Trying a Roller in Splat Zones (7-10, Splat Roller)

I've been splatted by Carbon Rollers quite a lot recently, and I was reluctant to say how powerful they seem before I took time to use one to see for myself. So I used one, and it does take some skill. The splash from the flick is really small, so you need to be close and accurate to get a splat. Kudos to Carbon Rollers.

Rather than persevering with a Carbon Roller I go back a level to the Splat Roller, hoping to get used to Rollers again before going for the more advanced version. I used to play Rollers, right back when Splatoon was released, but moved off them. I don't think I've forgotten how to use them, but more that their use has moved on from my experience.

The first thing I notice is how much slower the Splat Roller is than its Carbon variant. Only to be expected, I suppose. But at least flicking sends a fair amount of ink around, and, in particular, up walls. I even get an early splat by flicking ink, now the preferred way to get splats instead of rolling over opponents.

I've used the Killer Wail before, but not for a while, and I keep getting confused as to how to activate it once aimed. I find the right button eventually, but it takes a while. The other team don't have that problem, and just get me in a cross-fire of Wails. Not much I can do about that.

I get more splats, which is good, but am splatted more than I splat. That's okay, and I expect my rank to drop as I practice a new weapon. I also need to work on the jump-flick, which I know about but don't quite manage to remember in the heat of battle.

I also told myself that, pushing a Roller, I wouldn't need the ink-resistance boots. Yeah, the way I roll, maybe I do. Also, I love the way my ears flap as I run.

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Trying a Roller in Splat Zones (7-10, Splat Roller)
Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, splat roller, splat zones, splatoon, wii u

Manic museum Tower Control (11-10, Tri-slosher)

Not inking the side of the wall at the start of the battle turned out to be quite good, as the inkling coming that way abandoned the route to dip down. I see that, follow, and bag myself a couple of splats.

We take control of the Tower, which gives me a good opportunity to hang around on the opponents' side of the map, making a pest of myself. This lasts until the Slosher shows me what a proper bucket can do, outranging my smaller bucket, even when I have gravity on my side.

Eventually, we lose the turf, and the Tower. That shouldn't be a problem, we'll just get it back. Or maybe the teal team will push it far enough to take the lead. We should be able to get the lead back, but I start making mistakes.

It didn't need me to slosh at the super-jump ring, not with a squidmate in a better position doing so. And rather than try to flank and approach from an unexpected angle, I rush straight towards the tower, and straight in to a stream of inky projectiles.

When we finally get the Tower moving in the right direction again, it is a bit foolish to cram three inklings on to the it when a Blaster is aiming at us. It is kinda funny to see four inklings explode at once, though.

Despite all this, it was a really fun battle, one I very much enjoyed. Woomy!

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Manic museum Tower Control (11-10, Tri-slosher)
Tags: console, museum d'alfonsino, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Running amok on Moray Towers Tower Control (9-0, Tri-slosher)

I've been waiting for Moray Towers to pop up. I played an extra couple of battles on Piranha Pit because of that, not that I minded. I got a tonne of splats in those battles too, and had a lot of fun. But let's see if I can manoeuvre my way around the Towers as effectively.

Seeing the Heavy Splatling, I squid as quickly as possible to the other side of the Towers and sneak around the side to catch her out. But before I do, another inkling catches my eye. He doesn't catch my bucket, sadly. That is, until he pauses having not noticed me. Sorry.

I'd better not get carried away, though, as the Tower is already trundling along our side of the map. But with a bit of luck, both in avoiding the Slosher and not falling off the Tower, we get on to a positive position.

Back to being where I shouldn't, and this time I have team support! The E-litre inks me a path up the wall (thanks, E-litre!), and a squidmate is up here with me to frustrate the yellow inklings. Sorry again.

Before I know it, the Tower has reached its goal, just a moment before I can hit the 'Nice!' button. I even keep a clean sheet. The only unfortunate point is that it looks like the Splatling disappeared in a puff of smoke around the four-minute mark.

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Running amok on Moray Towers Tower Control (9-0, Tri-slosher)
Tags: console, moray towers, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Making myself a nuisance to no avail in Tower Control (19-9, Tri-slosher)

Still no Moray Towers appearing for me. I can stick it out a little longer, as my Tri-slosher is giving me a whole load of fun. Yes, even when I run headlong in to a splat first thing in the battle. That's a habit I should get out of, really.

Another poor habit is running directly at Dynamo Rollers, like I have never seen one before and don't know how they work. Still, after a few dodgy splats at the start, and running out of ink, I start to get in to a groove. Good thing too, as we lose our lead.

I get back in to a rhythm of going the opposite direction to the Tower. Often a bad decision, but in the tight confines of Piranha Pit often serves to be unexpected, with the focus on the movement of the Tower.

Okay, it's a bit of a dick move to press so high to the opponents' base, and even though I leave fairly soon I had already outstayed my welcome. Even worse, the Tower is under green control and heading the wrong way.

I stick with my plan of moving the opposite way around the Pit, and think that this time it may give me the drop on an Inkzooka. Not quite, but I'm calling that a victory for me. Unlike the battle itself, where the Tower trundles to the goal as the timer expires, finishing its tinkling tune.

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Making myself a nuisance to no avail in Tower Control (19-9, Tri-slosher)
Tags: console, piranha pit, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Getting it together in Tower Control (13-10, Tri-slosher)

No charger on the other team, so I slow down my start to get more charge in to my Special. That's the plan, but blue splat from above has other ideas for me.

Trying to stop the Towers blue progress has a run-in with the Wasabi Splattershot. I'll get to know that squid quite a lot during this battle, and rarely on the positive end of an encounter.

Having our base's conveyer belt entirely blue will be an impediment, and it looks like we're losing the turf war, and so control over the Tower. Never the less, some squids better than me grab the Tower and don't let go.

I try to contribute the best way I know how, which is to run around and slosh ink everywhere, hopefully hitting some squids. And I do, quite a few of them. I even try to protect our charger, because I know they like that.

But the other inklings that like protection are those on the Tower. I refocus my attention to where the Tower is and where the blue inklings are around the Tower. I think it helps.

I even jump on to the Tower, in a way that really does look like I am stealing the glory, particularly as one inkling takes a splat for me. But I don't bail out at the first sign of blue ink, and ride the Tower to the goal. For the team. Woomy!

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Getting it together in Tower Control (13-10, Tri-slosher)
Tags: console, piranha pit, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Causing trouble in Tower Control (16-7, Tri-slosher)

I'm having that E-litre 3K. I squid hard to the ramp, and squid up and over to, well, see the E-litre is not where I expect him to be. He hasn't spotted me though, so a quick Disruptor, well-aimed this time, and a bit of persistence bags me my splat.

I doubt that will be my first run-in with the E-litre, but there are other squids too. And a Tower. Somewhere. I'm sure my team are taking care of that. Hey, there's the E-litre again! And again!

But I can't just focus on splats, not when the Tower is resetting. I try to be good and bring it back, which I do. I even pop my Bubbler to ride out the Killer Wail a little. But the E-litre 3K is actually a threat, so disembark to take care of him again.

The Tower disappears without me, having been splatted. The green team have a good go at pushing it forwards this time, and although they make decent progress we recover the Tower. This lets me be aggressive in their turf again.

Having confidence in my squidmates, I press high and keep the green inklings occupied. We make some excellent progress, and I get a fun double-splat. Another sighting of the E-litre has my realising the short range of the Tri-slosher and attempting the popular jump manoeuvre to overcome this. I'm not very good.

The E-litre turns in to a Kraken, and I somehow get away. But I do this by backing in to a Killer Wail. Not a good move. Still, the battle's almost over, and it's effectively won. Good battling, team!

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Causing trouble in Tower Control (16-7, Tri-slosher)
Tags: console, piranha pit, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

Splats but little progress in Tower Control (15-8, Tri-slosher)

Splat Zones didn't go so well for me this evening. But the session changes, and we have Tower Control battles on Piranha Pit and Moray Towers. Time to have some fun with the Tri-slosher!

Sorry for getting in your way, Mr E-litre 3K. I know it's frustrating when that happens. At least they weren't full charges. I press on and look for splats, and find them mostly.

I try to ride the Tower too, but find it slippery. Either I can't stay on it, or I don't want to. Still, I make it difficult for the orange team when I can, and watching them from above gather for the potential knockout nets me a triple-splat.

That was a bit careless of them, but they still have a massive lead over us that we don't look to get close to any time soon. I try to help with that too, doing my best to stick to the Tower, but not even my Bubbler helps me this time.

Never mind. I had a lot of fun, and hopefully my individual antics didn't mean I overlooked the objective. Ah, I lost one ranking point. We lost a squid, and at the 12-second mark in the battle.

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Splats but little progress in Tower Control (15-8, Tri-slosher)
Tags: console, piranha pit, splatoon, tower control, tri-slosher, wii u

A few good splats in Tower Control (9-3, Splatterscope)

It's an untidy start to this Tower Control battle for me. I try to throw a Splat Bomb but fail, the one I throw bounces off the Tower, and then I fall off the Tower. Pressing forwards has my running headfirst in to a Heavy Splatling, and when I dodge that, I jump in to a Killer Wail that isn't hitting me. I just hope it gets better.

Okay, I miss the super-jumping inkling, but I splat the oncoming .52 Gal, and the Roller throwing Burst Bombs at me, and, after a breather, Splat Bomb a hiding inkling and splat the Heavy Splatling coming our way. Yes, that's much better, particularly as the Tower is pushing forwards.

My aim lets me down a bit again, but that's okay. That little burst in the middle has left me feeling mildly competent with a charger, and that's a decent result already.

Back on defence, and I have to aim a bit better. And, hopefully, not get splatted by that Carbon Roller. Naturally, the best defence is a good attack, and my squidmates push the Tower up again to take the pressure off for a bit.

I do my bit to defend our territory until the Carbon Roller appears, and I have to squid away. Somehow, I do actually get away. And my squidmates are on the ball. Or the Tower, in this case, as they successfully retake control for the victory.

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on A few good splats in Tower Control (9-3, Splatterscope)
Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Riding along the bridge in Tower Control (7-3, Splatterscope)

Hammerhead Bridge looks like it should be a good map for chargers, with its long and thin design. But there are so many elevation changes with blocks and grates either giving inklings flanking routes or blocking sight lines that I'm not quite sure a charger is the best weapon. That doesn't stop me using one.

I kind of do my own thing at the start of this battle, thinking that my unusual position will take the opposition inklings by surprise. I suppose it does, but it would be more of a surprise if I could aim. I will get there one day, I'm sure.

Thank goodness for Splat Bombs, from where most of my splats come. I still get squished by a Dynamo Roller, though. How embarrassing. At least I don't lose complete sight of the Tower, and even move up when we are in a better position.

I even get a couple of good splats to help recover the Tower, and when we next push it forwards I happily get the Splat Bomb Rush at a good time. I hop on the Tower with everyone else and chuck ink everywhere, right to the Tower's terminus. Woomy!

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Riding along the bridge in Tower Control (7-3, Splatterscope)
Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Charger mayhem at the museum in Tower Control (10-9, Splatterscope)

The open spaces of Museum d'Alfonsino, and an E-litre 3K Scope on the other team. I doubt I'll fare well in this Tower Control battle, although I pull off a decent splat to start with. Immediately I am reminded how other chargers are better than me, though.

Still, I do like trying to outfox my opponents, when my ability alone isn't enough. So I begin trying to out-manoeuvre my opponents, and use my wits to overcome my aiming difficulties. That, however, doesn't account for the Carbon Roller.

I should reserve judgment on the Carbon Roller until I've used it in earnest myself. Whenever I play against one it seems that they are too powerful, but such is any weapon you're not using. Maybe I should give it a go at some point.

My highlights include a Splat Bomb somehow trapping two squids, and winning a minor charger battle with the E-litre, using angles and aim no less! That moment alone will let me enjoy this battle again and again. The other times she gets me are to be expected.

The mutual splatting of the E-litre 3K in extra time was fun, as I was sure I was splatted for nothing. And splatting the Carbon Roller with accurate aim gave me hope for the victory, but my aim lets me down with the next couple of shots. Never mind, I have my little victories.

Posted in Gaming | Comments Off on Charger mayhem at the museum in Tower Control (10-9, Splatterscope)
Tags: console, museum d'alfonsino, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u