Got my aim in at last in Rainmaker (10-8, Splatterscope)

It's been ages since I've played Hammerhead Bridge, and so my knowledge of this intricate map is a bit rusty. Like the Bridge itself. I revert to my normal plan of action, and grab the Rainmaker whether it's safe or not, and try to make some progress.

I make a bit of progress, thanks to a timely splat from a squidmate, but only as far as the next inkling. I am then reminded of why I don't super-jump that often. Still, whether super-jumping or not, lots of ink coming my way doesn't help with my survival.

I show my excellent aiming skills once more, snatching a shot to the left, before calming down and making my shots. That's reassuring. But the moment of the battle, for me, comes soon after, at 2'25".

The Rainmaker is above me, I have a Splat Bomb, and when I drop it a purple Inkstrike lands at the same time. The Splat Bomb hits the Inkstrike and detonates immediately, splatting the Rainmaker and a bodyguard. Very nice, thank you.

I grab the Rainmaker again, make one point of progress, but importantly keep it out of the purple team's suction cups. A bit more lack of aiming has my picking up the Rainmaker again, squidding up a platform, and realising that I didn't actually grab the Rainmaker. I still get a splat out of it.

Some more messing about makes it look like we've got the victory, but it's the purple team that pick up the Rainmaker, forcing extra time. No problem, she's got to get past me. And she does. So I take a breath, aim, and get splatted from behind by the Heavy Splatling again.

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Tags: console, hammerhead bridge, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Brutally simple Splat Zones (3-0, Splatterscope)

I take my usual perch in Arowana Mall when I have the Splatterscope equipped, and aim for the squids in the Splat Zones. I know it doesn't look like it, but I really am trying to aim for them.

There is a messy tussle for the Splat Zones, but they turn fully green before long. I hold back, waiting for the purple inklings to make a comeback, but none come for long enough that I feel I should do something.

There's not really any purple ink coming the way of the Splat Zones on my gamepad, so I pick a path and press forwards. Ah, an inkling is spied, and at a suitable distance. Sorry about that, purple inkling.

I press higher still, and take my perch on the opposite side of the mall. I don't know what I'm going to do here, but I wasn't doing anything on our side. But it's okay, because there isn't much of the battle to go anyway.

That was short and brutal, much like the initial battle for the Splat Zones. I wonder where that sigh of relief at the end comes from.

Oh, and it seems that the number 2 purple inkling goes offline at 4'24". No wonder we were able to dominate.

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Losing the Splat Zones, and gaining them again (10-5, Splatterscope)

It's good to see the ink coming over the brow of the ramp in Arowana Mall. It makes the first splat more rewarding. I've been on the other end of those a few times, and it can make a squid a bit salty. It's good to know how it happens.

That Dual Squelcher is a pain, on the opposite perch. She can cover the turf as quickly as I can ink it, much like a previous battle on Museum d'Alfonsino. I think about squidding up to push her off, but a squidmate takes care of that with a Killer Wail.

I see the Inkstrike coming and jump off my perch, only to have it aimed at the Splat Zones and not me. Well, so be it. I'm off the perch, I may as well do something, so I press the Dual Squelcher back. And it seems it was a good choice to leave my perch, as I was being sought.

At least I uncover the hiding inkling. It's a bit unsporting to hide for so long, but I know of that flower box. The more disappointing aspect is that I don't actually splat the Roller. That, and my Splat Bomb rolls past my eventually splatter.

And whilst all this is happening, we lose the lead. I suppose it's only to be expected given that we are pressed back so far, and blue ink is everywhere. If we have to ink our way just to get to the Splat Zones, we're not going to be controlling the Splat Zones.

The question now is whether we can take them back or not. We had a strong start, so hopefully we can, but we have to regain our focus. And there's not that much margin for error, not with the opposition's counter on 1.

With some good focus from the whole team, and some nice Splat Bomb rolling from me, the Splat Zones stay yellow. With two seconds to spare, we take the lead to get a knockout victory! Woomy!

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Owning the Splat Zones (5-0, Splatterscope)

Not my best start to a battle on Museum d'Alfonsino, dropping off the platform instead of squidding, but never mind. It's encouraging to see my mature response to getting to the Splat Zones and seeing an inkling squid away. I don't give chase, or fire indiscriminately, and instead splat the Sprinkler and start covering over the purple ink.

I am planning to hold back and keep the turf inked, providing covering splats when required. But that Dual Squelcher is just inking over my shots as soon as I fire them, herself holding at a safe distance. It would be a good idea if I could push her further back.

As the rotating platform comes around, I take the opportunity and move to a more vulnerable position, but one with much further reach. It does indeed push the Dual Squelcher back, which was my intention. It also pushes the rest of the other team back, particularly with the help of a double splat.

I decide it best to fall back as an inkling charges towards me and I miss the shot, but with my Splat Bomb Rush as protection I am soon back on top of the platform. The purple team naturally try a different approach, but one that is still in reach and just as vulnerable.

With such a firm hold over the Splat Zones, the battle ends pretty quickly.

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Tags: console, museum d'alfonsino, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Focussing on the Splat Zones (6-8, Tri-slosher)

I'm thinking the Tri-slosher will lead to some Splat Zone fun for me, and I go looking for it in the early stages of this battle. It seems that the other side wants to have fun too, and they find it more than I do. But I collect myself a little, take a bit more care, and things start falling in to place.

Even so, it's a tough battle. The other team's inklings know what they're doing, and are quite manoeuvrable. I can't get a couple of sloshes on them I need half the time, and the other half I barely see them coming. Because of that, they take strong hold of the Splat Zones.

I know from previous battles that you can't rely on others to advance the objective. If the battle is going well, you are generally in control of the objective. When it is not going well, it pays to focus on the objective over getting splats or trying any fancy flanking.

So that's what I do. I make sure most of my ink hits the Splat Zones. I don't wander far from the Splat Zones. I go for splats only as long as doing so will clear the Splat Zones. Thankfully, it pays off. With some good teamwork, we take back the Splat Zones and keep hold of them.

We turn the battle around to get a knockout victory, and with one second to spare.

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Tags: console, museum d'alfonsino, splat zones, splatoon, tri-slosher, wii u

Straight down the middle in Rainmaker (1-3, Splatterscope)

Not my best start to a Rainmaker battle on Camp Triggerfish. I wonder if my Splatterscope squidmate will want the fence-top perch, and am willing to take the low road if he does. Our Slosher wants a bit of high-up action too, and as I can't even squid up the block it seems my choice is made.

See the Rainmaker, pick it up. That side route is normally more attractive, being out of the way of most attention, but sometimes going the unexpected route is more rewarding, particularly when an inkling is lying in wait for you.

The route with a Roller inking the path is also rather attractive. That a charger is obviously lining up a shot for the first inkling over the gate is neither here nor there. I can't wait, and maybe he'll miss. He doesn't. But we regroup, our good charger splats the Rainmaker in return, and we have another go.

Headbutting the Rainmaker's shield doesn't burst it. Good tip, thanks Egon. I use ink instead. Grabbing the Rainmaker, I find that a big enough charge splats Krakens (probably). My support is also right with me, which is really important when that charger is obviously waiting around the corner again.

Thanks, Mr Slosher! He took the splat for me, and splatted the Kelp Splat Charger, leaving the path to the podium clear. A little bit more ink, and another Rainmaker dunking is ours! Woomy!

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Tags: camp triggerfish, console, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Pressing hard for the podium in Rainmaker (12-5, Splatterscope)

I can't stay away from the Splatterscope. Sometimes I even have a good battle with it. And I think I prefer the plain Splatterscope than the Bento version, as the Splat Bombs come in far too useful, as I demonstrate early on. I also show that I can aim sometimes.

I'm not quite sure where the slosh that splatted me came from. Around the corner, I think. Never mind, brush myself off and back in to the fray. My squidmates are on the ball too, which helps a charger. If I am rarely pressed backwards, I can keep my eyes forwards.

They take the Rainmaker a decent distance too, enough to encourage the green team to reset it. That's no problem for my team, who just go back and get the Rainmaker again, taking it right back to where it was.

I make a slight retreat, realise I am actually in a good place, and turn back to get a nice splat, and to clear a Sprinkler. But that Slosher returns, and I have to leave for a bit. Only for a bit. I make my return and clear the path.

Another premature 'Nice!' or two is hopefully still motivational, but once again the green team resets the Rainmaker. Never mind, more splats, keep the inklings back, keep the turf purple. I'm not quite sure how I got those two splats when super-jumping, as my Splat Bomb didn't detonate on the Rainmaker's shield, but I'm cool with it.

Twenty seconds to go, giving me enough time for one more premature 'Nice!', one more splat, and one more Killer Wail dodge. I don't squeeze a shot between the gap to splat the Rainmaker, but, as always, a squidmate is there to ensure us the victory.

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

Looking for the Rainmaker (2-2, Tri-slosher Nouveau)

I like my buckets, but I think the Tri-slosher Nouveau may be better for Rainmaker than the basic bucket, with the Seeker painting long straight(ish) lines. Not so handy on Ancho-V Games, perhaps, but I'll see if I can make them work. And can I survive without a Bubbler?

I get a couple of early splats, clearing out the tussle for the Rainmaker, then give carrying the Rainmaker a quick go. If only that weren't a Carbon Roller, maybe I'd have had that little more time to squid up the blocks.

My 'Nice!', like most times, is premature. But I head back to the battle, super-jumping to my squidmates, and, well, try to orientate myself. The Rainmaker must be somewhere. It's only when I glance at the top of the display that I realise the purple squids reset it by squidicide.

I turn back, as my squidmates continue to apply pressure near the podium, and burst the Rainmaker's shield, with a little bit of final help. I reset my view by accident, nearly badly miss a jump, just slightly miss it, but my squidmates are on the ball.

One last little bit of ink and the podium is there and waiting for the Rainmaker. Woomy!

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Tags: ancho-v games, console, rainmaker, splatoon, tri-slosher nouveau, wii u

Messy messy Rainmaker (11-7, Splatterscope)

If a battle wanted an unstable connection half-way through, this would be it. Apart from inking the back of a squidmate's head at the start, I make a cracking contribution to this Rainmaker battle. I even remember from the previous battle about that extra block that I can use to get on the fence.

But I splat the opposite charger, dodge Killer Wails, splat the Rainmaker, keep a good deal of pressure from building on our turf, and generally stay quite collected for a lot of this battle. I don't even mind that I absent-mindedly stand up after ducking under a Killer Wail. That was just silly.

We even take a good lead after an early push from the other team, and all is looking good. We keep the pressure on, and the green team find it difficult to get any closer to our podium. And I have to admit that the delayed double-splat on a green inkling and the Rainmaker with a Splat bomb was a delightful bit of luck.

But there's something about a battle entering extra time that causes me to panic a little. Rather than think tactically, I rush along the shortest path to protect the goal, forgetting that doing so is not only the most obvious option but is also going to be in the path of a barrage of green ink.

Sadly, the inevitable happens, and our lead is lost to a good, coordinated effort by the green team. Still, that doesn't negate the good battle I had up to that point.

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Tags: camp triggerfish, console, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Surprise knockout in Rainmaker (3-5, Splatterscope)

So much that I do wrong or that goes wrong in this battle. Right from the start, I splat the back of a squidmate's head, not hitting the Rainmaker's shield, and then when I hit the shield I had a purple inkling right in my sights.

I would say that things have got to get better, but they really don't. Getting sideswiped by an Inkzooka is almost inevitable, but completely forgetting about the extra inkable block in Rainmaker and going around the side to get on top of the fence is embarrassing.

We get the Rainmaker back, at least, but the squidmate who picks it up retreats towards our podium. Maybe he's thinking of dropping it in the water, but all he manages to do is give the purple team a much shorter distance. Thankfully, I get a couple of decent splats to hold them off, and we recover as a team.

I finally realise that inkable block is there, but only because a purple inkling uses it to ambush me successfully. I'm not sure this battle can be anything but a disaster by this point.

But there it is. The Rainmaker, in its shield, with no pressure from the purple team. I bust it open, and grab it as a squidmate a charged Splat-on Roller spies me. He pops the Kraken and forges a path ahead. I remember my ink-resistant shoes and ignore the charger aiming for me, squidding up the gate behind my Kraken pal.

There's the podium. The Kraken is back to being an inkling, and he continues laying down the ink for me. Not only that, but he squids up the podium and takes a splat that was meant for me, ensuring that I dunk the Rainmaker. Woomy! That Roller was the inkling of the match!

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Tags: camp triggerfish, console, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u