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So will Nintendo’s ink-filled shooter satisfy the unquenchable thirst of angry former Nintendo fans and hardcore fanatics? It just might. The game hits a similar level of perfection as some of the company’s other first-party developed titles, such as Super Mario 3D World. But underneath the colourful paint of Splatoon’s charms, the game is also rife with significant issues, some that might be game-ruining for shooter fans.

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With this said though, Splatoon is different, inventive, and the most fun I’ve had with a Nintendo-developed title since the Wii U launched. If you’re a Wii U owner there is very little reason not to buy this game.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Splatoon is that it isn’t about racking up kills. Instead, it’s focused on pitting two teams of four against one another as they try to spray as much paint as possible across the game’s various multiplayer arenas. The premise really is as simple as that. Whatever team has covered a higher percentage of the level at the end of the match is the victor. In an industry full of shooting games that copy each others’ gametypes, a new way to play that isn’t focused on killing your opponents is a nice change of pace.

Players are also awarded an individual score at the end of each game that’s added to their overall point statistics, which then levels up their online profile and unlocks new weapons and clothing for their character. This is all standard shooter fare, but there’s a level of simplicity to Splatoon’s progression system that isn’t present in other shooting games such as the Call of Duty series. Splatoon might be a shooter, but it’s very much the kind of shooter only Nintendo could create.