Nintendo is known for its iconic characters, such as Mario and Link. But in May, Nintendo© introduced a new franchise that, while unexpected, is taking the world by storm. This new Intellectual Property (IP) is known as Splatoon™, playable on the Wii U.

Splatoon is a 3rd person shooter in which you play the role of kids who can transform into squids, while shooting each other to reign supreme. In the game, you can hop online to battle in the main mode, Turf War. In this mode, you can team up in a 4 on 4 battle where you have to cover the most territory with your weapon of choice in 3 minutes. The winner covers the most turf. One advantage of having the turf covered in your ink, by shooting it out of your weapon of choice is that you can turn into a squid, and swim through it. While you cannot shoot any ink in this form, it allows you to move at twice the speed you moved before, become invisible to enemies, and refill your ink gauge. While Turf War may seem repetitive to some, there are over 40 different weapons with even more on their way. Each which is a sniper like weapon with a scope. The roller, which acts like a sword that you can slam on the ground. Then, there are the two new weapon classes that got weapon belongs to one of five different weapon categories. There is the shooter, which is your generic rapid fire weapon. The charger, added with updo charger then rapid fire, an that you repeatedly press the button too ates. These are the Splatlings, which throw ink. When asked what he thought of the weapons, seventh grader Nicholas Ruiz said, “I like how the sloshers, which act as paint buckets there is so much variety of weapons to choose from, so you’re guaranteed to find a weapon that fits your playstyle. Also, each weapon has another weapon that balances it out, so there isn’t one weapon that is overpowered”

If you think you’ve got the skills, you can hop into “Ranked Battles” where you’re ranked. Within the ranked battle, there are rotating modes, where every 4 hours a new mode pups up. The modes include “Splat Zones” where you cover a specified zone with your ink color, and maintain it for the 5 minute timer by fending off enemies. There’s also “Rainmaker” which sends the team on a quest for the Rainmaker. Your team must bring The Rainmaker to the other team’s goal before time runs out. Finally, “Tower Control” haves you guarding a tower. You have to ride it to the other team’s goal. It can get really hectic, especially when going for the person on the tower. Overall, Ranked Battles go on a P+ (Platinum) to C- (Failure) Scale. As you rank up, the matchmaking gets harder. You will be paired with people based on your level. For example, A+ people will be paired with A+, A- or P Ranks. For every battle, you earn coins based on your performance. As you get more coins, you can get more gear, such as hats, clothes, and shoes. Getting more gear will improve your status.

Amiibo, Nintendo’s new real life mini figures, play a big part in the game. As of now, there are three amiibo in the Splatoon series, the inkling boy and girl, as well as the squid. With the amiibo, you’ll be able to complete challenges based on the Single Player Campaign. The amiibo challenges give you the roller and charger weapons, plus timed and limited ink challenges in Octo Valley Stages. Doing these challenges will get you exclusive amiibo gear, and new lobby games that entertain you while waiting for a match. The inkling girl and boy are very common. However, an option is the Splatoon 3 pack, which comes with all the amiibo plus an exclusive Squid amiibo. The pack is super rare though, and goes for 70 dollars on Amazon and eBay.

In addition to the multiplayer mode there is also the Single Player Campaign mode. Although most shooters don’t focus much on the single player mode, the one in this game is just as good as the multiplayer.  In it, the Inklings arch enemies known as the Octarians, have stolen the great zapfish, which is the power supply of Inkopolis. The hub world of Splatoon where you can get new gear, and change too different modes. It’s up to you, known by the characters as Agent Three, to take down the Octarians, and reclaim the Great Zapfish before it’s too late. However, in each level, there is a hidden collectable called a sunken scroll, which gives clues about the history of the Inklings and Octarians, and even gives some hints about what happened to the humans in the world of Inkopolis. Finding all these scrolls can be a challenge, but they don’t add much playtime to the game. While this mode might be short, each of the levels have are unique and creative, and unlike other shooters this single player is definitely worth your time.

The replayability in this game is amazing. The game will want you coming back for more. While Turf Wars become repetitive for some, there are so many things to do that you are almost guaranteed to find something that you like. Along with that, there are so many different weapons and playstyles for you to try out, that playing old courses and modes can become a fresh new experience every time. With Nintendo constantly releasing content updates, which includes new weapons and modes, this game will find you checking in again and again to see what’s available., another option that gives the game replayability are the “Splat Fests” where you take the role of joining a themed team, such as Cats and Dogs, and play with the team. The winner gets a special prize. If you want to know what that prize is, win a splatfest and find out.

In conclusion, Splatoon is a fast and frantic game that has a unique charm to it. This is a fun and colorful game, with amazing online features, and many different playstyles for you to try out. That, combined with Nintendo constantly updating the game, releasing new weapons, outfits, and even new modes, makes it nearly impossible for you to get bored with this one of a kind shooter. While Splatoon may not be as iconic or popular as Mario or The Legend of Zelda, it is definitely a must have for any Wii U gamer. “The teamwork in the game is huge, and I love all of the modes” says Lyle Moss, a video game enthusiast. As they say in Splatoon, “Stay Fresh!