Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 (スプラトゥーン2 Supuratūn 2) is a third-person shooter developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch console, and the sequel to the Wii U game Splatoon. The game builds further on the ink-based shooting mechanics introduced in Splatoon, with the general gameplay being indentical, but adds new content including new Weapons, Stages, and a new horde mode named Salmon Run.

The game was first teased on October 20, 2016 during the reveal trailer for the Nintendo Switch, and released worldwide on July 21, 2017.

Development
Although teased with the reveal of the Switch console, Nintendo did not officially confirm this or any other game showcased in the video as being in development at the time. The title was officially unveiled on January 13th, 2017 at the Nintendo Switch Presentation in Tokyo, Japan and demos were playable at Switch hands on events. A testfire demo was playable March 24–26, 2017.

Story
The events of the story mode take place two years after the completion of the first game's Hero Mode, while Cap'n Cuttlefish is on vacation with Agent 3. Callie and the Great Zapfish have disappeared and Marie recruits the player, designated Agent 4, to storm Octo Canyon in order to search for them. The Squid Sisters Stories mention the snow globe DJ Octavio was imprisoned in is shattered and Cap'n Cuttlefish's shack is smashed. This mode is set in Octo Canyon, a place similar to Octo Valley from the first game.

Gameplay
Like its predecessor, Splatoon 2 is a third-person shooter game focused on online multiplayer battles, in which eight players are divided into two teams of four. Players have two main forms and may switch between the two at will: their humanoid form, in which they can use weapons to spread ink and splatter opponents, and their squid form, which they can use to swim through ink at great speed and up walls, recharge the player's ink tank faster (while in their own ink), and hide in their team's ink. Players can also utilize Sub Weapons, such as Splat Bombs, and Special Weapons, such as Splashdowns.

In the primary game mode, Turf War, players are awarded points based on the amount of turf (ground) they cover in their team's ink— the team that covers the most territory within three minutes wins the match.

Protagonists

 * Inklings
 * Agent 4

Secondary

 * Pearl and Marina
 * Judd and Li'l Judd
 * Murch
 * Sheldon
 * Flow & Craymond
 * Jelfonzo
 * Bisk
 * Crusty Sean

Antagonists

 * Octarians
 * Salmonids
 * DJ Octavio

Modes

 * Octo Canyon
 * Regular Battle
 * Turf War
 * Salmon Run
 * Ranked Battle
 * Splat Zones
 * Tower Control
 * Rainmaker
 * Splatfest Battle
 * League Battle
 * Private Battle

Turf War

 * Inkoming! by Wet Floor (Title track)
 * Rip Entry by Wet Floor
 * Endolphin Surge by Wet Floor
 * Don't Slip! by Wet Floor
 * Undertow by Wet Floor
 * Now or Never! by Wet Floor
 * Ink Another Day by Wet Floor
 * Turf Master by Wet Floor
 * Match Introduction

Splatfest

 * Color Pulse by Off the Hook (Extended Version)
 * Fest Zest by Off the Hook
 * Ebb and Flow by Off the Hook
 * Muck Warfare by Off the Hook
 * Acid Hues by Off the Hook
 * Now or Never! by Off the Hook (Splatfest Version)

Inkopolis Square

 * Tutorial by Wet Floor
 * Character Creation featuring Pearl from Off the Hook
 * News Broadcast by Off the Hook
 * Beat of Inkopolis Square
 * Lobby
 * Online Lobby by Bob Dub
 * Sheldon's Shop
 * Flow's Shop
 * Bisk's Shop
 * Jelfonzo's Shop

Octo Canyon

 * Low Tide
 * The Girl from Inkopolis by Turquoise October
 * Octo Eight-Step by Turquoise October
 * Octarmaments by Turquoise October
 * Buoyant Boogie by Turquoise October
 * Shooting Starfish by Turquoise October
 * Final Boss Music (Part 1)
 * Final Boss Music (Part 2)
 * Final Boss Music (Part 3) (Spicy Calamari Inkantation) by the Squid Sisters
 * Fresh Start (Credits (Staff Roll) by the Squid Sisters

Salmon Run

 * Happy Little Workers by Grizzco Industries
 * Deluge Dirge by ω-3
 * Fishing Frenzy by ω-3
 * Ever Further by Grizzco Industries

Testfire

 * Inkoming! by Wet Floor (Testfire Version)
 * Rip Entry (Testfire Version)
 * Undertow (Testfire Version)
 * Now or Never! (Testfire Version)
 * Tutorial by Wet Floor (Testfire Version)

Changes and Additions
Splatoon 2 features both new and revamped stages, weapons (such as the Splat Dualies), special weapons (such as the Splashdown and Inkjet), and gear items, as well as additional character customization in the form of hairstyles and pants. The game also allows for local multiplayer with up to eight people. Certain elements of the Heads-Up Display have also been revamped, showing the weapons each player has and whether their Special Weapons are ready to be used.

Judd is accompanied by a new cat with a smaller, younger and near-identical appearance to Judd's, named Li'l Judd.

Mode Changes
All ranked modes from the original returned in. All three have been changed in at least one way. The Rainmaker shoots large blaster-like exploding shots instead of a large ink tornado. Splat Zones has a new HUD UI that shows how much of the zone is captured. Tower Control now has checkpoints where the tower stops for approximately 5 seconds.

Salmon Run is a new co-op mode, in which players collect Power Eggs and Golden Eggs by defeating Salmonids in order to complete missions.

League Battle is a new online mode replacing Squad Battle, in which teams of two or four battle other teams to gain points in a two hour period.

Private Battles are now available for Local Multiplayer, and a new feature called LAN Play allows docked Switches to play Private Battles on a LAN without an Internet connection. A spectating mode called Private Battle Spectator View has been added for Private Battles only.

New Main Weapons

 * Clash Blaster
 * Dapple Dualies
 * Splat Dualies
 * Flingza Roller
 * Goo Tuber
 * Splat Brella

New Sub Weapons

 * Autobomb
 * Curling Bomb
 * Toxic Mist

Trivia

 * From July 5, to July 17, 2017 Nintendo of Denmark held a competition with fifteen winners of the prize of four tickets to LEGOLAND valid through the 2017 season. The contestants had to mail in the right answer to the question: "Which colorful shooting-game releases on the 21st July [the same year] for the Nintendo Switch?" and write "Sommerkonkurrence" (summer competition) as the topic to info@bergsala.dk. Three options were given: Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch, Pokkén Tournament DX, or Splatoon 2. The right answer was Splatoon 2. The competition was concluded on the 17th and the winners was contacted through mail.
 * Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo Switch does not exist and Pokkén Tournament DX is scheduled to release September 22, 2017.