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All Articles: Splatoon
Splatoon Global Testfire Impressions: Painting the Town Red… or Green… or Purple
I have to admit, I didn’t pay much attention to Splatoon when it was first announced. It’s not that the game looked bad, it’s just that the competitive gamer in me went into hibernation a while back. I understood the concept of the game, and I thought it looked great, but there was nothing that really drew me in. Not even the thought of adding more Amiibo figuress to my ever-growing collection was enough to warrant a second look. But after having an opportunity to play Splatoon during Nintendo’s open beta this past weekend, I must say it has my attention now. (more…)
Check out this 60-minute video from Nintendo’s Splatoon Global Testfire
In case you missed it, Nintendo held the Splatoon Global Testfire, their first-ever beta test, this weekend. By all accounts, the test was a huge success with Wii U owners getting three chances to jump into an hour-long test session with the and other players from around the world.
The Nintendo Treehouse crew also took control of a team of Inklings during the test and gave players a guided tour of the game’s Turf War mode. So get your Splattershot, Splattershot Jr., Paint Roller, and Charge Shot ready for over 60 minutes of colorful chaos.
Splatoon will be available exclusively for the Wii U on May 29.
Nintendo will host a Splatoon open beta tonight and tomorrow
Nintendo’s newest Splatoon commercial is so sugary sweet that I wouldn’t be surprised if it sends a few viewers into shock. But the whole thing is also so aggressively adorable that you can’t help but giggle in appreciation. Splatoon is being positioned as the anti-Call of Duty and Nintendo is clearly having a ball with how ridiculous it is.
If you wanted to test out Splatoon before its May 29 launch, you’re in luck. Nintendo has announced plans to hold an open beta test (excuse me, a “Global Testfire”) for Splatoon tomorrow. Players can download the demo version now and join one or all of the three demo tests scheduled for tonight and tomorrow:
- Friday, May 8: 11:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Eastern Time)
- Saturday, May 9: 7:00 AM – 8:00 AM (Eastern Time)
- Saturday, May 9: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Eastern Time)
Nintendo also announced that Splatoon will receive a variety of post-launch content all Summer long including new Turf War stages, weapons, battle modes, and gear. These updates will be supplemented by community events known as Splatfests. During a Splatfest, Splatoon players will join a side (For example, do you prefer cats or dogs?) and then blast the other side in online matchups. The first Splatfest will be held on June 20.
Once again, Splatoon will be available in stores exclusively for the Wii U on May 29.
Splatoon gets a new trailer and a Best Buy-exclusive console bundle
Are you ready to “Claim Your Turf” in Splatoon, Nintendo’s colorful multiplayer shooter? I hope so, because the publisher has unveiled the game’s first television commercial, which asks that very question.
Nintendo and Best Buy have also announced that the retailer will begin selling a Wii U + Splatoon System Bundle on May 29. The Special Edition Splatoon Deluxe Set will include a 32GB Wii U console, a pre-installed copy of Nintendo Land, and a download code good for one copy of Splatoon. Even though this seems like the perfect chance to release a wild-looking multi-colored Wii U system, the console in the Splatoon bundle will come in the standard jet black pattern. Seriously, missed opportunity right there. At least the box looks neat.
The Special Edition Splatoon Deluxe Set will be priced at $299.99.
Splatoon gets May 29 release date, Amiibo support, and two new gameplay modes
With few other releases planned for the first half of 2015, Nintendo has been pushing Splatoon hard. It was the centerpiece of their PAX East 2015 booth and a slew of new trailers have explored nearly every corner of the game. But the publisher is still putting out new information, so there must be a few nooks and crannies that have yet to be uncovered.
The latest trailer shines a spotlight on three never-before-seen maps: “Walleye Warehouse,” “Saltspray Rig,” and “Blackbelly Skatepark.” Each of the levels offers new locations for the Inklings to battle it out, but it’s likely that Nintendo’s other Splatoon announcements will overshadow these arenas.
Yesterday, Nintendo also revealed two new gameplay modes for the game: Ranked Battle and Battle Dojo. Ranked Battle is a much more intense online multiplayer mode while Battle Dojo is a local 1-on-1 match where the player who pops the most balloons wins. Like Hyrule Warriors, the 1-on-1 mode will require one player to use the television and the other to use the Wii U GamePad.
Finally, Nintendo announced that three Splatoon Amiibo figures (Inkling Boy, Inking Girl, and Inkling Squid) will be available alongside the game’s launch. The Inkling Squid will only be available in a special three-pack, but the Inkling Boy and Inking Girl will also be sold individually. Tapping these Amiibo to the GamePad will unlock special missions that contain Amiibo-exclusive weapons and gear for your in-game characters.
Splatoon, and the Splatoon Amiibo figures, will be released for the Wii U on May 29.
Nintendo will bring Splatoon, Xenoblade 3DS, Puzzle & Dragons: Mario, more to PAX East
Nintendo has announced their PAX East 2015 lineup and I hope you like handheld gaming, because it is very 3DS heavy. Attendees will get a chance to play the already available The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and Super Smash Bros. For 3DS. But for players looking for something a little more unreleased, Nintendo will also decorate their booth with demo units containing Code Name: STEAM, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, and Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. GungHo Online will also have a booth at PAX East with a playable demo of the other half of the Puzzle & Dragons package, Puzzle & Dragons Z.
A single Wii U game, Splatoon, will also be available to play at the expo. Nintendo’s colorful first person shooter will launch in May and its PAX East appearance will be the last chance gamers get to try it out before its release.
“We love giving our fans an opportunity to check out our latest products at PAX events,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “The newly released New Nintendo 3DS XL is sure to be popular with the many show-goers looking for StreetPass tags, and Splatoon will let attendees get their first hands-on experience with one of the year’s most creative games.”
The 2015 PAX East expo will take place next weekend, March 6th through the 8th, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Splatoon will have a single-player mode when it launches in Spring 2015
Nintendo’s bizarre team-based shooter, Splatoon, will be released for the Wii U in Spring 2015. Yesterday, the consolemaker revealed that the game will also include a single-player mode. Nintendo has also released a new trailer that focuses on the colorful campaign, which you can view above.
EGX 2014 Report: Assassin’s Creed Unity, Arkham Knight, The Order 1886, and More
EGX London, formerly known as the Eurogamer Expo, finally gives UK players a chance to their hand at unreleased games after all the other big Summer shows: E3, PAX Prime, Gamescom, and TGS. It sits at the right time of year too! I always tend to get a bit down on games over the Summer when my consoles sit mostly unused.After playing a dozen of the biggest games scheduled to release over the next nine months, I’m excited to finally charge a DualShock 4 again.On top of that, talking to so many gamers in one place really gives you a nice vertical slice of where the industry sits at the moment. But first… the games! (more…)