Splatoon: some details about the Training Grounds, amiibo and more
Earlier this week, a new batch of previews for Splatoon went live, with some brand new info about the Training Grounds, amiibo and more.
Let’s start with the Battle Dojo, which is a 1 vs 1 game mode, played locally. Even though it takes place in the same arenas as the other Multiplayer modes, the goal in this one isn’t to spray paint, but to pop up balloons. There’s even a column of coloured rings that indicate when new balloons are going to appear.
Each match lasts 5 minutes, and obviously, it’s the player with the most points at the end of those 5 minutes who wins. To spice things up a bit, the value of points is doubled near the end of the time limit. There’s also a “mercy rule”: whenever a player reaches 30 points, the match ends.
In Battle Dojo, you can use various special moves to dominate your opponent, with woodeen crates containing surprising abilities scattered around the arena. However, all special moves from the other multiplayer mode are not necessarily available in Battle Dojo, as the developers tried to keep things balanced for a 1 vs 1 match.
Next: amiibo! In a corner of Inkopolis (the Inkling city, which serves as central hub for both Single Player and Multiplayer), there’s an empty box. If you scan an amiibo, the corresponding character will appear inside the box, and offers you various challenges and trials. Some of the missions allows you to get some gold, while others reward you with exclusive amiibo gear.
One interesting detail about the game: you can’t buy gear to customise your character if you’re not connected to the internet. Single Player has its own set of gear, separate from the multiplayer grear. Also, Nintendo is apparently planning to roll out unique-looking and useful gear over time.
According to Hisashi Nogami (Producer), the link between Single Player and Multiplayer does not lie with gear or money, but instead with skills. In Single Player, you learn and master the various game mechanics, and then you put them to use in Multiplayer.
Unfortunately, Splatoon doesn’t have any customisation for friends-only multiplayer matches (like in Super Smash Bros. or Mario Kart 8). There’s also some restrictions, such as not being able to adjust some settings (like sensitivity controls) mid-game (you have to do it before or after the match).
Finally, Hisashi Nogami confirmed that the game would get additional content post-launch, in order to keep players interested. If all goes well, Splatoon could even get another game, as Nintendo certainly hopes to turn Splatoon into a successful franchise that they can be proud of. For the developers, the launch of the game is nothing but the first step.
Splatoon (Wii U) comes out on May 28th in Japan, and May 29th in Europe and North America.
Source: IGN / GamesRadar
