Instant favorite

Splatoon's newest map, Flounder Heights, is amazing. It takes place on top of an apartment complex and is absolutely gigantic. There's so many routes to take at any given time! There is a lot of potential in this map, and it is a blast to think of new ways to approach things.

I've had a chance to play the new map in each of the four game modes, and I'm already gushing about it. Oh, and if you're someone who has a Wii U but hasn't bought Splatoon yet, there's another "Test Fire" demo this weekend! You can read all the details here.

Note: For ranked, I'm currently hovering between B- and B.

General

Honestly, I think just about any weapon can succeed on Flounder Heights with the correct strategy. Rollers and Inkbrushes will likely have a harder time since they can't ink the walls themselves, but that's what teammates are for! Since it's so large, players seem to lean towards longer-ranged weapons, but that is not the only way to go! My main weapon is the Sploosh-O-Matic, a very short-ranged weapon, and I've been doing just fine. Players really need to adjust their playstyle to their weapon here, probably more than any other map.

Since I use a short-ranged weapon, I use the walls to create sneaky paths and come up from behind. When I switch to something with a longer range, I tend to hang back way more and stick to the standard paths. This is why I think the map epitomizes the game: using your weapon in the best way possible is essential to thrive. For some, that's clinging to walls and taking shortcuts, for others, it's holding a position; every weapon has its place on Flounder Heights.

Turf War

There is a lot of surface to ink here. Often times, I'll find myself leaving the spawn a minute or two into the game and still have an entire path to coat with fresh ink! Normally I would advise not to bother with inking the spawn, since it will likely get inked over time from people respawning. With Flounder Heights, however, I'm changing my tune. It is very possible for an entire area near the spawn to go un-inked for an entire match, since there's so many other places to be and most people just super jump from spawn after their first death.

Sprinklers and Inkstrikes are, as usual, very efficient here, especially with the verticality of it all. A single sprinkler or well-placed Inkstrike might ink three different levels at once, making it much more of a pain to clean up!

The high ground in the center of the map is a very strong position to hold. You can see a lot from any given spot up there, but at the same time, there's so many different areas that the enemy can come from. Personally, I'm a fan of taking the middle low ground, then looping back around to come from behind.

Tower Control

The path for the tower in this mode is pretty straightforward, but can definitely be difficult to stop. After the tower leaves the center, it goes up and over a wall, which can be a big pain when chasing the tower down since the wall itself isn't inkable. Luckily, the tower moves slowly enough that Squidkids can just go down the ramp and cut off the tower.

This might be me making things up, but the base of the tower seems larger here. Like, the part that players need to climb up to actually ride the tower. This makes things real difficult for players on the ground level to splat those actually on the tower. Luckily, there's plenty of high places on the map to combat this, but it is interesting.

I've been rolling with the Squiffer for Tower Control, and it hasn't let me down yet. There's definitely plenty of places for Chargers to station themselves and pick off anyone on the tower, though the Squiffer is a more in-your-face kind of Charger.

Splat Zones

Despite being such a large map, the two zones in Splat Zones are right next to each other. They are both in the center of the map, separated by a small grate and two archways. Charger weapons and the Heavy Splatling can shoot from one zone to the other. It seems like a strange decision, given such a large map, but it does succeed at creating MASS CHAOS in the center. Killer Wails are especially strong here, since you can hit both zones at once!

One bit of advice: don't forget that the grate is....a grate. I've seen plenty of teammates try to avoid getting splatted and just fall right through the grate. It's not a bad idea to head to the center of the map, below the grate, and paint the walls so your teammates can swim right back up afterwards. Oh, and each zone can be taken by a single well-placed Inkstrike. Just keep that in mind!

I used the Heavy Splatling primarily in Splat Zones. I loves its range and ability to hold an area. Plus, since it's possible to take a zone with an Inkstrike, I could defend one zone while simultaneously taking the second! While in control of both zones, it's not a bad idea to push forward a bit to paint the opponent's travel routes. Forcing them to repaint those paths can earn you some precious seconds!

Rainmaker

Again, despite this being such a large map, Rainmaker can be over in the blink of an eye. The path from the Rainmaker's location to the goal is very short. Regardless, 90% of my Rainmaker battles here have been nail-biters. One time my team, with only three people, came within inches of claiming victory. It's moments like those that make me wish I could play with the same people multiple times in a row.

Please don't forget that the shield around the Rainmaker pushes you back. Far too many people have been pushed off one of the game's many high buildings trying to burst that shield and getting too close.

I do wish Rainmaker utilized more of the game's many paths. There's really only one way into the final area, which makes it a big chokepoint. There is technically a second route to get there, but it's out of the way and doesn't make much sense to take since the enemy can see where the Rainmaker is at all times.

General Map Tips

Squid Beakons : These things are made for this map. With so many different paths and plenty of surface area, getting back to a "hot zone" of activity can take quite a while. Put some Beakons in one of the maps nooks and crannies and your team will love you.

Echolocator : This already-great ability gets even more use here. Knowing where the enemy is in such a large space is crucial! Likewise...

Cold Blooded : Don't let those Echolocator jerks know where you are! Especially useful for those who like to climb around and be sneaky.