Trying the N-ZAP '89 in Splat Zones (3-1, N-ZAP '89)

Okay, I've used the N-ZAP before, but not for ages and not for much. It does seem to be my nemesis when wielding the Tri-slosher, though, and with a Sprinkler and Inkstrike, the N-ZAP '89 looks to be a good choice for Splat Zones. I'll take it out for a try. It certainly seems to be a popular choice, with three in this battle alone.

Hammerhead Bridge is a nice choice of location too, with some nice places to throw Sprinklers. I choose a wall facing our direction to start with, just for quick placement, but underneath the grate in the middle is bound to be a good spot.

Trying to capture the Splat Zones doesn't quite go to plan to start with. I try to exploit my range, but it's easy to get pulled closer, at which point I become more vulnerable. Splatted back to base, I take a different route on my way out, to spread more ink and make more routes viable for the team.

My Inkstrike charges nice and quickly, and I find a nook to launch it from. I aim for just beyond the Splat Zones to push the blue inklings one way or another, and it seems to work. From there, I try to sneak around the back, but cross paths with another squid. We agree to a draw, but a squidmate of the blue inkling doesn't get the message, and super-jumps in to trouble.

Another sortied upwards, and although the block isn't there to let me continue in Splat Zones, I use the N-ZAP's range to make it more awkward for a swift blue return. I think about going over the top, but I spot a target and drop down. A green Kraken deals with him, so I squid around the Splat Zones tidying up.

One blue inkling almost jumps in to my ink, and jinks out of the way. I get a couple of hits, and am happy to let him go in favour of another super-jumper, but he runs back in to my path. My one splat turns in to two. Nice!

I finally remember my Sprinkler again and hit the good spot, not that it needs it. A squid around finds another target, and although it looks like I get the splat I am just a little late. That's okay, and I squid away to safety to launch another Inkstrike.

There's really not much more that needs to be done! Even with a blue Inkstrike on its way, it's not quite enough to neutralise the Splat Zones before we complete the knockout victory. Woomy!

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Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, n-zap '89, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Bombs away in Splat Zones (6-3, Splattershot Jr)

Continuing my return to shooters, I pick up the Splattershot Jr for a bit. Splat Bombs and a Bubbler should be quite familiar to me, and I launch myself with confidence in to the Splat Zones. Once captured and looking good, I head towards the top, but divert my attention when a squidmate comes the same way.

I show a little caution on my way up the more direct wall, and although I get some hits in it is me who feels the weight of the ink. It feels a bit unfair, as we both have the same weapon, but I suppose I don't wield it quite so proficiently.

I head the long way to get around the back, apparently unnoticed for the most part. When I am noticed, I am soon splatted, even if the inkling's aim seems to be off. So it goes, I suppose, but I can't say I'm happy. I go back the same way, as the E-litre 3K moves on, and don't rush headlong in to trouble.

I see where the E-litre 3K's attention is, and move elsewhere. Unfortunately, my squidmates are splatting the purple inklings back this way with regularity, it seems, so I am caught before I can sneak up on the E-litre 3K. Still, my Bubbler charges, letting me get one splat, but am kept at range effectively to prevent any more.

I take a more direct route back to the Splat Zones. A Roller coming on to our level requires some immediate attention, and a nicely rolled Splat Bomb stops me needing to aim. I cover his tracks, help ink the Splat Zones, and drop down. The E-litre 3K is causing a threat, but a quick squid and nice throw splat her and a second inkling with an excellent Splat Bomb, no doubt helped by my squidmate's ink slowing them down.

Heading up the top is stopped by an oncoming inkling. I can't rely on my Splattershot Jr skills yet, but my Splat Bomb skills are nowhere near as rusty. Another one catches its target. The Splat Zones seem okay, so I try another sortie to the purple side, this time getting vengeance on the Splash-o-matic.

I flounder against a wall before aborting, and hide from a Bubblered inkling, but before I can exert some inky pressure, the battle is won. Woomy!

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Tags: bluefin depot, console, splat zones, splatoon, splattershot jr, wii u

Whizzing around the Splat Zones (7-0, Carbon Roller Deco)

I've been trying some shooters recently, and have had a bunch of quite frustrating battles perhaps as a result. I don't know if I'm just a bit rubbish at the moment, if Splat Zones continues to bring out the more dedicated squids, or if I am just unpracticed with shooters. So I bring out the Carbon Roller Deco to see what I can do with a weapon I feel comfortable with.

I aim my first Seeker towards the route I (embarrassingly) only found recently, and get to the Splat Zones like I am in the only squid battling. Hearing a Squiffer ahead, I take the rather risky choice of squidding through my Seeker trail, and flick near the end. I don't get the Squiffer, but I catch a Roller dropping down in front of me by chance. And then I get the Squiffer.

I nearly splat the second Roller too, but our charger has her nicely covered. And we have the Splat Zones nicely covered too. With our charger looking at their charger, I head around the back, not inking as I go to hopefully keep my movement a bit less obvious. It's quite a jump over the gap without squidding, though.

I stroll past a Beakon for some reason, and get hit with an Echolocator. Even so, a Roller rolls towards me, and I get the flick off in time to avoid being squished back, and head away from the threatening Squiffer, quite sensibly, with the Echolocator still on me.

I cover a purple charger shot in the Splat Zones, and launcher a Seeker Rush in to an Inkstrike, which catches the charger inching towards me. Narrowly squidding around a purple Seeker saves me twice, once from the Seeker itself, and once from the Carbon Roller coming to splat me. A quick turn and I splat the Carbon Roller instead, although she catches a squidmate of mine first.

The other Roller drops behind me as I aim towards the back again, so I turn around. A squidmate splats her very efficiently, but I keep on my track and head across the Splat Zones where, with everything tranquil, I decide to wait for the moment. Sure enough, an inkling comes my way, handily announcing her presence with a Seeker, and showing me her position by dropping down from above.

I'm highlighted again with an Echolocator, no doubt the Haunt ability from the Carbon Roller's gear, so move away from the obvious threats, and thankfully obscured by a purple Inkstrike. But even on our side of the map I'm not safe. I squid across the Splat Zones again to avoid Burst Bombs, as a Seeker splats an unsuspecting target, and just about miss getting hit by the E-litre 3K.

The Splat Zones are yellow again, I squid across to relative safety, and we win the battle in quick time. Woomy! Okay, maybe I am just rusty with shooters. This was pretty smooth in comparison.

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Tags: carbon roller deco, console, mahi-mahi resort, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Close call Splat Zones (11-8, Splash-o-matic)

It occurs to me that I haven't battled with a shooter for ages, preferring instead the less traditional weapons. But I used to, so I'm going back to them for a bit. The obvious first choice is the Splash-o-matic, the first weapon I mained. My strategies don't really change much, as I am aggressive and after chargers nearly all the time, so I hop around the side platforms to try to get behind the yellow team. It becomes quite clear it isn't going to work, so jink back towards the Splat Zones for the objective, and start with a mutual splat. Not too bad.

I head the long way around, remember my Suction Bombs, and jump with abandon in to the Splat Zones. It works out quite well, although I nearly squid in to the Killer Wail before it fully dissipates. From there it's around the back, destroying a Beakon I bump in to, but move on. The Splat Zones turn yellow, but I see where the Brush went, and drop down to get a nice splat. I neutralise the Splat Zones, but move on before capturing them to apply more pressure to the returning yellow inklings. The Suction Bomb on the grate was a neat idea, but retreating doesn't quite go to plan.

I hop around the platforms to splat the Kelp Splat Charger anyway, and get my first Suction Bomb Rush. I am really rusty! Even so, I somehow manage to avoid a Kraken, splat the inkling, and nearly avoid a second Kraken, but I clearly need a refresher with Suction Bombs. On my return, a bit of hiding keeps me safe until an Inkstrike provides some good manoeuvring cover, and a Killer Wail prompts a squidmate to pop a Bubbler that gets shared with me, letting me splat the Hydra Splatling from a better angle. The super-jumper avoided my ink, and stays quiet until the Bubbler runs out.

I get myself in to trouble quickly, then slow it down a bit, getting some time spreading ink and helping the team recover the lead, before getting caught out when focussed on a splat. N-ZAPs always seem to cause me trouble. I should try one again. And I finally find the short way to the Splat Zones. It took me a while.

I don't quite manage to sneak up on the Hydra Splatling as planned, but my next Suction Bomb Rush goes better than the first, even if cornered by the Kelp Splat Charger. My fresh ink lets me manoeuvre away from some incoming attention, splatting the Octobrush nicely, and I survive the Kraken that apparently is an inevitability from the yellow team. Trying to hold the Splat Zones even gets me a surprise splat, which is nice, but the Hydra Splatling has better reflexes than my aim. At least, she does the first time. Still, the Kelp Splat Charger avenges her quickly enough.

The yellow ink keeps on coming, and their score keeps on dropping. We lose the lead with seconds left in the battle. But we keep the blue ink flowing, and capture the Splat Zones to force the battle in to extra time. With bombs flying everywhere letting me sneak around to the side of the Hydra Splatling, I can wait for her Bubbler to drop and get the splat, which my Suction Bomb manages with some convenient timing.

Splatting the Hydra Splatling relieves some pressure from the Splat Zones, but we can't afford any mistakes now. We take the lead, or we lose the battle. We need to keep everything blue, and aggressively policing the quickest entrance point to the Splat Zones helps. But the yellow team comes back in force as we near our goal, with ink flying in to the Splat Zones and yet another Kraken heading my way.

It's a close call, both with the Kraken and the battle itself. It's been a very tight battle, with the lead changing tentacles several times, and a lot of fun!

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Tags: console, mahi-mahi resort, splash-o-matic, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Early errors overcome in Splat Zones (7-3, Carbon Roller Deco)

It's a pretty decent start to the battle. Despite floundering at the top of the ramp, I get to the Splat Zones in time for an initial splat, and head around the side as my squidmates capture the Splat Zones. All looks good for sneaking here and there, to get behind someone, but my Seeker is too obvious for another Roller.

I pick a good route to go next, showing professional calm as the Killer Wail rages inches from me. My Seeker Rush charges, but I think about hitting the perch across from me a bit first. There's no inkling there, and no reaction to my flick but my ink hits something. That's weird. I flick again, as the Roller emerges, and get an unexpected splat. So unexpected that I squid, slide through a grate, and hit water. Oops.

The green team have laid down lots of ink now, so I send a couple of Seekers out just to keep a bit of turf purple, and head back around the side. All looks fine as I reach the Splat Zones, so I flick and drop, and we capture the Splat Zones as a team. I spread my own ink over the green team's turf with a Seeker Rush, and hit the flank again.

I come up to the perch and flick early, and flick again when I hear my ink hit something. Nice! Looking back has nothing happening, but below me is the Roller. I drop and get a nice splat, glad that she didn't activate her Kraken, and move just enough to avoid the N-Zap and get a third splat.

There's danger above the Splat Zones, but with some support around I should be fine. I help spread some ink, recapturing the Splat Zones, and head up the wall to help splat the green inklings trying to get behind us again. I check to see if one made it clear, and although it doesn't look like it, rolling back there lets me cover lots of green ink with purple on our side.

Back to the Splat Zones, and green ink is flying down from above, and a Kraken is squidding around. I think I do well to avoid one Suction Bomb and try to make best use of my Seeker Rush, but I miss seeing a second Suction Bomb. Maybe I need my Banana Basics back. Even so, my squidmates are on top of things, keeping the Splat Zones neutralised for a decent amount of time.

I return and splat some ink coming from above, and head down the side to make sure we won't get surprised from that direction, as my squidmates capture the Splat Zones again. And, with not much left on our counter, we hold the Splat Zones for the knockout victory. Woomy!

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Tags: arowana mall, carbon roller deco, console, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

And one last splat in Splat Zones (6-1, Tri-slosher)

Zoom, faster than a Carbon Roller! I head around the side, and turn the corner to surprise another Tri-slosher, and hearing the smack of ink against inkling, continue sloshing to splat a charger too. That should take some inky pressure off the Splat Zones for us. I don't stop to find out, instead pressing forwards, although I have to head to the side when the inkable block in Tower Control isn't actually there for me to clamber over.

My team indeed secure the Splat Zones, as I head off to an unused perch. All looks well behind me, so I look forwards to see the Splatterscope cover all my yellow ink. Unfortunately, that includes the ink I'm squidding in, but thankfully a second shot isn't so quickly behind the first, and I squid away.

The Killer Wail is a little low from the Splatterscope, so I stand over the Splat Zones and slosh towards the purple side. Seeing an inkling head along the ledge, I lob a decent Disruptor their way, hitting the Tri-slosher. And, remembering the walkway, head back, up, and forwards to splat her away again, and getting a follow-up splat on the under-pressure Splatterscope.

Heading back to the Splat Zones bags me a splat from behind, and the Inkzooka doesn't worry me as long as my Bubbler lasts. Unfortunately, the Inkzooka has one last shot in her as my Bubbler plinks out of existence. So it goes. A solid squidmate keeps the Splat Zone neutralised as we super-jump back, so that we don't have a buffer to work through, and we're back in control.

I push forwards, with the Splatterscope trying to splat me on my way, but squidding here and there lets me dodge her shots, and squid up to her position. With some cruel fate, the Splat Zones are neutralised just long enough for me to get the splat, and back under our control to end the battle a split-second later. Woomy!

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splat zones, splatoon, tri-slosher, wii u

Squidding around the Splat Zones (10-6, Tri-slosher)

Even without a charger on the other team, I immediately head the long and perilous route to get behind the perch. I find an inkling there and splat him, so it wasn't such a bad idea. If only I could have got out of the way of the stupidly geared Rapid Blaster, maybe I could have done more. But my squidmates are on top of things, and capture the Splat Zones for an early lead.

I come back, finding a new route to head to the Splat Zones that looks safe to jump across, isn't too obvious for the other team to see, and is pretty quick. I dunno why I've not noticed this before. Then again, I don't see where that purple inkling goes, who was right in my sights. Never mind, I avenge a squidmate and help keep the Splat Zones teal, even to force the water level to drop. Mind you, that doesn't quite work out for me.

I get some revenge on the Rapid Blaster, despite squidding right at him, and help recover the Splat Zones, before popping my Bubbler a little desperately to ensure a splat. But I get the splat, and head around the back for a short spell. As the Splat Zones remain teal, I feel I can loiter and watch for a moment.

The purple inklings are using the route I just found out about, which shows they are smarter than me, and I come from behind. Slowly, but it pays off, when I catch one of them launching an Inkstrike, just next to a super-jump ring. I move on to clear up the ink they left, just about out-running the Rapid Blaster. But instead of shouting out a 'Nice!' to the team as our counter heads under ten, maybe I should have been inking a bit more. The purple team capture the Splat Zones and give us a big buffer to work off. Oops.

A trip around the back doesn't work out for me, nor does a more conventional approach, when done badly. My next outing is much better. I head behind our lines, seeing a fully purple Splat Zone, and take a risky plunge near a super-jump ring. That inkling is splatted, which charges my Bubbler to help me get two more splats and recover the Splat Zones. A Disruptor hits the Rapid Blaster, which should help me against him, so it's a bit of a pain that his Splattershot chum is there to help him out.

The short route helps me get in to position to clear up after an Inkstrike, along with my squidmates, and the returning purple inklings are splatted away efficiently. I head around the back, finding no one, and back around the front, also finding no one. My squidmates are doing a good job.

By this point, our buffer has been worked off, our score starts counting down properly, and the battle is won. Woomy!

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Tags: console, mahi-mahi resort, splat zones, splatoon, tri-slosher, wii u

Getting myself together in Tower Control (8-4, Carbon Roller Deco)

Oops, I wasn't sitting down and comfy as the battle was starting, and throwing myself in to my chair disorientates my inkling slightly. But I get myself pointing in the right direction and get to battling. Well, sort off. The Seeker won't go far with the platform up, and spinning on the spot does nothing. And I get squished by a Roller. But my intent is good.

As I often do, I head the long way around to the objective, even when it's being progressed by the other team. This time, I am just flailing around and my squidmates are responsible for pushing back the teal team, but at least I get to the Tower to ride it back to the centre. I don't really get much father, though. I'll be effective soon, I'm sure.

Ah, my first splat of the battle! Soon followed by my second, thanks to a squidmate being a more obvious target. My new-found skill lets me push forwards, right in to a competing Carbon Roller. Never mind. I show more sense on my return, dropping down to splat an inkling below me but hiding when she pops her Bubbler. I pounce when the Bubbler drops, and, with a slight delay, get the splat.

I splat another inkling going for the Tower, before heading up the top and getting a cheeky squish of the Carbon Roller, whose Burst Bombs I was avoiding by not hopping on to the Tower. But whilst I'm here, I'll use my Seeker Rush. That inks some turf and causes enough confusion, along with a nicely combined Suction Bomb Rush from a squidmate, to push up and apply even more pressure to the Teal team.

As our ink flies everywhere, other squidmates are pushing the Tower, taking it all the way to put us in the lead! Nice! I hop down to push in front of the Tower to help clear the way, and although I get splatted, my squishy body distracts the teal team for my squidmates on the Tower to shoot ink their way.

With some good teamwork, the Tower keeps on trundling to the goal. Woomy!

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Tags: ancho-v games, carbon roller deco, console, splatoon, tower control, wii u

So close to the goal in Tower Control (13-6, Carbon Roller Deco)

I have to hang back a bit as a Carbon Roller Deco, as I don't really project ink, and launching a Seeker makes too obvious a path for me to squid through. Holding back to ink the home turf helps everyone without putting myself at unnecessary risk. Being available to defend has its benefits too. I press forwards when most of the pressure has lifted, but I don't get far before feeling it again, and that pushes me in to trouble.

I think about heading down a flank on my next outing, but an Inkstrike needs clearing up. After that's done, the Tower's coming my way, so I wait for the right moment, and start pushing the Tower back to the centre. And, well, why nota bit further, and in to the lead? Why not, indeed.

It wasn't much of a lead of the green team's to beat, to be honest, but I make ours better. I even ride the Tower quite sensibly, avoiding the charger's sight and a Suction Bomb, and hopping off when the inky threat gets a bit too great. I help to splat the threats, coincidentally avoiding a Killer Wail, and hop straight back on.

And straight back off again, to use my Seeker Rush. But a sneaky squid is in the ink, putting paid to my plans. We lose the Tower soon afterwards. Time to defend again. My Seeker doesn't find the green inkling after his Killer Wail, but I spy his ink trail and catch him trying to sneak on to our level. That puts me in the right place to stop the Tower too, much like a repeat of earlier.

This time, I can ride the Tower for longer. Quite a bit longer. Some green ink comes my way, but my squidmates are running roughshod over the other team, pretty much letting me hide on the Tower. If only I didn't hit the Tower's column quite so much with my Seeker Rush, I could have lasted just that little bit longer. But we leave the green team with a mountain to climb for the victory.

I decide to be more defensive now. We could push the Tower again, but it would be an awful lot of effort with little chance of improvement. Preventing the Tower from going far, or at all, is easier and safer. Maybe a bit dull from the green team's point of view, but I think we've earned this luxury.

My squidmates try their luck with the Tower once or twice, but those efforts don't go far as the green team try hard to get their tentacles on it. My skirmishing goes quite well, getting splats-of-denial here and there, and am only splatted back to base moments before the battle ends. I do a little jig to celebrate, but the green team just about manage to jump on the Tower to force the battle in to extra time.

I'd better pull my socks up. I head down and around the corner, hoping to get another splat like earlier, but this time the green inklings are expecting resistance, and more aggressively defend, using the Tower's column well to hide.

Now we start to look desperate, as the green team's Specials fly all over the place. I manage to splat one inkling, but am just out of reach of the Tower, both with my Carbon Roller's flick, and with my not-quite mighty jump. Thankfully, my squidmates aren't quite as clumsy, and defend as well as they attack, stopping the Tower with time to spare. Woomy!

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Tags: carbon roller deco, console, museum d'alfonsino, splatoon, tower control, wii u

Trying to mount a comeback in Tower Control (11-6, Blaster)

E-litre 3K one way, Tri-slosher the other, and I guess wrong which one splats me. And there's an annoying interloper near our base. I may miss him with my Disruptor, but I do well not to get splatted immediately a second time. I do a bit of tidying up before turning my attention to the Tower, from two angles, and have to dive off the ledge in to a sea of orange ink to avoid Suction Bombs. It does not go well.

So much orange ink everywhere, and still the Tower comes forwards, pulling even more orange ink with it. And, I have to say, switching back to the Blaster makes me miss the Grim's Burst Bombs to ink up walls reliably. But the Disruptor comes in handy for slowing down the inklings to help us splat them. It doesn't work on Kraken's or Bubblers, though.

The Tower is pushed almost to the goal before we can start a recovery, which I help with my chasing and Disrupting the Tri-slosher. I may get splatted, but with her gone, and a squidmate following-up, the orange team get pushed back properly. At least, for now. We keep the pressure on, thanks to having some room to breathe. It may help if I remembered my Killer Wail, but I don't do so badly without it.

I finally remember my Killer Wail, but I'm not sure it's too effective, and I again feel the need for a Burst Bomb or two to help me up a block, or speed a fan. But some decent manoeuvring lets me support the Tower from a different angle, recovering the Tower soon after its lost, and getting a couple of splats to help keep it moving. My squidmates super-jump back in quickly too, and we look to be in a positive position now.

That E-litre 3K remains a threat, particularly when pushing the Tower towards the orange base. He has such a long range that he can sit right back and make it difficult to get ink on him. It stops us this time, and there's not much time left in the battle to think of how to get past. The solution almost drops in to my lap, as I try to sneak past the E-litre 3K cornering me. He has to drop back as my squidmates push the Tower forwards, and I sneak around the side, which charges my Killer Wail. If only I point that Killer Wail to the E-litre 3K's perch.

Instead of the perch, I aim the Killer Wail in front of the Tower, which probably helps. I push up to support the Tower and my squidmates directly, but the E-litre 3K is there too, in Kraken form, and there's not much we can do about that. The Kraken is well-timed too, sitting on the Tower as the seconds tick down, preventing us from trying to even claim the Tower.

And so the battle ends. But, given the first minute or so, I think we came back very well to put up a decent fight.

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Tags: ancho-v games, blaster, console, splatoon, tower control, wii u