Shenanigans in Tower Control (16-7, Tri-slosher)

Straight down the middle at the start of this Tower Control battle. Lob a Disruptor over the top, and head down the side. Or get a Blaster to the back of the head.

My next push goes much better. I absorb a blaster shot, and go on a mini-rampage in to the green turf. I surprise one inkling, not expecting me to come from that direction, but the other is too far away to be affected by my bucket. The Tower slows him down, though, and I splat him, avoid a mine, and ride the Tower for a bit myself.

Once more, I'm stopped by running in to Blaster ink. I'll learn one day. But we have a good lead. Maybe enough. I squid around the side to flank the Tower, but run in to lots of green ink. I try not to make that mistake again, and approach when the situation looks better. It's not better for long.

I somehow survive being covered in green ink. It seems like a good idea at this point to ink over the green team's flanking route, which also helps me surprise the Blaster, and help regain control of the Tower, just in time.

More Blaster trouble ensues, as we trade splats here and there. It's okay, though, as my squidmates push the Tower, keeping it out of green tentacles for a bit longer. And my favourite moment occurs after I spy two green inklings trying to flank us. I wait and watch, and spring out to splat them both by surprise! I'm sure they like it just as much as me.

The Blaster gets the last laugh, though. I try to squid away from her shots, but in the wrong direction and without much luck. I'm splatted far from home. But my squidmates take control of the Tower for the victory. Woomy!

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

They're getting wise to me in Tower Control (17-6, Blaster)

Lots of chargers, two on each team. Good for Tower Control on Walleye Warehouse, and hopefully good for my prospects for flanking and getting behind them. I can do it with a bucket, but can I do it with a Blaster?

Apparently I can. I'm a bit slowed with the Blaster, but I get around the back pretty easily. I suppose everyone's focussing on the Tower, which is perhaps what I should be doing too. But I get some splats, which helps relieve the pressure from the Tower. I still need to watch my range, though, as it's not as long as I keep thinking.

I think I tip my hand a little when I squid up the inkable block to get to the green team's side corridor so soon after splatting an inkling. They'll know I'm going that way. Maybe they will, but it seems the two chargers won't. Two more splats for me.

Thankfully, my antics aren't causing a problem for my team either, as we have pushed the Tower in to a good lead. Maybe I'm even helping! But there are only so many times I can sneak down the side before the other team's inklings get wise to me.

I get splatted by a waiting inkling, albeit after splatting one of them. I am spotted by a charger, and even though it's only one, one is enough. On top of that, my route is giving the other team ideas! I stop the inkling trying my tactic, at least.

A bit more tit-for-tat has my movement happen across some staggered super-jumping inklings, just right for a couple of splats! I don't get the third, but as it looks like the Tower is getting away from us I don't pursue her too hard. But we get the Tower back, so I return to help chase her away.

Maybe my flanking routes are stale by the end of the battle, but just getting half-way helps. We head in to extra time, and I get three splats in a row to help wrench control of the Tower away from the green team. It's been a brilliant battle with the Blaster!

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

Getting a few shots in during Tower Control (7-4, Splatterscope)

I eschew the side route to get up on the wall, hoping that my Splatterscope could be put to better use right down the centre. Not really, not to start with, although maybe the Splat Bomb lobbed over the top helped a little.

We take control of the Tower and push it forwards, and I move up to provide support. I'm just a little late. And a little short, when trying to re-take control of the Tower.

I take the side route this time, and it doesn't really help. My squidmates have pushed the Tower up, and I am far behind. At least when the Tower trundles back this time, I actually manage to do something, with the purple charger looking in the wrong direction. I'm glad I didn't miss so easy a shot.

And talking of close shots, a reaction shot bags me a lucky double-splat, which is very handy, given what a mess I was about to get in to. That lets us push the Tower a bit more, although I seem to lose track of what's happening a bit easily.

A charger stand-off is interrupted by a Splash Wall and, ultimately, a pair of Krakens. Thankfully, the ink is my friend this time, and I can wait them out. I cover their trails and get, well, not really back to the action. The action comes back to me, though, and I am given another sitter with the charger on the Tower.

If only I could get all the easy shots. A bit of futile shooting somehow puts me in the right place to bag another pair of splats, but I tense up and miss. That's a bit poor. And although that is followed by not quite dodging the Kraken, at least I get my ink revenge.

It's good that my squidmates have kept the Tower moving. That puts less pressure on my poor aim. I even give the Tower a shove myself, but accidentally, as I desperately get out of the way of a Killer Wail. It's a temporary solution, as I just dive in to purple ink. Never mind, it's a victory for us!

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

Trying out the N-ZAP '89 in Splat Zones (10-8, N-ZAP '89)

I've got an itch to try a different weapon. The N-ZAP '89 looks good, and its range has often proved effective against me. I show that the range works for me too, as I splat the charger who has disappeared from his perch. But having good range means you don't have to get close, which I immediately forget.

I've had a bit of use with the Sprinkler from the Kelp Splatterscope, so I occasionally remember to use it, as it can be useful in Splat Zones, even if just as a distraction. The Inkstrike should prove useful too, if I can launch it safely.

Half meaning it, half without meaning it, I splat the charger quite a bit. That's okay with me. I also show a bit of sense in backing away from the Inkzooka, at least the first time. To top off the good battle I'm having, I even get a splat with the Sprinkler.

The N-ZAP '89 is a pretty good weapon, and I'm sure I can use it more. Maybe even to help win a battle.

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Tags: console, n-zap '89, piranha pit, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Buckets of splats in Tower Control (15-8, Tri-slosher)

The bucket's working well for me. I am getting splats, which helps out the team, and makes me feel like I know what I'm doing. Maybe one day I can feel that way regularly with the Splatterscope.

I hope that the early clutch of splats is an indication of the battle to come, and it could be, if I stop running in to Seekers. As usual, I prefer the less direct routes to the action, and half the time to make my own action. But I don't entirely ignore the Tower either.

Taking different routes also lets me spot and inkling looking to lie in wait and cause some disruption. I head the long way around to get above them, and slosh an inky first strike from above. That will help keep our charger safe.

The moving platforms are a really neat idea, well implemented, but I don't half feel a bit silly when having to squid around one as it keeps moving up, showing me another ink-resistant surface. But moving and manoeuvring is vital.

When the yellow team push the Tower a bit close, I use the side route to get above and behind them, which turns out to just as helpful as before, and I get to ride the Tower back towards the centre, now with my Bubbler charged. It's just a shame that my reactions to pop the Bubbler are nowhere near as quick as a Carbon Roller's flick.

With the yellow team back in charge of the Tower, I take the long route again to get behind them, which again works out well. I am squidding in ink just as two inklings try to flank us. I splat them both at once, although I don't realise I bagged the Roller too, and slosh a little longer, just in case.

One last push in to yellow territory, thankfully as my squidmates regain control of the Tower, and I somehow survive to see the Tower trundle past to me as the battle ends in our favour. Woomy!

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Tags: ancho-v games, console, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Turning it around on Tower Control (16-9, Tri-slosher)

Time to bring out the bucket so that I can restore some dignity to my inkling. That's the plan, but the laggy feel to some of these splats isn't helping me feel in control. But I do what I can, which after that first splat means getting inky revenge.

Going behind teal lines is invigorating, even if my Bubbler can't protect me forever. Flanking the opposition also works well when they are in control of the Tower, and I quite like the route I found in an earlier game. Not bad for sloshing from above, but also effective in dropping down behind the Tower.

Sadly, what follows is a sequence of my being splatted whilst being almost entirely ineffective. It's all a bit demoralising. And I only contribute to the first splat after that unfortunate period, not getting the final inking. But that's okay, as it perks up my inkling and we get some good splats on our own.

We still have a long way to push the Tower to get anywhere close to a victory, though. I think I'll just be happy to get some decent splats and feel like I am contributing. And I do get some decent splats, and those help my squidmates push the Tower to take the lead! Woomy!

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Tags: ancho-v games, console, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Riding the tower in Tower Control (5-2, Splatterscope)

I'm really not that good with a charger, which I am proving tonight in A+ Rank Tower Control. Or perhaps other players are just much better than me, if there's a difference. Still, I need the practice, and don't want to rush back up to S Rank until I'm better, so a few losses here and there are fine.

I've had my few losses, and I still suck as a charger, but I can still contribute in my own way. For this battle, I decide that riding the Tower is a jolly good idea. I think it works too, even if I'm rarely at optimal Splatterscope range.

Avoiding the yellow Kraken was a good move, although I admit that I panicked a little when I didn't quickly notice that it was a purple one that jumped up next. Avoiding the Killer Wail was a good move too.

I've mentioned before that controlling the turf is important in all battle modes, but one yellow inkling is taking it a bit literally, and is just trying to be a pain. I suppose it makes sense, in that if we are dealing with the turf we are not dealing with the Tower, and I can't really argue against it. It doesn't stop it being a little frustrating.

When my aim lets me down against the lone inkling, I realise that I'm not helping, and dart away. That does the trick! Two splats, one a bit lucky, as I was aiming at the Sprinkler, and my squidmates have dealt with the lone inkling. Back to the Tower!

We get it further this time, and I use my Splat Bombs to good effect. And although it takes me a while to realise, I activate my Splat Bomb Rush to help too. I honestly think that I get splatted during the Rush, and am somewhat surprised to see my inkling self still standing on the Tower.

I get knocked off, but my squidmates get back on again. I think maybe my 'Nice!' is once again badly timed, but they've got it all under control.

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Tags: ancho-v games, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

A few more splats in S Rank Splat Zones (7-6, Kelp Splatterscope)

One last battle in S Rank where I get more than a couple of splats, and leave with my dignity. I am pretty aggressive to start with, pushing right across to the other side of the map.

I get distracted by what I thought was an inkling, but is just a light fitting, then do what I'm there for. Splat the charger from behind. That may be as good as it's going to get, so I relish the moment.

I keep an eye out for the charger to come up behind me and, sure enough, here she comes. We miss our first shots, and I dodge out of the way of the second, and then am splatted by the shot that missed me.

Being matched with players dedicated to stay up beyond 1 am when I am a casual, early-evening player is frustrating in itself. Also potentially suffering from lag as a result from that is demoralising. But there's not much I can do but try my best.

I get a couple of good splats, at least. One charger peaks a little bit too much from behind a corner, and my reactions work well when a squid jumps my way. I even pick off a squid I see ducking in to ink. That is a moment before I get hit by what looks like another laggy shot, though.

Apart from those few moments, I just have to accept that I'm out of my league.

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Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, kelp splatterscope, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Getting some splats at least in Splat Zones (8-7, Kelp Splatterscope)

That other charger is splatting my cloaca, and barely giving me time to aim a shot. The battles so far have my getting maybe one splat, and being splatted a whole lot more. It's kinda depressing.

At least in this battle I get a few more splats, which I can be pleased with, even if I also get splatted just as much. Getting splatted by the charger is frustrating, but perhaps less so than missing the Splatling I manage to outflank.

Actually, being splatted from nowhere by the other charger is probably more frustrating. I just don't have that level of skill. Particularly when she is scoping and still picks me off squidding through ink. Bleh.

Still, I splat her by out-manoeuvring her at one point, which makes me feel good. A small victory.

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Tags: console, kelp dome, kelp splatterscope, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Not a bad first Splat Zones in S Rank (3-1, Kelp Splatterscope)

I'm tempting fate by switching the Splatterscope for my S Rank battles. I'm tempting fate to kick me straight back down to A+, with my blessing. Instead, it inspires me to take a route new to me on Hammerhead Bridge, and get an early splat.

I probably shouldn't have pushed so far forwards, and my getting splatted was almost inevitable at that range. I make a note of that and try to stay better situated. It at least lets me notice an inkling coming my way.

My squidmates have the Splat Zones controlled, and I am behind them not under much threat. That works to get us a decent victory, and half-decent first battle for me in S Rank.

After that, it all goes a bit tits-up. A much better Splatterscope than me gets in the lobby and barely gives me a chance to aim, reducing me to a puddle of ink for seven battles in a row. I'm still nowhere near good enough to be in S Rank.

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Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, kelp splatterscope, splat zones, splatoon, wii u