Kelp Dome

Kelp Dome is a greenhouse-themed multiplayer stage in Splatoon and Splatoon 2.

Kelp Dome is shaped like a large square with rounded edges. It includes a variety of paths and ramps divided by uninkable glass containers, in which various plants grow. A network of grated walkways are also found above the central area and some of its connecting paths, allowing players to ink turf from above. On the ceiling, there is a glass dome that covers the entire round garden.

Layout


Unlike conventional stages like Urchin Underpass and Walleye Warehouse, which have both team's bases at far ends of the stage and players clashing at the midpoint, Kelp Dome is shaped more like a donut. The spawn points are situated on the outer rims, which also envelop the central area. They are located on very high pillars with a large grate extending out from them, and there is a large raised area that players can only reach by dropping down from the spawn point. The large raised area is therefore not accessible to the enemy team. Two paths lead away from the spawn point, one to the left and one to the right, while in Ranked Battle modes there is also a third, direct path leading to the central area through a newly-added metal box. The area behind the spawn point also has a ramp that leads out into the left path.

Going down the left route is a small, square area, with a narrow opening leading into the neutral combat area and a ramp going over the wall and on to the map's network of grates. On the right is an enclosed area with two ramps leading out of it. One connects to the grate passages directly above the central area, while the other is a one-way drop into the corner regions. These two corner regions are where players of both teams meet when they leave their bases without using the grates. It is a simple square area with some simple cover and an inkable wall that allows squids and octopuses to swim up on to the grate network. There is also a wide path leading into the middle region. The grate runs above this path, branching off into either team's inner base.

At the center is a wide-open area that is broken into halves by a tall cylinder in the middle, with two arms extending out from it. The entire structure can be inked so that players can get on to the platform from below. It is also where the grates on either side of the map end, making it yet another way to reach them. Two bumpers are placed in either corner of the area for cover. There is no water, nor an abyss, in this stage.

Ranked Battle terrain


In Ranked Battles, 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 zone is located at the center of the map, surrounding the tall cylinder, and is in the shape of a square. To capture the zone, both the parts on top of and below the tall cylinder must be inked. Inkable blocks have been added just ahead of the spawn point, allowing players to get over the otherwise uninkable glass containers for a shortcut into the center area. In, inkable blocks are added to the left of the spawn point, near the grate network, to get over the uninkable glass containers towards the corner of the dome.

Tower Control
In, the Tower starts on top of the tall cylinder at the center of the map. It moves down and to the right of the tall cylinder, towards the corner of the dome. It then goes straight towards the opposing team's spawn point and finishes right below the inaccessible area of the opposing team. Inkable blocks have been added from the left of the spawn point to get over the uninkable glass containers for a shortcut into the center area. Many small objects in the corners of the dome got removed to make way for the path of the tower.

In Splatoon 2, a new object was added to the left of the center area to provide cover. Checkpoints were also added:


 * The first checkpoint is located just off from the central platform.
 * The second checkpoint is located at the choke point leading into the enemy's spawn area.
 * The third checkpoint is left of enemy's spawn at the middle of the big areas.

Rainmaker
The Rainmaker starts on top of the tall cylinder at the center of the map. The goal is located in front of the spawn point of the opposing team next to the wall. Barriers have been added onto the raised walkways so that players cannot take that walkway right after obtaining the Rainmaker, or attack the opposing team before getting the weapon. Inkable blocks have been added to the left of the spawn point near the grate network to get over the uninkable glass containers towards the corner of the dome. Barriers were also added near the spawn point for cover, but got removed in Splatoon 2.

Clam Blitz
The clam basket is located on the left side of the spawn point near the ramp while the bump of the goal is in front of the spawn point. Inkable blocks were added to the left and right routes from the spawn point to create a raised walkway above the uninkable glass containers, while more were added in the corners of the dome to get cover behind and climb over them.

Splatoon
Kelp Dome was released on 2015-06-11 at July 27, 2024. A modified version of Kelp Dome is playable in Octoling Invasion, an Octo Valley mission.

Splatfests
Kelp Dome was available in the following Splatfests in :


 * Rice vs. Bread
 * Cats vs. Dogs ❌
 * Eating vs. Sleeping
 * Grasshopper vs. Ant
 * Singing vs. Dancing
 * Cars vs. Planes
 * Mountain Food vs. Sea Food
 * Delicious vs. Disgusting
 * Past vs. Future
 * Tuna Mayonnaise Onigiri vs. Red Salmon Onigiri
 * Callie vs. Marie

Splatoon 2
Kelp Dome was released on 2017-09-16 at July 27, 2024. Returning from the first game, Kelp Dome changed very slightly to feature extra grates and turf.

Version 1.3.0 to 4.3.1
Kelp Dome appears relatively unchanged to its appearance in, but some changes made include expansions to the grated walkways to the side of the stage, a ramp in front of the base, and some small boxes added as obstacles.

Version 4.4.0 onwards
Kelp Dome underwent renovation, small changes in each mode to prevent camping.


 * Terrain adjustments made in all modes.
 * Changed specific terrain in Splat Zones mode.
 * Added a slope to the box-shaped feature directly in front of the spawn points.
 * Changed specific terrain in Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz Ranked Battle modes.
 * Changed terrain to the left of the spawn points.
 * Added a second bump to the basket in Clam Blitz.

Trivia

 * A sunset variant of this map exists in Octo Valley in the mission Octoling Invasion.
 * This was the only way to play on Kelp Dome before the map was added on 2015-06-11.
 * Regarding the Squid Sisters' conversation where Callie states that ink is good for plants, Marie responds with "seems legit", an Internet meme used sarcastically by people who do not believe a claim to be true. In reality, cephalopod ink does not contain any compounds that significantly affect plants one way or the other. However, coated leaves may be unable to photosynthesize, making ink potentially bad for plants.
 * When Super Jumping, the glass dome disappears for a brief period.
 * Right before a match ends or Overtime begins, wind chimes can be heard.
 * Kelp Dome, Walleye Warehouse, Ancho-V Games, Musselforge Fitness, Humpback Pump Track, MakoMart, Shellendorf Institute and Goby Arena are the only stages that are not located outdoors.
 * Dialogue for this stage with Off the Hook shows that Marina asked Pearl one time if the Kelp Dome grows wasabi, a reference to how DJ Octavio uses wasabi stalks during the battle with him in both games' single-player modes.
 * According to The Art of Splatoon, the owner of Kelp Dome is called Grammie. The facility mainly grows fruits and vegetables, where fruits have become popular among Inklings in recent years.
 * The internal codename for this stage in the game files is "Maze".
 * The image for this stage depicts an inkable block of turf between spawn and center that is only visible in Splat Zones, Tower Control, and Rainmaker. This block, however, is not seen in Turf War, which the stage image represents.
 * When players jump very close to a wall, at max jump height, they are able to toss a Curling Bomb over the walls.

Etymology
Kelp Dome is derived from the nouns 'kelp' and 'dome'. Kelp is a large brown algae seaweed and a dome is an architectural element that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere.

モズク農園 Mozuku Nōen is derived from 'Mozuku' and 'plantation'. Mozuku is a type of edible seaweed and a plantation is a field to grow crops.