Ask A Question
Featured Image for Haigh Family: Try Splatoon 2 Test Fire

Nintendo's hit 2015 game Splatoon returns this year with Splatoon2, but this time it's on the Switch! And we've been enjoying Nintendo's testfire.

Splatoon is a 4 v 4 3rd person shooter video game developed and produced by Nintendo and was launched on the WiiU in may 2015. What makes it different from other combat shooter games? The focus is not on shooting each other but covering as much of the floor of the arena with your coloured ink!

You play as inklings, child like characters that can morph into squid and swim through their own coloured ink as well as using various weapons to spread the ink, these include; big rollers; Paint brushes; Splatguns and sniper rifles to name but a few. Obviously running around the arena spreading your ink means  you can't help but take out a few of the opposing team members along the way  to stop them spreading their colour ink!

The PEGI rating is 7+ because it does not involve killing and the main focus is spreading your ink it makes it a family friendly fun experience!

IMG_8267IMG_8274

Recently we had the chance to try the first of the 1 hour Splatoon2 Test Fires that Nintendo are doing over the weekend, to test servers and game mechanics to make sure everything is in good working order for the launch of the game later in the summer.

It was fantastic!  Smooth match setting that only took a short time to set up so you are playing the game as quickly as possible. It was great return of this amazingly fun game, which somehow seemed brighter and cleaner than ever. Obviously as it is only a test fire there are limited weapons and you can't change your clothing but it showed off two of the new arenas and some new abilities as well, such as hovering off the ground with jet packs and jumping and landing a huge splat on the ground covering the ground and your opponents in ink.

IMG_8276

The whole experience of the testfire was fantastic and my daughter Pippa aged 10 especially, enjoyed every minute of it. Squealing with delight each time her team won! Which was a lot. We tried it in different set ups from TV, tabletop and hand held and each was great to play offering a floor-less experience and transition no matter how you decide to play.

IMG_8268IMG_8271IMG_8273IMG_8269

As a family we really love Splatoon and it is the main game that our daughter Pippa has been looking forward to on the Switch. The multiplayer matches will be so much easier by simply getting up to seven friends together and linking their Switch together we will be able to have a full on multiplayer experience, not only online which seems to work amazingly well if the test fire is anything to go by, but also in the same room!

This is going to be a great game to play at gaming events or  community events such as those run by StreetPassUK. I can really see it becoming an entry into eSports for Nintendo.

The Splatoon Test Fire software can be downloaded for free from the E-Shop but is only active March 24th until March 26th at specific times. If you can we highly recommend you give it a try.

Anthony Haigh