Blackbelly Skatepark

Blackbelly Skatepark is a multiplayer stage in Splatoon and Splatoon 2.

Blackbelly Skatepark is a stage based around a skate park. It includes a curved landscape with multiple raised locations.

Layout


Blackbelly Skatepark features two inversely symmetrical skateparks with large ramps and hills. It also includes more wide open areas. There are numerous ways to attack the center of the map, as well as to attack the bases. In the center, there is a central tower. It is a large, plateaued structure that can only be accessed by climbing vertical paths of ink. It is an effective but vulnerable place to control the center area of the stage. Small balconies are positioned on its sides. Right alleys are located to the right of each team's spawn and lead towards the center of the map. They each contain a high platform which can be useful for chargers trying to take over the central tower. There are no hazards in Blackbelly Skatepark.

In Splatoon 2, the spawn point area is now not accessible to the enemy team, now being on a fairly large raised platform area.

Ranked Battle Terrain


In Ranked Battle, specifications for the terrain or placement of objects are different between the modes; these changes create new paths or new objects to take cover behind.

Splat Zones
The Splat Zones in Blackbelly Skatepark are relatively small and located in opposite corners from each other in the middle of the map, both touching the central tower.

Tower Control
The Tower in Blackbelly Skatepark is located at the top of the central tower. The goals are located in the right alleys, going past the two small walls. When it is ridden, the Tower will go to the riding team's left. The Tower will then descend downward and proceed to go through the opposing team's right alley, all the way to the goal.

In, checkpoints have been added:
 * The first checkpoint is located on the slightly raised area directly to the left of the tower.
 * The second checkpoint is located between the two roadblocks in the enemy's halfpipe.

Rainmaker
The Rainmaker in Blackbelly Skatepark is located at the top of the central tower. The goals are located directly to the left just off of the spawn. Just past those goals, right by the central tower, there are black uninkable boxes. There are also small boxes added to the central tower so players are able to hit the Rainmaker weapon without being pushed down from the expanding shield.

Clam Blitz
The basket is located at the right side from the spawn, in front of the hills. There is not any bump near it. The layout looks the same as in Turf War.

Splatoon
Blackbelly Skatepark underwent a series of changes between its development period and release.

Pre-release version
The pre-release version included many differences, such as:
 * Stairs leading from Spawn Points to the central tower were present.
 * There were more wooden ramps near the middle area.
 * Near the middle area, four bumpers could be found.
 * The entrance to the middle of the map from the left of both teams' spawn points were not present.

Release version
Blackbelly Skatepark was released with the launch of Splatoon.

Splatoon 2
Blackbelly Skatepark was released on 2017-10-28 at July 27, 2024.

Release version (until Version 4.2.0)
Blackbelly Skatepark returns in Splatoon 2, initially appearing nearly identical to its appearance in Splatoon, with a few notable changes. The platform the spawn point is located on no longer slopes downwards to the area ahead of it, and the platform has been stretched backwards to allow for more room. The square platform in front of the spawn now also extends forwards, allowing for an additional side route to the center. A small bump on the right side of the stage also has been removed. As a result of these changes, the stage is now more large and open than its appearance in the first game.

December 2018 updated version (from Version 4.3.0)


On 2018-11-29, an announcement was posted on the official Splatoon Japanese Twitter account stating that from 2018-12-01 until the release of Version on 2018-12-05, Blackbelly Skatepark would be "closed for renovations", similar to the announcements made for Starfish Mainstage in Version  and The Reef in Version. The announcement included a blueprint of the stage with the planned changes scribbled on it.

Changes included:
 * Areas around the teams' spawn points were deepened and widened.
 * One of the L-shaped platforms on the left side of each team's spawn were slightly widened.

Trivia

 * Blackbelly Skatepark's name is a reference to the real-life blackbelly skate, a species of ray.
 * Evening and night variants of this stage are used in Octo Valley in the missions Octoling Assault and Unavoidable Flying Object respectively, with the night version also appearing during Splatfests.
 * As seen from the UFO at the end of Unavoidable Flying Object and by Super Jumping, there are basketball courts near Blackbelly Skatepark.
 * The internal codename for this stage in the game files is "SkatePark".
 * This is the smallest stage in Splatoon, but in Splatoon 2, it is the fifth largest, not counting any Shifty Station layouts.
 * Blackbelly Skatepark is the only stage to appear in both games that has not seen Rainmaker in rotation for the longest amount of time due to its old layout, which allowed Rainmaker carriers to easily get a knockout within the first minute of a match.

Etymology
Blackbelly Skatepark is derived from the nouns Blackbelly and Skatepark. 'Blackbelly' is a real-life fish called blackbelly skate, a species of ray and 'Skatepark' is a park for skateboarding.

Bバスパーク B Basu Pāku is derived from 'B. bass park'. 'Black bass' is a fish and 'Skatepark' is a park for skateboarding.