Splatoon is a type of video game made by Nintendo. It was created by Hisashi Nogami and Shintaro Sato. The games take place in the distant future on Earth, which has been changed by a major disaster. Earth is now filled with animals that live in water and have evolved over time. The story focuses on two groups of creatures called Inklings and Octolings. Inklings are similar to squids, and Octolings are similar to octopuses. These creatures can change their shape between human-like forms and forms similar to squids and octopuses. They often compete in battles called "Turf War" and use weapons that make and shoot ink. When in their squid or octopus forms, they can swim through and hide in surfaces covered in their own ink.

The first game in the series, Splatoon, was released for the Wii U on May 28, 2015. A second game, Splatoon 2, came out for the Nintendo Switch on July 21, 2017. An additional content pack called Octo Expansion was released on June 13, 2018. A third game, Splatoon 3, was released on September 9, 2022, followed by a content pack called Side Order on February 22, 2024. A new game, Splatoon Raiders, was announced for the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 10, 2025. The series has received good reviews for its style, gameplay, and music. The first two games were recognized with awards by many gaming publications. Together, the games have sold over 30 million copies.

The Splatoon series has worked with other companies to create special items and events. In 2018, it started organized competitions for players. It has also inspired a comic book series and special concerts using holographic technology, mainly in Japan.

Gameplay

The Splatoon series includes third-person shooter games that focus on competitive online multiplayer with different game modes. Players choose from weapons that look like water guns, large painting tools, and other objects. These items are used to spread ink on floors and walls and to damage opponents. During gameplay, players control characters called Inklings and Octolings. These characters can switch between a humanoid "kid" form, which holds weapons, and a "swim" form, which resembles an octopus. In humanoid form, players use weapons to spread ink and damage enemies. In swim form, players can move through their team's ink. Players can only refill their ammunition by standing or swimming in their team's ink color. During matches, players can send signals to their team, such as "This Way!" and "Booyah!" Players can also jump quickly to a teammate or their team's starting area by selecting a target from a menu.

In the first Splatoon game, players could choose from six weapon types: Shooters, Chargers, Splat Rollers, Splatlings, Inkbrushes, Blasters, and Sloshers. Splatoon 2 added two new weapon classes: Dualie and Brella. Splatoon 3 introduced two more classes: Stringer and Splatana, making a total of eleven weapon types in the series. Each weapon comes with one "sub weapon" and one "special weapon." Sub weapons are usually defensive tools or offensive items that require a lot of ink to use. Special weapons are powerful tools that need to be charged by painting the area around the player.

Players can use perks that help them during gameplay. These perks, called abilities, can include faster respawns, less ink used for sub weapons, or stronger special weapons. Abilities are attached to cosmetic items like headgear, clothing, and shoes. Each clothing item has one main ability slot and up to three extra slots, depending on the item's "star power." Star power increases after matches based on experience points earned. Extra slots can be changed or removed by spending in-game currency with vendors. If a slot is empty, players can manually add an ability by speaking with vendors and using "ability chunks."

"Turf War" is a main gameplay mode. Two teams of four players compete to cover as much of the map's floor with their team's ink before the match ends after three minutes. While players do not earn points for covering the floor, they can "splat" enemies to temporarily remove them from the game.

Another online feature is "Ranked Battles," available only to players level 10 or higher. These modes focus on teamwork and last five minutes, with overtime if needed. Four ranked modes have been introduced: Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz. These modes are available based on rotating rules throughout the day and use skill-based matchmaking, grouping players by a letter-based "rank" that reflects their skill level.

• Splat Zones is similar to "king of the hill." Teams must control one or two areas called "splat zones" by covering them with at least 70% of their team's ink. If a team controls both zones, they must maintain control to reduce the timer. If a team takes control from the opponent, the opposing team gets an extra timer to deplete. Overtime begins if the losing team still controls the zone(s) when the match ends, and ends when the team either loses control or surpasses the other team.
• Tower Control involves teams competing to stay on a moving structure called the "tower," which starts in the center of the map. The tower moves along a path to the opposing team's base. Starting in Splatoon 2, the tower must pass checkpoints before reaching the goal. If a team moves the tower to the goal before five minutes, the match ends early, and they earn bonus points. Otherwise, the team that pushes the tower the farthest wins.
• Rainmaker requires teams to carry a large weapon called the "Rainmaker" to a pedestal in the opposing team's base. The Rainmaker starts in the center of the map, and players must destroy its shield before grabbing it. If a player carrying the Rainmaker is splatted, the weapon and shield reappear at the player's death location. If the shield is destroyed but the Rainmaker is not grabbed, it returns to the center. If a player holds the Rainmaker too long, it explodes, splatting them and returning to the center. Splatoon 3 added checkpoints to this mode.
• Clam Blitz is an invasion game where teams start with 100 points and compete to collect golden clams scattered on the map. Teams throw clams into baskets in the opponent's base to reduce their own points. If a player collects eight clams, a special item called the "Power Clam" appears. Throwing the Power Clam into the enemy's basket weakens their defense for up to ten seconds. Teams must continue throwing clams to keep the defense weak and reduce their points to zero. If neither team scores after five minutes, overtime begins for up to three additional minutes. If neither team scores after overtime, the team that generated the most Power Clams wins.

"Splatfests" are limited-time events that happen in the game's world. During Splatfests, players answer a question and choose a team based on their answer. Each team is supported by an in-game idol character. In Splatoon and Splatoon 2, players choose between two options related to a theme, such as "cats vs. dogs" or "mayonnaise vs. ketchup." In Splatoon 3, players choose from three options, like "bread vs. rice vs. pasta." Some Splatfests may include special questions or themes.

Setting

The Splatoon games are set in a world very different from ours, on a planet that has changed greatly after a major disaster. This world is imagined to be about 12,000 years in the future, after humans and most other mammals have disappeared, likely because of extreme climate changes. After this event, many sea animals adapted to live on land, becoming land-dwelling creatures. This includes the humanoid Inklings and Octolings, which are evolved versions of squids and octopuses, respectively. These creatures now live in regions called Inkadia and the Splatlands.

About 100 years before the events of the first Splatoon game, during a time known as the "Mollusc Era," a global flood affected Inkadia. The dominant species, the Inklings and the Octarians (a larger group that includes the Octolings), fought in a long battle called the "Great Turf War." The Inklings won, forcing the Octarians underground into human-made domes. The Inklings then took control of the land, building the city of Inkopolis. DJ Octavio, a leader of the Octarians, promised revenge against the Inklings. He tried twice to steal a powerful energy source called the Great Zapfish, which is the main story of the first two games. Although his plans failed, later games show some Octolings joining Inkling society.

The Inklings use a special written and spoken language created for the games. This language appears in various in-game locations and on clothing. While some symbols look similar to real-world languages, the language itself is not fully consistent and is mostly used as part of the game's design, not meant to be fully understood. The Octolings speak a different language. Most of the music in the games is sung in this language, as explained by series producer Hisashi Nogami, to make the songs more appealing globally and to highlight their rhythm and uniqueness.

The music in Splatoon is composed by Toru Minegishi, Shiho Fujii, and Ryo Nagamatsu. Like the Inkling language, much of the music is part of the game's world. The game features fictional idol groups, such as the Squid Sisters, Off The Hook, and Deep Cut, who create and perform songs within the game. Other music in single-player and multiplayer modes is composed by other in-game musicians. In a developer interview, Hisashi Nogami, Minegishi, and artist Seita Inoue explained that creating music by in-game artists adds depth to the world and shows how time passes between games. Inoue noted that the music helps tell stories about the world's bands, their histories, relationships, and how their lives change over time, making the Inkling world more complete.

Games

Splatoon is a 2015 third-person shooter video game created and released for the Wii U. The game was announced during Nintendo's E3 2014 digital presentation, with a playable demo available at the in-person showroom. It introduces the Inklings, several types of weapons, and game modes such as Turf War and Ranked Battles. Splatoon includes a single-player story campaign titled "Octo Valley," where players fight Octarian forces and uncover the story of Splatoon's world.

In "Octo Valley," Agent 3, a new member of the New Squidbeak Splatoon led by Cap'n Cuttlefish, learns that the Great Zapfish of Inkopolis has disappeared. Agent 3 believes Octavio, a wartime enemy of the Inklings, is responsible. Agent 3 is sent to invade Octarian territory, with help from past recruits, Agents 1 and 2, to find Octavio.

Splatoon 2 is a 2017 third-person shooter game developed for the Nintendo Switch and released on July 21. It was first shown in a trailer for the Nintendo Switch on January 13, 2017. The game adds new maps and weapons, along with a new single-player story titled "Octo Canyon."

"Octo Canyon" begins with Marie from the Squid Sisters idol group informing the player that Cuttlefish, Agent 3, and the Great Zapfish are missing. Marie is worried about her cousin, Callie, who also disappeared. She believes Octavio is responsible, as he escaped from a large snow globe after his defeat in Splatoon. Marie recruits the player as Agent 4 to find Octavio, Callie, and the Zapfish.

Splatoon 3 is a 2022 third-person shooter game released for the Nintendo Switch on September 9. A teaser trailer for the game was shown at the end of a Nintendo Direct presentation on February 17, 2021. The game features a new single-player mode titled "Return of the Mammalians," first shown in a separate trailer in September 2021.

"Return of the Mammalians" follows a retired Cuttlefish who recruits the player as the new Agent 3. Agent 3 is joined by a small Salmonid named Smallfry. Together, they investigate the theft of the Great Zapfish, which Cuttlefish believes Octavio is responsible for. The group confronts Octavio near Splatsville but is pulled into a new area called Alterna by a substance called Fuzzy Ooze.

In Alterna, Agent 3 and Smallfry meet Callie, Marie, and the original Agent 3, now promoted to Captain of the New Squidbeak Splatoon. They receive a distress call from Cuttlefish and search Alterna to find him. Their journey is interrupted by Shiver, Frye, and Big Man, members of the band Deep Cut.

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion is a 2018 downloadable content (DLC) expansion for Splatoon 2. The DLC follows Agent 8, an amnesiac Octoling, who must complete up to 80 trials in a subway station managed by Kamabo Co. Agent 8's goal is to collect four items called "thangs" to reach the surface, guided by a talking telephone.

Splatoon 3: Side Order is a 2024 DLC single-player expansion for Splatoon 3, released as part of the Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass on February 22. Side Order uses a roguelike style, allowing players to unlock perks called "color chips" as they progress through a 30-floor tower.

Side Order includes characters from Octo Expansion, such as Pearl, Marina, and Agent 8, who the player controls again. The story takes place in "Memverse," a virtual reality created by Marina. Agent 8 must climb the tower to defeat Order, an artificial intelligence that trapped souls in Memverse to create a world of strict order.

Splatoon Raiders was announced by Nintendo on June 10, 2025, as an exclusive game for the Nintendo Switch 2. No release date has been set. The first spin-off game in the series, Raiders follows Deep Cut and an unnamed mechanic as they explore the new Spirhalite Islands region.

Development

Splatoon was created for the Wii U by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD), with later help from Monolith Soft, who worked on all future versions. The game's earliest idea, developed in 2013, was a four-versus-four ink-based territory control game in a simple, featureless arena. This version was led by Shintaro Sato and Hisashi Nogami, who had previously worked on Nintendo's Animal Crossing series. The prototype was expanded to include vertical maps and the ability to hide in ink, but the team struggled to make the game simple and fun, calling the experience unfocused. At this point, Shigeru Miyamoto believed the game lacked appeal. The art director made early sketches of player characters, including "macho men," robots, and Mario, the latter of which was suggested by Miyamoto. Eventually, the team focused on anthropomorphic rabbits that could burrow through solid surfaces covered in ink, inspired by the game's area control gameplay and rabbits' natural territorial behavior. However, others in the company objected to this idea, feeling it clashed with the ink-based gameplay. After discussions, the team chose squid-like characters that could submerge in ink like a cephalopod and use a humanoid form to hold weapons. Initially, they were designed as squid-human hybrids, but this was rejected due to concerns about sales. Instead, the characters, named Inklings, were designed to switch between a purely humanoid form and a purely cephalopodic form. This idea allowed for gameplay mechanics like swimming through one's own ink and taking damage from opponents' ink, which Miyamoto approved of. The Wii U GamePad was used to show players a real-time overhead view of the battle.

In 2014, Splatoon was shown during a Nintendo Direct presentation at E3 2014, and a playable demo with four-versus-four local Turf War matches was available on the show floor. At that time, only 10% of the full game was completed. Later, a time-limited multiplayer demo called "Global Testfire" was released for download from 8 to 9 May 2015. The full game was released globally between 28 and 30 May 2015.

Work on a sequel, Splatoon 2, began around October 2015. It was developed by Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development after the 2015 merger of Nintendo EAD and Nintendo Software Planning & Development (SPD). It was announced for the Nintendo Switch in January 2017. The game was first shown in the console's initial announcement trailer, where it was promoted like an esport. The full game was released on 21 July 2017. Splatoon 2 includes a redesigned user interface due to the absence of the Wii U GamePad's touch screen, along with new maps, weapons, and abilities. SplatNet 2, a service in the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app, allows players to view in-game stats, earn digital wallpapers by completing challenges, and chat with others via voice. The Octo Expansion DLC was released globally on 13 June 2018. On 22 April 2022, Octo Expansion became a benefit for members of the Switch Online Expansion Pass.

Splatoon 3 was announced in a Nintendo Direct on 17 February 2021. It was released on 9 September 2022, developed by Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development. The game features an apocalyptic setting based on the winner of Splatoon 2's "Chaos vs. Order" Splatfest, which the developers had planned for either outcome before the results were announced. The sequel includes new maps, weapons, abilities, movement options, and a card game-based mode called "Tableturf Battle." An early-access demo titled "Splatoon 3: Splatfest World Premiere" was held on 27 August 2022. The Nintendo Switch Online app includes SplatNet 3, which tracks in-game stats, allows voice chat, and offers other features. In a Nintendo Direct on 14 September 2023, the paid DLC Splatoon 3: Side Order was announced, featuring a new single-player campaign released on 22 February 2024.

An official soundtrack, Splatune, was released by Enterbrain in Japan on 21 October 2015. The sequel's soundtrack, Splatune 2, and the Octo Expansion soundtrack, Octotune, were released on 29 November 2017 and 18 July 2018, respectively. The third game's soundtrack, Splatune 3, and the Side Order soundtrack, Ordertune, were released on 26 April 2023 and 11 December 2024, respectively.

Reception

The Splatoon series has received positive reviews from many people. Its gameplay is considered a new and successful way to play third-person shooter games. Giovanni Colantonio from Digital Trends praised the Turf War mode, calling it a "genius concept" because it is simple and allows players of all skill levels to help win. The colorful graphics and cartoon-like characters in the games stand out compared to other shooters that focus on realistic visuals. Jordan Biordi from CG Magazine pointed out that the fixed weapon choices in the series limited player freedom. Also, the lack of built-in voice chat, which was later only available through the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app, has been criticized. Online matchmaking in the series has received mixed feedback. Brendan Graeber from IGN appreciated improvements in later games, such as the addition of a training room in Splatoon 3's online lobby, which replaced earlier static screens. However, some critics noted problems with network connections and uneven team skill levels during matches.

The music in Splatoon has been highly praised. Ben Johnson from Pocket Tactics described the soundtrack as mixing different music styles in a unique way. He also noted that the music is closely tied to the game's world, which focuses heavily on fashion and music, making it more than just background noise.

The design of the Inklings, the game's characters, has been positively received since the first Splatoon was released. Their unique physical traits are used in gameplay mechanics, allowing players to try new strategies. Polygon staff ranked two Inkling characters, Callie and Marie from the "Squid Sisters," among the best video game characters of the 2010s, calling them "pop sensations." The decision to remove gendered language in Splatoon 3's English version was praised by Ana Diaz of Polygon.

Josh Broadwell from NPR explained that Splatoon stands out from other shooters by creating a more welcoming community. This is due to its flexible gameplay, Nintendo's approach to communication, and the series' casual style. A large part of Splatoon's playerbase includes LGBTQ+ individuals. Jade King from Xtra Magazine suggested that the series' focus on individuality, self-expression, and style, along with the lack of gender-restricted customization, contributed to its large queer community. The absence of built-in voice chat was also noted as helping create a more accepting environment.

The themes of Splatfests, which are in-game events where players choose sides based on questions, have sometimes caused controversy. Professor Derek Foster mentioned that some players choose teams based on which idol supports them, not the question itself. In 2023, fans of idol Frye from Deep Cut showed frustration toward fans of her co-star Shiver after Shiver had a long winning streak in Splatoon 3. Some accused Nintendo of favoring one side. Before the "Spicy vs. Sweet vs. Sour" Splatfest, fans supported Frye, who was on Team Sweet, because of her past challenges. Her victory was celebrated by players.

By September 2022, the first Splatoon sold about 4.95 million copies, and its sequel sold around 13.60 million. Splatoon 3 became the fastest-selling game in Japan from September to November 2022, selling 3.45 million copies in three days. By 2024, Splatoon 3 had sold 11.96 million copies, bringing the total series sales to about 30 million.

In other media

Characters from the video game Splatoon, especially the Inklings, have appeared in other Nintendo games, including Super Mario Maker, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. A crossover event between Splatoon 2 and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp took place in September 2018. In July 2019, a Splatoon 2-themed mode was added to Tetris 99 to celebrate Splatoon 2’s "Final Fest" Splatfest on July 18, 2019. On January 16, 2026, the 3.0 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons was released. This update added furniture items and two islanders inspired by Splatoon, which can be unlocked using Amiibo cards.

The NES Zapper, a weapon that players can use in the game, became a popular item for collectors after it was included in the game. Water guns designed to look like weapons from the Splatoon games have also been sold as toys.

Because Splatoon includes competitive game modes, esports tournaments with prize money were held as early as 2016 in Japan. After the release of Splatoon 2, Nintendo created the Splatoon 2 World Championships and began hosting tournaments in 2018. Teams of four players compete in online or live events to qualify for the World Championships, which take place alongside other Nintendo games like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate at the Nintendo World Championships. These events were usually held during Nintendo’s E3 events and were broadcast online.

Between January 2016 and March 2017, two webcomic series based on Splatoon were published in Enterbrain’s Weekly Famitsu magazine: Honobono Ika 4koma, illustrated by Kino Takahashi, and Play Manga, created by doujin writers. These comics were later published by Kadokawa Future Publishing on June 15, 2017.

A Splatoon manga series drawn by Sankichi Hinodeya began appearing in Shogakukan’s CoroCoro Comic magazine in February 2016, following a one-shot published in May 2015. Viz Media acquired the rights to publish the manga in North America in 2017. In July 2017, a motion comic version of the manga was announced and released on CoroCoro’s YouTube channel the next month. As of February 2018, the manga had sold over 800,000 copies and is still being published.

In April 2017, a manga series titled Splatoon: Squid Kids Comedy Show, illustrated by Hideki Goto, was published in Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic. Viz Media later translated and published this series in North America.

Real-life concerts featuring holograms of Splatoon’s main characters have been held in various places, mostly in Japan. In 2016, a concert tour called "Squid Sisters Live" was held to celebrate the sale of 1 million copies of Splatoon. These concerts took place at events like Niconico Tokaigi, Chokaigi, Niconico Cho Party in Japan, and Japan Expo in Paris. Similar concerts featuring Splatoon 2’s "Off the Hook" were held after the game’s release in 2018. Recordings of these concerts were released as albums. Concerts celebrating Splatoon 3’s "Deep Cut" have also been held.