| Reviews
|
| Reviewer, Publication
|
Score
|
Comment
|
| Neal Ronaghan, Nintendo World Report
|
9/10
|
"The multiplayer, regardless of its lack of voice chat or randomized parties, is sublime, successfully making a shooter that is easy to hop into but tough to master. The single-player might be short and linear, but it's a wonderful change of pace from the frenzy of online play. Splatoon also represents a change of pace on a grand scale for Nintendo. This isn't something the company normally does and reinforces the notion that maybe they should keep on trying to make new games and worlds and stop remaking old ones. Hopefully, the game is a success, and they'll see this new direction pay off."
|
| Alex Olney, Nintendo Life
|
9/10
|
"Everything is knitted beautifully and seamlessly together to create what is quite simply some of the most fun you can have online. Having been built specifically for online play it'll face the challenge of avoiding too many hiccups, but conceptually proves that the Big N is capable of keeping up-to-date with this particular modern gaming trend. The single player elements and the local multiplayer also present a way to enjoy the game when you're not geared up for the chaos that comes from fighting others online, and provide a useful reprieve if your internet cuts out. Splatoon is easily the freshest shooter in years and delivers superbly on all fronts; we have an inkling you'll love this."
|
| Jose Otero, IGN
|
8.6/10
|
"Nintendo's take on the third-person shooter is refreshingly original, with lots of impressive tools, skillful mobility, and creative maps to play with. Matches are consistently fun and tense, and the mechanics feel simple and fair enough that almost anyone can contribute positively. Not having voice chat is a bummer, but the great modes and maps feel polished and kept me claiming turf for hours."
|
| Philip Kollar, Polygon
|
8.5/10
|
"As of right now, it's hard to tell if Splatoon's multiplayer will be able to hold the attention of a community for longer than a few weeks. A lot is going to depend on how aggressively Nintendo builds on the existing game and for what price. As of launch, though, Splatoon has enough going for it between the single-player and multiplayer to keep me happy. Nintendo has built two separate gameplay tracks that use the same mechanic yet feel discrete. They're both a ton of fun, and they both have some obvious areas ripe for improvement. I can't say whether Splatoon will become the next big franchise for Nintendo, with sequels every generation and spin-offs and endless fanboy buzz. But after this strong debut, it certainly deserves some attention."
|
| Chris Carter, Destructoid
|
8.5/10
|
"As a shooter it's refreshing, and as a 3D platformer it's up there with some of Nintendo's greatest creations. You'll quickly forget about the fact that you're playing Turf War over and over as you squid down an alley, leap across a gap, and shoot enemies in the air as you fall. All Nintendo needs to do is keep supporting Splatoon, because the foundation is fantastic. Impressive effort with a few noticeable problems holding it back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash."
|
| Ben Moore, GameTrailers
|
8.4/10
|
"Splatoon is a great game that may be outstanding in a few months' time. If Nintendo delivers in a big way with the planned free updates, it could absolutely be a must-have for the system. As it stands, Splatoon is a mechanically solid shooter set in a delightful world, but just doesn't have enough to it to truly make it exceptional."
|
| Mike Minotti, VentureBeat
|
83/100
|
"Splatoon is clever, creative, and fun. The multiplayer is a fun twist on the team-based shooter. However, the single-player campaign is surprisingly the best thing in the game. It offers the kind of quality level design you'd expect from a Mario title, but with a healthy dose of shooter mechanics. The campaign isn't as long as one you'd find in a modern Mario game, and the multiplayer can get stale thanks to a current lack of modes and a bizarre restriction on maps. You might not play Splatoon for months, but you'll definitely enjoy it."
|
| Peter Brown, GameSpot
|
8/10
|
"Nintendo's foray into shooter territory stumbles on occasion, but when I'm swimming through ink, covering environments in neon, and drinking in the quirky city of Inkopolis, I'm far more aware of how unique its mechanics are, and how enjoyable it is to play one match after another. In these moments - which is pretty much anytime I'm playing Splatoon - I forget about the lacking multiplayer features. Online matches are the core of the game, so it may seem weird that it's so easy to overlook things like missing voice chat, but I would be a fool to let missing features get in the way of the readily available joy I feel from simply swimming and shooting."
|
| Dermot Creegan, Hardcore Gamer
|
4/5
|
"Splatoon is all about staying fresh, and despite its lack of content somehow manages to remain just as appealing after twenty hours as it was in its first. Its core gameplay is so unwaveringly solid that it's bound to only become better as more maps, weapons and modes are released in the months after launch, but even now Splatoon might just be Wii U's long-awaited killer app."
|
| Alex Navarro, Giant Bomb
|
4/5
|
"Splatoon is simultaneously proof that Nintendo can still deliver tremendously entertaining experiences outside of its usual wheelhouse, and an example of how even the most leaden genres can be twisted to new and delightfully creative ends. If you own a Wii U, you ought to give Splatoon a shot - or, should I say, splat."
|
| Sam Prell, Digital Trends
|
4/5
|
"Nintendo has committed itself to continual updates for Splatoon, including new maps, weapons and modes. It's not totally unreasonable to hope that the community features might be on their way. For now though, it's a disappointment. At the beginning of this review, I said that Splatoon was Nintendo's way of dipping their toes into the pool of competitive online gaming. And what a dip it is: colorful, fun, unexpected and satisfying. Now if only Nintendo would take off its arm floaties and dive in."
|
| Kirk McKeand, Digital Spy
|
4/5
|
"While Splatoon isn't quite the revelation some were hoping for, it's stupidly fun. The only concern is longevity, with the brief single-player and only two main modes to play online. Whether it retains an audience will depend on the success of post-release support from Nintendo. For now it's a colourful distraction from the grey and brown battlefields of more traditional shooters."
|
| Ryan Bates, GameRevolution
|
8/10
|
"Overall, Splatoon isn't a perfect game, but it's fun. Really, really fun. It's the start of a promising IP for Nintendo, and it's something unique for Wii U as an action-packed shooter that's also still capable of retaining its family-friendly image. It's the '90s paintball craze meets Call of Duty and it's totally da bomb and funky fresh."
|
| Mike Williams, USgamer
|
4/5
|
"Nintendo takes a chance with this odd, risky rethink of the arena shooter. Splatoon moves away from guns and grit, offering a shooter anyone of any age can enjoy. The game's single-player is an absolutely amazing puzzle platformer that deserves some expansion. Multiplayer is a bit light on content at launch, but Nintendo is already promising more this summer."
|
| Mollie L Patterson, EGM
|
8/10
|
"Nintendo's newest cast of characters leaves their mark on the third-person shooter genre in Splatoon, one of the freshest and most exciting competitive multiplayer experiences so far this year. It's just a shame that we'll need to wait a few more months for some of the game's basic functions to be fully implemented."
|
| Brian Shea, Game Informer
|
7.75/10
|
"Splatoon has all the trappings of something fans have wanted from Nintendo for a long time: a unique IP that shows Nintendo can still dream up new experiences. As entertaining as it is fast-paced, Splatoon is a strong addition to the Wii U lineup. My enjoyment of what Splatoon has to offer is only offset by Nintendo's scant offering out of the gate."
|
| Games™
|
7/10
|
"Nintendo is essentially confirming that Splatoon isn't complete at launch. The five maps are great now, but they'll grate if you're playing them over and over again for weeks on end while waiting for new content. What's here is undoubtedly clever and thoroughly entertaining, but it's also limited and given Nintendo's history with new IPs, be prepared for the possibility that its online community may have dwindled by the time the promised DLC makes up the fuller package envisioned."
|
| Steven Burns, VideoGamer.com
|
7/10
|
"Worrying is the amount of content slated for months after launch which really should have been in the main game, such as 4-player teams. It really should be in from the get-go. We'll have to wait until launch to see how it performs out in the world, but so far Splatoon is by turns brilliant and frustrating, a Nintendo classic and a missed opportunity."
|
| David Roberts, GamesRadar+
|
3.5/5
|
"The core gameplay offered is one of the freshest and most exciting things to come out of Nintendo in years. But I can't help but feel like this game should have come out three, maybe six months later, when all of the content is finished and included on the disc. As it stands, there's simply not enough game here on day one to make Splatoon anything more than a weekend curiosity, and there's no telling whether the content coming down the pipeline will be worth sticking around for."
|
| Riley Little, Game Rant
|
3.5/5
|
"Splatoon is a game that will flourish based entirely on the number of continued users it maintains and the prowess of its online system, the latter of which was hit or miss during our pre-release playtest sessions. Still, this unique take on the shooter genre is one that shouldn't be missed by anyone that's looking for something that feels wholly unique, let alone fans of Nintendo. There are certainly short-comings that veteran shooter aficionados will pick up on right away, but the game's willingness to march to the beat of its own drum is admirable and often enjoyable - if not occasionally frustrating."
|
| Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica
|
N/A
|
"We think this game would be a no-brainer if it received substantive changes, including weapon balancing, range increases, more arenas, more modes, quick loadout-swap options, friend matchmaking, and any form of team communication. We know some of those are coming, but we don't know exactly when nor how much. But until any changes come, Nintendo is pre-selling Splatoon at a full price that doesn't yet merit the cost or the level-grinding dedication of an online playerbase."
|
| Martin Robinson, Eurogamer
|
N/A
|
"The daily refresh of stock in the plaza's shops and the drawn-out trickle of generous updates suggests the longer tail of other online games, while the rate of progression and the three-minute fights suggest something pithier, punchier and more poppy. It's those three minutes that really count, though, and it's there you'll find the genius and the joy of Splatoon. It's where you'll find a genre distilled, broken down and reassembled, with each piece snapping perfectly in place. It's where you'll find Nintendo charting new territory, and sharing with you the thrills of their own discovery."
|
| Aggregator
|
| Compiler
|
Score
|
| Metacritic
|
81
|
English
Agent 1's Quotes
Agent 2's Quotes
Shiver's Quotes
Frye's Quotes
Big Man's Quotes
