• Welcome to SquidBoards, the largest forum dedicated to Splatoon! Over 25,000 Splatoon fans from around the world have come to discuss this fantastic game with over 250,000 posts!

    Start on your journey in the Splatoon community!

  • Hey Guest, the Side Order expansion is now available!

    If you're playing the new DLC, please remember to keep your thread titles spoiler free, and use [spoiler] tags for any relevant spoilers in your posts.

is splatoon 1 or 2 better?

splat11

Inkling
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
Messages
8
the question just popped up in my head. so, I am wandering what you guys think is better. (splatoon 1 or splatoon 2.)
 

HighColorSunset

Pro Squid
Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
104
NNID
AmazingStrange9
Switch Friend Code
SW-0416-0878-7104
Eh, both have their advantages and disadvantages. I think I'll go with both.
 

The Salamander King

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
Messages
630
NNID
sintiss0421
Switch Friend Code
SW-3785-4018-5310
Splatoon 2 is better in just about every way. The only thing that's worse in S2 imo is the art direction. It feels less creative that S1 for some reason.
 

HighColorSunset

Pro Squid
Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
104
NNID
AmazingStrange9
Switch Friend Code
SW-0416-0878-7104
Splatoon 2 is better in just about every way. The only thing that's worse in S2 imo is the art direction. It feels less creative that S1 for some reason.
Can you explain...? I mean, I would probably agree if I knew what you were talking about.

(I also think it's easier to play local in S1; you just need another controller, while in S2 you need a whole 'nother Switch, and those are expensive!)
 

MoreIce

Inkling
Joined
Apr 2, 2019
Messages
4
Location
California
NNID
MoreIce
Switch Friend Code
SW-1639-5168-0110
I love both, although the 2nd is overall the better of the two. Though I do miss the specials from the first game and my sub range ability too :/
 

HighColorSunset

Pro Squid
Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
104
NNID
AmazingStrange9
Switch Friend Code
SW-0416-0878-7104
Splatoon 2 also has Octolings, and more story mode overall due to the Octo Expansion...
 

HighColorSunset

Pro Squid
Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
104
NNID
AmazingStrange9
Switch Friend Code
SW-0416-0878-7104
oh my gosh you can change the font.

this changes everything.
 

Gameboy224

Inkling Fleet Admiral
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Messages
549
NNID
Gameboy224
Overall, Splatoon 2 is just the overall better game. In many regards it is just Splatoon 1, but expanded upon.

The only things worth looking back on in the grand scheme would be specials, single player levels, some abilities, and the select maps that didn't return. Also perhaps weapon range, since most everything did take a range nerf in Splatoon 2.

There are small nuanced things people can point out, like the tick rate, but those are largely insignificant when judging them as overall games.

Splatoon 2 just does Splatoon, but more. Single player gives you the option of a multitude of weapons compared to the first game only giving you Hero Shot. Not to mention the beefy single player DLC that is Octo Expansion. Multiplayer PvP adds two entirely new weapon classes and a few new weapon to older classes, a larger variety maps, an entirely new rank mode with modifications to old ones. Then we get an entirely new multiplayer PvE mode in Salmon Run which in itself it a giant step forwards in giving players in what type of activities they want to participate in.

In truth, the inclusion of Salmon Run alone raises Splatoon 2's value up quite a bit as it adds an entirely new method of enjoying the game online outside of just the competitive PvP format.
 

Crash

Inkling
Joined
Aug 22, 2015
Messages
4
Switch Friend Code
SW-1662-4595-1219
honestly? splatoon 2 improved on most things in splat1. like i love s1 but having to go open my laptop on an unofficial chrome extension to see rotation was a lot less convenient than the switch app lol

also i think they learned a lot about balance in shooters in moving towards splat2 - they removed a LOT of stuff that was way too dominant to the point of being overwhelming in the game like kraken, dmg up & defense up, and easy echolocation. i dont feel like any of those were necessarily insanely op, but more like a must have if you wanna do well if that makes any sense. idk i could go more into depth but they balanced a lot of stuff

now single player though? splat1 was way better imo . i could replay that s#&$ so much
 

20170217

Inkling
Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
8
Switch Friend Code
SW-5982-1990-1892
Splatoon: MUSIC, maps, less motion input lag, free online and no clam blitz & bloblobber :^)

Splatoon 2: Visuals, content (Salmon run & Deepsea metro especially), UI improved across the board, still fully supported with updates / splatfests, where the majority of both casual & competitive players are and not on a ‘bad’ console

I like the specials in both games
 

SillySocks

Senior Squid
Premium
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
58
Location
Beloit, WI
Switch Friend Code
SW-8373-4160-3827
Splatoon: Cute Inklings, aww!

Splatoon 2: Cute Inklings...with multiple hairstyles! And Octolings too!! <3

Splatoon 3: Inklings, Octolings, hairstyles, and better matchmaking and stable connections?!? What sorcery is this Nintendo?!


Honestly though I haven't played the first game due to not having a Wii U, but Splatoon 2 has captured my heart and will not let it go, so I'm bias toward the second game by default. ^^ Will say I've listened to the music from 1 though, and I prefer 2's, so there's that?
 

Cephalobro

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
May 1, 2018
Messages
1,567
Location
Octo Valley
They both have their highs and lows. I will list these ones based on my opinion.

Highs

Splatoon 1: The music, Octo Valley, a moderated posting system (Miiverse) and the better Splatfest music.

Splatoon 2: Playable Octolings, more lore, better Splatfest calculation (the changed system), and Salmon Run.

Lows

Splatoon 1: Meta being dominated by stacks of Attack Up and not a good Splatfest calculation.

Splatoon 2: Unbalanced weapons that show up way too much, worse matchmaking system as well as a ranked system that's a little too forgiving as well as a mostly unmoderated posting system.
 

Ketatnet

Inkling
Joined
Aug 15, 2017
Messages
10
NNID
ketatnet
Switch Friend Code
SW-8017-7454-5223
As far as competitive play goes, the games are quite different despite how similar they might appear.
Splatoon 1's meta was dominated by a specific top tier of weapons at it's highest level. Across the board, most weapons weren't good, but your cherries, sloshers, zimis, crbs, etc were all excellent.
Splatoon 2 (as of 4.7.0, hopefully they dont **** things up later) is very balanced across all weapons, barring some weapons that are still more or less useless. Things like the mini and slosher may stand out as strong, but overall you can make a lot of different team comps work with the right strategy due to how good most of the specials are.
When you factor in the QR meta of Splatoon 1 with the dominance of bubble, winning multiple fights and individual play is a lot more important compared to Splatoon 2 which has more room for unique comps and setups with multiple specials. Even among the "top tier" weapons, it is usually not worth it to go for individual outplays in Splatoon 2. In contrast, Splatoon 1 top tiers like the crb had multiple tools that allowed it to take fights, and the reward for winning was much higher.
The games function pretty similarly in a lot of ways, but they are still very different and difficult to directly find a "better" game
 

shudder

Senior Squid
Joined
Aug 14, 2015
Messages
62
Splatoon 2 has more content and weapons, technically it's a better game although personally I had more fun playing 1. Maybe because it was new and Splatoon 2 is just sort of an expansion of 1.

I think the online is worse in 2 as well, lower tickrate and all that, I see more DC's in the game than I remember in the first game. I went back and played 1 a few months ago and it just feels better, less controller input lag, maybe the higher tickrate has something to do with that too.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom