Splatoon 2 surprised a lot of people when it was announced for the Switch. Sure, fans expected the series to make the jump to the handheld/console hybrid, but most thought it’d just be a port of the Wii U title. Announced as a full sequel, Splatoon 2 had a lot of extra expectations piled onto it that it now has to deliver on. I got to play some multiplayer before and now, as I prepare the final review, I got to check out the first few levels of single player.
So far my impressions of the game are pretty high. Sure, there isn’t a ton of new content here. Splatoon 2 is very much the original Splatoon with some extra bells and whistles. But for a series as new, interesting, and fresh as this one that seems alright. That’s especially true for the transition to Nintendo Switch, which offers its own rewards.
Being able to play Splatoon 2 on the go, even just by myself, has been a lot of fun. The single player campaign offers some cool levels and interesting challenges and playing them anywhere is a great proposition. Being able to team up with friends and play some multiplayer is the real treat though, but we’ll only be able to check that out later.
As for the campaign itself, Splatoon 2 once again offers its unique take on the shooter genre. Players launch into levels as they use their ink to traverse difficult terrain and combat crazy enemies. So far the new stuff has been small, but promising. Large robots that clean up ink can be controlled by jumping on their back and directing them. The bosses offer real challenges with intriguing puzzle elements, and the levels are all intricately designed.
The game also looks better than its predecessor, offering a small upgrade to an already great looking experience. The small flecks of what looks like glitter in the paint immediately caught my eye as a nice little Nintendo-style touch.
So far the single player campaign has presented Splatoon 2 as a solid sequel with just enough new stuff so far to keep me interested in the mode. The multiplayer is where the real action is, so we’ll see how that shapes up when the full review arrives.
