Splattershot and Bubbler in Tower Control

I'm about to quit for the night, but notice I am one battle away from being 'On Fire'. I can't leave it there, obviously, so I head back in. But as I have to win the battle to get fiery, I swap to something more reliable than the Custom Blaster that I am using for the first time this evening: the Splattershot Jr. Here we go!

For some reason, I take the same route in Kelp Dome as I did with the Custom Blaster. And for some reason, it is just as effective. I splat the E-litre, get a 'Nice!' from a squidmate (I think it's for me), and regain control of the tower.

I ignore the tower for a bit, because why not, and because my squidmates are being excellent and riding it. Protecting their route ahead is a good use of my Splattershot Jr. They nearly make it too, but are pushed back next to the goal.

Not a problem! The tower gets reset and pushed forwards by our opponents, but we regroup and give it another shot. This time, we make it all the way. Woomy!

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Tags: console, kelp dome, splatoon, splattershot jr, tower control, wii u

Zero-hour knockout in Tower Control

No one jumps on the tower for the first 40 seconds of this battle! Admittedly, I am running around the side getting a couple of pre-emptive splats myself, but in my defence it is also me who first gets on the tower, and then rides it for half the map. And the second splat is really satisfying.

Yeah, sneaking up on any charger from the side is pretty good fun. As is jumping straight towards them and splatting ink right in their faces, to be fair.

Losing sight of the tower and letting the other team take a commanding lead, losing our own advantage, is less pleasant, and a bit disappointing. But we battle on! It's more about the quality of the battle than the result, after all. And splatting that charger on his perch again.

Even sweeter is taking back that lead right as the clock ticks down to end the battle. Better yet, we hit the goal for a knockout victory with a second left! It's like being in a movie.

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Tags: console, custom blaster, kelp dome, splatoon, tower control, wii u

Last minute futility in Tower Control

My goodness, what are my squidmates doing in this battle? The one time I see one riding the tower, he jumps off just as I do, and that's before it resets to the middle position.

I could understand their reluctance to ride the tower if a) they were successfully suppressing the opposition, and b) someone else was riding the tower. But a) they're not, certainly not by the end-of-battle stats, and b) because of this, we can't ride the tower as the other team always has it.

Despite this, we somehow get control of the tower just as the game enters extra time, and also somehow this focusses the team to push forwards. It's all a bit late, though, particularly when trying to beat a lead that is almost a knockout in extra time.

Never mind. I don't have the viewpoints of my squidmates, and it could be that they were trying their best and just outskilled by our opponents. That happens sometimes, and you just have to go with it.

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Tags: console, custom blaster, hammerhead bridge, splatoon, tower control, wii u

What Bubbler? Kelp Dome Tower Control

That first splat is so sweet! I even purposely wait a second longer to get that bit closer. I only notice on review that the charger is aiming at a squidmate, so thankfully that extra second didn't cost our team a splat. But that Luna Blaster is irritatingly better than me. How is this possible, when this is only my fourth battle with a Blaster?

My sneakiness in this battle is countered by inklings not falling for it, mostly. And although I use the Bubbler to start with, I still tend to be a bit oblivious about my special when I need to use it.

More disappointing is how easily we let a fair-sized lead slip out of our suction cups like this. There are probably lessons to be learnt here. I just don't know what they are.

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Tags: console, custom blaster, kelp dome, splatoon, tower control, wii u

Blasting to the goal in Tower Control

I'm kinda getting the hang of the Blaster. It helps to pay attention to the composition of the other team, see two chargers, and understand what they are likely to be doing. Or, perhaps, not doing, which is not look to their sides very often.

Flanking a charger is an effective tactic, but one that is limited by the map. Thankfully, Kelp Dome has some good flanking routes, which I use to my advantage, particularly in combination with the indirect fire of the Blaster.

What I should also use to my advantage is the Bubbler of the Custom Blaster. I clearly forget about it the first time it charges, but thankfully realise the second, maybe because I see another inkling use it. I even use it sensibly, popping the Bubbler a few seconds later than the other, so that his will run out before mine.

I particularly enjoyed the triple splat in this game. Taking down two chargers who are looking the wrong way, by coming along a sneaky route, and then splatting someone trying to clear me off, is quite satisfying, even if I get splatted in the process. I even get my suction cups on the tower as it hits the goal. Woomy!

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Tags: console, custom blaster, kelp dome, splatoon, tower control, wii u

Taking the tower alone in Tower Control

I've recently been facing Blasters in Tower Control and told myself to give them another try. Now's the time! But which Blaster? I suppose the default Blaster is the best newbies Blaster option, but maybe the Custom Blaster for its Bubbler special. That'll do, pig.

A couple of all-too-brief battles end without having been able to give the Blaster a proper try, so I persevere, and I think I may be getting the hang of it. One early splat by proximity blast is what it's all about, and a direct hit after that, ableit a mutual splatting.

We have to deal with a base camper next, which is irritating but I suppose part of the game. Riding the tower and having a Suction Bomb appear has my popping the Bubbler as a precaution, but moving forwards to prevent the kickback actually has the Bubbler evaporate the bomb. Good to know!

I don't know why, but if feels like I'm the only inkling on our team to get on the tower. That puts a bit of pressure on me that I'd rather not have, given that I have a new weapon, and one that's better used at medium range. But if riding the tower is what I must do, I ride the tower. I even stop extra time, which is a satisfying way to end the battle.

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Tags: console, custom blaster, hammerhead bridge, splatoon, tower control, wii u

Losing by a whisker in Tower Control

The temptation to ride the tower is strong, even when I am playing a role that is not best squipped for doing so. I don't mind, though. Being splatted is not the end of the world, even if it is probably best not to.

At leasting gettting closer to the action allows for some good results. The triple-splat is really satisfying, even if I get two of the splats with a Splat Bomb Rush. It's also nice to push a Kraken off the tower, even if the tower is already deep in to our territory.

We make a good recovery and get really close to taking the lead in the final seconds. If I hadn't got distracted by not splatting the Roller trying to flank us, followed by a pitiful Splat Bomb throw, maybe I could have supported the tower a bit better. But we had a good battle, which is the main thing.

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Tags: console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, walleye warehouse, wii u

Charging all the way in Tower Control

Having two chargers on our team makes me more pro-active in moving forwards and not sticking to a perch in this battle of Tower Control. That's not to say I'll perform any better, but I feel it's a better option to take with our team's composition.

I enjoy playing this way, to be honest. At least, when it works. Having the mobility of a shooter with the pwoer and range of a charger is quite powerful, but it is difficult not to put yourself in to silly situations often. This kind of strategy only really works occasionally.

Judging by the results, it seems that our Inkbrush and Slosher squidmates were much more effective than us chargers. I hope we at least played a good support role for them.

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Tags: console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, walleye warehouse, wii u

Pushing back the greens in Tower Control

I'm flitting between weapons this evening, happy with both the Tri-slosher for Tower Control, and the Splatterscope for the maps. It's good to have options too, as it can change the way I play. I still get splatted in silly ways, whatever I do. Jumping on the tower whilst equipped with a charger is one way to do it.

In my defence, we're facing another team that is aggressively controlling our main corridor, even to the detriment of control of the tower, and superjumping seemed like a good way to bypass that hassle. A better way was to splat the aggressive greens and reclaim our turf.

About half-way through the battle I get my mojo working, and get some decent splats with the charger. Accidentally jumping in to the water douses my spirits a little, but the threat of losing the lead gets me focussed again.

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Tags: camp triggerfish, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Skirting the map in Tower Control

Blaster, E-litre 3K, and Splatling on the other team, with my Tri-slosher equipped. I envisage having a hard time, if I try to face them head on. I try to be smarter and sneak around the edges, but the E-litre has moved there already, and is followed up by the Splatling. This is not looking positive.

I keep my spirits up and try to work in the environment to my movement, trying to be where the opposition don't expect me to be. With a dash of rushing headlong in to them still.

I get some good splats when I manage to completely outflank the opposition, using the extra block added for Tower Control, but that does rely on them pushing the tower forwards in to the lead.

But we take control of the tower ourselves, dare I say partly because I take out their long-range support, and snatch the lead from them.

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Tags: console, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, walleye warehouse, wii u