Splatoon Reviews

Splatoon is ranked in the 86th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
May 26, 2015

Nintendo's newest IP 'Splatoon' delivers a very unique take on the third-person shooter genre that's a ton of fun, but its primitive online may not be for everyone.

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May 26, 2015

Nintendo's quirky online shooter is an ink-stant classic, spoiled slightly by a lack of options.

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Guardian
Top Critic
May 27, 2015

Splatoon is a breath of fresh air – or more accurately "splodge of fresh ink" – for those who like to shoot stuff, but have grown tired of the endless bloody churn of gritty, realistic shooters. It is the coolest game on the market.

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May 26, 2015

While Splatoon isn't quite the revelation some were hoping for, it's stupidly fun. The only concern is longevity, with the brief single-player and only two main modes to play online. Whether it retains an audience will depend on the success of post-release support from Nintendo. For now it's a colourful distraction from the grey and brown battlefields of more traditional shooters.

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8.5 / 10.0
May 28, 2015

Splatoon has a huge amount of potential wrapped in an addictively bizarre visual style. That said both the solo and multiplayer aspects are relatively simple and have a lot of room to grow with DLC and updates. Hopefully Splatoon will get better with age but for now its inky competitive action should keep you busy for a month or two.

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May 26, 2015

It shouldn't be as good as it is... but who am I to deny something this inkredible?

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78 / 100
May 27, 2015

Splatoon is a game that isn't afraid to get messy, and in this case, messy is absolutely a good thing.

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Ken McKown
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
May 27, 2015

Splatoon is a novel title that is a blast to play. My biggest concern is longevity. With certain modes and features locked behind players reaching a certain level, I wonder how long its legs truly are. I want it to catch on, but with the paltry Wii U user base, and a quirky new IP at the helm, my fears are that no one will care about Splatoon in a month's time.

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Buy
May 27, 2015

Splatoon is a wonderful game with a premise that's genuinely incredible. It's simply short on content, though that will be remedied.

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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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May 26, 2015

Splatoon is a beautiful new twist on the shooting genre, but lacks team chat and other modern norms.

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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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8 / 10.0
May 29, 2015

Despite the lack of content at launch, the title is incredibly fun. Even if there are only two modes available so far, the gameplay is so unique that a purchase is worthwhile. I do believe it could have more potential if it included voice chat or an extra mode or two at launch, but past that, Splatoon has the kind of longevity that will keep me playing for a long time.

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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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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 29, 2015

Splatoon proves Nintendo has the chops for online shooters

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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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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
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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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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