Turf War on Kelp Dome with Kelp Splatterscope

I've seen chargers being used on Kelp Dome before, but normally in the tentacles of competent squids. They manage to find good perches that allow them decent lines-of-sight, and can recharge their ink when they want. When I've tried a charger on Kelp Dome, I find I either have a good perch but no ink to squid in, or lots of ink to squid in and no height advantage. This led to the general dichotomy of being effectively suppressed by a weapon but unable to use it the same way myself.

With a bit of perseverance, however, I found a way I could use the Splatterscope that suited me. Sure, maybe I don't find good perches, but in Turf War you don't really need them. What you need is a way to ink a lot of turf as efficiently as possible, and the Splatterscope can certainly do that. If I can also keep long lines-of-sight and good situational awareness, so much the better.

What doesn't help is if I still persist in rushing headlong in to opposition territory, where the turf can get quite cramped. I somehow manage to survive the worst, though, and an merely hunted down normally, in open space. I even win a bomb war, which is nice.

It's not a win for our team, but I think it's a pretty decent result for myself. And the opposition were clearly on good form.

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Tags: console, kelp dome, splatoon, splatterscope, turf war, wii u

Tri-sloshing through Tower Control on Blackbelly Skatepark

Although a charger can work quite well on Blackbelly Skatepark, as many squids on the opposing team have shown me, I revert to using the excellent Tri-slosher for Tower Control. The map is so contoured that there are many good vantage points from which to splash ink down on unsuspecting squids. Unlike most weapons, the ink falling from bucket weapons does full damage, making it ideal for someone who has trouble aiming, as well as for someone who likes to spend lots of time on the tower. The added bonus of the Bubbler just helps us keep control for a bit longer.

Springing the Bubbler special at the right moment works wonders too. It's good to remember that the Bubbler can be shared with squidmates, and also good to remember that everyone huddling up on the tower isn't always a good idea, so I tend to pop the Bubbler, spread it around those on the tower, then push forwards by myself to clear the path ahead of any opponents posing a threat. It's a tactic that can work quite well.

I get the Bubbler working and push ahead, and get rid of that pesky Heavy Splatling, although he splats me too. It's then a frenetic rush to grab control of the tower, and I think we win it in the end.

Yep, we definitely seem to win, and in quite good time too. Me, I'm sitting in a pool of someone else's ink at the end, but I like to think I play my part in the victory.

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Tags: blackbelly skatepark, console, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Being bad at Tower Control on Moray Towers

More Splatterscope use on Moray Towers during Tower Control. It's a decent start, splatting an opposing charger when she's not looking, but then I get tunnel vision and miss seeing the kid inking her way up to my little perch. A few more good moves, avoiding a Killer Wail, a couple of splats, and then it's back to being a bit rubbish. Or maybe the other team are just a bit better. Yeah, that's probably it. I'm sure that explains why I get stuck in the ink with none of my own in in my tank.

Ooh, there are the shadows of the helicopter blades at around 3:45. That would be the helicopter that I spotted landing in the previous battle. This is perhaps the first time I notice that even though the Moray Towers is rotationally symmetrical, like all but one of the maps in Splatoon, the scenery is different. I have to admit that it took me forever to realise that this map is rotationally symmetrical and not mirrored, after I tried to work out why I had never been on the team on the 'other' side. I'm not too smart sometimes.

The battle goes in to overtime, and I try to help by, well, throwing myself off the side of a building, apparently. Needless to say, it doesn't help us come back to win. I can't be good all the time.

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Tags: console, moray towers, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Taking control on Moray Towers

After the chaos of five chargers on Tower Control in Arowana Mall, the battle in Moray Towers is rather more subdued. The only charger in the battle is the Splatterscope I have equipped, which puts rather a lot of pressure on my tentacles. I relax a little after I get my first splat, right across the concourse, as a good charger should. After that, it's a matter of moving with my team and keeping them covered. I'm still a bit shaky with my aim, though, so I welcome the super-jumping squid coming down in to my sights.

Although I enjoy the move to a charger, a weapon I wasn't comfortable with for a long time, I still don't fully embrace it. I still want to push forwards and take control of the tower if it is available, instead of pulling back and providing a stable position for squidmates to super-jump to, and giving myself the benefit of range that the charger offers. But that's how I play for now, and even though it gets me splatted more often than I should it lets me enjoy the battle more.

I do like the number of perches available on Moray Towers, probably as much as non-chargers dislike them. This goes doubly for Tower Control, where the route of the tower is nicely predictable, as are the positions of squids on the towers. If I could aim, this would be more of an advantage. But the main point to note occurs at around the two-minute mark. A roller starts working his way up to my perch, and rather than ignore him I try to splat him. Zooming in with my scope, and missing, makes me lose him, though, and although I wait for his squid to reappear I see nothing. I assume he's gone, and move down to cover his ink, at which point he makes a surprising and unfortunate reappearance.

In the end, it's a win for us, and I get a positive ratio of splats, which is a good result. And, hey, look: here's a helicopter landing on another tower at 4:50!

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Tags: console, moray towers, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

So many chargers on Tower Control

Arowana Mall and Moray Towers are in the Ranked map rotation, which can only mean one thing: squids are equipping their chargers! This includes me, now that I quite enjoy using the Splatterscope, particularly on these maps, which are much suited to charger use. The only problem is that the Ranked mode is Tower Control, where being on the tower with a charger is rarely a good idea. Having three chargers on my team and two on the other side can only lead to an interesting battle.

I mentioned previously how a Tower Control battle with chargers could have gone a bit wrong, but the squids involved knew what they were doing and played accordingly, and the same is true here. Although this time there is a lot more sniping from range, because the same problem is on both teams. But at least everyone is battling for the tower, and not keeping at range, fretful of being picked off. That's not to say we don't get picked off, because we do. I get splatted when aiming for a charger aiming for another of our chargers by a different charger that I don't even see. And if that sentence is confusing, that's because the battle is.

My second splat isn't much clearer. I think that one charger jumps to splat me, getting me a little salty about his superior skills, but it was only after my second review that I realise the camera moves to the charger on the tower who got me, with a much clearer line-of-sight. That makes me feel better, even if my situational awareness wasn't great. How can it be, with so many chargers. It's a brilliantly silly battle.

It's not a win in the end, but it's not a huge loss either, and there is more pleasure in the quality of the battle than whether we win or lose. Besides, someone brought a Tentatek Splattershot to a charger battle.

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Release the Kraken!

Titles for battles are difficult. There are only so many combinations of events that occur, even if the battles themselves are wonderfully dynamic. In this case, I encounter a couple of Krakens. Excellent, I think, when the second appears. At least I have a title for my video.

I start at the back. That gives me carte blanche for what direction to go. My most comfortable opening on Kelp Dome, I think, and I jump left and head over the ramp. Ink and move to the edge, throw a Suction Bomb to deter any fast opponent squids, and move to the centre. It's all going smoothly, and my special gauge fills. Activate the Bomb Rush and push in to opponent territory.

I'm impressed that when an opponent squid appears I spot the edge of his active bubble, and rather than engage I move ahead quickly. That doesn't mean I'm out of trouble, particularly as I am heading further towards the opponents' base. More squids are ahead of me, and although I avoid a Roller's splash, I don't outflank her to get the splat. I also don't give chase, which is another sensible move. Dropping the Suction Bomb and squidding on is the best idea when an Inkbrush appears, and I even get lucky, splatting one of my pursuers.

I keep heading away from the base until I hit the ramp. My special gauge is full again, so I turn to face whoever is chasing me. A Roller coming right for me looks like a good target, until she turns in to the first Kraken. Thankfully, I manage to dodge it, at least until the Kraken turns back to a Roller. Yeah, my dropped Suction Bomb works again, but a little too late.

Time to cover as much ink as I can. Our base is sparse, and it's easy to overlook. Then it's checking my gamepad, or moving where it's obvious where to ink. Heading back to the opponents' base attracts more attention, this time a pair of squids. I start to splat the Roller, but he turns in to my second Kraken, and altough that just clears me shots to his buddy behind him, getting me a splat, I don't dodge the Kraken quite so well.

In the end, it's all a bit messy. My tactic to push in to opponent territory is perhaps not the best idea all the time, as there was plenty of purple ink to cover with orange on our own side. Despite my score of 1286p, that's without the 300p victory bonus, as we end up losing. Our little Roller buddy didn't do quite so well on Kelp Dome as she did on Museum d'Alfonsino, but that's okay. As long as she's having fun.

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Tags: console, kelp dome, splash-o-matic, splatfest, splatoon, turf war, wii u

Mucking around on Museum d'Alfonsino

A change of scenery! Museum d'Alfonsino crops up in the Pineapple Splatfest. It's quite an open map, with some side routes, and just one way to cross the middle—up and across the central rotating platform. That's quite a pinch point, and as I show quite early, you need to watch your back. The Museum's side routes are also not entirely obvious, and they are easy to miss from being inked. I try to do my part after getting splatted back to our base, and manage not to jump in to the water. That gap is too big to get across, so you have to land on the moving platform, which I found out at some point. Probably more than once.

Making one jump doesn't mean I make others quite so well. Neither does knowing how awkward it is to get to the opponents' side make me stay there. I would like to think I'm not drawn to dropping down on top of a squid just to get a splat, but that the mass of purple ink below me needs to be recovered in orange. I really want to think that, mostly because I don't get the splat, and am beaten to it by a squidmate with a roller.

Getting back to the other side isn't simple either. I bump my squidy head on a platform, then miss the jump. But you turn mistakes in to opportunities, probably. I try not to waste my Suction Bomb Rush, then make my way back. A couple of Aerosprays pointing at me convince me to return to my base, but thankfully I have a quick way back with a squidmate being in a good position for a super-jump. I don't stay there long, though.

In the end, we get a lot of good ink coverage, despite a couple of last-second Inkstrikes from our opponents. I top our team with a good score, and our little roller kid did brilliantly with the splats. Stopping the opponents from inking by splatting them is a good secondary tactic.

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Tags: console, museum d'alfonsino, splash-o-matic, splatfest, splatoon, turf war, wii u

Wreaking havoc in Arowana Mall pt. 5

The fun with the Kelp Splatterscope was good, but I want Pineapples to be recognised as tasty on a pizza, so I pull out the Splash-o-matic once more. Maybe we've already had too much havoc on Arowana Mall, but this last foray in to my wreaking it is perhaps the most emphatic.

I get a bit of luck with my opening move. I really shouldn't ink past the corner when I get over the ledge. It gives me quick movement, perhaps, but it also signals my position to any squid coming down the corridor before I can see if anyone is there. In this case, a roller reaches the corner as I do. I think she's a little inexperienced, as my ink should alert her to my presence, and when I appear she could have rolled right over me. I should have been splatted, but I manage to turn the situation around.

From that narrow escape, I continue down the alley and charge my special. Often, this means throwing a bunch of Suction Bombs down in to the main central area to cover over the opponents' ink, but in this case I am mostly covering our own ink. My squidmates have pushed up higher than I expect, but that's just fine. Now it's just a matter of covering as much turf as we can.

I get a bit lucky with some splats, with the opponents bunching up a bit. But the Splatling squid is savvy enough to pull back and wait for me to appear the next time. But getting splatted back to the base just lets me cover some ink we've missed, and I'm soon pressing the opponents' base again. Just long enough to ink over it. I don't care to camp respawning squids. Plus, I really like jumping that gap.

In the end, it is a convincing victory. I get a huge score, ten splats for one loss, and we cover over 85% of the map with our ink. Not a bad result.

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splash-o-matic, splatfest, splatoon, turf war, wii u

Charging to defeat

It's the following morning of the Splatfest. After an evening of wreaking havoc with the Splash-o-matic I decide to switch back to my Splatterscore. I know I can be useful on Arowana Mall, I've found good tactics for Kelp Dome, and there is a lot of open space on Museum d'Alfonsino. Whether I can be as effective with a charger over a shooter remains to be seen, but I fancy the change.

First game is on Arowana Mall, perhaps the best map for the charger. Or maybe the map I'm more comfortable with. Either way, I get to work quickly, reaching my perch and claiming the centre area for my team. My aim still isn't great, missing quite a few shots throughout the battle, but my situational awareness is improving. I dodge a couple of Killer Wails nicely, and a couple of Suction Bombs, including squidding through a grate in time to avoid getting splatted.

Importantly, I don't just aim for splats. A charger is good at denying the opponents from advancing too far, but it is also good at inking turf quickly. When there are no targets, I see what can be inked, and do what I can to cover our turf. That contributes to the overall goal, as well as giving more routes for squidmates to squid through. And although I prefer to stay around my perch for the most part, when I see that we aren't doing well, I push forwards to ink what I can.

The final map shows that I made a difference, particularly with my last push forwards. But it wasn't enough. Still, I ink the most turf on our team, and I get eight splats and don't get splatted. I think that makes it one of my better battles with a charger, and one I'm quite proud of. Having a couple of low-level squids on the team may not have helped, but it's the quality of the game that counts more than the victory, and I hope they had as much fun as I did.

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splatfest, splatoon, splatterscope, turf war, wii u

Wreaking havoc in Arowana Mall pt. 4

A defeat on Arowana Mall in Splatfest is nothing, really. It's a Splatfest after all, and there are titles to be earned. I queue up for the next game, and again it's in Arowana Mall. My standard opening move is nearly caught before I climb the side wall, and laying a Suction Bomb doesn't catch my pursuer. It does let me evade him, though, at least briefly. A second Suction bomb doesn't catch him, and I'm splatted back to the base.

More personal growth occurs when an opponent springs his Bubbler on me and I don't just keep shooting him for nothing. A side-squid and I splat his buddy instead, and move on. From there, it's inking, moving, and splatting. And I can't get annoyed when I am splatted by a squid who then launches an Inkstrike, as I get to see the excellent animation! The Inkstrike is aimed using the gamepad, so the kid pulls out a tablet and selects it, then covers her ears from the blast.

There appears to be a lot of give-and-take in this battle, but either the final map doesn't show that or my squidmates are doing a much better job of staying alive than me. The results suggest the latter, naturally.

Gazpachín was an excellent squidmate for the few matches we played together. He knows how to handle that Splattershot Jr, and was always pushing forwards.

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splash-o-matic, splatfest, splatoon, turf war, wii u