The world of first-person and third-person shooters got a wake-up call when Nintendo not only announced Splatoon but made it into a premier name in the gaming world, upending the notion that the Big N would continue to eschew the genre for its violent tendencies.
How to Download Splatoon
You can start downloading Splatoon (the 2015 game) by clicking the Download link below the review. You might also have a look at its sequel Splatoon 2 (2017). The first game is a Wii exclusive while the second is only available for Nintendo Switch.
The Game Review
Of course, Splatoon does nothing to offend Nintendo’s family-friendly sensibilities and instead presents one of the most compelling cases where game design is used to innovate and overcome tropes that would have otherwise made it a no-go coming from one of the Nintendo’s studios.
Splatoon is not only a compelling game but a competitive one as well with players divvying up the in-game world using a rainbow of colors to mark their territory.
Unlike most third-person shooters you do not aim to take out your opponents with your color gun but instead literally seek to paint the town red (or blue, or green) in another way – by splashing the walls and floors with color. The color gun is your primary weapon but there are also secondary weapons available with various effects such as a sprinkler and an ink-filled balloon for area-of-effect weapons.
As in any competitive FPS or, in this case, third-person shooter, Splatoon emphasizes mastery of using the primary and secondary weapons in tandem but relieves the player of the burden of “taking out” his opponents. It’s all about painting baby, and it’s all love here – except for when it’s not.
Not only does this gain you territory over opponents but also allows for fast travel between nexus points connected by the same color. This is convenient because Splatoon is largely a control or domination game wherein you seek to secure area and hold it as long as possible whether solo or with a group.
The narrative of the game largely spins on this premise as well with the Inkling versus Octoling conflict taking up a lot of air in this area. It is only so deep and mainly serves as a backdrop to explain the insanity of the gameplay. Gamers who never even pay attention to Splatoon’s story will not be missing out on anything epic or life-changing.
The non-violent expression of traditional competitive game modes not only makes the game unique among its brethren but also introduces a level of strategy rarely seen in so simple a package.
Splatoon is intensely competitive and players will often find themselves marveling at how innocent of a package could lead to such moments of intensity. The magic that Nintendo put into its Mario Kart series finds its way into the soul of Splatoon and the player is rewarded as part of the bargain.
Debuting on the Wii U in 2015, the series has gone on to enjoy even further heights of success with the release of the Switch.
Given its competitive nature, Splatoon is also attracting the attention of the eSports world with its charming and disarming graphics.
A sequel released in 2017 innovates on the core gameplay introduced in the first title but doesn’t stray too far from the well-worn path established by its predecessor.
Splatoon is a crazy third-person shooter available both a single-player and multiplayer experience. Download it now and control your Inklings and to shoot ink projectiles.
