Get splatting with the basics, in our Splatoon 2 101!
Whether you’re a first-time Inkling or Turf War warrior, here’s what you need to know about Splatoon 2.
Nothing says Aussie summer quite like dashing around the garden sprinkler…or ducking and weaving as you splash your friends with the jet of a water pistol.
Well, now you can wreak that kind of havoc all year ‘round, because that’s exactly what you get to do (and MORE) in Splatoon 2 on Nintendo Switch!
Engage in heated Ink Battles, slosh around with colour-changing squids - erm, kids - and get ready to make a MESS with a shiny ink-redible palette of inky ammunition!
What is Splatoon 2?
It’s splat or be splatted!
Splatoon 2 is a competitive online* multiplayer** game available exclusively on Nintendo Switch, which means that you can play anytime, anywhere, with anyone!
There are many ways to play Splatoon 2 - which even includes an offline singleplayer mode - and you can take the colourful mayhem everywhere, thanks to three different play style modes of the Nintendo Switch.
Splat anytime, anywhere, with Nintendo Switch
The three Nintendo Switch play styles means you can splat on the go, depending on your lifestyle!
TV Mode
Tabletop Mode (Pro controller sold separately)
Handheld Mode
Find out more about Nintendo Switch at the official website!
THE BASICS: listen here, squiddo!
Squid or kid
In Splatoon 2, you’ll take on the form of an Inkling, an uber-fashionable individual who can turn into a SQUID at will!
Transform into a squid to hide and swim at super speed through ink cover, climb ink-splattered walls, find squiddy shortcuts, and jump further than you’ve ever jumped before! Be careful, though—sloshing around in enemy ink will slow you down!
But before you head into Ink Battles, you’ll need to slip into something more comfortable, and choose your weapon for the battlefield!
GEAR: show off your splattitude
Another thing you should know about Inklings is that they are very particular about their urban attire.
Not only can you dress up your Inkling in the freshest top-label brands, but different types of clothing enhance your abilities in battle, such up refilling your ink supply more quickly or allowing you to run faster!
You can grab all your gear from the friendly shopkeepers of Inkopolis Square.
Shopping tip: Merchandise changes every day, so check the shops often!
Choose your weapon
Like the idea of flattening all opponents in your path, leaving a messy trail of ink in your wake? Then a Roller-type weapon is the one for you.
Fancy swimming up to the highest peak in battle and scoping out opponents with a long shot to defend your turf? A Charger will do the trick!
Storekeeper Sheldon at Ammo Knights offers many types of weaponry, each with its own benefits and weaknesses - so there's something for every play style!
As you level up, more weapons become available to purchase, which you can try before you buy.
Motion controls optional!
The Nintendo Switch console’s built-in motion controls allow you to aim and shoot ink with intuitive precision. Turn them off any time for a more traditional control scheme. Motion controls also work with the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (sold separately) and the Joy-Con Grip!
Welcome to Inkopolis Square…
It all starts in Inkopolis Square - a bustling hub of fresh street culture - where you can rub shoulders/tentacles with other Inklings from around the world… and even take selfies with your amiibo friends!
Here you can go shopping for some of the freshest gear around, enter Ink Battles, and heaps more...
ONLINE MODES* in Splatoon 2
Online competitive Ink Battles are always available* in Inkopolis Square: just head into Battle Lobby and prepare to test out your splatting skills against players from around the world!
Playing online lets you level up and earn in-game coins for new gear.
There are various stages that you’ll battle in, which are randomly selected and change every two hours.
Turf War: 4 vs. 4: perfect for beginners
The perfect mode for beginners who just want to fling ink everywhere, Turf War is a 4 vs. 4 online* competitive mode where the objective is simple: you have three minutes to spread more ink than the opposing team.
You can take out enemies, too, but winning is all about covering the most ground with your team’s ink!
Check the Turf Map with X Button to see a live feed of ink coverage during the battle. If you get splatted by an opponent, you’ll respawn, allowing you to use the Turf Map to perform a Super Jump to any teammate on the map, getting you straight back into the inky action.
Hot tip: As satisfying as it may be to cover absolutely everything with shiny ink, unless you’re inking walls as a means of fast travel or enemy ambush, don’t bother - vertical surfaces don’t count in your final score!
Ranked and League Battles: for more of a challenge
Once you’ve mastered the basics of Splatoon 2, you can test your skills in online Ranked Battles (which open up to you when you reach Level 10) and League Battles (available when you reach B- rank or higher in any of the Ranked Battles.)
These online battles earn you more experience points, but if your team gets knocked out, you get ZILCH!
The modes in Ranked and League Battles rotate every two hours, and include:
Splat Zones
In Splat Zones, you have five minutes to cover every Splat Zone (marked with coloured lines) with your team’s ink. Cover majority of a Splat Zone to ‘capture’ it, which begins the countdown for your team’s timer from 100.
Control the Splat Zone/s until your team’s timer reaches zero, and you’ll knock out the opposition!
Tower Control
Take control of the stage’s central tower and it will begin to move through your team’s checkpoints towards your capture point. Ride and defend the tower to reach your team’s capture point… you have five minutes!
Rainmaker
In this Capture-the-Flag-like mode, you have five minutes to carry a special weapon called the Rainmaker to the capture point near the enemy base.
Clam Blitz
Competing Inklings are tasked with collecting clams scattered around the stage. The first team to 100 points wins!
Salmon Run: co-op fun for everyone!
Salmon Run is the most popular gig in town!
In this online mode, two to four players** must work together to fend off waves of enemy Salmonids while collecting valuable Golden Eggs.
Salmonids only spawn at certain times – so keep your eye out for the Salmon Run opening times! To keep the competition fresh, the stages you’ll play in vary with every Salmon Run season!
(Oh, and don’t forget to collect your bonus at the end of your shift… wouldn’t want to miss out on that sweet Grizzco gear!)
So step into your Grizzco-enlisted waders and gumboots, because the boat is leaving soon!
OFFLINE MODE in Splatoon 2
Hero Mode: a splat-tastic singleplayer challenge
Enter the sewer grate in Inkopolis Square to head to Octo Canyon, a bizarre world of hidden lairs occupied by the dreaded Octarians.
You’ll need to outwit every last one of them throughout your mission to rescue the Great Zapfish and restore power to Inkopolis Square!
This singleplayer offline mode is the perfect opportunity to try out and master different types of weapons in the crustaceous canopies of Octo Canyon.
Every type of Octarian can be defeated in a different way, so hone your weaponry skills and aim for their weak spots!
Multiplayer** Ink Battles: start splatting pretty much anywhere with friends!
Play against online* friends or other players from around the world, or play with nearby friends via local wireless**!
To play multiplayer in online and local wireless modes, each player will need their own Nintendo Switch console and their own Splatoon 2 software.
Connect locally via wireless** play
Enjoy Private Battles with up to seven other players, each with their own Nintendo Switch console and their own Splatoon 2 software.
Splatoon 2 is out now, only on Nintendo Switch!
Learn more about Splatoon 2 at the official gamesite, here!
*Online play requires one copy of the software per console. Internet connection required during online play. To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Some online services may not be available in all countries. Online play requires paid online membership. Find out more about the paid membership subscription.
**Additional games and systems are required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately. To play multiplayer in online and local wireless modes, each player will need their own Nintendo Switch console and their own Splatoon 2 software.