – in my opinion this is one of the biggest ones. While going back to Inkopolis Square is fun, especially to look at the memes, it does break the flow a bit. For all those max level squids out there, the maximum ranking is being increased to 99 with this patch as as well.
With over 140 pieces of gear coming in tomorrow’s patch – which include some fashionable new winter gear and a new mode coming in the December Patch, it looks like there is a lot of life left in Splatoon 2!
Check out some screen-grabs from the trailer below, as well as Nintendo’s official descriptions of the major additions coming with the November and December updates.
Some action shots from inside the shopping center map. Get your black friday deals on fresh INK!
You have to have the latest black & white filter to STAY FRESH
Check out some of the brand new apparel coming with tomorrow’s update:
Official Nintendo Provided Patch Notes:
Nov. 23 Update
Four New Battle Stages: While four new battle stages are coming to Splatoon 2, they won’t all be available immediately after downloading the update. Like with previous additions, the stages will roll out over the subsequent weeks, giving players new surprises as they play throughout the holiday season and beyond. The first new battle stage, MakoMart, will be available to play on Black Friday, Nov. 24, with Shellendorf Institute, Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall coming soon. The new MakoMart stage is a giant superstore-style stage, so what better time to play than on Black Friday! Shellendorf Institute is new to the series, while Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall are popular stages returning from the original Splatoon game.
New Salmon Run Stage: Fan-favorite multiplayer mode* Salmon Run is getting a new stage. After downloading the update, Salmonid Smokeyard will be added to the stage rotation. In Salmonid Smokeyard, a wide gap on the beach divides two upper platforms, with fan lifts being the quickest way to traverse the two platforms. Teamwork is required to use the fan lifts effectively.
New Gear: Approximately 140 pieces of gear are being added to Splatoon 2. These include shoes, headgear and clothes, like a motocross mask, and additional winter clothing (perfect for the cold weather!), as well as returning items from the original Splatoon game.
New Battle Music: Two new bands have been gaining popularity in Inkopolis! The punk-flavored Bottom Feeders and classically trained avant-garde-style Ink Theory are contributing new songs to the already music-rich game.
New Hairstyle: When customizing an Inkling, four new hairstyles will be available to choose from – two each for female and male characters.
Higher Level Caps: Currently, players are maxed out at Level 50. After downloading the update, the new maximum level will be raised to 99. If players talk to Judd when they reach Level 99, they’ll have the option to reset their level display to Level ★1 so they can continue raising their level.
New amiibo Functionality: Tapping a compatible amiibo figure after the update will let players take and share in-game photos in preset locations in Battle Stages, in addition to being able to take photos in Inkopolis Square. Players can also add fun filters to their images.
Convenient Gear Swapping: Players that want to change gear between battles in Regular Battle, Ranked Battle and Splatfest Battle (Solo) won’t have to exit to the lobby anymore! After downloading the update, gear can be swapped out without leaving the match room, making it quicker to get back to splatting. For Regular Battle, this also means players can play the next battle with the same players.
Mid-December Update
Clam Blitz: In Clam Blitz, competing Inklings are tasked with collecting clams scattered around the stage. After one is picked up, the clam follows the player. The objective is to throw the clam into the basket near the opponent’s base. The first team to score 100 points wins! But, of course, this being the fiercely competitive world of Splatoon 2, things are not as easy as they seem. The baskets are protected by a barrier, which much be destroyed first. After collecting 10 clams, the player will earn a Power Clam. These super-powered clams are the key to breaking the barrier, so strategy will definitely be involved in which clams are used to destroy the barrier and which are used to earn points. Not to mention the extra-satisfying opportunity to steal opponents’ clams by splatting them…
Nintendo of Canada will be at Fan Expo Toronto this weekend, which takes place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from August 31st – September 3rd. The big N has a lot of activities lined up for people of all ages.
Super Mario Odyssey game will be playable and there will be giveaways, while quantities last. Plus people who pre-order Super Mario Odyssey game at the EB Games booth while at Fan Expo will receive a special edition Super Mario Odyssey poster as a gift with purchase (while supplies last). There will be a playable demo of the game at the convention as well as a Super Mario Odyssey Goomba Stack statue for all visitors to take photos with at the Nintendo booth.
Visitors to the Nintendo booth will have the chance to play other Nintendo games including ARMS, Splatoon 2 and two upcoming games Pokkén Tournament DX, and Metroid: Samus Returns.
Playable games scheduled to appear in the Nintendo booth at Fan Expo Toronto 2017 include Super Mario Odyssey, ARMS, Splatoon 2, and Pokkén Tournament DX for the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo 3DS title Metroid: Samus Returns will also be playable.
Nintendo announced on Thursday that they are releasing a special Splatoon 2 edition of the Nintendo Switch, which will be available exclusively at Walmart stores. The new Nintendo Switch bundle will include a download code for the Splatoon 2 game, a fresh carrying case and colorful new Joy-Con controllers in Neon Pink and Neon Green.
The bundle will be available starting September 8th at a suggested retail price of $379.99 USD.
Splatfests were one of the many highlights from the first Splatoon and I was really happy to hear that they’d be making their return for the sequel. This past weekend Splatoon 2’s first [thing] vs. [another thing0] competition took place – asking players to chose sides based upon their favorite condiment, either Ketchup or Mayo.
Upon logging into the game your lobby is instantly transformed into neon infused night variant complete with a performance by brand new Squid idols – Marina and Pearl. The aesthetics aren’t the only thing that changes in the lobby as the background music gets bumped up a notch to celebrate the coming condiment combat.
My first couple of matches pitted me against Team Mayo (I chose Ketchup, naturally, as it goes on everything from fries to burgers) but then the matchmaker started to get a little wonky. Suddenly I found myself getting matched against a lot more Ketchup players than Mayo ones and for the majority of the remainder of the Splatfest this is how things stayed. I’m not sure if this is because of a population disparity – with more Inklings choosing to side for the internet favorite, Maria – or things simply being broken on Nintendo’s end.
The actual combat of the two days I spent playing Splatfest were pretty solid. Matchmaking issues and matchmaking disconnections aside I spent most of the time dying or covering enemy space in Turf War. Combat in Splatoon 2 is fast paced and since the rounds are only three minutes each time has to cover as much space with ink as possible. My weapons of choice? Ink Roller if I’m going for coverage or the brand new Splat Dualies if I want to play Splatoon 2 more like a modern shooter – complete with dodge. My absolute favorite part of combat during the Splatfest had to have been using the new Jetpack power-up. I don’t know what it is but there is something deeply satisfying about hovering in the air and dropping ink bombs on the opposing team.
Each side in the condiment conflict tried to win over undecided kids & skids with some really excellent drawings. Some featured Pearl and Marina representing their respective sides while others used characters from other games, like Sans from Undertale, to push their topping choice to victory. Perhaps the strangest batch of player made art are the occasional Fury rooting for either side – although that while thing is another story.
At the end of it all Mayo came out on top, even if during my several hours of play I saw more Ketchup players (and Ketchup vs. Ketchup match-ups) than members of Team Mayo. Here’s hoping Nintendo works on the backend stability and is able to reduce the same side match-ups and disconnections that can occur while the matchmaker is looking for available players.
The last Splatfest was two weeks ago on July 15th and the original game had a tendency to hold at least two Splatfests a month for the first year and a half of that title’s life. We’ve got a lot more team base rivalries to settle on the streets of Inkopolis – Perhaps Nintendo could rekindled the friendly rivalries between themselves and SEGA before Splatfests in the sequel go dry?
This morning Nintendo held their most recent Nintendo Direct with the focus squarely set on their freshest game yet, Splatoon 2. The game is of course the sequel to Splatoon which was a refreshing game when it launched for the Wii U two years ago.
Splatoon 2 game launches exclusively for the Nintendo Switch console in just a couple of weeks and Nintendo branded this Nintendo Direct with the Squid Research Lab to provide a refresher on some of the new and returning features coming to the squid sequel. The special Nintendo Direct presentation highlighted many of the game’s new features, new weapons, new locations, and its fresh new styles. The video also touched on SplatNet 2, the new service for mobile devices that displays information about Splatoon 2 like stage schedules, gear and stats. SplatNet 2 is part of the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app which launches on July 21, which lets players send multiplayer invites to their friends via social media, as well as enables the use of voice chat in battles.
Upcoming Switch titles ARMS and Splatoon 2 will have their own dedicated tournaments at this years Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles California, Nintendo has announced. Featuring brackets for amateur and professional gamers both tournaments will allow fans and professional gamers to get some hands-on time with both titles before their respective release dates.
2017 Splatoon 2 World Inkling Invitational – Tues June 13 @ 2:30PM Pacific
4 four person teams from different worldwide regions will participate in a round-robin style tournament. The specific rulesets used in the World Inkling Invitational will change as teams progress forward: Round 1 – Turf War, Round 2 – Ranked Mode, Round 3 – Best of 5, Round 4 (finals) – Best of 7. Up for grabs are not only bragging rights but also the chance to have the winners names engraved on a special Splatoon 2 trophy.
The four teams that rose through the local tournaments to come to the E3 finals include:
Deadbeat from USA
Dynameu from Japan
Rising Moon from Europe
Blue Ringed Octolings from Australia
2017 Arms Open Invitational – Weds June 14th @ 3:30PM PST
Nintendo’s other big multiplayer title, ARMS, will have an open competition where any E3 attendees can swing by Ninty’s booth between 10am and 1PM Wednesday the 14th for a shot at being one of the final 4. The four selected attendees will go up against 4 professional gamers for a shot at bragging rights as the winner of the Arms Open Invitational and best ARMS player at E3 2017. Let’s hope those going to E3 got a lot of practice in during the Arms Global Test Punch.
Both of these tournaments will be streamed via Nintendo’s YouTube, Twitch and special E3 website. If you happen to be working or miss one of them – like all of Nintendo’s E3 presentations they are archived on Youtube the same day they are live streamed.
