I had the chance to play Splatoon 2 at the Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 held at Tokyo Big Site. A sequel to the hit Wii U game, it felt like a fresh and more intense version of Splatoon, while preserving the feel of the original game.
First I played two 4-vs-4 rounds in Switch’s TV mode, using the Pro Controller; this was followed by a round in handheld mode, with the two Joy-Con controllers attached to each side of the Switch unit. As before, the aim of the game is to lead your team to victory by covering a greater area of the map in your team’s colored ink. Of course, there is also an advantage to be had in taking out rival Inklings with a well-aimed squirt.
The biggest new addition in the demo is the Splat Dualies weapon. This two-handed dual-wield weapon also gives the player the ability to Dodge Roll twice to evade attacks. With this weapon, you get two reticules (corresponding to the two guns) that cover a wider area. After you perform a dodge roll, the reticules merge temporarily to allow for a more accurate counter attack. It's already apparent that the Splat Dualies make close encounters even speedier, forcing oncoming opponents to rethink their next move. Also, the Splat Roller from the first game can now be swung vertically, while the Splat Charger retains charge even when moving quickly in squid form.
The biggest new addition is the Splat Dualies weapon
The Special Weapons, which become available when you paint a certain amount of turf, have been completely renewed. A multi-missile special can be used to target an opponent and fire a volley of several small missiles; it reminded me of the Inkstrike from Splatoon but it's much more user-friendly. And the new Ink Jet jet pack allows you to fly into the air while spraying inky death from above, with the disadvantages that it is difficult to aim and makes you an easy target for long-range weapons.
Since the Nintendo Switch doesn't feature a second-screen display like the Wii U version, the development team changed how the map and super jumps are used. In the Switch version, players hit X to bring up the map (which the Wii U version featured on the GamePad screen at all times) and use the touch screen or direction buttons mapped to their team mates to super jump to them directly.
As with the previous game, Splatoon 2 is all about defending your team’s position while pushing against the enemy. No change there, but the addition of a new stage and new moves, an increase in strategy and some new tunes on the soundtrack, it doesn't feel at all stale. In addition, there will apparently be a whole new set of outfits and hairstyles for your Inkling, including bottoms. I didn't get to test any of these customization options, unfortunately, but they reinforce the impression that Splatoon 2 will offer something new.
However, I did have some concerns regarding the handheld version. Default aiming is handled by motion controls (which is also the case when using the Pro Controller), which in handheld mode means moving the entire screen, making it a little difficult to play, at least to begin with. I hope there will be an option to change the gyro sensitivity. As in the original game, the final version of the Switch sequel will also let you turn off motion controls altogether.
Also, I am a little concerned about the difference in skill between existing Splatoon players and newcomers. Since the basics of the game closely follow the original and level ranks are unlikely to port over from the first game, those who have already played extensively (I myself have put in 2,000 hours) will have a serious advantage. I hope there will be balancing countermeasures when the game launches this summer – and I can’t wait to play it when it does.
Takuya Watanabe is a freelance contributor for IGN Japan.
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