Splatoon 2 Direct Highlights

Nintendo has released another mini-Direct that was focused on Splatoon 2, which is coming soon to the Nintendo Switch. The Direct unveiled some new features in the game, as well as bringing back some of the best parts of the original Splatoon.

New Additions To The Gameplay

The Splatoon 2 Direct introduced new weapons, specials, and clothing attributes. The weapons included updated versions of the older ones, such as a transforming version of the roller and a blaster gun that fires crayons. There are new sub-weapons, such as a bomb that tracks nearby opponents and a poison mist weapon. We are also receiving new special weapons, such as a multi-missile launcher that rains death upon your opponents, a weapon that can fire through walls, the ability to create armor for your teammates which will protect them from hits, and a lightning fast grenade launcher.

One of the new features in the game is the ability to eat food before a match, which will give you buffs for a certain amount of time. These will likely be banned in the competitive online modes for the game.

Splatoon 2 will feature amiibo support for all previously released Splatoon amiibos. This will include a feature where you can save your character customization options onto an amiibo.

The Phone App

When the Switch was first announced, Nintendo mentioned that all online communication between players would be performed through a phone app. We weren't sure if the plans for this app had been delayed, as Nintendo's paid online service has been pushed back to 2018.

It was revealed today that the Nintendo Switch Online mobile phone app is being released alongside Splatoon 2 on July 21st and it will have a section dedicated to that game, known as SplatNet2. You can use this feature to check all of your stats, along with purchasing new gear for your character. This is also the program that will be used for voice chat, which can be used to communicate with the people on your current team. You can also use the social media features to invite friends into online games.

The Miiverse Drawings Are Returning

Nintendo had previously announced that their Miiverse community won't be coming to the Switch. This is something that fans had anticipated would hit Splatoon 2 the hardest, as one of the best parts of the original Splatoon was seeing all of the drawings that popped up when you started a new game.

Splatoon 2 will feature a return of the drawing feature, which will involve creating drawings with the controller. It's also likely that you will be able to create drawings using the touchscreen of the Switch when it is in portable mode. These can be then submitted to Nintendo and may show up in other people's games.

Free Content Updates For The Game

One of the biggest complaints about the original Splatoon was that it lacked features and maps upon launch. Nintendo promised to release free updates throughout the game's existence, which included new maps and modes. They would later re-use this model with Arms, which is also getting new characters and weapons through free updates.

Splatoon 2 will also be featuring free content updates throughout the first year of the game's release. The Direct showed off new weapons (like a shotgun/umbrella combo) and two new stages, one of which is set aboard a ship and another that takes place in an abandoned old skate park.

The New Squid Sisters

One of the most controversial changes to Splatoon 2 is the arrival of a new set of Squid Sisters, named Pearl and Marina, who will act as the announcers for the game. The previous Squid Sisters, Callie & Marie, are now part of the story for the single-player mode of the game instead.

The reason this is controversial is due to the massive popularity of Callie and Marie with the fans, especially among the Japanese Splatoon fanbase. They were so popular that they even had their own sold out hologrammatic music concerts, like the "live" performances of Hatsune Miku and Gorillaz.

Will fans take to Pearl and Marina or will they reject them on behalf of their love for Callie & Marie? We'll find out soon enough.

The First Splatfest Will Be Taking Place Before The Game's Release

The first Splatoon held regular contests, called Splatfests, where players chose between two options (such as which is better, Pokémon Red or Blue) and battled it out in Turf Wars. Whichever side had the most points at the end of the Splatfest was declared the winner.

Splatoon 2's first Splatfest is to determine which is better between cake and ice cream. This Splatfest is actually being held before the game's release, which means that another demo period is incoming. The cake/ice cream Splatfest will be held across three battles on July 15th.

Splatoon 2 will be released for the Nintendo Switch on the 21st of July.