Nintendo’s cephalopod-themed shooter, Splatoon, has finally landed and we have already been putting in many hours into the game’s multiplayer mode. With it being unlike many shooters out on the market at the moment, we’d thought we’d compile a short guide to have you splatting like the best of them.

Complete Octo Valley, at least up to the 3rd boss

Now, I’m sure many players upon buying Splatoon will want to jump straight into the online mode and get spraying ink but hold off on this instinct just yet. Make sure you do not neglect the game’s short, but incredibly well made single player mode. Not only does it introduce you to some of the maps that you will be fighting across in multiplayer, but beating the various bosses found in this mode will actually unlock weapons for the weapon shop. It shouldn’t take you more than 2 hours to get up to the 3rd boss, who unlocks the Aerosprayer MG upon its defeat. The Aerosprayer is a decent paint gun, with a high fire rate and good range so it is definitely worth unlocking.

Make sure to paint your starting location fully

This seems obvious but you’ll be surprised how many matches start with players just tearing off from their spawn point and not bothering to completely cover their base. You gain easy BP from making sure your spawn point is totally painted in your team’s colour but on maps like Saltspray Rig, the enemy team cannot get into your spawn area and the empty spaces you left at the beginning of the game could be the difference between success and failure.

Look at your minimap!

 

The minimap is there for a reason! Just like when you don’t paint your starting area, you are missing out on easy points by not checking your Wii U Gamepad for tactical information. Seeing as it is a live feed, make sure to check it every so often to see if a stealthy Roller user is sneaking into your territory or if a friend needs help. Also, don’t forget you can use your Super Jump from anywhere on the map, so if you see a friend making a break for the enemy base, jump to them and help out or if you see a bunch of ink encroaching on your turf, super jump back to your spawn point and mount a defence.

Fire off any Inkstrikes just before the round ends

Due to the fact that game does not instantly end upon the timer reaching 0, Inkstrikes still spread their Ink on a location just as the game is calculating the territory scores. So, if you have one ready to fire, wait until the final few seconds of a round and fire it into the enemy base. It might just tip your score over the edge and guarantee a win.

Cash in your Vibe Score at the end of a good win streak

During a play session, Splatoon tracks how many games you have won and translates into a Vibe score. You can see it on the lobby screen as a little green panel with flags which slowly get larger and larger. Say if you reach a +10 Vibe score after a good session, make sure before you quit a game to go into the Plaza and talk to Judd, the score cat. He will exchange your Vibe Score for cash, to the tune of 100 coins for every point. So, that Vibe score of 10 means a cool 1000 coins, which could give you just enough money to buy that new 3 star jumper you want.

Check the Plaza for any Stylish Inklings

So, you’ve finished a decent session, you’ve cashed in your Vibe score and you have money to burn. Make sure to look around your Plaza to see what other Inklings are wearing. The Plaza is populated by the Inklings of recent players, so if you were playing against someone with a fully upgraded 3 star set of clothes, find them and try to order their gear. This allows you to get higher star gear before it is available in the various shops, which can give you a bit of an edge in the early levels. For the best result, try and order gear that has not been fully upgraded yet. This gives you the opportunity to get that speed buff or defence bonus that you need, rather than having to deal with the upgrades that have already been rolled on that piece of gear. Be aware though, ordered gear can cost an absolute bomb and you can only get one piece of equipment a day of Spyke, so choose wisely.

There are a few starting tips for anyone who is just getting into Splatoon. You can expect our full review of Splatoon on Monday, after we have saved a few more Zapfish and inked up a few more arenas. Tell us your tips and tricks in the comments below.