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Splatoon Platform: Wii U Release: May 2015 Players: 1 (2 player local) Splatoon is the Wii U's ultimate pick-up-and-play package. Almost always, for the better. But at times, to a fault. What's at the core of Splatoon – diving in and out of ink, splattering opponents and taking objectives in the name of your paint color – still excites me today as it did when the game was first unveiled. I don't think a community like Squidboards nor the critical acclaim this game has received would be possible without what Splatoon is truly about. Splatoon works because the game provides cool tools to work with, a large amount of interactivity with the surrounding world, and a memorable style that compliments the game's rambunctious nature. Every session of Splatoon is frantically fiery. Players zoom around the map, dipping and diving past obstacles to get the upper hand on an enemy squid. Paint splatters here and there, explosions of color rocking the asphalt. Splatoon constantly wants you in...

Get your suckers ready for a new kind of battle! This week, Ranked Battle gains an additional gametype. This new mode, dubbed "Tower Control," will rotate alongside Splat Zones in Ranked Battle. "Once someone jumps onto the tower, it starts moving along a set path toward the other team’s goal. If the tower doesn’t arrive at either goal before time runs out, the team that’s moved it closest toward their opponent’s goal wins. Ride the tower all the way into the other team’s goal though, and you’ll get a decisive knockout victory." Tower Control will become available in Ranked Battle in North America tomorrow, July 1st at 7PM Pacific. In Europe, the mode will launch on the 2nd. Let us know what you think about the new mode when it launches! Check out our Ranked Battle discussion thread to chat about this new mode or leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Hey squids and kids! Need the freshest information on Splatoon? Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream managed to snag an interview with Splatoon directors Yusuke Amano and Tsubasa Sakaguchi and producer Hisashi Nogami to chat on their recent game. One of the first things discussed was matchmaking in Splatoon which is done in a very unique way. According to Amano it actually pairs up players with similar play-styles where levels are more of “an indicator for how long the person has played the game.” He noted that those who tend to splat enemies are likely to play together, while those who focus more on painting are more likely to be paired up. He also commented on why there were only two maps rotated every four hours: "I think if maps were selected at random from all the possibilities, everyone would only use weapons that have “the greatest common divisor” and that work the same way in every map. But when maps are limited to two, you can have alternative weapon choices like “I’ll go...

Hey there squids and kids! Ever wanted to be Krill Nye but just didn't have the talent? Love science but not sure how to apply it to inking turf? Fortunately, Nintendojo can do the science for us! This Youtube channel has been releasing small clips that help demonstrate the difference between abilities gear can hold so players can know the real difference and make the best decisions going into battle. Here's an example: Need to run fast outside of squidform, but can't decide if risking Opening Gambit is worth it or if stacking Run Speed Up will really make the difference? A 19 second clip is all it takes to get a little knowledge on the situation so squids and kids alike can suit up proper before heading into battle. How about another clip? Sneaky or fast? Ninja Squid or Swim Speed Up? What about both? This Squid Science clip shows just how much each of these abilities can change speeds even with stacking as is highly useful when determining which abilities to use. Onto...

Happy Saturday everyone! Time for a quick Squidboards update. Let's keep it brief and, of course, fresh. The Official Squidboards Splatoon Review - Looking for "After 30" Opinions! On the 29th, just a few days from now, we'll be posting the official Squidboards review for the reason we're all here...Splatoon! We decided to hold off on the review for a while as the game came into its own to give a more thorough and complete opinion on the game. However, we don't wanna limit ourselves to just that. We'd like to have you all get involved as well! Thus, we're looking for "After 30" opinions from you! Essentially, what this means is we'd like for you all to give some thoughts on Splatoon now that it'll be thirty days since the North American launch of the game by the time the review hits. We'd like to include some of the best comments in the tail-end of the review when it goes live. To submit: Simply post your thoughts in 500 words or less on Splatoon in the comments of this update...

Attention squids and kids: the next Splatfest to hit Japan has been announced and the two things battling it out look to be very unique. Famed makers of instant noodles and ramen Maruchan have gotten a spotlight in Splatoon as two flavors of their instant noodles are on both sides! Maruchan Red Fox Udon takes on Green Tanuki Soba with Japanese inklings deciding which will come out on top. While this might be more difficult for inklings from other regions to decide on this Splatfest for themselves, it should nonetheless be curious to see. This will take place from July 3rd through the 4th starting at 6pm the 3rd and ending at 6pm the 4th. With the North American Splatfest (Cats vs Dogs) being rescheduled to July 4th as well as Pop vs Rock in PAL regions, it will be interesting to see if the servers can manage this mass of inklings. Get ready to grab that extra fresh Splatfest gear, pick that favorite weapon, and spread some ink!

Patch 1.3.0 for Splatoon will be available early next week. It includes Splatfest fixes and gameplay changes. On June 30, 2015, new update data for the Splatoon game will be available for download. Users will be required to download this update prior to using the software's online multiplayer features. First, we’ll start out with discussing the Splatfest fixes. When there are more members on one team than the other and the match-making process takes too long, members from the same team will be able to battle each other Members will still receive Splatfest Points even when they battle against members of the same team Note: Only the results from matches against the opposing team will be included in the overall Splatfest results Adjustments have been made to allow some players at random to participate as early as 5 minutes prior to the official start time of Splatfest in order to make for a more pleasant gaming experience (Note: All players will be able to participate...

Inkoming news: Cats vs Dogs is back on schedule! Here is the statement from the official Splatoon tumblr: "The CATS vs. DOGS Splatfest is back on! Sorry for the delay—we experienced some…tentacle difficulties with the Splatfest matchmaking. The first Splatfest will now begin on July 4th at 12:00 AM PT and will end on July 4th at 11:59 PM PT. That’s 24 hours of pure patriotic splattitude! Celebrate your inkdependence with nighttime Turf War battles and fireworks! " Callie and Marie are excited to get back out on the stage and perform for North American players! Excited for the reschedule? Let us know in the comments below! So get ready squids and kids and be sure to stay fresh!

Hey there squids and kids! Anyone out there wanting even more gear to keep looking fresh? Well have we got news then! Last month, Famitsu announced a contest in their May 20th issue where fans were invited to design some gear for Splatoon. The catch? The winner of the contest would have their costume added into the game in the August update alongside the Ika Musume (Squid Girl) costume. The contest was so popular they even added more prizes, but only the number one costume would make the game. With over 800 entries the competition was fierce, but in the end the winner was... The Festival Octopus Chef! This costume is the lucky winner that will be added to the game in August! However, six other costumes also were given the honor of a showcase and prizes. The Splatoon development staff made three picks, and they all will receive a poster signed by Splatoon's developers. These were the Hot Dog Octopus, the Raincoat, and the Kabuki Style costumes. Kabuki Style! Three other...

Welcome squids and kids for this inkredible news update! The game we all know and love has managed to surpass ONE MILLION IN SALES NUMBERS!!! That's a lot of inklings out there covering turf and Splating friends and foes alike. This news came from SplatoonJP, the official Japanese Splatoon Twitter account in this Tweet. In celebration of this latest triumph, a new commercial for Splatoon has been released in Japan and is available for viewing! An official statement has been released from Nintendo on the subject as well, inkluding the sales figures by region: --- REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo has hauled up its nets, tallied its catch and crossed another milestone. Sales of Splatoon, the new squid-based game for Nintendo’s Wii U home console, have crossed 1 million worldwide, according to Nintendo’s internal figures. That figure includes more than 476,000 physical and digital units sold in the Americas, more than 368,000 sold in Japan, more than 230,000 sold in...

Inkoming weapon squids and kids; get ready to blow the competition away with the latest and greatest in Splating technology: the Luna Blaster! "The Luna Blaster is a specialized shooter that can unleash explosive power at close range! Its rate of fire is good, and its blasts cover a wide area, but you'll need the Inkzooka to hit far-off foes. Oh, and the Ink Mines can really make a difference in the right hands, so this set is perfect for veterans!" - Sheldon Owner Of Ammo Knights Some screenshots of this weapon in action were shown on SplatoonJP, the official Japanese Splatoon Twitter account. The release times for this weapon are as follows: Europe: 4AM (June 24th) UK: 3AM (June 24th) North America (EDT): 10PM (June 23rd) North America (PDT): 7PM (June 23rd) Japan: 11AM (June 24th) So be sure to give Sheldon a visit and check out the latest weapon to join his expansive inventory! To keep up with any upcoming weapon news be sure to stay tuned to Squidboards. Spread ink...

Hello squids and kids, here is a video from a new Youtube channel called: Squidkids! That last sentence was a doozy so try to keep up. Squidkids is a new Youtube channel designed to give all those up and coming Splatoon players tips, tricks, and advanced techniques to step up their game to a whole new level. Their first video talks about Y Positioning which is inkredibly helpful to keep opponents in sight and to change views quickly. Give it a watch to learn more! Want to see more videos? Be sure to check out Squidkids on Youtube and subscribe for more fresh content. Now get on some fresh gear, grab a weapon of choice, and get out there and try this out in a game!

Hello squids and kids! It seems that a particularly sneaky Octoling hacked into Splatoon and discovered top secret information! We've made sure that our turf is secure here at Squidboards and got all of the information we could on this leak. New stages, weapons, and even game modes have been revealed by mining data so there is a lot to explore. From here on out spoilers will be abundant, so for those who want to keep all of this fresh upon release leave while you still can! --- Alright, ready for the excitement? Let's start with weapons! Thirty-Three weapons were discovered within the game's files, some with details on their special and sub weapons and others still with more cryptic names. A list has been provided below. The leaker even managed to record in game footage using one of these weapons: the Sploosh-o-matic. Give it a watch and get a sneak peak at this inkoming weapon! Descriptions from Sheldon upon buying certain weapons were found as well. For those who want...

It is with great sadness we come to all of the Squidboards Inklings with this news. It has been announced that the first Splatfest in North America has been delayed. Confirmed by both the Splatoon Tumblr and Nintendo Of America's Twitter, it seems this is due to an issue that took place during the first Splatfest in Japan (Rice vs Bread). Here is the official statement: "Unfortunately, a matchmaking issue was discovered in the first Japanese Splatfest that resulted in long wait times and players unable to join matches. We have been working on a solution but will need a little more time to resolve the issue. In order to ensure that fans have the best possible experience and can enjoy the fun they’ve come to expect from Splatoon, we have decided to postpone the first North American Splatfest. We’ll have details on a new date soon!" It seems that Splatfests are just too fresh for the game to currently handle. Be sure to stay tuned to Squidboards for news and updates on the situation.

Hello to all them squids and kids, it's time for a Splatoon update! Here's the freshest news hot off the battlefield. The second ever Splatfest will be taking place this weekend in North America. Cat lovers will take on dog lovers in an epic battle to decide which is the best pet! Nintendo has released another video to get players excited for the event as well. While mostly similar to the previous video released for the first Japanese Splatfest, Rice vs Bread, the kicking tunes of the stunning Squid Sisters are still a great way to get pumped for the event! Who will prevail, cats or dogs? If that's not funky fresh enough for all those Inklings out there how about a new stage: Bluefin Depot! Confirmed to be inkcoming by SplatoonJP, the official Japanese Splatoon Twitter account,"the Central Valley is divided into two main areas" according to a translation. Several pictures of the stage were provided, one showing several spots with water to fall into, one sniper spot, and what...

Ever imagined seeing Splatoon on an older console? Wonder what it might be like if Splatoon had be around to be enjoyed for many years prior? Well here's a chance to see just what that might have looked like! Meet The Regressor, an artist who "regressivly" models and textures "contemporary characters inspired by the 3D limitations of the Nintendo 64, PlayStation, and Dreamcast video games." His most recent project was to take Splatoon and give the world a look at what Splatoon 64 might have been. The story behind Splatoon 64? "Splatoon 64 revolves around the first generation of turf wars between the Inklings and Octolings. The 4 player multiplayer battles pit 2 squids against 2 Octolings. Players could unlock additional weapons and gear to alter a variety of stats." There are more excellent pictures as well showing the Inkling and Octoling as well as models of them both in squid and octopus forms. To see the rest of this epic art and to see his other works check out The...

Recently Squidboards reported on a potential leak that would say some sort of crossover between Splatoon and Super Mario Sunshine would be coming sooln, with a potentiall new weapon in F.L.U.D.D. and amiibo compatibility with the Mario amiibo. Recently, a total of nine pictures have surfaced which could poitentially point to this crossover being a real possibility. Keep in mind this is E3 week and fake leaks are certainly a possibility as are real leaks. Among these recently released pictures include the picture with an inkling taking on Petey Pirhana as well as Mario in squid form all done in the art-style of official artwork. On picture focuses directly on the Mario squid while another shows both pictures together. This art showing what looks to be concept art of new gear that is heavily themed in Mario style with a Yoshi hat and Mario outfit. The shirt farthest on the right is also shown available for purchase within the game in a screenshot. Another screenshot shows "New...

Splatoon just can't stop staying fresh! Another small wave of new content is coming to Splatoon in two weapons: L-3 Nozzlenose and the Custom E-litre 3K! Pictures of them were released across several Nintendo Splatoon outlets with small pieces of information as well. The Custom E-litre 3K will have the Squid Beacon as its sub weapon and the Kraken as its special weapon. The L-3 Nozzlenose will fire 3 shots whenever the trigger is pulled, and is described to have high "hit accuracy". Its sub weapon is the Disruptor and its special weapon is the Killer Wail. Their release times for these new weapons are as follows: Europe: 4AM UK: 3AM North America (EDT): 10PM (June 16th) North America (PDT): 7PM (June 16th) Japan: 11AM So be sure to visit Sheldon over at Ammo Knights and get a look at the newest items in the inventory. To keep up with any upcoming weapon news be sure to stay tuned to Squidboards. Spread ink, cover some turf, but most importantly stay fresh!

Splatoon has captured the imaginations of gamers and artists worldwide. Now, what happens when Splatoon catches the eye of a world-class Minecraft player? The result is a cleverly, faithfully, and charmingly designed Splatoon mini-game within the fertile realm of Minecraft. We were able to chat with prominent Youtuber and Minecraft star SethBling regarding his Splatoon port. According to Seth, the game first demonstrated project potential after he saw streams and discovered how fun the game looked. He also commented that it inspired him because of how well suited Splatoon was to be recreated in Minecraft. At first glance, the intricacies of Splatoon seem hard to transfer but let’s take a look at what SethBling created and learn that his efforts accomplished a great feat. What we have with Splatoon in Minecraft is the fruit of a dedicated mission to transfer inklings to another world. The game starts players in a lobby where you can select teams and equip yourself with 1...

Welcome back squids and kids for another exciting news update! The first ever Splatfest has ended in Japan, and it seems that the winner of the best breakfast food is rice! Callie seems very pleased with herself but it was certainly a close match, as Rice came in at 58% and bread came in at 42%. Don't feel down down Marie, we still have Pop vs Rock and Cats vs Dogs to decide! According to SpaltoonJP, the official Japanese Splatoon Twitter, there were some connection issues during the first Splatfest. However it seems all of that was resolved and everyone was able to play. Players were not able to play ranked mode during the Splatfest. The ink won't stop flying however. Players in North America will take on the difficult question of Cats vs Dogs this weekend from June 20th through the 21st. PAL players won't be left out either as the following week Pop vs. Rock begins on June 27th. Which of these epic forces will prevail? Only time and ink can tell. Until we know the victors be...