Inkblot Art Academy

Inkblot Art Academy is a multiplayer stage in Splatoon 2. It takes place in the lot between two school buildings, including a small park, parking lot, and campus pond.

Layout


Inkblot Art Academy features two elevated areas by the spawn points that lead into the central area of the stage. There are water hazards on the side of the stage and two hand-shaped statues that players can jump atop of.

The spawn point is set at the highest point and far edges of the stage by the streets surrounding the school. Going to the right leads to the greater portion of the stage while going forwards leads to a narrow alleyway which drops down to one of the side gardens. The stage features many different levels and elevations, with the area closest to the spawn point taking place between buildings. In front of the building after leaving the spawn is a lot with a clam statue, which can be accessed from on top of the building. The only way to access this lot normally is from an uninkable ramp behind a wall to the corresponding team's right side. Beyond each team's statue lot is the main plaza, which is a flat battle area with the main obstacle being the tall display at the center of the map which can be climbed on. To each team's left is a ramp leading to the lower garden which possesses a tree and a block as obstacles. When in the opposing team's statue lot, there is a single wall on a building which can be inked to reach up and into the team's spawn area.

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 Splat Zone is located at the center of the stage. Both the area on the ground level and the top of the display case count towards the zone. The only change made to the stage is the inclusion of a single inkable block in the lower lot, creating an additional means of getting to the center of the stage.

Tower Control
The Tower is located at the center of the stage in place of the display case. Two large inkable layered blocks have been added in the center of the stage to both provide coverage and a vantage point. Additional ramps have been added in the lower lot for easier access back to the center as well as two more prominent ramps in each team's statue lot, which allow much easier access into each team's spawn areas. A block has been added to allowing another path into the opposing team's statue lot, as well as another on the left going up the building. The Tower travels left around the wall, up the ramp into the opposing team's statue lot before going across the entire thing and finishing by going up the ramp and stopping in the parking lot in front of the spawn point.

Checkpoints:


 * The first checkpoint is located between the wall in front of each team's uninkable ramp and the new block.
 * The second checkpoint is located in the opposing team's statue lot.
 * The third checkpoint is right before the ramp leading toward the goal.

Rainmaker
The Rainmaker is located at the center of the stage in place of the display case. The goal is located in the parking lot in front of the opposing team's spawn point. Much of the map is similar to Tower Control, as the large blocks in the center of the stage are present as well as all the ramps. The additional block that allows access to the opposing team's statue lot is removed but another inkable wall is added by the ramp in front of the uninkable ramp.

Clam Blitz
The basket on this stage is located at the far back of the opposing team's statue lot. The map is fairly unchanged from Tower Control except for the removal of the large ramps that allow easy access into the opposing team's spawn area. The platform block allowing a quick root into the statue lot has been expanded.

Trivia

 * The stage name is a reference to Rorschach tests, a psychological test that involves showing the subject an inkblot and recording their perceptions.
 * During a Splatfest, the phones could be heard ringing periodically, followed by odd noises sounding like Inklings. They also sound similar to those of the Squid Beakon.
 * The internal codename for this stage in the game files is "Upland".
 * It is said by Pearl that her and Marina's outfits are designed by a graduate of Inkblot Art Academy, whereupon Marina wonders if she wrote her thesis on "ridiculously large zippers".
 * Off the Hook has performed during Inkblot's music festival, during which Pearl broke several sculptures when she started a mosh pit.
 * Pearl mentions that the salad in the cafeteria here is all-you-can-eat.
 * Inkblot is said to be one of Off the Hook's sponsors.
 * The early name of this stage was "Silversea Art Academy".