All you Squid Kids and Turf Warriors get hyped, because Splatoon 2 is coming soon and thanks to today’s Treehouse Live and the official reopening of the Squid Research Lab, we got to see some fresh content for the upcoming sequel. The game looks great on the Switch, with updates to the UI and just enough polish to make it stand out even compared to the Wii U original. Speaking of looks, we know Inklings are all about style– and while it wasn’t touched upon in full, those new hairstyles are definitely a welcome addition and will go a long way to making your own Inkling feel that much more personal.
The game’s story takes place two years since the original Splatoon, where Inklings have moved on from Inkopolis Plaza to a hot, new spot two stations down. Inkopolis Square has a different feel and vibe and will offer new storefronts and locals to check out. It also means new, nearby areas to battle in, including “The Reef,” the first new map shown via Treehouse Live. It looks fairly straightforward in terms of layout but the wide open sections can create some fierce firefights.
Via the demonstration, we got to see the Splat Dualies, new twin-handed weapons that not only give more concentrated power but also allow Inklings to perform a dodge roll type move to maneuver around enemies and catch them off guard. Mixed with the natural squid shifting abilities and using Dualies will be all about mobility. Roller and shooters were available and seemed fairly familiar, but the charger weapons now allow players to hold their charge to catch enemies off guard and to allow them more freedom of movement as well. Definitely a welcome change! Sub weapons shown were mostly Burst Bombs, but a new “Curling Bomb” modeled after a curling stone was also on display, acting like a slower but wider version of the Seeker from Splatoon.
Also shown off were some of the new specials. It was said all the special weapons will be brand new, though that may have just been the build shared at the event. These included a leaping ground slam that can even be done out of the super jump technique, a stationary turret-like gun that fires through walls, and a missile launcher weapon that locks on to enemies it scans before sending a barrage of homing missiles their way. These all look like cool additions, and I can’t wait to see how they change the flow of matches compared to the older supers.
This is just the shallow end when it comes to Splatoon 2 topics, with the game’s summer launch giving plenty of time for new details to come to light. The story mode was briefly talked about, and with more multiplayer options offered by the Switch’s design this is bound to build off of the already fantastic first game to be a must have on the Switch.
Look forward to more on Splatoon 2, available to pre-order on Amazon now!
Watch the Switch event trailer for Splatoon 2 here:
Written by Ricky Berg
When he isn’t writing for Nintendo Wire, Ricky’s anticipating the next Kirby, Fire Emblem, or if the stars ever align, Mother 3 to be released. Till then he’ll have the warm comfort of Super Smash Bros. to keep him going.
