Splatoon Reviews

Splatoon is ranked in the 86th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Jun 8, 2015

Splatoon is a wonderful concept with fantastic core mechanics and Nintendo's usual genius when it comes to visuals, scene setting and presentation. It's incredibly close to becoming the Mario Kart of Shooters that some people seem to think it is. Yet without more maps, a less restrictive approach and more inventive game modes, it might not hold our interest for more than a few weeks. With this in mind, we're downgrading the score to 7 until Splatoon is more fully fleshed-out. More content should be on its way this summer, and we just hope that addresses our concerns.

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8 / 10.0
May 27, 2015

Nintendo's newest cast of characters leaves their mark on the third-person shooter genre in Splatoon, one of the freshest and most exciting competitive multiplayer experiences so far this year. It's just a shame that we'll need to wait a few more months for some of the game's basic functions to be fully implemented.

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7.5 / 10.0
May 27, 2015

Many fans wanted Splatoon to be Nintendo's answer to Halo or Call of Duty, and I don't know if that is fair. If you are expecting that, Splatoon might not be the game for you. Splatoon is to shooters what Mario Kart was to racers: it emphasizes pick up and play fun. It's a fun and lighthearted game with some great mechanics and focus on elements of the shooting genre that have never been looked at the same way before. The world is alive with color and paint and is a treat for the eyes. While the initial amount of maps and modes may be deterring, the sheer fun of the game manages to outshine any strong negative feelings I had. It's not a perfect game, but it's fun: plain and simple.

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8 / 10.0
Jun 4, 2015

Remarkably fun and boasting a bold, lively and completely mad style, Splatoon is an unbridled joy. Another gem for Nintendo's Wii U.

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May 29, 2015

Splatoon proves Nintendo has the chops for online shooters

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May 27, 2015

Splatoon is the best online game to come from Nintendo. It's an innovative take on the third-person shooter genre, and a game that Wii U owners will have a blast with this summer. The multiplayer is pure fun, and the single-player is entertaining. It may be lacking in game modes and maps at launch, but new content will be coming soon. As it stands, there is a lot to love from this splatastic game and things can only get better. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some Splatoon to play.

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May 27, 2015

Splatoon is a lively, vibrant, clever game that turns the shooter genre on its ear, and in the early going it's a blast to play. But unless Nintendo can quickly adapt to the fluid nature of these sorts of games and ensure it remains fun for all types of players, it might not find the long-term audience it deserves. Like a beautiful coat of paint on a wall that wasn't properly primed, the cracks are already beginning to show.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 27, 2015

If this is Nintendo's idea of what a multiplayer shooter should be, then I'm not about to argue with them.

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May 27, 2015

A few design decisions aside, Splatoon stands not only as an excellent addition to the Wii U library, but one of the best online experiences in recent memory.

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8 / 10.0
Jun 1, 2015

Pure, joyous, unbridled fun. Nintendo's Splatoon is missing content, but what's here will keep you coming back again and again. "Just ONE more match!"

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9 / 10.0
May 27, 2015

Splatoon is not trying to corral unearned cool points with obscenity. Splatoon does not push us to accept its weirdness. Splatoon merely opens its suction-cupped palms to the sky and says, "Here," and we graciously accept, parched by the years of dusty, war-torn, bone-dry purveyors of damage masquerading as games. Each waterfall was in fact an oasis. Instead, Splatoon showers us with a heavy goop that feels amniotic. We emerge, new and refreshed. We are all squids now.

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8.2 / 10.0
May 26, 2015

"Splatoon" is everything you could want out of a new Nintendo IP. It somehow manages to be both cute and cool. It freshens a well-traveled genre with a neat game mechanic. The only thing holding it back could be Nintendo: the Wii U Gamepad's battery life is weak, the online battle modes are presently limited by a rotation system that takes choice away from players and the overall amount of content is lacking outside of the weapons and gear customization. If the company supports "Splatoon" as they say they will, though, we could very well be talking about these Inklings for a long, long time.

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GamingBolt
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Aug 26, 2015

Splatoon is the best game on the Wii U.

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7 / 10.0
Jun 25, 2015

Splatoon is an inventive new IP, hampered by a lack of content and almost desperate need to appeal to kids despite having enough depth for all but the most hardened players.

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3.6 / 5.0
May 29, 2015

I dove into Splatoon with high expectations and high hopes for the new Nintendo IP. But now, after playing over a hundred matches, I am torn between its pros and cons. For its merit, it has that simple, pure, fun factor that keeps me coming back, even after memorizing every nuance of each board. Yet with a sparse selection of maps, a single match type for each mode, and what feels like a dousing of turpentine on character customization and choice, in the end Splatoon feels like purchasing an expensive gallon of paint, only to crack open the lid and find just a quart of paint within. Nintendo promises to fill that can at no extra charge, but unfortunately that means day one purchasers will go home and start painting, only to feel like the job is half finished.

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9 / 10.0
May 26, 2015

Sure, you won't find yourself blasting off headshots or shouting obscenities into headsets while playing Splatoon, but that's oddly refreshing and everything else is so rich and fun that you might not even notice.

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GameZone
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
May 27, 2015

Splatoon is vibrant, fun, and shaping up to be an enjoyable shooter the Wii U sorely need with all of its updates.

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9.5 / 10.0
Jul 8, 2015

Great style, refreshing gameplay, and lots of small, frequent updates, even if Nintendo's still squashing communication and hasn't learned everything about options and standard practices that make other online games successful.

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7 / 10
Jun 23, 2015

Fun and colourful shooter but needs more content

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3.6 / 5.0
Jun 7, 2015

I really like playing Splatoon online, and I'd love to give this game a higher score but I can't factor out the game's blemishes in its current form. You can't even perform basic actions like acquiring new weapons or outfits for your Inkling without being forced to go online, which is inconvenient if ever the servers are down. I really would have admired more modes for offline play, and I'm disappointed by a lack of content in the base game, but I am optimistic about future updates adding new content. But when Splatoon shines, it's a fantastic game. It's fun, it's competitive and above all, it's fresh.

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