Splatoon 2 producer talks a ton about weapons, mobile app usage, graphics, HD Rumble, more

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By the way, will there be any weapon similar to the Dynamo Roller in this game? I bet its vertical swipe would have the same reach as a Charger…

Its stats will be adjusted, but yes, all of the Main Weapons from the first game will appear again. Their specific abilities are still being researched.

These adjustments sound interesting. Chargers also allow you to move while holding the charge now.

We’re calling this ability to maintain your charge the “Charge Keep” [note: subject to change in English]. If you turn into squid form while holding a full charge, you can maintain the charged state briefly while moving around. When you exit squid form, you’ll still have the charge ready. If you take too long, though, the charged state will end.

Normally, when an enemy approaches you while you’re charged, you’d have to let go to run away. This seems like it will make a big difference in those kinds of situations.

That’s right. Chargers perform poorly in close combat, so when the enemy approaches you and threatens your position, you can create some distance and shoot. Or you can strafe and shoot back at them. You have to aim as soon as you come out of squid form, so it’s a very technical maneuver.

How much have you changed the Shooters?

There haven’t been any major changes made to how the Shooters work. Being general-purpose is their big draw after all, so we’re leaving those characteristics much the same as they were in the first game.

On the topic of weapon categories, you haven’t announced anything about Sloshers and Splatlings, have you? (Note: when this interview took place, no information on them had been revealed yet)

If you look at the image accompanying the announcement for the event, you’ll see there is a Splatling. Sloshers will be in too, of course. Also, Blasters, and Brushes, and all of the other secondary variations are all in the game as well. Every Main Weapon from the first game will appear in 2.

So the weapon lineup in 2 will be an expansion upon what was available in the first game?

That’s right. They have all had their parameters adjusted, and we plan to have more available in the end, compared to the first game.

I see. You also introduced the new Sub Weapon, the Curling Bomb.

The Curling Bomb travels along the ground after you throw it, but if you look closely, there’s a meter on the upper part of it. Once you enter the throwing stance, the meter starts to decrease, so you can control when it will explode by choosing how long to hold before releasing it. It handles a bit differently from the other bombs.

Sounds like you’ll need to predict your opponents’ movements when using it.

It also bounces off of walls when it hits them, so the direction you throw it is important too, but you still have to manage the timer so that it explodes when it reaches the enemy. The bomb will knock enemies back if it hits them before exploding, but it won’t splat them.

What! It won’t explode even if it hits them?!

It just knocks them back. But, since it bounces off walls, you can splat an enemy hiding behind obstacles with a well-timed throw. I think it will be used in different ways than the bombs we’ve had up until now.

I’ve heard that the special weapons have all been completely redone.

That is true. All of the special weapons from the previous game have been changed.

Did you change them because of the difference in control schemes?

Yes and no. I wanted to reset the tactics used in the game as well. The most used weapons in the game are the Mains and Subs, so the fundamental strategies will be similar to the first game. However, Special Weapons can turn the tide of battle, so strategies revolved around them. Therefore, changing the Special Weapons will greatly shift players’ strategies. I mentioned earlier that I wanted everyone to enjoy the game from a fresh start once more. These changes are part of that.

So people new to the series, as well as veterans of the first game, will be able to enjoy the game with a fresh new feeling.

Players will still be able to make use of the skills they acquired controlling their character and using the Main Weapons, but the strategies they’ve used up until now will be “reset”.

The Inkjet sort of reminds me of a grenade launcher.

Right. Its shots burst, and inflict damage over a wide area around their impact point. You can use them like bombs to limit your enemies movements, or even take them out in one shot if you score a direct hit. […] There’s a delay after firing, so you won’t be able to fire the Inkjet’s attacks continuously. You should probably use it while you’re somewhere safe, away from danger. […]

Will we be able to fly over normally impassable walls while using it too?

Yes. You rise to about three times the height of the Inklings, so you can pass over otherwise impassable walls to get into enemy territory and things like that. By making good use of it, I think players will come up with new attack strategies from otherwise unreachable areas. By the way, you can press the ZL button to turn into a squid and lower your height as well. After the jets run dry, you’ll be returned to the location you first activated it.

I see. Also, Splashdown seems like it will be extremely powerful.

It’s pretty flashy, isn’t it. But you have to think carefully about when to use it. You might be invincible during the attack, but you can still be splatted before that, even if you already activated it. By the way, you can even use it while doing a Super Jump, and splat any enemies nearby when you land. There’s a short delay after activating it, so if you use it too early they might evade it, and if you use it to close you might get taken down before it goes off. You need to find the right moment.

In the video, there was also something that looked like the Bomb Rush.

Right. It looks a bit like something we used to sell called the Ultra Machine (note: This is a toy sold in 1968 by Nintendo; functioned like a batting machine, shooting balls continuously). It looks like the old Bomb Rush, but there might be some differences.

The other special weapons shown in the video were interesting as well, like the missile that created a cloud…

Ah, that, it’s still under research… It seems like, for a short while, a thundercloud appears that rains down ink. There were seven special weapons total in the first game, and we plan to have more than that in 2.