Splatoon - Wii U exclusive - May 2015

[Brend]

I had buckets of fun playing with you and Danielle today, @Classic. I might be on again to try the new stuff, but I've actually passed the GamePad to @Mrs Wolfe, who's giving the game a try herself. In your words: Ninty does it again.

I'll add her tonight.

I've already played for 20 hours and it still feels incredible. In all honesty Splatoon online is more outright fun than MK8 in my opinion! Its just hit the sweet spot of competitive, fair and fun. Never do I feel hard done-by in Splatoon, its all about dat skill.

 

[Wolfe]

I agree for the most part, but those Aerosprays are a real pain, for both turf coverage and firefights. I haven't unlocked one myself yet. You said you didn't like it?

You'll love to hear that @Mrs Wolfe picked up the game pretty well. On paper it's really not her kind of game, but she thought it looked fun enough to try. After practicing the controls in singleplayer and playing a couple matches, she was splatting people with the Splattershot Jr. With the Splat Roller, she kicked up her scores to 500-600.

After she got off, I tried some Splat Zones matches before going to bed. I think I've got a grasp on the differing strategies, and my Splattershot Pro was great for harassing chargers in their nests. Next time I want to try my trusty Krak-On Roller; I didn't think it would be helpful, but impressively, rollers are still useful to have.

 

[Brend]

I agree for the most part, but those Aerosprays are a real pain, for both turf coverage and firefights. I haven't unlocked one myself yet. You said you didn't like it?

You'll love to hear that @Mrs Wolfe picked up the game pretty well. On paper it's really not her kind of game, but she thought it looked fun enough to try. After practicing the controls in singleplayer and playing a couple matches, she was splatting people with the Splattershot Jr. With the Splat Roller, she kicked up her scores to 500-600.

After she got off, I tried some Splat Zones matches before going to bed. I think I've got a grasp on the differing strategies, and my Splattershot Pro was great for harassing chargers in their nests. Next time I want to try my trusty Krak-On Roller; I didn't think it would be helpful, but impressively, rollers are still useful to have.

I think the Aerospray is a pain on the most part but they can be stopped (as we proved last night ) All the weapons have their shortcoming and positives, for instance your Krak-On Roller special is ridiculously good at covering territory and is basically a off-the-chain bubbler!

The balance in the game is great for the most part but specials like Echolocator ruin the guns in my opinion.

 

[Mrs Wolfe]

I will note that a great deal of my score as a Roller was from coming around corners and inadvertently running people over. I haven't gotten the camera quite worked out, so I had no idea they were there, but points are points.

 

[Brend]

I will note that a great deal of my score as a Roller was from coming around corners and inadvertently running people over. I haven't gotten the camera quite worked out, so I had no idea they were there, but points are points.

That's @Wolfe's strategy anyway!

Well, that and hunting me down with the Kraken...

 

[Benny44]

How does the charger feel? I haven't played many shooters (not really my thing), but I loved Ratchet and clank, and my weapon of choice was always the sniper rifle (or splitter, or whatever each iteration of the game called it). Is it good to have one of those guys on your team? There is something very gratifying about firing from a hiding spot

 

[Wolfe]

@Classic -- Other than the Kraken, I actually get most of my splats from flicking the roller, even from lower ground. Others have called the roller a "shotgun" weapon, but I consider it like wielding a sword, and I love it for that. Getting the drop on a shooter and splatting them with the flick like a badass paint-samurai is so satisfying. Head-on confrontations are foolish without the Kraken.

@Benny44 -- Chargers might be more valuable for Splat Zones (unlocked at Level 10) than Turf Wars, but either way they play a role in holding down turf you've already claimed. Based on my impressions, a balanced team is made up of two shooters to press forward and cover new turf, a roller to mop up and patrol your turf, and a charger to pick off enemies who are trying to advance into your turf.

 

[Brend]

Sorry I had to jump early @Wolfe, this game is messing with my sleep pattern big time...trying to sleep at a regular hour instead of squidding my life away.


The Aerospray RG is ridiculous.

 

[Wolfe]

The Aerospray RG is ridiculous.

[image]

That's what I was talking about! It's the weapon for Turf Wars. Maybe in time, people will learn to prioritize taking out Aerospray users before they push into your spawn area. By then, it's pretty much over.

Counterintuitively, I think the Krak-On Roller is really better suited for Splat Zones, if you know how to use it. I had an eye-opening string of ranked matches yesterday, earning splat scores like Helseth's in your screenshot.

 

[Brend]

That's what I was talking about! It's the weapon for Turf Wars. Maybe in time, people will learn to prioritize taking out Aerospray users before they push into your spawn area. By then, it's pretty much over.

Counterintuitively, I think the Krak-On Roller is really better suited for Splat Zones, if you know how to use it. I had an eye-opening string of ranked matches yesterday, earning splat scores like Helseth's in your screenshot.

I'm using the Aerospray to grind out to Level 20 before hitting ranked. I just found out you can buy ability slots from Spyke so I want my squid to be the freshest squid out there.

The RG can be countered like you said but for building mad scores its right up there with the best.

 

[Mrs Wolfe]

That's @Wolfe's strategy anyway!

Well, that and hunting me down with the Kraken...

He has been attempting to teach me Krakening, but, alas, I am fumble fingered.

 

[Brend]

You weren't kidding about the Krak-On's ability in Ranked @Wolfe. Stealth + Double-tap seems to be an absolute behemoth for protecting the area...I can't get near most of these Krak-On players! On a strange side-note, I have grown ridiculously fond of the Noobspray RG's mines, they are fantastic fun, wish they were equipped on a more standard gun though.

 

[Wolfe]

I haven't even earned gear with stealth yet, but I'll be using it for Splat Zones when I get one. Maybe it would help for Blackbelly Skatepark; my strategy there needs work.

 

[Brend]

After spending quite a while doubting that the Splattershot Jr could be used effectively in Ranked, I managed to win 3 games in a row(topping one of them) and getting my rank to C+.

I love this damn thing.

 

[Brend]

Another new weapon goes live tonight/early tomorrow...the paintbrush!

 

[Wolfe]

Another blade for my arsenal! Apparently it offers a higher "rolling" speed, with the Sprinkler and Inkstrike. Interesting...that'll make for a new strategy compared to the Krak-On.

 

[Brend]

Another blade for my arsenal! Apparently it offers a higher "rolling" speed, with the Sprinkler and Inkstrike. Interesting...that'll make for a new strategy compared to the Krak-On.

It looks like it could be awesome fun to use, will actually give this roller a try I think. 👍 Reminds me of a hockey-stick with the motion of the inkling that uses it!

You tried ranked battle yet? I'm up to C+ 75 but getting to B- is absolutely solid.

 

[Wolfe]

I was up to B+, but I've plummeted to B- upon playing match after match after match after match with a lesser team, most of the time as the highest-scoring player on my team. Plus a couple connection errors last night. I just want to reach A once, and then I'll relax about my ranking.

I really like Splat Zones, probably more than Aerospray Wars. It'll be great once we can team up on it with the August update.

 

[Brend]

Playing with SSJR is basically like being an infantry soldier...i just cover the area around the Splat Zone and use the bubbler to take out the many, many Gals we see in this mode. It's the equivalent to Aerospray in Turf Wars!

 

[Wolfe]

I noticed the popularity of Gals, but I haven't yet deduced what makes them extra desirable. I haven't exactly been harassed by one weapon more than any other in this mode.

If you're an infantry unit, I guess I would be a special forces unit. I can't always stick my neck out to cover the splat zone itself, but I can provide support to my team and ambush the enemy when they're distracted.

 

[Brend]

I can't see any use for the paintbrush as great as it is, or maybe I'm just terrible with it.

 

[Wolfe]

I found the Inkbrush to be a bit better than the roller for scoring points in Turf Wars if you swing it, and in Splat Zones it's good for cutting a line to get your team to the zone as quickly as possible (eg. Saltspray Rig). If you're within range and quick with your finger, it'll splat another player about as quickly as the Splattershot Jr., but it's basically a weaker "ninja" class to the roller's "samurai" class.

I just finished Octo Valley last night, so I now have the two Dynamo Rollers.

 

[Brend]

Reached B- .

Onward and upward!


Finally had my first 'team carry' (as in single-handedly changed the outcome with a no-deaths performance):

 

[Wolfe]

I just had the best match I've had so far in this game. My teammates were being held back from the Splat Zone on Saltspray Rig, and we had nothing on our countdown timer. However, the other team didn't find a Beakon I had left on the far side of the zone, even though they mopped up the turf. While the other team was fending off my teammates, I jumped to the Beakon, collected a Kraken, and launched an ambush from behind, claiming the zone with their splats.

This tilted the balance and my team was able to claim the zone with 16 seconds left on the other team's timer. With my teammates covering the zone, I defended the front pathway to the zone, collecting another Kraken for three splats in a row. We knocked them out, and I ended up with 14/4 in splats. That was really cool.

Anyway, I've now leveled up my Splatfest shirt for this weekend -- ready to roll. Judging from @Classic's avatar, I have an inkling that we'll be adversaries this time around...

 

[Brend]

Ready for some more Nintendo silliness? Europe has a different Splatzone weekend than the U.S. ours is next week and is 'Pop vs Rock' which sucks compared to Cat vs Dog.

I just had the best match I've had so far in this game. My teammates were being held back from the Splat Zone on Saltspray Rig, and we had nothing on our countdown timer. However, the other team didn't find a Beakon I had left on the far side of the zone, even though they mopped up the turf. While the other team was fending off my teammates, I jumped to the Beakon, collected a Kraken, and launched an ambush from behind, claiming the zone with their splats.

This tilted the balance and my team was able to claim the zone with 16 seconds left on the other team's timer. With my teammates covering the zone, I defended the front pathway to the zone, collecting another Kraken for three splats in a row. We knocked them out, and I ended up with 14/4 in splats. That was really cool.

Anyway, I've now leveled up my Splatfest shirt for this weekend -- ready to roll. Judging from @Classic's avatar, I have an inkling that we'll be adversaries this time around...

 

[Wolfe]

Surely Cat vs Dog has global appeal, wouldn't it? Oh well.

 

[Brend]

Got myself up to B-40 yesterday after switching to the Splash-O-Matic. Very nice weapon with good enough paint spreading skills and good accuracy for splatting too.

 

[Wolfe]

I've been kind of holding off on Splatoon until the impending update, and it sounds like it will expand the game by quite a bit, as promised. It's also arriving earlier than I expected.

Splatoon keeps on getting bigger, with a significant update hitting next month. Nintendo has announced that the additional modes it promised before launch will be available for free on August 5.

Starting next week, players will be able to create Squad and Private battles. Squads allow friends to team up for ranked play. Private matches give hosts flexibility to create matches of up to eight players, with balanced or unbalanced teams.

The update brings a major bump to the level cap from 20 to 50 and ranks S and S+ beyond the current high of A+. Two new weapon types (not just variations of existing classes) will also be available.

The Slosher is a bucket that throws ink straight ahead at adjustable angles. There’s also the Splatling, a mini-gun style weapon that can be charged up.

Forty new pieces of gear will also be available to further differentiate your Inkling. Nintendo promises a continuation of free content at least through the fall, with new weapons and maps as well as the yet to be detailed Rainmaker ranked battle mode.

 

[Brend]

THESE NEW WEAPON TYPES HAVE COMPLETELY CHANGED THE METAGAME, BLOODY HELL.

Splatling is perfect for defense and the Splosher is perfect for offence,

 

[sparkytooth]

New Meta Confirmed?