History VideoGame / Splatoon1

A sequel, ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'', was released for the Platform/NintendoSwitch on July 21, 2017. The series also has a [[Manga/{{Splatoon}} manga]] that has been running since 2015. After nine years, the game's official servers would close due to Nintendo ending all online connectivity services for both the Platform/Nintendo3DS and the Wii U in early April 2024.

!!''Splatoon'' provides examples of:

** Roller-type paint weapons play this trope less straight as they're rolled along the ground and [[DropTheHammer swung like a hammer]], but can be seen as this game's equivalent to [[ShortRangeShotgun shotguns]] or [[FireBreathingWeapon flamethrowers]]: powerful, but with limited range. The Brush variations of this type are "rolled" faster and when swung, operate more like swords or other melee weapons, with fast swing time and even less range.

** On launch, ''Splatoon 2'' and ''3'' had four bands to play multiplayer music (including each games' idol group), with three more added in updates. Not only does ''Splatoon 1'' have significantly less bands than them (four in total), the musical roster was only Squid Squad and the Squid Sisters at launch, significantly reducing genre variety in the background music.

*** Splatfest themes were notably wildly different between different regions, with North America, Europe/Oceania, and Japan often having unique themes between regions. ''Splatoon 2'' would downplay this by having most of the Splatfest themes shared between North America and Europe/Oceania, while the Splatfests of ''Splatoon 3'' are all hosted worldwide; with a few exceptions.

** Bluefin Depot's Splat Zones layout is entirely asymmetric. Normally, the two lanes it's divided into are rotationally symmetric with each other, but on Splat Zones, one team has a ramp on their side of the singular Splat Zone, while the other team doesn't.

Compare ''VideoGame/DeBlob'' for similar premise and concept (ink-spraying creatures spreading ink).

''Splatoon'' is a ThirdPersonShooter created by Creator/{{Nintendo}} for their UsefulNotes/WiiU system, and the first entry in [[Franchise/{{Splatoon}} its eponymous series]]. Revealed at E3 2014 and released in May of 2015, the game features the Inklings, [[ItMakesSenseInContext a race of shapeshifting squid people who fight with all sorts of ink weaponry]], which allows them to paint entire areas of their color that they can use to swim around the map faster as a squid. Upon announcement, the game was notable for being the first new major IP developed by Nintendo that wasn't oriented strictly for the casual market since ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' fourteen years prior.

A sequel, ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'', was released for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch on July 21, 2017. A second sequel, ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'' was released on September 9, 2022. The series also has a [[Manga/{{Splatoon}} manga]] that has been running since 2015.

** The gyroscopic controls takes a bit of getting used to, and some don't want to get used to it because of the bad rep motion controls got from the likes of the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}'s shovelware or Microsoft's Kinect. That said, the general consensus is that it gives the Wii U's Gamepad 1:1 precision on par with a mouse and keyboard in a shooter.

** [[UsefulNotes/SuperNintendo ABXY]] - The Chirpy Chips. Their music was renamed as well:

* GenreThrowback: The colorful aesthetics and dialogue, unusual soundtrack, and overall feel of the game have a distinctive 90's aura to them; in particular 90's Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} with a hint of early UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast games. The game's American commercials in particular used a cheesy soundtrack that would feel right at home with the classic kids commercials of that decade.

* LoadingScreen: The game features a few {{Retraux}}-style minigames that you can play on the UsefulNotes/WiiU gamepad. Squid Jump, a simple game of jumping between platforms, is the only one available by default, while Squid Racer, Squidball, and Squid Beatz can be unlocked using Toys/{{amiibo}}.

** The teams, or "splatoons" if you will, only have four inklings. They're really more of a [[JustForPun splire team]].

** In the U.S., the fourth Splatfest featured ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' from Creator/{{Hasbro}} (more specifically the concurrently-running American animated series ''WesternAnimation/TransformersRobotsInDisguise2015''), with the teams being Autobots vs. Decepticons.
** To commemorate the series' 20th anniversary, the second 2016 Splatfest was ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}''-themed; [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue US and EU got Red vs Blue, whereas JPN got Red vs Green]]. This is notable for being the first Splatfest with the same theme worldwide.
** The April 2016 Splatfest for US and EU featured a battle between [[WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants SpongeBob and Patrick.]]

* BossBanter: The FinalBoss, [[spoiler:DJ Octavio]], is quite the chatterbox. The Japanese and European versions of him engage in the usual mixture of threats and braggadocio, while the American localization stands out for making him a veritable fountain of gleefully over-the-top [[PungeonMaster puns]] and [[EvilIsHammy ham]].

** This is the only ''Splatoon'' game to have two noticeably different English translations (North American and European), similar to a few other Nintendo games at the time.

* EvilIsHammy: While the European and Japanese versions of the game have him as a more standard villain, the North American version of the final boss, [[spoiler:DJ Octavio]], is the most hammy character in the game, with loads of shouting in ALL CAPS while throwing music puns for all their worth. Then again, what else would you expect from a final boss that fights in [[spoiler:a HumongousMecha/turn table hybrid that blasts some bizarre kind of dubstep/techno mix?]]

* IncomingHam: The final boss sure makes his presence known with his intro line. The European localization has him using a hammy but more standard villain line, while the American cranks up the ham dial.
-->'''European:''' I will take back what's MINE!\\

* LastSecondWordSwap: In the European localization, when the Squid Sisters announce Walleye Warehouse as one of the stages, sometimes they'll have this exchange:

* NoodleIncident: In the American Spanish localization of ''VideoGame/Splatoon1'', Callie mentions that Marie somehow got them both banned from eating at Mahi-Mahi Resort.

* PineappleRuinsPizza: The European versions had a Splatfest themed around on pineapples on pizza, with the sides being Team Delicious (likes pineapples on pizza) and Team Disgusting (dislikes pineapples on pizza). Team Disgusting won that Splatfest.

''Splatoon'' is a ThirdPersonShooter created by Creator/{{Nintendo}} for their UsefulNotes/WiiU system, and the first entry in [[Franchise/{{Splatoon}} its eponymous series]]. Revealed at E3 2014 and released in May of 2015, the game features the Inklings, [[ItMakesSenseInContext a race of shapeshifting squid-kids/people who fight with all sorts of ink weaponry]], which allows them to paint entire areas of their color that they can use to swim around the map faster as a squid. Upon announcement, the game was notable for being the first new major IP developed by Nintendo that wasn't oriented strictly for the casual market since ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'' fourteen years prior.

*** Splatfest themes were notably wildly different between different regions, with North America, Europe/Oceania, and Japan often having unique themes between regions. ''Splatoon 2'' would downplay this by having most of the Splatfest themes shared between North America and Europe/Oceania, while ''Splatoon 3'' has every Splatfest globally the same.

** None of the special weapons from this game return in their original forms in ''Splatoon 2''. This was also the case for ''Splatoon 3'', until it was eventually subverted with the re-introduction of the Kraken special for the 2023 Spring Fresh Season update.
** Unscoped Chargers don't have the charge hold that ''Splatoon 2'' introduced, but the scoped variants still have a slight range increase, which somewhat redundifies the unscoped versions of the Splat Charger and E-Liter.

*** Bosses give up Sunken Scrolls upon defeat (While DJ Octavio's boss level has you actually find it while fighting him). Later games separated the Sunken Scrolls away from the boss levels.
*** Also, the Sunken Scrolls dropped by bosses were relevant to the multiplayer: the Custom Splattershot Jr., New Squiffer, Kelp Splat Charger, Kelp Splatterscope, and all variants of the Aerospray and Dynamo Roller couldn't be bought until you beat the boss that held the scroll that unlocked them. Later games keep the multiplayer's weapon progression entirely separate from the singleplayer.
*** The Levels have maps via the Wii U Gamepad and this was necessary to find hidden keys. Even though 2 and 3 have the feature mapped on the X Button, single player levels no longer have maps.

*** The [[https://splatoonus.tumblr.com/post/136895156289/breaking-news-from-the-squid-research-lab-weve announcement for the tenth Splatfest]] (Past vs. Future) are filled with references: ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstones'', ''Film/BackToTheFuture'', ''Franchise/StarTrek'' and ''Film/TheFly1958''.

*** Rather than just straight up giving you their unlockables, scanning the ''Splatoon 1'' gave players challenges where they had to complete singleplayer levels using the Charger, Roller, or a permanent Kraken. Also, these challenges are the only way to use weapons besides the Hero Shot in Hero Mode.

*** Rather than just straight up giving you their unlockables, scanning the ''Splatoon 1'' Toys/{{amiibo}} gave players challenges where they had to complete singleplayer levels using the Charger, Roller, or a permanent Kraken. Also, these challenges are the only way to use weapons besides the Hero Shot in Hero Mode.

*** The Splatfests themselves lacked any additional gimmick to the gameplay: it was simply Turf Wars. Later games would add something extra and limited-time to spice things up, like Shifty Stations in ''2'' and Tricolor Turf War in ''3''.

** Unscoped Chargers don't have the charge hold that ''Splatoon 2'' introduced, but the scoped variants still have the slight range increase, which completely redundifies the unscoped versions of the Splat Charger and E-Liter.

*** The Levels have maps via the Wii U Gamepad and was actually used to find hidden keys. Even though 2 and 3 have the feature mapped on the X Button, single player levels no longer have maps.

*** One of the Sunken Scrolls is locked behind the Amiibo challenges, something the series never does again.

** Splatfests were notably wildly different between different regions, with North America, Europe/Oceania, and Japan often having unique Splatfest themes between regions. ''Splatoon 2'' would downplay this by having most of the Splatfest themes shared between North America and Europe/Oceania, while ''Splatoon 3'' has every Splatfest globally the same.

** Spyke is a sea urchin (and street urchin) whose hair is a mass of spikes with only a [[PeekABangs sliver of his face]] showing through.

* CameraScrew: Grates above you can obscure your view if you aim downward.