Customer Ratings & Reviews

On a fundamental level this is an entertaining game. The controls are nice and tight, the graphics don't get in the way, and the randomness to the match-making makes it better than the typical shooter. The main problem is NO 4-player split screen which means in some ways it is inferior to games like Mario Kart, Nintendo Land, and Tank Tank Tank. Still though, great game.

So I bought this game just cause my friend recommend it . I wasn't really that excited for it but boy is this game fun as heck ! But it gets very competitive in ranked battles . There is literally something new every week . Mostly new weapons but they have released maps too all for free . Nintendo has done s nice job with this game . I am so far addicted to it lol

This game is the all ages answer to Call of Duty. It is a multiplayer shooter that has you spreading "ink" all over instead of focusing on killing. Your goal is to cover as much of the map with your color ink as possible. You have different "weapons" that allow you to spread ink all over. The "weapons" are mostly paint related, like a giant paint roller or paint brush. The game has a good balance between parody, silly, and fun. You play as characters called "inklings" which can transform into a squid and swim through their own colored ink. The biggest drawback that I found to this game was the lack of split-screen co-op. There is a split screen mode but it is only for 1 v 1. So you can play against a friend in the same room, one person playing on the tv and one playing on the tablet. Other than that the game is great, you can play online versus your friends, and if you don't have or like playing against other people there is a fun story mode. You have customizable options to upgrade your character by giving them different outfits and weapons. This is a game I would definitely recommend for kids if you are opposed to Halo or Call of Duty like games. There is an element of shooting, but you are not shooting bullets you are shooting balls of ink.

Quick review from a longtime gamer Splatoon is a 4v4 online multiplayer third-person "shooter" except the guns are all squirt guns and paint brushes and rollers all powered with ink of your team's color, the players are customizable kid-squid hybrids, and the object is to cover the arena in paint of your team's color, while hindering the opposing team by defeating them directly or covering up their ink with yours. Matches are 3 minutes long, so there are always players ready to play and matches never go long. The game is colorful, the characters and maps are well designed for contrast and playability. Players can customize their avatars with both normal and bizarre but appropriate clothing and weapons earned through play, with bonuses that unlock with experience as well. Controls work exceptionally well, including the motion controls, used for fine aiming. Online functionality is fantastic, and matches are usually pretty balanced. No voice chat keeps the game very friendly and even being defeated is usually still fun. Single player seems great for training unexperienced players. Verdict: Even for those who usually don't like playing online, Splatoon is great fun in a wacky paint fight between groups of kid-squids.

I bought this game the day it came out and have been addicted to it ever since. Overall the game is great but there are a few flaws here and there. I'll review each game mode separately. The online multiplayer (lobby) is by far the most important mode in this game. This has been the mode that I play most and I have the most fun with. Being able to make a mess and get rewarded for it in Turf War is just plain fun. However there are a couple of weird/missing features. Once you are in a lobby you cannot exit until the next match has finished. Also you cannot change your weapons and gear while in a lobby. These somewhat hinder the online experience but not enough to make the game not enjoyable. I haven't been able to played the Ranked Battle yet so I will update my review later. The single player is fun and is great for learning the basics of the game however you will be putting that much time in it. The whole campaign is only 27 levels and I beat it in a matter of hours. There are collectibles in each level but I didn't find it very rewarding after collecting them all. The local multiplayer is probably the worst part of this game. I have only played it a couple times. You must choose a setup that has been predetermined which is kind of a bummer. Then 2 players enter an arena and try to PPP the most balloons. There is also a huge framerate drop for the person on the gamepad. It's not unplayable but it is definitely noticeable. I'd skip it unless you really want to play it or unless you want to teach someone how to play the game. Now for the weapons. There is a great selection of weapons and I love using all of them. There are rollers, which is just plain fun, guns, and chargers, which are great for laying down a lot of ink but are somewhat hard to master. There is a substantial amount of gear, each with its own unique properties such as damage up, defense up, speed up, etc. they are must have for playing online so make sure to use them well.

Splatoon is colorful, easy to pick up and play, relatively non violent, and unlike any shooter you've played before. You start off with a basic tutorial which teaches you how to move, shoot ink, and swim around the stage. Once complete you'll find yourself in a hub town where you can start single player, try multi player, or purchase equipment with money earned during multiplayer. Non violent and colorful, the aim of the game in multiplayer is to cover either the entire stage with ink, or hold down a section of map with your color. The enemy team can cover up areas you've already covered, and you can both attack each other with ink- this results in a quick respawn. The single player is fun, although fairly basic. The meat of the game is the fantastic multiplayer mode. While there is no voice chat, you can join your friends games and be stored into random groups with them. The gameplay is fast, frantic, and FUN. There are no other games on the market quite like Splatoon, it's a must have for any Wii U owner. This game is honestly also worth purchasing a Wii U for if you have any interest in the other first class Nintendo software already available (Mario Kart 8, Super Mario games, Hyrule Warriors, etc).

The core multiplayer gameplay is quite enjoyable and is Nintendo's take on the shooter formula. Using Ink to mark and control territory is very fun and the variety of weapons allow for different playstyles for everybody. Other reviews will probably say more about the good qualities (and make no mistake I still love this game, just...) Unfortunately, outside of the very fun gameplay there are glaring flaws. It's hard to play with friends. There's no true lobby or group system. You have to join friends and are put in queue for a game, yet there can only be one person in queue at a given point in time prompting connection errors if someone already is in queue. Remember those cool weapons and loadouts? Yeah... You can't change them without completely leaving a game. After which you have to reconnect and requeue and find your friends again. And if that game is full... whelp. You'll be in more 3+ minute queues. Sigh. The single player game is also very boring. What could've been a unique adventure turns into a shooting gallery that adds forms of traversal unique to the single player, that could be added to the multiplayer at a future point in time... but right now they're just stuck to single player. The levels feel uninspired and it's just go here kill this go there. Then the hubs in which the single player levels are connected is very boring. You're searching for invisible tunnels and manholes to lead you to more levels but sometimes the hubs aren't very clear which levels you've already done since they're not arranged in any sort of order. I sound like I'm hating this game but it's just... outside of the online multiplayer GAME itself, it's a hard sell, but it's that game that really makes it worth it for me. If you have $60 to blow and liked it during the beta, by all means buy it, but if the multiplayer experience alone doesn't feel worth it for you, give it a pass.

Splatoon is Nintendo's newest IP. They've taken elements from third person shooters, and put their flair in it, to make it fun and different. Players create their own Inkling avatar, and battle it out in turf wars (other modes available in ranked as well). The game requires constant wi-fi access to play online (the majority of the gameplay), but connects you to people around the world in minutes for great and quick gameplay. 3 minute matches makes things fast paced, and not as involved so a defeat doesn't feel as bad as it might if you spent 30 minutes. Single player storymode is present and is good, though the main draw is definitely the multiplayer. Only real complaint is the 'hassle' involved with having to exit a lobby, to switch gear. Would be nice to be able to switch while waiting for a lobby to fill up if you know the majority is one kind of weapon.

The most fun I've ever had with a video game. Ever since I received it, there has been a steady flow of new content released. Everything in the game is a clever sea related word play. The story and premise is clever and original. Gameplay is smooth and fairly easy to learn but difficult to master, which makes it easy to keep interest. Matches are quick, so you don't have to commit an hour just to play a match - 3 minutes for standard play, 5 minutes or less on the more competitive ranked play. Matchmaking ensures you aren't playing against people way above your skill level, and doesn't let it get boring as you get better by giving you harder opponents as you advance. The bright colors are fun and make it interesting for kids/spouses. Nintendo is constantly adding new levels, guns, clothing, other accessories, and they have special tournaments that you can join and at the end you get a special prize. This is a must own for any Nintendo Lover. I highly recommend this game!

This game is unlike any other shooter you have probably played. The main game mode of the game is online turf war, objective is simply to cover the most ground with your color ink, while also shooting enemy players that come near you. You also have many weapons to choose from for inking the ground, for example, the splat roller is a big paint roller that allows you to run and lay big tracks of ink on the ground, but it's not the best fighting weapon. Or another weapon you may take is the splattershot which allows you to shoot ink at a fast rate, this has a medium range and can take out foes. Plus there are a bunch more weapons you'll be able to get further on in the game that will suit your "inking" style. There is also a single player campaign that doesn't require internet to play. So to round this up this is a one of a kind shooter, nothing you've every seen, and you don't have to be good at shooters at all to play this, as long as you can shoot ink then your doing good.

Splatoon is such a charming and engrossing game! The whole art style paired with the whole sealife theme (squids, ink, etc.) is really cool! The online multiplayer is very fun and addicting, and the single player is pretty great. For anybody interested in this game, you need to make sure that you have a good Internet connection at home, as a huge bulk of the game revolves around online multiplayer, but for those who may not have access to Internet, there is still the single player mode, battle dojo (1 vs. 1 battles with a friend), and amiibo challenges (assuming you can find the Splatoon amiibos) that you can play offline. Overall, this is an excellent third-person shooter! It's very different from shooters like Call of Duty, and it holds its own original and creative charm that other shooters just don't seem to have. It's definitely a much needed approach to a genre that has been oversaturated for years now.

Splatoon has a terrific multiplayer mode and the matches are fairly balanced. Single player mode is a good tutorial as well. Nintendo needs to add additional maps and weapons as the launch selection was limited. Remember to turn motion controls off immediately!

The Wii U is a secondary console for me that doesn't get as much use as say the X1, PS4, or PC, but it has its share of fun games. Splatoon is no different in this regard. It is great for periodic pick up and play, and just about any skill level can enjoy the game. Feel like just supporting the team and covering the floors and walls with ink? Go for it. Want to go on the attack and seek out the enemy? You can do that as well. While the main game is multiplayer based there is a small single player component that helps you get a hang of the controls and basics to the game. Also, Nintendo has been adding free updates and content to the game which should help with longevity. If you're looking for a fun online "shooter" that isn't filled with a bunch of try hards, look no further than this colorful gem. Nintendo has a hit on their hands with this one.

As a big first-person shooter fan (Halo, Call of Duty, Destiny, Gears of War, you name it) I was very curious to see what Nintendo did with the shooter concept in Splatoon. I'm happy to report that, while a bit light on content compared to the rest of the genre, Splatoon has a fun and addictive core mechanic that will certainly have you spending more time with it than you probably anticipated. The gameplay has you spraying paint in each level, trying to cover the highest percentage for your team's color. You dip into the ink as a squid and swim around to refill your ink meter. It's simple but a whole lot of fun, since you can spray ink paths up walls and then scale them with ease, adding a refreshing verticality to the typical shooter concept. The single-player mode is more of a platformer, with a story loosely intertwined with levels that have you jumping around and splatting various enemies for rewards, such as weapons that you can use in multiplayer. It's a fun distraction from the multiplayer, and is worth a leisurely playthrough. But the multiplayer is where Splatoon really shines, and where most of your time will be spent. Your goal is to paint as much of each level as possible, while occasionally taking out other players. The goal is not so much to kill other players as it is to hamper their painting of the level. There are unranked and ranked modes and several different game types, with the recently-added Tower Control being among the highlights. There's also a straightforward "paint the hightest percentage of the level" mode as well as a zone control mode, in which you try to keep a zone painted your team's color for as long as you can. The list of modes and maps isn't huge (even after the August 2015 update), and it certainly pales in comparison to shooters like the CoD series, but matches are quick (3 minutes) so you never really get map or mode fatigue. There are all kinds of paint-themed weapons to choose from (a bucket, a giant paint roller, squirt guns, sniper rifles, etc.) and they can all be individually leveled up, and your character gains levels and experience as well (up to level 50 as of this writing). Gaining levels unlocks new weapons and gear (hats, shoes, shirts, etc.) for your character that in turn offer combat perks such as quicker ink refilling. Think a streamlined version of Call of Duty's weapon and gear level modes and you have Splatoon. The game isn't without flaws, however. No voice chat is disappointing, and you have to do silly stuff like drop out of your online lobby in order to change your weapon/gear loadout. You also can't skip any of the cutscenes at the beginning of the game that announce what the day's maps are, which quickly grows tiring. GamePad aiming also takes somes getting used to (but it's optional). Fortunately these gripes won't hamper your enjoyment of the title much at all, and maybe Nintendo will fix some of them down the line. They've certainly supported the title pretty well so far, with balance patches on top of the already-planned DLC. Overall Splatoon is a great choice for anybody looking for a shooter that's a little off the beaten path, or someone that wants a shooter that they can feel comfortable playing with younger children. Its gameplay is fun, simple, and addictive, and it's perfect for sitting down and turning your brain off for an hour. Highly recommended.

For a multi-player shooter this game is very good. Since it is on the Wii U which is lacking in online shooters its excellent. Matchmaking is quick. Games are quick and controls are great once you become accustomed to them. I like to turn the motion controls off (which you can do after the tutorial). The game released with a limited amount of maps which becomes evident after a while, but so far in 2 weeks a few additional maps and weapons have been added as free DLC. Early games you can't customize the character much, but after a few levels the additional weapons and gear add a lot. My only grip is that you can't change the loadout (weapons and gear) in between matches. You are stuck playing the mini-game on the gamepad. So if I want to change weapons you have to exit the match and restart. By not allowing this you can't adapt to the other players in your game in between rounds. If you played Call of Duty or Halo this will be really irritating. Other than the one gripe on the loadouts Splatoon is a blast and the best shooter for the Wii U. If they fix the loadout in between matches and continue the DLC then this is will become a 5 star must have.

This game is a blast! The WiiU finally has a worthwhile competitive multiplayer game! It actually won multiplayer game of the year beating out Call Of Duty. It is fun for kids and adults and rather easy to learn!

I was very confused when this game was first announced in 2014. It wasn't like anything I had seen before, but it grabbed me pretty quickly once gameplay videos started surfacing. I picked it up on May 29th and have been playing it every day since then. Pros: -Great character design, soundtrack, and multiplayer maps -Good diversity of weapons -Clothing options that provide unique stat boosts -Surprisingly enjoyable single-player campaign -No lag or connectivity issues when playing online matches -Steady experience progression to unlock new weapons -What appears to be a steady schedule of free DLC being released Cons: -No voice chat -Cut scenes that can't be skipped every time you launch the game -Single player challenge missions locked behind Amiibo, which are not always easy to find -Limited number of multiplayer game modes Overall, I gave this game five stars because it's gameplay and mechanics are great. It keeps me coming back day after day and I want to play for four or five hours each time. The fact that there are only five maps currently released and I continually play for hours each day speaks to how addicting this game is. One of the big complaints I keep hearing is that there is no voice chat. While that would be nice to have and is expected in today's multiplayer shooters, it doesn't really bother me. You can easily see how your team is doing in Turf War mode and where you need to go by looking down at your map and seeing the distribution of ink/paint. It's actually a nice change of pace to not have people screaming in my ear. Another big complaint right now is the limited number of game modes and maps at launch. It seems that this issue is being addressed as Nintendo is already setting a precedent for releasing new free content pretty regularly (maps, weapons, and game modes).

I played the Splatoon open test back in early May. The game was quite polished, but it was lacking "something." Playing the single-player in the full version, you can see that it just needs to mature. The base is there for a solid online shooter, but it has a lot of growing to do. All that said, you won't find a more vibrant, fun, and entertaining shooter today. The game is a bit short on matches, which could be to its boon, since you barely have time to explore the sparse maps before you see the "1 minute remaining" flash across the screen. You only have enough time to win. The biggest flaw I found were the controls. The controls are a bit annoying, especially if I am not sitting up while playing, but you can disable motion control. Once you do that, it feels off, but it works. All in all, this is a great game that will surely grow and grow as new content is added. If Nintendo supports this game all in, it'll be a great entry.

What can I say about splatoon besides it is incredibly addictive, offers so much strategy and depth that wouldn't be expected from a new ip so quickly, and an overall level of enjoyment that has been forgotten with the new age of fancy graphics and higher tech games. Splatoon delivers an amazing experience with it's fun gameplay, it's wonderful soundtrack, it's variety of weapons and unique options to play, and the amount of strategy needed in online matches. I highly recommend this game to anyone, come find out why splatoon has truly become one of the best Wii u games out there right now, and see it having a bright future.

This game is great if you really like playing online multiplayer shooters. It is a lot of fun customizing your characters and testing out news weapons and abilities for online play. That being said everything else is a bit dull. The single player is fun, but it can be beaten in one sitting. Honestly there's nothing else that I feel that is in this game. I suppose I should mention that there's a little mini game that can be played while waiting to connect with other players online, or you can play it in the hub world. It's pretty fun, it reminds me of doodle jump a bit. Also this game is compatible with the splatoon Amiibos, it gives you various extra missions and gear. Overall it's a fun game to play if you're itching to play a multiplayer shooter on the Wii U, just be forewarned that there's not much else to do other than the short story and multiplayer.