Splatoon is a brand new IP for the Wii U. This third person action game offers some great game play and a new variety of characters unique in the Nintendo Universe. With the strong emphasis on Multiplayer (though there is a single player as well) this is a fairly different take all together compared to most Nintendo titles. This is a peppy game with two very different modes of play. Let's see just how fresh you can get!

When you start the game, you get to create a Squidling. These creatures have the ability to move through ink and can be in either squid or humanoid form. You get to choose the gender and eye color to start. After that you just get some basic gear to begin with. You get to start customizing your character by visiting the shops in the world or making progress in the single player. The gear sets are unique between the two modes and there is no cross-over. Still, whatever you are using for the multiplayer is generally what you are going to be seen wearing. This makes your life a bit easier. You will see a lot of variety in the outfits in the hub world.

You have two game modes to play with in this game. First up is the Story Mode. There are 27 levels with a number of fun and interseting boss fights. You have a lot of levels to go through to complete the game. Expect to have something of a struggle at times. The levels have a strong focus on puzzles, the Control style of game from the Multiplayer or in a Boss Stage. The levels get progressively more difficult to test your mastery of the various skills in the game. It is a fun experience to go through. The final boss is a blast and a very challenging.

The multiplayer maps rotate with fair frequency. Callie and Marie are your news telecasters. They are very much about puns and getting you some information on the stages to you. Whenever you start up the game, Callie and Marie will let you know about the present multiplayer maps and give you a quick overview. This is helpful to assess your chances or to just see if they are new maps or something you have encountered before. Most will have playing Turf War, with the goal to cover the map with your team's ink. The opposing team is trying to do just the same. It takes some skill to start taking down people with your various guns just because the range is shorter than most people are used to for third person shooters. After a little experimenting, it is very simple to start getting more accurate shots and learning just what works for you on which maps.

The game also supports local multiplayer. This is not too apparent on the box, requiring looking at a small box in the bottom left corner. You need at least a Wii Remote (with game pad) or a Gamepad Pro to start it up. One person gets the TV and the other gets the main WiiU Controller. It is the most balanced local multiplayer I know of as you cannot see what the other person is up to. This makes it more important to watch for ink splatters and see what they are up to. It is a nice change of pace and does allow for a more casual introduction to the game.

The controls take a bit of getting used to. The tutorial is useful to get the most basic aspects of it. Do not just dive into the multiplayer. Take a little time to learn the basics of using them. Clear at least a few portions of the Single Player game. This will get you more familiar with how things operate. It is time well spent as when you dive into the chaos of a multiplayer match, you will be able to quickly adapt your general style to that of the game.

The music seems somewhat reminiscent of the Jet Set Radio Series (and the 90's in general).  A fun thing there is the Shop music is largely the same between all the different shops. What will change between the shops is some of the instrumentation. Things shift to put emphasis on different parts of it. As you can easily scroll between each of the shops, this is a great touch. While it can get a little repetitive in single player, you will generally find it enjoyable to have the music on while playing. More often than not, it is adding nicely to the experience of the game.

Amiibos contribute to the game as well. So far, there are 3 that are compatible with the game. These are the: Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl and the Inkling Squid. They extend the life of the game with a number of challenges offered with each Amiibo. If you complete all the challenges, then you are granted unique outfits. The Amiibos also let you change what weapons are available to you in the single player. This can be a great boon if you really like to one of the available weapons. Some of them are a lot easier with a quick weapon change.

The gear is something interesting. You will also find a strong 90's influence on it as well. All of it changes your character's look. With the multiplayer set, you will find each of them will have a number of icons, modifiers. One or more of which will be shrouded. These change a number of statisics for the characters. It can cut how much ink is used for attacking with the various types of attack, reduce the penalties for being in different ink, give boosts if certain conditions are met and more. Only by playing in the Multiplayer can you unlock the abilities that it has. The higher level your person, the better gear will be available to you. Each caps at a total of 4 abilities. Each one takes a good amount of experience to unlock, but no more than a few matches, win or lose.

Splatoon offers something new on the WiiU. There really has not been a game like this on many of Nintendo's systems. It is a recommended game if you like fast paced multiplayer games. The addition of Amiibo support is very welcome (even if the Amiibos are hard to find)