Securing the Splat Zones (8-6, Tri-slosher)

I know the Tri-slosher doesn't really cover turf quite as efficiently as other weapons, but I'm not really planning to cover turf as much as skirmish around the edges trying to suppress the other team. Of course, that rather depends on the skill of the opponents, so we'll see.

I start off quite well, my Tri-slosher's not needing to be aimed getting me a splat, and then working my way around the side to try to flank. But not much seems to be happening, so I wait. It's a bit of a dick move, and I'm sorry to that inkling. It's more fun for everyone to keep mobile.

My plan to skirmish goes a bit out of the window when we lose control of the splat zones and I find myself on higher ground. I can really slosh some ink around from up there! I also remember I have the Bubbler, and that it can be shared, so take advantage of a nearby squidmate to pop the Bubbler and protect us both.

I also try to use my Disruptor when I can. I just have two problems with it. One, I still tend to hit walls and not inklings. Two, I push in for the splat immediately, and not when the disrupted inkling has run out of ink. I'll get the hang of it one day.

Another excursion deep in to opposition territory has me vanquished by a flying Roller. But I also get a triple-splat late in the battle, which probably doesn't influence the result, given that we're a handful of points away from winning, but is very satisfying all the same.

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Tags: console, splat zones, splatoon, tri-slosher, walleye warehouse, wii u

Pushing up Hammerhead Bridge Rainmaker (10-8, Splatterscope)

An E-litre 3K is on the other team. There was one on the other team in an earlier battle, and its range over my Splatterscope was obvious. It was obvious quite a few times, in fact. I hope I can be a better ambassador for the Splatterscope in this battle.

Actually, I do quite well as a Rainmaker to start with. I grab it, ink a path, and even redirect a blast to splat an inkling before inking the wall that I was aiming for.

It's a nice lead, one that should be tough to better. But we can't rest on our laurels. Indeed, we keep the Rainmaker deep in opponent territory for quite a while. And I splat the E-litre 3K Scope! Nice bit of manoeuvring. Let's try to keep that up.

Naturally, having so far to travel every time we're splatted, and our opponents being so close, they regain control of the field. But they don't return the Rainmaker far, and I get another chance to show what I can do with it. Not as much as the first time, but it's still time off the clock.

They get the Rainmaker and make some progress. I find I can't splat the Rainmaker from below, so squid up the wall and come at the inklings from behind. It seems to work quite well, considering.

With one minute to go, I clearly get a little anxious, and start pulling my shots again. I also bumble in to walls when trying to flee blue ink, which only gets me confused and in the middle of an Inkstrike. But when me and the E-litre 3K face off, I get the upper tentacle. That'll do.

Also, it's just great to super-jump along the length of Hammerhead Bridge. You don't really get to notice it when playing, but watching it back looks just brilliant.

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

Nightmare turns to dream in Splat Zones (3-5, Splatterscope)

This battle goes quite badly for me from the start. Did the Squiffer know I was there? How? Maybe it was just a lucky shot, the kind that I get occasionally. But it kinda sets the scene for my getting splatted from all angles, and making bad decisions because of it.

That Dual Squelcher is a pain, and I'm not entirely happy about their camping in that corner, but I suppose it works. At least I choose a different route after being splatted twice. I know now not to engage in petty vengeance battles.

I also manage to dodge a few Killer Wails, which is good, although more expected in an open map like Blackbelly Skatepark. My first splat isn't credited to me, either, but that's fine. A splat for the team is still a splat.

My first credited splat, at 3'30", is a really lucky one, and a mirror image of the Squiffer's splat on me at the start of the match. It really can just be a fluke, and it's kinda fun to be on both ends of exactly the same splat in the same battle.

By that point in the battle, we've taken firm control. We may have struggled at the start, but now we control the Splat Zones and all the turf around it, and don't look like relinquishing control. As the counter ticks down, I get another lucky splat at 4'30", followed by a legitimate splat.

The counter keeps ticking down, and the battle turns from a bit of a miserable time to a knockout victory where we are in command. Good stuff, squidmates!

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Tags: blackbelly skatepark, console, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Some comeback in Splat Zones (3-7, Splatterscope)

I'm not having a great evening. I nearly drop out of A+ Rank, which isn't great, but perhaps adds evidence to my not being an S-Rank inkling yet, and why I have trouble in that tier. And in this battle, after our team takes an early lead, I just find myself not contributing to the effort.

I manage to help cover the Splat Zones initially, and then make a push to flank the opposition that works better than it should, probably thanks to Splat Bombs, but after that, well, I can't get a tentacle-hold.

I am hoping it is because the other team are just better than me, and not that I am just a bit rubbish. I dunno how that Kraken splats me when hidden. The Octoshot Replica probably saw my ink trail, but it's still frustrating to be anticipated. The Kraken again probably spots my charger ink, but it's frustrating to be flanked. And the Inkzooka often gets me before I can move out of the way.

I'm getting a bit fed up, so I decide to concentrate on the fundamentals more than trying to be clever. I just try to cover over the purple ink with yellow, and not rush straight to the Splat Zones. We need to be able to move freely in our own turf, as well as prevent the opposition from moving freely in our turf.

Once our side is yellow again, we re-take the Splat Zones. And we keep hold of them, forcing the battle in to extra time. And, somehow, the Splat Zones remain in our control, as we beat their lead of 2 to win the battle! I dunno how much my contribution helped with this effort, and I suspect my squidmates deserve much more credit, but I like to think it helped at least a little.

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Tags: console, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, urchin underpass, wii u

Being overrun in Splat Zones (5-2, Splatterscope)

A couple of unsuccessful battles with the Soda Slosher and Tri-slosher, against opposition that are playing at 2 in the morning and me in the early evening, has my returning to the Splatterscope. I probably won't do any better with it, but I can't do much worse, and I want to try to have some fun.

I get my fun within the first minute! A splatting of the Splatling, and then splatting the Inkbrush in mid-air near where I destroyed his Beakon earlier. So very satisfying, both of them.

Indeed, evading the Inkbrush again a little later and splatting him on his return is also rather nice. Sure, I missed him as a sitting duck, but this my first battle with the Splatterscope and I'm getting my aim in.

I try to hide from the Inkbrush marauding as a Kraken after that, but fail to stop in my ink, making my presence rather obvious. Still, that's my first splatting in the battle, and I stay an inkling for almost two full minutes. Not bad.

Right at 2'28" I splat an inkling so hard he disconnected. Tough luck, that. But it doesn't seem to affect the other team too much, who take our strong lead, run roughshod over it, and claim the knockout victory. They probably didn't even realise they went one inkling down.

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Tags: console, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, urchin underpass, wii u

Charging in to chargers in Rainmaker (4-2, Splatterscope)

Okay, I know I'm, not the best charger. Far from it. If you would like more evidence, check out the little battle I have with a better charger from 1'05". Sure, I can manoeuvre quite well, and splat him too, but I never felt in control.

But that's cool! I do the best I can, and if the best I can do is to ignore the range of the Splatterscope and treat it like a melee weapon, like at 1'50", then that's what I'll do.

I think my squidmates can take the credit for just about everything that happens in this battle. I ink some turf, get a couple of splats, and keep the other charger occupied a little, but they do the heavy lifting.

I have to admire the optimism of that inkling aiming the Killer Wail at our squidmate as he dunks the Rainmaker on the podium. Surely he had a better option than that!

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Tags: console, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, urchin underpass, wii u

Finding my groove in Rainmaker (8-6, Splatterscope)

I'm getting back in to a charger groove. I really ought to play around with more weapons, I know, as the diversity is good to play and good to watch, and I will do. For now, though, I could use the practice.

To prove it, I get off to a shaky start in this Rainmaker battle, and my first splat is interrupted by a Kraken to the back. And that pesky charger on the purple team jumps just as I pull the trigger on a splat shot.

But even if I am still a bit of a newb with the Splatterscope, I like to think I know how to play Rainmaker, and I ink turf and support the carrier as best I can. I like to think I help.

I don't get us the lead, but I do extend the lead, after a squidmate turns in to a Kraken, shepherds the purple team, and lets me bag a triple-splat with the Rainmaker. The lucky splat at the end perks me up too.

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Tags: console, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, urchin underpass, wii u

Enjoying some back-and-forth Tower Control (7-7, Splatterscope)

This is the fun kind of battle I enjoy, where both teams are going for the objective, but neither one is dominating. Everyone is doing their part for their team, and it makes for a fast-paced battle.

The fast pace means I'm not always sure what's going on, and when I flank right behind the opposition they're not there any more. But it also means that there is something happening all the time, and somewhere to be. Mobility is key, and getting in the right place lets you contribute.

I particularly like my sideways jump on to the tower, which was pretty cool for crossing the water, and although I get splatted by an inkling coming out of the ink, my speculative Splat Bomb splats her back. And I'm sorry to my squidmate, who tries to join me on the tower but has it move form under her.

And that splat through the grate from below at 4'34" is a particularly fine splat to get. If only I could have got the Splatterscope afterwards too. But it's a victory to us! Woomy!

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Tags: bluefin depot, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Slightly manic Tower Control (6-6, Splatterscope)

Back to A+ Ranked battles, and why not try to improve my aim with the Splatterscope? I can practice with other weapons another day. It certainly seems like I need the practice with the Splatterscope anyway.

I have a shaky start to this battle, trying to keep my range, whilst being aware of the need to support my team. But we're having a rough time, pushed back in to our half quite firmly. We can barely get the tower back to the half-way point.

I do my best with covering over the green ink for the most part, before getting somewhat more comfortable and bagging some splats.

The little battle down the side corridor was interesting, but it's a little embarrassing that and how I lose it. I could have stayed back a bit. But never mind, at least it distracts one inkling and gives us some small respite.

At least in the end we get some score on the board, which is a good way to end the battle, particularly as it only happened in the last minute. We even have a tiny bit of hope as we head in to extra time with control of the tower, but that ends quickly with a chain explosion of ink. Still, it makes the battle feel better than it looked like it was going to be.

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

Close call vs the Wasabi boys in Black Tie Splatfest (1150p, 3-4, Tri-slosher)

Are the inkling girls boys too? As Crash of Crash and the Boys would say: yes.

I think I was meant to be on that platform as the fan activated. That's cool, I can wait for the next one, and remember how they work as I do.

I like how the yellow inkling jinks to try to avoid getting splatted by me, and how my Tri-slosher ignores his jinking and just splashes ink wide enough to splat him anyway.

The Wasabi trio certainly give us a hard time. The map is looking very yellow as we enter the last minute of the battle, and when I don't have my Bubbler charged I am quite vulnerable to the Splattershots.

Thankfully, jumping down from the wall seems to confuse the inkling in front of me, and I splat him with only minor inks splashes. That bolsters my Tri-slosher action, and I get a second splat that isn't mutual. Can it be enough to turn the battle?

Maybe! Winning by 0.3% is pretty close. I like to think that inking the top of those walls helped to clinch us the victory, as I note the yellow team didn't do that. But, of course, my squidmates helped with the other 40% of the map.

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Tags: ancho-v games, console, splatfest, splatoon, tri-slosher, turf war, wii u