Poor defending in Rainmaker (6-6, Splatterscope)

Rainmaker, on Bluefin Depot and Arowana Mall. I'm sticking with the Splatterscope, as the stages are good and I've been doing pretty well. Let's hope I can keep it up, in the face of an E-litre 3K.

No, not really. She out-ranges and out-skills me, and my reactions aren't quick enough. But as long as I contribute I'll be happy. Keeping the turf our colour is a good start too, given how important that is in every mode.

I try to support the Rainmaker, but forgetting that I could probably better do that from behind, not in front, or from the side. I'm not playing like a charger at the moment. But at least my Splat Bomb game is still above average, and I get a couple of splats on the Rainmaker.

When we take the lead, it never the less looks a little precarious, particularly with the Inkstrike landing on our base, which is already looking pretty yellow. I do my best to re-ink our turf, knowing that we just need to defend to take the victory, but I am focussed in the wrong area.

The yellow inklings charge in with the Rainmaker, along the turf already their colour, and nick the lead away from us in extra time. Oh well.

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Tags: bluefin depot, console, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Last-minute goal in Rainmaker (5-7, Splatterscope)

Let's see if I can make amends for the previous battle. Not by splatting that Roller, it seems. Not until he stands stock still for me, anyway.

Desperate to do better, I grab the Rainmaker as soon as it is available and dash for the opposition turf. Of course, that doesn't go too well, but at least it gets us in their territory.

We engage in some to-and-fro for a while. I make a poor decision jumping down to the Rainmaker being burst, but see an inkling make a heroic scrabble up the side of a ledge to escape the water.

My Splat Bombing game is not on form in this battle, which is disappointing. At least to make up for it I get some decent splats, which I actually intend to make. Maybe I'm more relaxed by then.

And, in the end, two squidmates grab the Rainmaker and provide support to make a late dash for the podium. As the purple team seem to be embroiled in petty squabbles, it looks from my gamepad like they have a relatively clear run. Good job, squids! I give them a 'Nice!' and super-jump in case they need some more help, but they have everything under control.

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Tags: console, mahi-mahi resort, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Badly losing the battle in Rainmaker (11-6, Splatterscope)

It's not a bad loss, we just lose in a way that is really bad for me. But that's closer to the end, really.

I wonder what my strategy is for Mahi-Mahi Resort Rainmaker as the battle begins. Ink turf, aim for inklings, wing it in finding safe perches, I suppose.

The battle starts fairly well, although my aim really doesn't. We get a decent push on the Rainmaker early, but I linger on my perch, having missed a couple of shots, and get splatted.

The lead is lost, and I show signs of rust in my aim that are quite poor. I snatch at my shots, missing the Rainmaker once, and again but three times on the next carry. It's embarrassing. But I soldier on, this is just me trying to get better.

We get the lead back! Good support and good paths help us, although maybe we could have got closer had I splatted the opposition charger. But that is always the way. At least I splat the Rainmaker in one shot the next time I see it.

Down to a few seconds, and they get the Rainmaker, the water is low, opening up a new path, and I have the chance to end the battle as it enters overtime. One poor shot, a poor Splat Bomb, and a terrible shot opens up the route for the yellow team. We lose. Sorry team. I need to practice more.

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Tags: console, mahi-mahi resort, rainmaker, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Out-scoped in Splat Zones (3-6, Splatterscope)

Still sticking with the Splatterscope, I have a couple of minutes of Splat Zones before the modes change. As luck would have it, the map that comes up is Moray Towers! Excellent. Of course, that means two chargers on the other team, and they are probably better than me. So it goes.

I first plan to stick on my side in relative safety and cover our Splat Zone, but it soon becomes clear that the opposing chargers, that E-litre 3K in particular, are preventing my squidmates from getting close to the other Splat Zone. It's up to me to do something about them.

I try to do something about the other chargers, but there are two of them, mostly covering each other, and mostly better than me. They are pretty good at stopping me stopping them.

I get a decent splat on the E-litre at last, and a squidmate unleashes a well-positioned Inkstrike that gives us a break for their Splat Zone. We take it, but not for long. At least I clear that Splatterscope as well, albeit a bit luckily.

The Splatterscope stays in roughly the same advantageous place, though, letting me get a half-lucky, half-opportunistic splat on him a bit later. But that's it for my splats, and despite our best efforts we barely manage to control the Splat Zones. But it was a good battle.

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Tags: console, moray towers, splat zones, splatoon, splatterscope, wii u

Lucky splats in Tower Control (8-3, Splatterscope)

When you're doing well, the splats fall in to your lap. Another battle on Blackbelly Skatepark, and I am opposite an E-litre 3K this time. I think I need to be a little less conventional to survive.

Forgoing my usual perch may have saved my suction cups. A green inkling takes the tactic of sneaking around the back, and it is only good fortune that I spot him. My normal tactic of pooping a Splat Bomb works well again, and I escape to cover the inkling's tracks.

Trying to cover the ink nearly gets me splatted, but I am saved not by my Splat Bomb Rush but a squidmate. Thanks, squidmate! But I do get a splat with the Rush, which is good. But the E-litre shows himself. And disappears. And reappears as a Kraken! Run away!

I squid away, jumping the Kraken and moving on to the tower. Good move, maybe. It gets me in to trouble, albeit helped by an Echolocator, and by some good fortune, and finally squirting out a Splat Bomb, I get rid of the Roller. And whatever inkling squidded in to my sights afterwards.

That splat at 2'42" is super-lucky, but I'll take it. And I overestimate my throwing arm. But I spy a spy, trying to ink their way behind our ranks. I cover some of the ink, but not before we lose our lead.

This is the point where the E-litre 3K rears his head again, once more as a Kraken. I jump out of his way again, and somehow don't get splatted, but my idea to bounce a Splat Bomb off the wall in to the path of a pursuing Kraken-turned-inkling doesn't pay off.

The E-litre 3K remains standing. And standing on top of the Skatepark's column. Quite how I escape his attention, and sneak past the Roller, to not get splatted AND splat him in the face, I don't know. I must have my mojo back.

I don't have my mojo back enough to win the battle, but that's okay. It's been another excellent battle, one of an evening's worth I've greatly enjoyed. That's why I give the little 'Nice!' at the end. Woomy!

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Tags: blackbelly skatepark, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Super splats in Tower Control (8-5, Splatterscope)

The Splatterscope is working well for me this session. If it's just a weekend phenomenon, I should at least remember that. Or maybe I am just getting my mojo back.

Two lucky splats fall in my lap at around 50", which makes it look like I know what I'm doing. I also move out of the way of an incoming Inkstrike before it lands. Nice.

Okay, I forget that I can't recharge outside of my ink, but everyone does that, right? I soon return to normal, and back on my perch I may miss a shot but get a lucky Splat Bomb throw, which splats the Roller as I am knocked off my perch with a Burst Bomb. My special charges as that happens, letting me throw more Splat Bombs and advance bhind them, getting another excellently lucky splat of an inkling on the tower.

I get caught up in tower mayhem for a bit, returning after respawn to my perch. My Splat Bomb Rush happens at the right time again, and although it can't save me from the Inkzooka (nothing can), it makes the splat mutual, and gets me a second.

A desire to win forces us forwards in to pressured situations after that, which is not a good position. But I don't mind not winning the battle if we have a good game. And this was another good game!

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Unsuccessful charging in Tower Control (10-5, Splatterscope)

I'm sticking with the Splatterscope, which is my plan for now. Arowana Mall crops up again, which suits me. Off to my perch, and I start pulling my shots. Good stuff! I can hit a Splash Wall, though.

I am really enjoying the Splatterscope again. I hope it is because I can use it and not because of some weird weekend match-making. Snapping the shot at the top of the tower for a splat, and following up with the opposite charger is excellent.

Another pair of splats after that, two good shots again. Sure, we lose the lead, but I'm playing my role pretty well, if I can say that. I keep in mind needing to maintain a decent range from the opposition, and even if I don't always manage it I don't think I am particularly reckless.

We don't win, but that's the unsuccessful part of the battle. I think my charging was actually pretty decent again.

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Skating around the park in Tower Control (12-4, Splatterscope)

Blackbelly Skatepark. I don't know how my charging skills will fare on this map, but I'm sure there is potential.

I remember a decent perch as we start and make my way there, moving on as required, and bidding a hasty retreat when it starts going pear-shaped. At least I survive that bit.

The tower comes our way, and I try to stop it, without much success. I get caught up in a Splat Bomb Rush, Luna Blaster, and Roller splash.

I make my way back to the perch, and maybe panic a little as it looks like the previous splat is about to repeat itself. It doesn't, so I return, but pause as the blue team takes control of the tower once more.

A thrown Splat Bomb bags me a splat and charges my special, letting me unleash a rush of Splat Bombs, wresting control of the tower away from the blues. Not bad.

I get a lucky shot at 3'32", splatting the inkling climbing the side of the tower. I meant to do it, but I didn't think I would. I follow-up that slice of gold with some spatial awareness, seeing the inkling trying to flank me. I wait for him, and splat him. Oh yeah.

To end, I roll a Splat Bomb on to the blue tower, splatting the pair of inklings on there. One final blue push, in extra time, and I cover their ink, to prevent easy access, and splat two inklings on the tower to clear it and end the game, a victory for us. Woomy!

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Tags: blackbelly skatepark, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Returning to the Splatterscope on Tower Control (7-2, Splatterscope)

Remember when I used to run around with a Splatterscope, almost exclusively? Yeah, me too. Then I got in to the higher ranks and started getting stomped, leading me to try other weapons. Well, no more! I'm going back to the Splatterscope for a bit, whatever the maps, whatever the battle mode. If it drops me down a rank or two, that's where I will go.

Tower Control is okay, not that there is a bad mode for a charger, I suppose, just sub-optimal maps. Arowana Mall is excellent! Blackbelly Skatepark, well, maybe not so good for me. But I'm doing this.

I head straight for my normal perch and straight away miss a couple of shots. But I make the corner shot, push forwards, and splat the inkling on the opposite platform. Excellent!

That gets me in to the right frame-of-mind and mood to play a charger again. I try to balance keeping my distance with staying with my squidmates. I even have the presence of mind to retreat when necessary, which accounts for my lack of being splatted.

A nice highlight is splatting the inkling placing the Killer Wail, although not before it fires. And in the last minute, I move forwards to try to get the opponent Splatterscope off her threatening perch, only to stumble in to her, a squidmate already having done it. And, thankfully, splatting her.

I fumble around on my gamepad trying to work out which button lets me shout 'Nice!' I do it before we get the knockout, which is, well, nice. A great return to the Splatterscope for me. Woomy!

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Tags: arowana mall, console, splatoon, splatterscope, tower control, wii u

Finding my spot in Splat Zones (1-0, Slosher)

Switching weapons away from the Tri-slosher to find another I can use effectively has me only going as far as the Slosher. Not a great variety this session, admittedly, but the ability to spread ink over a large area quickly seems like a good feature for Splat Zones battles.

The two maps are Flounders Heights and Ancho-V Games too, both of which seem good for the Slosher. Indeed, in this battle on Ancho-V Games, I find a good spot for the Slosher. And stay there.

I can slosh ink down on the Splat Zones, and splash the fan to keep myself somewhat out of touch, whilst also raining ink down on any approaching inklings. It seems pretty effective, although I imagine I owe more to my squidmates than to my Slosher.

A quick victory for our team. I think I inked the Splat Zones and provided some support. But maybe I was just lazy and cheesy.

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Tags: ancho-v games, console, slosher, splat zones, splatoon, wii u