Tag: Splatoon

Ranking the Splatoon Maps

Yesterday, Nintendo re-confirmed that fan-favorite Splatoon map Moray Towers was returning in Splatoon 2. As you may recall, Moray Towers was one of the top three maps voted on for the final Splatfest last summer. In Nintendo’s tweet, they also asked what everyone’s favorite maps were. That inspired me to finish up my list of my favorites, which I started to write a while back.

This list is based on turf war mode, and I generally either play with a shooter or a roller. These rankings are not set in stone, and my opinions on some stages have changed over time. For maps that are ranked just a few spots apart, there may not be a huge difference between them. And of course, your opinions may vary. Feel free to comment with your favorites and least favorites at the bottom!

With all that said, here is my list. The maps are ranked from best to worst.

1. Kelp Dome

This large map has many rooms and lots of territory to ink. The large central area is often home to some tough battles, but sneaking into enemy territory is a lot of fun. The grated walkways provide some verticality, and each match here feels different. I enjoy playing this level pretty much equally with both shooters and rollers. I can’t kelp being excited when this stage is in the rotation.

2. Port Mackerel

This level has long corridors, and it has multiple lanes/alleys to take from the very start. The forklifts not only move back and forth, but climbing up them allows you to hop onto crates. The passageways are narrow, but there are many ways to go. Sneak through the right way and you can slip into enemy territory. I love using rollers in this map, as you can surprise opponents by squashing them when going around corners.

3. Piranha Pit

The conveyor belts here (mostly on ramps) provide a unique feature to this map. But I think it’s the sheer size of the map that draws me to it. It’s huge, with lots of turf waiting to be inked. The central section is often a violent combat zone, but watch the map and you may be able to spot a great place to run off and just lay down some ink.

4. Moray Towers

I think Moray Towers is a map that you either love or hate. Personally, I love it; it’s been one of my favorites since it was released as DLC. You can dive straight into battle, or you can score a lot of turf running up and down the ramps. Getting past the center square can be tough at times, but it’s quite rewarding when you do. However, it can be frustrating at times, when a well-protected sniper camps out and your teammates don’t (or can’t) help take him or her down.

5. Flounder Heights

The tall apartment buildings here give this map a sense of height not seen in other maps. Moray Towers is tall, but it’s more spread-out and the height change is gradual. Here, you can go straight up as you scale the tall buildings. But it’s not just about height, there’s a lot of ground space as well, making this one of the larger maps in the game.

6. Museum d’Alfonsino

This museum stage is a work of art. The large rotating cylinders are the signature attraction here, and this is another huge map. I tend to prefer large maps, and Museum d’Alfonsino is one of my favorites.

7. Walleye Warehouse

The base areas on this map are very narrow, but the central section is quite wide. This was one of my favorite maps early on, before the DLC stages were added to the rotation. And it’s still one that I like a lot, despite it being one of the smaller maps. I’ve always loved the little side alleys for bypassing the central firefight and sneaking ahead into enemy territory.

8. Hammerhead Bridge

A bridge that is under construction is the setting for this level. It’s a long map, but fortunately it’s not as narrow and cramped as Arowana Mall. It has a top level, with platforms and grates you can walk across, as well as a solid lower level. This may be in the middle of the pack, but I enjoy this map quite a bit.

9. Blackbelly Skatepark

Honestly, I’m a bit surprised I’m ranking this so high. At one point, it was my 2nd least-favorite map. But that was early on, when I was still using a roller exclusively. Ironically, a roller isn’t a good fit in the skatepark. Some curved areas are too steep for the rollers to handle, and it’s harder just to get around when rolling. But once I started using a shooter, I gradually came to appreciate this map.

10. Saltspray Rig

This map takes place on a large oil rig, and it has a lower level and an upper level. There are two elevators you can use to move between them, or you can take the winding ramp paths. Of course, you can also jump from the upper level to the lower level. The largest piece of real estate is a large room on the upper level, far from both spawn points. The team that controls this area often (but not always) wins the match. It is a fun stage overall.

11. Bluefin Depot

This map is unique in that it doesn’t have one central battle area, but two–a left and a right, separated by a gap that cannot be jumped across. Both teams’ bases are on a higher level, and you can take either route into the central areas to make your way up to the other team’s base. This one requires you to keep your eye on the map, because you may be dominating one side of the map and then notice the other team has swept through the other side and has gone up into your base.

12. Urchin Underpass

This would be a good time to mention that I do like most maps in the game. So even though Urchin Underpass is fairly low on my list, it’s not a bad map and I do enjoy it most of the time. There are several ways to reach the central battle area, so you rarely feel pinned in.

13. Camp Triggerfish

I love the camp setting, and being out in nature gives this map quite a different feel from the urban and industrial settings of other stages. But with that said, I don’t like the layout of this map. It’s basically two large semi-circles, with only two places to cross over to the other side. And one of them isn’t even available until the final minute of battle. There are places to shoot across to the other side, but the layout encourages a predictable clockwise flow of squid movement. It is quite a large map though, and it can be fun at times, but it’s not one of my favorites overall.

14. Mahi-Mahi Resort

This tropical resort stage has an appealing atmosphere, and much of it takes place on floating platforms. There are many gaps where you can fall into the water, and you’re likely to die a lot…especially when you’re first learning the layout. Many of my worst fails took place on this map. Halfway through a match, the water recedes and more of the floor becomes available to ink (and walk on). While this map can be fun once in a while, it’s generally not a stage I hope to see in the rotation.

15. Arowana Mall

Arowana Mall is a long, narrow stage. The side corridors provide alternate routes to the opposing team’s bases, but you need to get past the congested central space to use them. I liked this level early on in Splatoon’s lifespan, but I began to dislike it more and more as time went on. Perhaps I just grew (permanently) sick of it. It’s a bit too narrow for my tastes.

16. Ancho-V Games

The final map released for Splatoon is also the smallest…and the worst. Most of the action takes place in the large central room, and the defining feature of this map are the propeller-powered platforms that raise (or move) when you shoot them with a solid stream of ink. This stage is very compact, and it often seems to end up with one team spawn camping the other. It’s far too small for its own good.

What Do You Think?

What about you? Feel free to leave a comment below with your favorites. Splatoon 2 is coming out soon… If you’d like to send me a friend request on Nintendo Switch, my friend code is 0442-0992-5516. I plan on making many Splatoon 2 videos, so please consider subscribing to my Youtube channel jvgsjeff if you’re interested in seeing those.

Related: 7 Things I’d Like to See in Splatoon 2 – Splatoon 2 Global Testfire

Splatoon 2 Global Testfire

The Splatoon 2 global testfire (multiplayer demo) for Nintendo Switch is taking place this weekend, at six designated times. The first one was held this afternoon, and I made sure not to miss it. It starts off with a quick tutorial on how to use the controls. Unfortunately, you can’t customize the controls until after you’ve completed the tutorial. And then you can’t test your changes until you’re in a battle against other people.

So I inverted the X-axis camera controls, adjusted the sensitivity slightly to match my Splatoon settings, and joined my first match.

Trying the Weapons

I started out with the splat roller, and I quickly noticed that it seemed much slower than the Krak-on roller I’m used to in Splatoon. It also seems to run out of ink quickly, so I’m thinking they severely nerfed the roller.

The splat roller, out of ink, in Splatoon 2.Of course, this is just a demo and the final attributes likely haven’t been determined yet. But I hope the standard rollers aren’t like this, or I won’t be using them very often.

Anyway, the special weapon on the splat roller is the splashdown. You jump up and slam back down to the ground with the power of a mini-airstrike. It would be best used for dropping in on enemies from above, but it’s not that great if you’re just using it for ink coverage (since it’s just inking turf right where you’re already at).

I also tried out the brand new splat dualies. It’s actually two guns that you hold, one in each hand.

Using the splat dualies in Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch.When using them, you have the unique ability to roll while shooting (up to twice in succession). That’s a very cool feature. The special weapon on the dualies is the ink jet printer. You fly up into the air and hover there, and you can shoot blobs of ink at your opponents or onto the ground. I think this is my favorite of the new special weapons so far.

The ink jet special weapon in Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch.I also played a couple of matches with the splattershot, which is a basic gun. Its special weapon is tenta missiles. They can lock onto an enemy and then fire. But one time I tried using it, and it couldn’t lock on to anyone. So I was kinda stuck just standing there for a couple seconds and I couldn’t fire it or cancel it. It’s probably just a matter of learning the right way to do it.

Controls

I had some issues with the controls in the game, but they’re really just things I’ll need to get used to. After spending hundreds of hours playing the first Splatoon, it may take some time to un-learn some things and switch to the new ways.

The biggest change was that the jump button has been moved from X to B. The X button now brings up the map, which blocks your view of the action. So quite a few times, I would accidentally bring up the map when I meant to jump. And then I would scramble to figure out how to cancel out of the map again. 😛 I really wish they would have kept X as the jump button, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it eventually.

The superjump/map screen in Splatoon 2 for Nintendo Switch.Superjumping seemed a bit tricky too…except for the times that I did it by accident. 😛

Maps

Two maps are available in the demo, Musselforge Fitness and The Reef. They’re both pretty basic, medium sized stages with lots of ramps. The Reef reminds me a bit of Urchin Underpass (at least the central part), but with a bridge connecting the two sides.

Since I’ve only played each map a handful of times, it’s too early for me to really finalize my opinions of them. But so far, they seem fine, although not spectacular. I’m sure Nintendo is saving some more interesting stages for the full game.

Global Testfire Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed the global testfire. It was fun and it re-confirmed that I really want to buy the game when it comes out this summer. Also, I did not have any connection troubles today either, so that was a good sign.

I’ll be playing more of the global testfire over the weekend, and I’ll post a video or two as well. If I have any additional thoughts about the game, I’ll add them to this entry.

Updates

Update #1: One thing that I really like is that when you’re submerged in ink, your ink indicator shows a line that lets you know how much ink you need to use your sub weapon. Very helpful.

Update #2: Here’s a gameplay video showing two matches from Musselforge Fitness. In one, I used the new splat dualies, and in the other, I used the splat roller.

Update #3: I’ve now played in four of the testfires: Two on Friday and two on Saturday. Now that I’ve had more time with the game, here are some updated thoughts:

  • The splashdown special has really grown on me; I like it quite a bit now. You just need to think of it as an attack weapon, and not a way to ink a bunch of turf. It’ll be great for any map with some height to it. I would love to use it in a map like Flounder Heights.
  • The ZL and ZR buttons on the JoyCons don’t seem to stay pressed in as easily as they do on the Wii U gamepad. There were times I stopped shooting or stopped ducking in ink, even though I didn’t mean to. I’m sure the Switch ProController will be better, though.
  • I’m already a bit tired of those two maps in the testfire, particularly Musselforge Fitness (which seemed to show up a lot for me). We don’t know how many maps the game will launch with, but I’m looking forward to seeing what other stages they add.
  • After no disconnections on Friday, I had quite a few of them on Saturday. Hopefully things will be better once the full game comes out.
  • The splat dualies is my favorite weapon of the four options (although I didn’t try the charger, since I’m not interested in sniping). But I always seem to forget to use the roll move! So I’d probably be a better player with it, if I could remember to use its highlight feature. 😉

I’m really looking forward to the game’s launch, and I’m wondering if there will be more testfires before then. Guess we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I’ll add some videos from the global testfire.

Update #4: Here is a video showing two matches in The Reef:

Update #5: Here is a video showing some highlights from the global testfire. It features three of the new special weapons in the game, as well as some of my splats, combos, fails, laggy moments, and more.

Related: 7 Things I’d Like to See in Splatoon 2

7 Things I’d Like to See in Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 is coming to Nintendo Switch this summer, with a “global testfire” demo coming next month (March 24-26). Splatoon is my most-played Wii U game (by far), and the sequel is one of my most-anticipated Switch games in the works.

But as great as Splatoon is, it could be improved further. Here are some things I’d like to see in Splatoon 2 (in no particular order).

1. Offline Turf War

There are times when we’re somewhere that doesn’t have a reliable internet connection, particularly if we’re using the Switch in its portable form. I’d like to see an offline turf war mode against computer-controlled players (bots) so we can practice or just play for fun (and without worrying about disconnections, etc.).

A two-player option would make it that much better, even if it had to be split-screen (or would that be splat-screen?). I’m aware that Splatoon 2 has LAN play if you have multiple Switch systems, but I’m referring to playing on a single system. Sometimes friends and family members want to play, too.

2. Unranked Versions of Ranked Modes

While Spat Zones, Tower Control, and Rainmaker added some variety to online play, they were only playable in ranked mode. Ranked modes can be intense and frustrating, especially if you get bad teammates or (heaven forbid) get disconnected and lose rank points through no fault of your own. Unranked versions of those games would give us a way to practice and learn techniques of the game without losing rank points.

3. Ability to Change Weapons Between Matches

Normally, if you want to change your weapons or equipment, you have to leave your existing group of players as you go to the equip screen. Then, you return to the lobby and wait to join a new group. What if you could change your equipment as the lobby fills, without leaving your current group of players?

While you might say that would slow the process down, it doesn’t have to. If you could pre-select certain outfit/weapon combinations (your favorites), you could theoretically swap between them with just a button press or two, as you wait for the lobby to fill.

4. More New Maps Than Old Maps

We don’t know how many multiplayer stages Splatoon 2 will have. But I’d like to see the vast majority of maps in the game be completely new levels. One of the trailers showed Moray Towers returning, and that’s okay, but the game isn’t going to feel like a new game if most (or even half) of the levels are returning from the first Splatoon.

If the old levels *must* return, let them come back later on, as DLC, once we start to tire of the default levels. Splatoon 2 is supposed to be a full sequel (as opposed to the “deluxe” port of Mario Kart 8), so let it feel like a new game. Give us a break from the same stages we’ve been playing for two years.

5. A Kraken Replacement

Nintendo has said none of the special weapons from the first game are returning, but many of the new ones are similar to some old ones. To my knowledge, nothing similar to the Kraken has been revealed so far. Here’s hoping one arrives. I love using the Kraken to charge into enemy territory or sneak up on a sniper that’s otherwise hard to reach.

6. New Modes

This one is obvious, and I’m sure they have something in the works already. But here’s hoping for a fun, new unranked game mode (or two) in addition to turf war. Here are a few examples of new modes I came up with. But I’m sure the pros at Nintendo could do better than this if they tried.

By the Walls

How about a mode where you get credit for inking walls and other vertical surfaces in addition to (or instead of) just the ground? Even a simple change like that would dramatically change strategies.

There could be tall, truly vertical levels, perhaps with elevators, or even parachutes you could grab at the top of the tower. Then sail back down, inking as much wall space as you can. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Until someone shoots down your parachute, of course.

Seaward Squid

Maybe there could be some levels at sea, where you compete on a ship. Waves will sometimes crash over the ship, washing away any ink in those areas. Perhaps the map could show the wind/wave patterns so you can strategically plan where you need to be. But be careful, because those waves can wash you away too.

Obstacle Course

How about a randomly-generated obstacle course? Rather than being team-based, you compete individually to see who can get to the exit in the fastest time. This could include elements of the story mode from the first game, including platforms, inkrails, and gushers.

Perhaps the other players could appear as ghosts on your screen, so you can see what they’re doing, but they can’t directly hinder you. The randomness of the level design means you’ll get something different each time, preventing players from just memorizing stages. You’ll have to think on the run.

7. More Maps in the Rotation

Outside of Splatfests, Splatoon only had two maps in the rotation at a time. And those maps only change every four hours. So there are times when you may play on the same map four, five, or even six times in a row.

I’d like to see more variety in Splatoon 2. Maybe they’re not going to go the Mario Kart route, where any stage is available, but they should at least add more selections to the rotation. Sometimes I get tired of seeing the same stage all the time, while there are others that I don’t see for possibly weeks at a time.

What do you think? What features or modes would you like to see? Leave a comment below!

For those who may be wondering, I will indeed be making videos of Splatoon 2–including the global testfire next month. In the meantime, feel free to check out my Splatoon videos to see my compilations of surprise attacks, funny moments, kill combos, laggy moments, and more.

Here’s my latest Splatoon video, showing a bunch of Kraken vs. Kraken battles and how they turned out.

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