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WiiU

Splatoon's Multiplayer Never Stopped Delighting Me

by Daan Koopman - May 26, 2015, 5:01 pm EDT
Total comments: 2

One of the most fun experiences I had in a very long time!

My history with online gaming is really a mixed bag. While I can get the hang of a Call of Duty match or get real in a fighting game, I never keep going for long enough. My skill quickly starts falling behind with others, which ends up making me annoyed with it most of the time. I do play every so often a versus match in Mario Kart or online rhythm games, so I wouldn't say that my experience is absolutely zero on that front.

When I played Splatoon for the first time, things felt immediately different from anything that I tried. It all started at E3, where I duked it out with colleagues and PR people in a true ultimate clash. While everyone was moving quickly to the front, I kept myself at the base. I felt more comfortable painting the floor and ensuring our victory that way. While not everyone would call that fulfilling, I relished in that and continued to have fun as I tried it a few more times.

The real changes came at Post-E3 and Gamescom, where more players would quickly approach our base. I had to defend myself proper and as the matches progressed, I felt more confident that I should step forward. That is exactly what I did and it opened my eyes in more ways than one. As someone who barely is competitive, I started to throw ink bombs at anyone in sight and shooting them with all the power I had. I was ranking up points left, right and center and it felt that I was already sold on the concept.

What made it possible to grasp all of it so fast are the motion controls. I always felt constrained using both sticks and this is mostly because of a born disability. When I do multiple things at once, I am destined to fail and my handling seems to evaporate really quickly. With the gyroscope, there was something there that lifted the sense of anxiety and gave me the confidence to perform in a shooting game. The fun times came sadly to an end and I had to wait until the beginning of May to experience the thrill all over again.

The Splatoon Global Testfire happened and there was once again a sense of anxiety. How would I perform on brand new maps with four weapons I never used before? In the beginning, I had a lot of trouble readjusting, but it clicked for me again after a match or two. Saltspray Rig and Walleye Warehouse allowed me to really learn the game, as I developed brand new strategies and found clever tricks to get the most out of the three minutes.

The time I had was a blast and it was the most fun I ever had in a multiplayer game. Yes, that sounds fishy coming from a guy that is mostly Nintendo focused, but hear me out. Whether I succeeded or failed, I always felt that I was doing something productive with my time. When I wasn't looking on the Wii U GamePad map, I was fighting my opponents. If there were moments where I wasn't painting, I would put down traps to trick the enemy. The simple three weapons setup made me aware of where I stand and my role became almost instantly clear.

These experiences all came together in the review copy of the game, which I have been playing for quite a while now. Next to experiencing the delicate elements of the maps, I just had fun trying the weapon sets I would get as I reached new levels. With me being at level 17, I experienced the majority of what is on offer. Every time I reached new heights I got excited all over again and wanted to give the loadouts a shot. Were there times I failed by using new sets? Oh, absolutely. The thing is, I wasn't afraid anymore to do so.

In games like Mario Kart 8 or Super Smash Bros., I stick with the things that I know for the best possible result. I am not willing to go the extra mile and try all the gear that the creators have put time into. Splatoon was extremely different in that regard, as I wanted to do it. Not just weapons, but also the various clothing abilities inspired me to learn more. There was an excitement in the risk of trying new things and that is something I barely felt in a game before.

Turf Wars never became old, even if there are just five maps at the initial launch of the game. The five locations constantly created new oppertunies to be inventive. If the future ones are as smart, I would be totally set and ready for action at any given time. The platforms at various heights, the walls that you can climb and the terrains that you see are so well designed. They really kept the plan of the game in mind when building them, which makes me happy.

I did have more issues with Splat Zones, where you had to paint a specific area and defend it. It took a bit for me to adjust to the rules of the mode – you control a point, let a timer run out and score the victory. In the beginning, I had the same issues as Turf Wars. Next to that, all the action happens in such a small area and that made it difficult to feel a sense of progression. As time moved on however, I found myself searching for those high places and being helpful that way. There is a different feel to it and Splat Zones feels more geared to those who want a snappier, focused match.

Splatoon is all about finding the hook that’s perfect for you. I realized this at the end of the road and when the launch rolls around, I will not stop playing Splatoon. With more active lobbies, I can see myself playing it every day for a few rounds and keep coming back for the thrill. What I do hope is that Nintendo has prepped their servers to make the fun happen, or that would be a massive shame. As far as voice chat is concerned, I don't think that I will need it in Turf Wars against random players. When the team update rolls around though, this is something I would love to see happen. It can start creating brand new strategies that can keep me engaged for many additional hours to come.

As the game is now however, I am still having absolute blast with it. Both the single- and multiplayer have been keeping me busy and I don't want it to end just yet. For that to happen, players will need to pick Splatoon and I really hope that they will. Splatting your way to victory is tons of fun, and who knows? Maybe even more new blood will give this action packed shooting game a go!

Talkback

EnnerMay 27, 2015

Lovely article. Ah, I want to get my ink on! Only a few more days to go.

NeoThunderMay 27, 2015

Sadly the aiming is a little broken and probably won't be fixed from what the test fire had

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