Starfish Mainstage

Starfish Mainstage is a multiplayer stage in Splatoon 2. It is based on a concert stage with a set of higher platforms surrounding it.

Layout

Starfish Mainstage overview prior to version 2.1.0.

The stage contains a concert stage located at the center with mosh pits in front and behind it. The main focal point is the raised concert stage at the center of the map which is fairly open, barring a few blocks for coverage. The mainstage has tall inkable vantage points located on each team's right which towers above the center stage. Narrow paths or grates and jumpable gaps line the outer wall of the stage, which allows flanking. The spawn points are located at opposing ends on two levels of raised platforms, dropping from here gives access to three paths, right and up to a high ground over the right side of the map, left down a corridor giving access to the left, or straight down into a lowest plaza straight into accessible area. A large block only inkable from the player's team's side is located in front of spawn, to give a not easily accessible vantage point for the team.

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 very center of the map on top of the stage. The left side of spawn has been extended to make for a vantage point and make it easier to control the zone from far. Other than that, the map has been unchanged.

Tower Control

The Tower is located at the center of the map's center stage. The Tower travels forward, then towards the right down the ramp, moves forward a bit then progresses to the left in front of the structures, then travels forward and to the right again into the opponents' mosh pit then goes forward towards the goal. Inkrails have been added to get into the action quicker. The sponge has been removed, and a new ramp has been added to the right, as well as a second inkable structure and the removal of the glass structure present near the taller, inkable one. To the right of spawn, there are less walls, the blocks are uninkable, and there is a grate on the left. To the left of spawn, the grates have been extended to provide a bigger vantage point.

In Splatoon 2, checkpoints have been added:
Checkpoint	Location	Timer (Seconds)	Progress amount
			Before	After	Total
1	The first checkpoint is located in front of one of the enemy's tall inkable structure.	7	87	75	12
2	The second checkpoint is located towards the right of the enemy's spawn where the glass structure was.	5	49	41	8
3	The third checkpoint is located in the mosh pit right before the goal.	5	22	14	8

Rainmaker

The Rainmaker is located at the center of the mainstage. The goal is located on the layer right above the lower plaza by each team's base. Inkrails have been added to get to the action quicker. A ramp has been added in the plaza to make it accessible. The same ramp towards the right, second tall structure, and removal of the glass structure from Tower Control are present in this mode. To the right of spawn, there is a little bit of extra turf and grates have been added to provide more space for each team. The left of spawn looks the same as Splat Zones.

Clam Blitz

The baskets are located in the low plazas by each team's base. Inkrails have been added to get to the action quicker. While the glass structure is still present, the objects on it have been adjusted slightly to make it more accessible. To the right of spawn, a glass wall has been added to prevent the enemy team from accessing your spawn. The inkable block has been shortened, and tiny walls have been added to the side of the shortened block. The left of the map looks the same in Splat Zones and Rainmaker, and the sponge has been removed.

Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2​

Starfish Mainstage

Added in	Initial Release (1.0.0)
Total area	2,320p
Features	Sponges(TW, SZ) and Inkrails(TC, RM, CB)
Hazards	Water, Abyss

Starfish Mainstage was released with launch of Splatoon 2.

Version 1.0.0 to 3.2.2

In this version, the area toward each team's base was significantly smaller, the lowest point of the map was only confined to a small portion with two lower paths interrupted by the block on each side. The path to each team's right compacted the area much more and had more walls. The area in front of the spawn point inaccessible by the opposing team was also much smaller, near the middle to the right, there was a sponge.

Version 4.0.0 onwards

The image released by Squid Research Lab announcing changes to Starfish Mainstage.

On 29 August 2018, the official Splatoon Tumblr announced that Starfish Mainstage would be undergoing maintenance on 1 September 2018, getting a similar treatment as Urchin Underpass did in Splatoon. They released an image showing the original map scribbled on, allowing fans to see what about the stage would be changed. Many features were altered, including:

• An expansion to the area around the spawn point.
• Addition of new terrain on each team's side.

On 14 September 2018, Starfish Mainstage returned after it had been closed for reconstruction.

Octo Expansion

Sweet Ride Station, a mission in the Octo Expansion.

Main article: Sweet Ride Station

In the Octo Expansion, H03 Sweet Ride Station takes place on this stage, where the player has to push the Tower from their side all the way to the enemy side against a team of sanitized Octolings. The player has five minutes to complete the objective. The layout for this mission is the release 2017 Tower Control layout.

Version history

Version	Adjustments
1.2.0	Fixed an issue occurring in Starfish Mainstage where specific areas would not appear to be inked on the turf map after they had been inked during play.
2.0.0	Fixed an issue during Rainmaker causing sloped surfaces in the Splat Zone area on Starfish Mainstage to not display as having been inked on the Turf Map.
2.1.0	Changed terrain in all modes. Adjusted placement of objects near the center of the map, and reduced obstacles. Added a slope going up to the stage. Adjusted placement of other miscellaneous objects.
2.2.0	Fixed an issue on Starfish Mainstage in which, when certain walls are hit by ink, the ink would not show up correctly. Fixed an issue on Starfish Mainstage in Turf War in which players could get points for inking a portion of un-inkable floor.
3.0.0	Fixed an issue in Starfish Mainstage where placement of obstacles could be slightly off causing slight asymmetry between the two sides of the map.
3.1.0	Fixed an issue in Starfish Mainstage preventing bombs thrown onto the sloped walkways on the sides of the stage from being inked when hit.
4.0.0	Entire map has been renovated, adding extra turf at both sides of the map near the spawn points, adding more ramps and different pathways. Changed terrain in all modes. Added an Inkrail to the right of the spawn area in Tower Control, Rainmaker and Clam Blitz. Extra ramps will appear to the sides of the map when playing on all ranked modes except for Tower Control. The shape of the zones in Splat Zones has been changed. The tower's traveling path in Tower Control has been changed completely. The Rainmaker podium has been moved back significantly. The Clam Basket has also been moved back.
4.1.0	Fixed an issue causing player movement to become slowed slightly when moving across a specific slope near the spawn points.
4.2.0	Fixed an issue causing certain animations not to display correctly when viewed through the semi-transparent walls near the spawn points. Fixed an issue causing players to clip into the stage terrain when super jumping to an ally standing at a specific point near the edge of the stage and the spawn points.
5.0.1	Fixed an issue allowing players to gain access to the opponent's base via a specific grate when jumping while pressing and holding to ink continuously with the Inkbrush or Octobrush.
5.2.2	Fixed an issue in which players could invade the opposing team's base if they jumped at the right time on top of a certain part of chain-link fencing.
5.4.0	Fixed an issue in which it was possible to enter the opposing team's base by jumping from certain walls.

Maps

• 

  Turf War

• 

  Splat Zones

• 

  Tower Control

• 

  Rainmaker

• 

  Clam Blitz

Old: version 2.1.0 to 3.2.2

• 

  Turf War

• 

  Splat Zones

• 

  Tower Control

• 

  Rainmaker

• 

  Clam Blitz

Gallery

• 

  A wide view of a prototype layout Starfish Mainstage. This was changed before release.

• 

  Two Inklings at prototype Starfish Mainstage.

• 

  Inklings battling at a prototype version of Starfish Mainstage.

• 
• 

  The stage after changes were made in version 2.1.0.

• 

  The pit area after the version 2.1.0 changes.

• 

  A guitar at Starfish Mainstage modeled after an Inkling.

• 

  A Tower Control match going on in the old layout of Starfish Mainstage.

• 

  Reconstructed Starfish Mainstage.

• 

  Version 4.0.0 Starfish Mainstage during a Splatfest.

• 

  Turf War (Splatfest) icon for Starfish Mainstage.

• 

  Early image of Starfish Mainstage.

• 

  Two logos that resemble the ones of the bands AC DC and Metallica.

Quotes

View the quotation page.

Trivia

• Starfish Mainstage is depicted on the cover of Splatoon 2.
• During the initial trailers for Splatoon 2, the stage was shown taking place during the evening instead of midday.
• According to Marina, Starfish Mainstage is just a short train ride away from Inkopolis Square.
• The early name of this stage was "Starfish Soundstage".
• Starfish Mainstage is one of four multiplayer stages to appear in the Octo Expansion, alongside Snapper Canal, Port Mackerel, and Manta Maria.

Etymology

Starfish Mainstage is named after the starfish.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ガンガゼ野外音楽堂 Gangaze Yagai Ongaku-dō	Longspine Urchin Open-Air Concert Hall
Dutch	Zeesterrenstage	Starfish stage
French	Scène Sirène	Siren Scene
German	Seeigel-Rockbühne	Urchin Rock Stage
Italian	Palco Plancton	Plankton Stage
Russian	КЗ «Иглокожий» KZ «Iglokozhiy»	Concert Hall «Echinoderm»
Spanish	Auditorio Erizo	Sea urchin Auditorium
Internal	Venue

References

• @SplatoonJP on Twitter
• Diadema Amphitheater Stage Reveals for Splatoon 2 by Nintendo Everything
• @SplatoonUS on Tumbkr