Splatoon is a game centred around claiming territory from long-time friends and newly-found enemies alike, in all out coloured ink based warfare. Splatoon 2 will carry on that fine tradition with even more ways to play with your friends, and splash down on your foes, by adding full local multiplayer.
In Splatoon 2, players will be able to connect up to eight Nintendo Switch consoles wirelessly and enjoy private battles in the comfort of their own local aquarium (if they’re so inclined). The systems can also be connected via wired means to create a LAN setup, most likely last seen in the heyday of Unreal Tournament. Those who have done battle with the greatest enemy of online multiplayer; lag, may consider a wired approach as it makes signal delay less existent than Judd’s treadmill. This configuration is identifiably the preferred method of play for eSports/tournaments, the setting where precise movement, action and reaction are paramount at all times.
Multiple Inklings getting ready for a gun fight
And what’s a tournament without spectators? Nintendo have also included a new feature; the Private Battle Spectator View. In addition to the (up to) eight players in battle, two more consoles can be connected to watch the fight unfold as “camera operators”. Exactly what level of control there will be remains to be explained. It could be anything from swapping between different camera monitors like a CCTV security officer, to stringing together multiple swooping and panning shots like the camera work seen in Mario Kart TV. Though unlikely, total free roaming camera control isn’t too far outside the realms of possibility. If that were the case, we’re looking out for a Splatoon 2 short film getting nominated for a Webby Award. Or at the very least, some twitch streams are about to get a lot more dramatic.
Splatoon 2 is currently scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch in Summer 2017. But early Switch adopters get the chance to play early in as part of the Global Testfire demo in late March.
