Splatoon 2's development began shortly following the culmination of Splatoon's free content updates in October 2015. Its team sought to develop a worthy sequel to Splatoon, with the inclusion of new weapons and significant gameplay alterations to set itself apart from its predecessor. The game received generally positive reviews upon release, with critics commending Splatoon2's improved graphics and refinement of returning gameplay elements from its predecessor, though its online matchmaking and Nintendo Switch Online-restricted voice chat garnered criticism. As of December31,2022[update], Splatoon 2 had sold over 13.6 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling Switch games. A sequel, Splatoon 3, was released on the Nintendo Switch on September 9, 2022.
Like its predecessor, Splatoon 2 is a third-person shooter in which players control humanoid cephalopods, known as Inklings and Octolings (Octolings being a new addition to Splatoon 2), and use colored ink as ammunition to paint flat surfaces like floors or walls. Inklings and Octolings can morph between a humanoid form, during which they can walking and shoot ink, and a cepholopodic form where they can quickly swim through ink of their own color and replenish their ink supply.[11]
An Inkling, wielding the Splat Dualies, engaging in combat in the game's Turf War mode.
The sequel adds new main, sub and special weapons, including dual-wield pistols called Dualies that allow the player to perform dodge rolls, shotgun-like weapons called Brellas that enable defensive maneuvers with folding shields, and jetpacks known as Inkjets.[12] Like the previous game, it features the standard Turf War mode for Regular Battles, in which two four-player teams have three minutes to cover as much of a map's floor space with their color of ink. Splatoon 2 also maintains the first game's rotation of Splat Zones, Tower Control and Rainmaker for Ranked Battles, which is unlocked when players reach level ten, while also adding a new Clam Blitz mode. League Battles allow players to form teams with friends playing the same modes as in Ranked Battles, however, they removed tri-squad as a possible team option, making it so players can only create teams of two or four and for ranked battles the time limit is five minutes instead of three. A new mode, Salmon Run, allows up to four players to team up cooperatively to tackle waves of enemies called Salmonids and collect Boss Salmonids' eggs.[13][14]
Once per month until July 2019, a "Splatfest" event was held in which players could choose one of two teams, usually based on common debates such as heroes versus villains and pancakes versus waffles. In addition, there were two collaborations during these Splatfests: Nickelodeon's Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.[15] Splatfest themes were usually announced two weeks in advance, and players were given the ability to choose their team in the game's lobby. Themes were usually region-specific and happen at different times of the month. The only mode available in a Splatfest was Turf War, but players could choose between normal and pro modes. Winning battles awarded 'clout' to the winning team, and at the end of the Splatfest, the winning side was decided by evaluating popularity and clout earned in both battle modes. All players who participate earn rare rewards, but players on the winning team receive a slightly higher cut.[16][17] In July 2019, Nintendo announced that the final regular Splatfest would be held that month.[18] However, bonus rematches of previous Splatfests were held in May 2020,[19][20] August 2020, and October 2020.[21] A Splatfest celebrating the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. was held in January 2021.[22]
The game features a single-player campaign called Octo Canyon, in which the player rescues captured Zapfish across various levels while fighting off evil Octarians. Unlike the previous game's single-player campaign which had a pre-determined weapon set, the player can now earn various weapons, some of which are required when playing levels for the first time. In addition to Sunken Scrolls that unlock artwork and in-game lore, players can collect Power Orbs to upgrade their Hero Mode weapons, and tickets that can be exchanged for temporary reward boosts in multiplayer battles, such as increased experience to level up quicker or more in-game money.[23] Using a single weapon to beat all of the Hero Mode levels grants the player a Hero Weapon Replica (identical to the campaign weapon) to use in multiplayer matches. Players can also play multiplayer online through an internet connection or play locally, although local play requires multiple consoles and copies of the game. The game also features LAN support with an adapter accessory for local private tournaments. The game supports amiibo figures, which allow players to store their character's custom look and unlock additional content. Free post-release updates and events are ongoing.[24]
Setting
The Splatoon series occurs on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth set some millenia following the extinction of humanity and subsequent rapid evolution of marine life.[25][26]Splatoon 2 takes place two years after the events of Splatoon in and around Inkopolis Square.[27] Like its predecessor, Splatoon 2 includes a single-playerstory campaign that follows the thieving of Inkopolis' primary power source, the Great Zapfish, at the hands of the Octarian army.[28] A focal narrative event is the contemporaneous disappearance of Callie, one half of the celebrity musical duo the Squid Sisters, which the player character is also tasked with investigating.[29]
Splatoon 2's DLC expansion pack Octo Expansion occurs roughly around the same time as Octo Canyon.[30] It is set in a subterranean train station named the Deepsea Metro, wherein an amnesiac Octoling falls into. At the direction of a talking telephone and with the assistance of Cap'n Cuttlefish, the player's guide from Splatoon who has also become trapped, Agent 8 seeks to ascend to the surface by clearing various testing facilities across the Metro to collect four objects known as "thangs".[31] Completing the expansion's story awards players the ability to become an Octoling during multiplayer matches.[32]
Plot
Octo Canyon takes place approximately two years after the final Splatfest of Splatoon, in which the pop idol Marie defeated her cousin and fellow Squid Sister, Callie. Having drifted apart in the months following the event, Marie worries that Callie was negatively affected by the result. After leaving Inkopolis to see her parents, Marie returns home to discover that the Great Zapfish that powers the city has gone missing again, as has Callie. Fearing that the evil Octarians are once more involved, Marie takes up her role as Agent 2 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon and recruits an Inkling from Inkopolis Square, the player character, to become Agent 4 and investigate.[33]
With assistance from Marie and weapons expert Sheldon, Agent 4 makes their way through Octo Canyon fighting the Octarians and recovering several stolen Zapfish, including ones powering the Octarians' machines. They discover that Callie herself has sided with the Octarians after being brainwashed by their leader, DJ Octavio, who is once again using the Great Zapfish to power his brand new DJ stage, the Octobot King II. Marie arrives with Sheldon and frees Callie from her mind control, allowing them to help Agent 4 defeat Octavio. With the Great Zapfish safely returned to Inkopolis and DJ Octavio defeated, the Squid Sisters happily reunite and resume their music career together.
Development
The initial conceptualization of Splatoon 2 began during the development of Splatoon's series of free content updates. Production began in full around October 2015.[34] During this period, Splatoon's production team, including producer Hisashi Nogami, considered developing an upgraded version of the Wii U game as opposed to a full sequel. Nogami explained in an interview with Famitsu that they went against this in favor of creating a "legitimate sequel" that would reinvent Splatoon's mechanics in response to the title's positive reception among fans. To this end, the team included new main and special weapons, alongside additional gameplay configurations, mechanically different from those of Splatoon. For instance, the Dualie class and its dodge-roll ability was formulated out of a goal to give players wholly unique gameplay experiences from the previous game. Other gameplay alterations included the reworking of the previous game's Super Jump to accommodate the Switch's lack of a secondary GamePad and the capability to switch gear in between matches.[27]
On the game's worldbuilding, the team sought to convey a sense of realism by having time in the Splatoon series pass parallel to that of the real world. Splatoon 2 is set two years after the events of Splatoon, illustrated by the physical aging of characters and shifting of in-universe music trends.[27] Lead sound designer Toru Minegishi intentionally developed music divergent in sound from Splatoon to symbolize this progression of time, "creat[ing] it with the image of people now preferring different music than before."[35] Nogami believed that this sense of change would inspire players to see the fictional world of Splatoon as "more real and present."[27]
A limited-time global multiplayer demo for the game, known as the "Splatoon 2 Global Testfire", was released in March 2017.[36] A special edition of Nintendo Treehouse Live was streamed during the first session, in which members of the Nintendo Treehouse participated in the demo.[37] Similarly to the demo of the original game, it was only available to play for a specific time period, across six one-hour play sessions in one weekend.[38] Another demo session demonstrating the game's Splatfest events was held on July 15, 2017.[39]
The game was released worldwide on July 21, 2017.[40] In Japan and Europe, neon-green and neon-pink Joy-Con controllers and Splatoon-themed Pro Controllers were released alongside the game.[41] A game card-free version, which features a download code inside a game case instead of a game card, was also released in Japan, as well as a Switch hardware bundle including a download code for the game.[42] A similar bundle was released in the United States as a Walmart exclusive.[43]
New Amiibo figures of new Inkling Girl, Boy and Squid designs from Splatoon 2 were released alongside the game. These figures, alongside previous Splatoon figures, unlock exclusive in-game clothing and music tracks and allow the player to save a loadout of weapons and clothing to the figure so they can be readily accessed at any time. Characters with these saved load-outs can be posed alongside the player for taking screenshots.[44] Amiibo figures of Pearl and Marina from Off the Hook were released on July 13, 2018,[45] and feature similar functionality to those already released,[46] while a final trio of figures of Octoling Girl, Boy and Octopus designs were released in Japan and Europe on November 9, 2018,[47] and in North America on December 7, 2018.[48]
Like the previous game, Splatoon 2 was continually updated post-release with free content. From launch, at least one new weapon was added to the game almost every week, while new stages and game modes were added at irregular intervals. In late April 2018, this changed to having a large group of weapons added every month instead, with new stages continuing to be added until October 2018.[49] While these regular updates were originally due to continue for around a year after the game's launch, with monthly regional Splatfest events being held for around two years,[50] the regular updates were later extended to last until the end of 2018.[51] An expansion pack for the game's single-player mode, titled Octo Expansion, was released on June 13, 2018.[52]
The game's content update in December 2018 was announced as the final one, albeit with balancing patches and Splatfest events due to continue into Summer 2019,[53] but it was later revealed that more smaller updates would release until July 2019.[54]
Promotion
Prior to Splatoon 2's reveal, clips of the game were featured in the announcement trailer for the Nintendo Switch.[55] Its unanticipated appearance led to speculation by the media and public over whether or not the footage shown was that from a port of Splatoon or a sequel.[56][57][58] It was also presented in the trailer in a way that promoted the game as an eSport,[56][59][60] following investments by Nintendo in Splatoon eSport tournaments in late 2016.[61]
Splatoon 2 was officially unveiled to the public during the Nintendo Switch reveal presentation held in Tokyo on January 13, 2017, where it was announced for release in Q2/Q3 2017.[62] The reveal was accompanied by a trailer featuring the game's new maps and weapons,[63][11] and an on-stage appearance of producer Hisashi Nogami in-character as a scientist from the Squid Research Lab, a fictional scientific group from the game, which appeared in various promotional material for the original Splatoon.[64]
A manga series based on the game and illustrated by Sankichi Hinodeya began serialization in Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic magazine in May 2017.[73] It was published in North America by Viz Media in late 2017.[74] A motion comic adaptation of the manga was announced in July 2017 and released on YouTube the following month.[75]
Splatune 2, a two-disc official soundtrack featuring music from the game by Toru Minegishi, Ryo Nagamatsu, and Shiho Fujii, was published by Enterbrain in Japan on November 29, 2017,[76][77] debuting at number eight on Billboard Japan's Hot Albums chart.[78] A second soundtrack album, Octotune, was released in Japan on July 18, 2018. This album features tracks added in the game's Octo Expansion DLC and other post-release updates, as well as a recording of the game's first live concert.[79] It peaked at number five on the Hot Albums chart.[80]
Similarly to the first game, a series of real-life virtual concerts featuring the game's signature band Off the Hook have been performed in various locations. Their first concert was held at Tokaigi 2018 in Japan on February 10, 2018,[81] a second was performed at Polymanga in Switzerland on March 31, 2018,[82] a third concert which featured a new song, "Nasty Majesty" from Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion, was performed at NicoNico Chokaigi in Japan on April 28, 2018, a fourth concert was performed at Tokaigi Game Party 2019 in Japan on January 26, 2019, which featured more songs from the Octo Expansion, and was the first concert to only feature Pearl and Marina, and a two-day concert featuring both the Squid Sisters and Off The Hook was performed at Nintendo Live 2019 on October 13–14, 2019, which featured performances based on previous concerts.[83]
Splatoon 2 received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic,[84] and according to fellow aggregator OpenCritic was recommended by 90% of critics.[85]
Critics were pleased with Splatoon 2's refinement of gameplay mechanics from its predecessor. Turf War and Ranked Battles were seen as equally enjoyable to their previous incarnations,[95][96] though some reviewers critiqued the return of timed stage rotations.[97][98] Multiple critics praised the game's balance changes, including its reworked battle arenas that compensate for the playstyles of multiple weapon classes.[98] The game's visual presentation was commended as an improvement over that of Splatoon, generally attributed to the Switch's higher fidelity than the Wii U.[94][99][93][100] Brian Shea of Game Informer found the alterations made to existing weapons positive enhancements that improve their versatility.[89] Samuel Horti of GamesRadar+ felt that Splatoon 2 was generally lacking in innovation, feeling that its predecessor's core formula remained unchanged.[92] This sentiment was shared by Neal Ronaghan of Nintendo World Report and Mollie L. Patterson of Electronic Gaming Monthly, both of whom thought the game felt "more like Splatoon 1.5" as opposed to a definitive sequel.[95][87]
Most of Splatoon 2's wholly new additions were positively received. Its single-player campaign was met with generally positive responses, its levels deemed mechanically engaging and suitably enhanced compared to its predecessor.[c] While the new Salmon Run mode, considered Splatoon 2's standout addition, was praised for its difficulty and emphasis on team cooperation,[d] its time-sensitive availability was lamented, many critics finding the restriction illogical and at the mode's detriment.[99][98][86][95] Brian Shea opined that "limiting such a substantial addition in this way is a baffling and frustrating decision."[89]
Many were displeased with the locking of voice chat behind the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app. Writing for The Verge, Andrew Webster felt the game's lack of built-in voice chat functionality needlessly complicated the multiplayer experience,[101] a sentiment shared by Kallie Plagge of GameSpot.[91] Brittany Vincent of Game Revolution and Will Greenwald of PCMag critiqued the process of creating lobbies through the app as cumbersome.[90][106]IGN's Brendan Graeber disliked the app's user interface, criticizing that one's smartphone is required to be powered on to continue conversing. He found the app largely inferior to existing voice messaging services such as Discord and Skype.[93]
The game's matchmaking system elicited mixed reviews. Multiple critics derided the inability of players to switch weapon loadouts between matches at launch,[86][101][89] which Alex Olney of Nintendo Life called "an oversight that is genuinely frustrating."[94] Sam Machkovech of Ars Technica and Samuel Horti both disliked that the matchmaking menu could not be manually aborted.[101][92]
Eurogamer ranked the game 17th on their list of the "Top 50 Games of 2017",[107] while Polygon ranked it 43rd on their list of the 50 best games of 2017.[108]The Verge named Splatoon 2 as one of their 15 Best Games of 2017.[109] The game was nominated for "Best Switch Game" in both Destructoid's Game of the Year Awards 2017 and IGN's Best of 2017 Awards,[110][111] the latter of which also nominated it for "Best Shooter" and "Best Multiplayer".[112][113]
Sales
Splatoon 2 debuted second on the UK software sales chart in its launch week, behind Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy.[114] It had 59% better first week sales than Splatoon and became the third biggest launch of a Switch game in that country.[114] In Japan, Splatoon 2 sold roughly 670,955 copies at retail within the first few days of its launch.[115] Including download copies, the game had sold over two million in Japan by early 2018, making it the first home console game to do so in the country since 2010's Wii Party.[116] The game shipped 1.56 million copies in Japan and 3.61 million copies worldwide in its first fiscal quarter on sale.[117] By June 30, 2020, the game had sold 10.71 million copies worldwide,[118] making it the ninth best-selling Switch game worldwide.[118]As of December31,2022[update], Splatoon 2 had sold over 13.60 million copies worldwide, selling twice as much as its predecessor, and making it one of the best-selling Switch games.[119]
On February 17, 2021, during a Nintendo Direct, Nintendo announced a teaser trailer for Splatoon 3, which was released for the Nintendo Switch on September 9, 2022.[127] The teaser trailer revealed gameplay similar to that of Splatoon 2, and revealed new items, weapons, and a new apocalyptic setting.[128]
↑Hernandez, Patricia (April 12, 2017). "Splatoon 2 Has Co-Op, Out In July". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
↑"Game Modes". Splatoon 2 - Nintendo. Nintendo. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
1234Famitsu editorial staff (February 9, 2017). "『スプラトゥーン2』現実と同じ2年の時を経て進化した正統続編！ 各ブキの進化にも迫る開発者インタビュー【Nintendo Switchインタビュー特集】"[Splatoon 2: A legitimate sequel that has evolved over two years, just like the real thing! Developer interview delves into the evolution of each weapon [Nintendo Switch Interview Special]]. Famitsu (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 15, 2026. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
12Watanabe, Takuya (July 24, 2017). "「スプラトゥーン2」レビュー"["Splatoon 2" Review]. IGN Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 19, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
↑Eyama, Rokurou (September 8, 2017). "『スプラトゥーン2』レビュー「遊び」が「競技」に変わる時"[Splatoon 2 Review: When "Play" Turns into "Sport"]. Automaton (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 14, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2026.
↑"Horizon wins 7; Mario GOTY". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. March 13, 2018. Archived from the original on March 14, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
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