Saskatchewan Gamers' Guild

It's been a while since I last posted so here is an update for everyone.  My video capture device is still not working right which means I still am unable to make any interesting content.  I am hoping to sort this problem out soon but I can not guarantee anything.

On the more positive side I have some exciting news for all you gamers!  Me and my friends have formed a group called the Saskatchewan Gamers' Guild!

For the longest time I have struggled to find other people who like video games as much as I do.  Now with the power of the internet it is so easy to play games against other real people.  This is why we made the guild.  Please join is if you are a fan of Nintendo, Sega, Sony, XBox or PC.  We talk about all things gaming!  It is a place that gamers can go to discuss gaming, make friends, and find people to play with!  Even though it says Saskatchewan our group is open to any and all gamers, the name just refers to our home base of operations.  We currently are only operating on facebook and I will keep posting updates on the state of the Guild.  We are a small starting out group so please feel free to start a conversation on our page or in our discussion group.

Check us out!
Saskatchewan Gamers' Guild
Discussion Page

KFlave signing out!

Hammerhead Bridge

Photo From Nintendo

Took a short break from Splatoon to focus on school work and try out Super Mario Maker.  I did however make time to compete in the recent American Splatfest Art vs Science.  It was a great time and my team won again!  My Splatfest record now sits at 3 - 1.  Now back to the point.  I noticed that a new map had been released just before Splatfest called Hammerhead Bridge so naturally I had to scout it out before playing it online.

This map is reminiscent of Walleye Warehouse and Port Mackerel as it is very narrow but long.  The main focal point on the map is the bridge that runs from spawn point to the enemy spawn point.  This path offers quick movement and access to many parts of the stage but is a risk due to the lack of cover the bridge provides.  The bridge also has very little turf to be covered so in a turf war it is best to drop down as soon as possible.  From spawn there are also two side paths players can choose to take to get to the common middle ground.  These paths do provide players cover but also take a bit longer to get to the center of the fight.  Personally I find the area under the bridge to feel a bit like a maze with many walls and corners people can hide behind.  While playing Splatfest I spent countless games running in circles trying to out flank my opponents who where chasing me.  In the end I just ambushed them from around a corner with a well placed splat bomb.

This map is pretty fun to play and it also got me thinking.  Many Splatoon maps share similar characteristics.  Maybe there is a way to classify them.

Foreshadowing?  Maybe I am.  Stick around to find out!

Until then
KFlave signing out!

Let The Game Design Begin - Super Mario Maker

I picked up Super Mario Maker this weekend and so far it is a fantastic game.  I've already put in many hours playing it to unlock all the stage building tools.  Next goal for me is to unlock all of the costumes.  This will take a while though since you must beat the 100 Mario challenge multiple times on Easy, Normal and Hard Difficulties.  The easy challenge is, well easy.  A lot of the courses are straight forward or are automatic levels.  Normal difficulty does require some skill as dying does become an issue but won't be a problem as most levels have a lot of 1-Ups in them to keep you near 100.  The real challenge I find is with Hard Mode.  I know I'm not the most skilled Mario player but half of those levels seem trollish to me.  Some can only be cleared by knowing a secret trick the creator put in which (I find to be unfair) or by trial and error.  Trial and error doesn't work well since you only have 100 lives and 16 stages to complete.  I prefer skill over luck in my games,  but that is just an opinion.

In the mean time here are some of my levels to play until I complete some more challenges.

Beginner's Luck (Still Undefeated)
CACF-0000-0055-07F3

Bomber Bridge
9586-0000-005A-D2C1

Castle Koopa
AEE4-0000-005D-1B61


KFlave signing out!

Splatfest 5 - Creativity or Fact?

Photo From Nintendo

Next week American Splatoon players will be celebrating another Splatfest and this time it is a bit philosophical.  Do you value art or science more?  I am hoping to bounce back in this Splatfest to make up for my defeat last time.  Although, it is hard to say which team will be more popular as both side are opposites.  I personally have to go with my heart in this Splatfest and chose art since I am both an actor and a musician.

Here is a big question for everyone.   Which came first art or science?   Without science we wouldn't have any spare time to create art.  The posses of discovering things through science is its own expression and its own art.

Now to help any gamers figure out which side to pick its very simple.  Video games are both an art and a science.  The science of technology and programming allows us to see and play the works of art developers have spent years making.  So it doesn't really matter which side a gamer picks.

  The Splatfest runs on the 18 - 19 of September so everyone pick a side and get ready to rumble!

KFlave signing out!

Super Mario Maker is Out

Photo from Nintendo

Super Mario Maker is finally out today and I gotta say the game looks pretty nice.  After many long years of waiting it's awesome to now be able to build levels and challenge the world to complete them.  Lots of the information I will be talking about might already be known since Youtubers have been posting about Mario Maker for a couple of weeks now.

The possibilities for level creations are only limited by your imagination. Nintendo has made sure to keep the game fun for everyone.  In order to release your levels to the public you must be able to complete them without dying.  This should help remove the number of  impossible Kaizo Mario style floating around but still keep in some challenging levels.

If you want an easy way to find difficult levels you can take the 100 Mario challenge.  Your goal is simple: Complete 16 levels with only 100 lives.  A walk in the park on easy mode but very challenging or outright almost impossible once you get to expert mode.  This is the perfect way for a Mario master to prove his worth to his peers.

Personally my favorite part of Mario Maker is the Amiibo costumes.  I believe there are around 99 costumes to unlock in the game and most of them come from just using the Amiibos.  It is interesting to see all the 8-bit character sprites.  It's very ironic to see characters like Sonic be official in a Mario game considering the great console war.  I also fascinating to see the Inklings and other newer Nintendo characters in a retro form.  I kind of like them and almost wish they had retro origin games just to see how they would have worked.

That's all for today!
K Flave signing out!

Flounder Heights

Photo From Nintendo

Yesterday Nintendo released another new map to the Splatoon rotation called Flounder Heights.  This is one of the two maps teased in the August Update trailer and probably is released for the New Global Testfire this weekend and for the Japanese Splatfest.

After playing a few matches on this level I was impressed. This map feels massive in size and I spend most of my games inking turf trying to find other players.  I easily got over 1100p using the splattershot jr without really trying. 

The map does have some opportunities for strategic attacks.  The map is divided into multiple levels and literally almost every wall can be inked. One would think this would be a sniper map but I disagree.  The map has two major paths, high and low. If a sniper is up high it's easy to sneak by them underneath undetected.  The high and low split also makes this map great for ambushes. Jumping off buildings or climbing up walls can easily get behind enemies.  Or you could be like me and just throw bombs off the towers at people. 

I really enjoy Flounder Heights and it is one of my favorite maps now. 

KFlave signing out!

Next American Splatfest

Photo from Nintendo

The Americas are about to receive their first sponsored at the end of the month.  Nintendo and Hasbro have announced that on August 28th the next Splatfest will be Transformer themed with Autobots vs. Decepticons.

Now this is not the first time Nintendo has let third parties sponsor Splatfests as Japan has had half of theirs focus on brand name products.  I am debating whether Transformers are popular enough to make people want to participate.  I've seen lots of posts floating around with people asking what Autobots are.

It is a good first try none the less, but in the future maybe Nintendo can help settle more meaningful product debates...  Like Pepsi vs Coca Cola or McDonalds vs Burger King.

Anyways.

KFlave signing out!

New Global Testfire

For anyone on the fence about buying Nintendo's colorful new shooter your about to be offered another free trail opportunity.  Nintendo recently released the August 2.0 update to Splatoon which included many new features such as new game modes, better match making systems, new weapons and more gear.  Some have argued that these options should have been in the game from day one and I agree with them a bit.  The lack of modes, maps and weapons where a turn off for some people and I believe Nintendo has realized that.  This is why from August 21 - 23 they have announced a new global testfire to give players another chance at seeing what the game has now evolved into.  Anyone with a Wii U will be able to download the demo and battle with people on all the newlevels and modes.

Personally I hope this generates more intrest in the game.  I love Splatoon and hope people give it another change.  Splatoon isn't your normal shooter but it has its own charm that setts it apart from the rest.  It's a refreshing change to the over used shooter formula. 

In the words of the Squid Sisters, "Stay Fresh!"

KFlave signing out!

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One month of Blogs

So my blog has been around for one month and I am pleasantly surprised at the response it has gotten.  In 4 weeks I have over 2,600 page views from 24 countries, with 2,400 views coming in the last two weeks.  Thank you for all the love guys!

Now with school starting back up in the next few weeks my blog schedule will be changing a bit.  I will now only be writing posts 3 times a week. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  That way I can focus on getting ready for school and focus once it has started.  

Now I am in the process of looking for a good capture system to record gameplay on both my laptop and wii u.  Once that is all set up I hope to start a lets play series sometime in the future. I already have some ideas for games to play.  So the fall is going to be exciting!

Thanks for everything!

KFlave signing out! 

Fourth Japanese Splatfest Coming Next Week

Photo from Nintendo

Looks like Japan's fourth Splatfest is coming soon.  After playing some turf wars I noticed some Splatfest T-shirts so I decided to look into it and see what I could find.  On August 22 Japanese players will battle it out to decide which insect rules the grass.  Ants vs Grasshoppers!

Good luck to both teams!  I personally would probably choose team grasshopper to salute my prairie homeland.

In other news Nintendo has been talking about the new maps coming soon.  So we squid kids have a lot to look forward to still in August!  So stay tuned for updates!

KFlave signing out!

Rainmaker: Welcome to God Mode

Photo from Nintendo

Splatoon has just released the long awaited Rainmaker mode and it definitely lives up to expectations.  Now the basic mechanics of the mode are well known, it is a reverse capture the flag.  The maps have been changed slightly to accommodate the new mode adding at least two hills to each level that act as the goal, get the rainmaker to the hill and you win.

Now the rainmaker itself is the most powerful thing in Splatoon.  In order to gain control of it you have to pop a shield that looks like the ones that protect Zapfish in single player.  You best hope your team is the one who pops it because once the rainmaker breaks free a wave of ink flies out killing the other team who is in close range.  The weapon itself is like God Mode.  Yes you do move slower while carrying the weapon, but the charge shots you fire are devastating.  A fully charged blast from the rainmaker fires a massive tornado of ink that can easily destroy 3 or 4 of the enemy team members.  Its slow charge and movement do make it vulnerable to attack, but in a range fight it can stand up for itself.

In my opinion Rainmaker is the only game that forces 100% team work in a group.  In Splat Zones you can almost run around like Turf War.  Tower Control has everyone scrambling for the tower but I never see a coordinated attacks in it.  Now with Rainmaker one team member picks up the weapon and carries it.  You gain points by moving the Rainmaker forward so you must defend your team mates with your life. The rainmaker needs to be defended because it is weak to attack at close range.  Stray too far away from the person with the Rainmaker and its very likely that they will be splatted and you'll lose control (or just lose in overtime).

Last words of advice...
RESPECT THE RAINMAKER          WORSHIP THE RAINMAKER                   BE THE RAINMAKER

KFlave signing out!

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Childhood Gaming Pac-Man!

Photo from Namco

In my early childhood I did not have many video games to play but the ones I had I played to death.  I have a couple favorites including Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and 3, Super Mario Bros 2 and Pac Man: Adventures in Time.

It is great to see that many of the old retro games have been remade and re-released for virtual download.  Unfortunately not all games are given this reboot due to a lack in popularity or other reasons.  I sadly have not been able to find a digital version of Pac-Man: Adventures in Time.

Personally I love this game.  It was great to play back in the early 2000's.  Its plot has Pac-Man being sent back in time to recover pieces of an artifact the was destroyed by an evil entity. As the player you have to guide Pac-Man through multiple historical worlds each with a set number of mazes you must complete.  The ghosts change their appearance in each world with them starting out as cavemen and eventually, by the final level, they are futuristic robots.  Overall it does stay true to Pac-Man's original formula but it does have nice twists.  Some levels have obstacles that you will have to avoid other than the ghosts.  These include boulders, spikes and jousting knights.  Some levels require you to complete the withing a time limit as parts of the level disappear halfway through the level.  Now one of the best parts of this game is the 3D build of many of the levels which is a great change of  pace.  Now the game does have some annoying parts, such as not being able to find the last pellet to complete the level.  Even with that I still love this game!  I really wish Namco would release it for digital download sometime.

KFlave signing out!

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Heavy Splatling - The rapid fire charger

Took a while but I finally finished play testing the Heavy Splatling and I have to admit I enjoy this gun a lot.  The Splatling class gun is a mix of a rapid fire regular gun and a charger class weapon.  In order to fire the gun it must be charged first before firing.  The Spatling has a crosshair which is different from all other guns.  While the gun is charging a two rings appear around the crosshair.  The first ring indicates how far the gun will fire and the second ring will determine the duration of the fire,  One nice thing is that if you need to abandon your attack and retreat you can stop your fire by diving into the ink.  This can be a hassle if you like to dive in the ink a lot as your fire will be interrupted every time you dive.

Now the Splatling gun has a certain play style that may not appeal to all players.  Its charge time destroys any hope for it to be a close combat weapon.  Luckily the gun has a very high range and a rapid fire to make up for the charge.  This means the Splatling is a perfect weapon for players who like to attack from a distance as you can pick off enemies with a rapid fire blast.  Now if you do get caught off guard or get cornered by your foes the splash wall is a life saver.  It also is very good in close combat maps like Port Mackerel.  Through the wall up and rapid fire your enemies into retreat to give you or your team time to make space between the two battling sides.  The special weapon for the Heavy Splatling is the inkstrike.  Since the weapon can cover ink pretty quickly, you can expect to be firing many inkstrikes throughout a match.

Now I haven't spent much time testing the gun in ranked mode because I don't want to risk my current rank of B.  I can assume this gun would have some pretty good coverage in Splat Zones and the Splash Wall would help cover a team attack the tower in Tower Control.

How do you like the Heavy Splatling?  What is your favorite strategy when using this gun in Turf Wars and Ranked Mode?  Leave some comments below and let me know!

KFlave signing out!

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Octoling Rumors Or Truth?

It seems that Nintendo is teasing the Octolings again. Hackers seem to have found a way to play as Octolings which isn't new news.  Although this time the Octoling characters now have faces and show some similar expressions to the Inklings when they win or lose.  This makes it seem like the Octolings are almost ready for battle.  

Personally I still would play as an Inkling.  I think it would be cool if Nintendo just made a wave mode for the Octolings.  Or  maybe have the opposing team skinned as Octolings instead of inklings.  Or just have special events where the players have to fight off an Octoling invasion.    

Either way I love how Splatoon's creators have actually been listening to their fan base.  I think the players can provide great feedback to help make the game even better. Although... I'm not a fan of the pants store or hairstyle ideas.  But that's for another rant.  

KFlave signing out!

Dancing in the Moonlight - Splatfest Trubute

Once again great job to everyone who participated in this weekend's Splatfest both teams were fantastic!  Now I've spent a lot of time recently digging through fan art of Splatoon and I saw some that made my heart melt.  Also I found one of my favorite songs from a few years back and thought it would work great with Splatfest to make a tribute video!



All the fanart belongs to their original creators.  I just wanted to make a fun showcase of them to a song I felt was fitting.   Please enjoy!!!



KFlave signing out!

Splatfest #3 Hot Dogs VS Marshmallows

Photo from Searching-for-banana-files

Another Splatfest has come and gone. Unfortunately I was unable to reach maximum Rank this time due to catching the flu and having to work.  (Got to Champion) Marshmallows defiantly had the popular vote based on how many times I was matched up marshmallow vs marshmallow 64% in the end. But from the battles I did see, from either playing or watching SwimmingBird941's live stream, is that team Hot Dog sent their elite forces to battle against the massive waves of Marshmallows.  I did feel that Team Hot Dogs was very skilled at pinning Team Marshmallow down to the spawn area in Moray Towers and spreading out in Camp Triggerfish / Blackbelly Skatepark and just covering more turf.  Netting them 52% of the victories.  Luckily the popularity held out and Marshmallow pulled off the win with 256 - 244. Either way congratulations Team Marshmallows on your victory!  Good job to everyone who played,  Enjoy your Super Sea Snail!!! With the new gear you'll need them.

KFlave signing out!

Image found on Searching-for-bananaflies tumblr

Splatoon's Deadliest Bucket: The Slosher

Photo from Nintendo

I've heard a lot of debate over the Slosher in recent days and I thought I'd through my opinion out there.  Some people have been calling it over powered and I believe this is false.  This weapon is very new and people haven't been able to fully develop defense strategies yet.  After using the Slosher myself I think that it is a very unique weapon.  It has a very capable range flinging ink far out straight ahead of you.  These tosses are very powerful like a roller able to splat an inkling in just two direct hits.  The power of this weapon is the ability it has to fling deadly amounts of ink up or over walls.  Ranged weapon users can only run away as they can not actually shoot over the wall accurately to counter attack.  The Slosher if used right can become a big threat in tower control if they can get above or close to the tower and shower it in ink.  Now the weapon does have some weaknesses.  It has a slow fire rate so you can quickly swim away from one if you are under attack.  I have been able to out flank them as well.  Since the slosher only fires straight if you quickly move to the side of them you can splat them before they can turn on you.

What are your thoughts on the Slosher?  Leave your thoughts in the comments.  I'd love a good debate!

KFlave signing out!

Splatoon Over 20 Level System

Photo from Nintendo

Hope everyone is enjoying the new Splatoon 2.0!  Just wanted to talk about the over 20 level system.  Nintendo has made some interesting changes by completely redesigning leveling.   Points are now awarded in a Splatfest like manner with a win in Turf War netting you 3 point and inking 400p of turf 2 points. (200p gets you 1 point)  Ranked mode is also a different system with each minute your team lasts giving you 1 point (up to five munites) and victory giving you 3 points.  Knockouts are still the best giving the winning team 10 points.

Now this system isn't bad, it just takes some getting use to.  Getting to level 20 just requires you to play the game and turf ink.  Since all weapons are unlocked at level 20 it makes sense for a change of pace.  Level 20 - 50 feels like the game shifts to a more skill oriented system making victories count for more over just inking turf.   Victories are very helpful in leveling up because they almost double your experience gained.  I can expect to see the majority of 20 and over players in ranked mode since the highest rewards are there.  If you last five minutes you gain as many points as a turf war.  Now the under 20 group will shy away from ranked mode for leveling as a defeat still nets you little to no experience.

See you all in Ranked Mode!

KFlave signing out!

Urchin Underpass - A whole new level

Urchin Underpass will never be the same with the August Update.  Say good by to the narrow pathways and choke points the map is completely opened up.  .  Unfortunately some of the old sniper areas have been compromised in the update the new platforms make up for it. To replace the narrow paths the stage is covered in many raised platforms making it a perfect place for snipers The center of the map is now more open leading to more chaotic battles as both teams can enter the area easily.   New trees have been added there for cover and sadly my old favorite tree has been destroyed,,,  At least the grass and stump still mark where it once stood.  I have easily increased my score from averaging 600p to now getting 900p with the Splatershot Jr no problem.  It really does feel like a whole new level!

 Loving the update and the music! Its amazing.  Weapon reviews to come soon!

KFlave signing out!

Youtube Love - Favorite Youtube Channels

Now I spend a lot of time on youtube.  Usually I'm watching let's players and finding out what games I should talk about.  (That's how I found Splatoon)  Even though I do not have a large following I thought it would be nice if I showed my favorite Youtubers some love.  I have a list below highlighting my favorite channels.   Now this list has a lot.  Everything from TsukoG's kazoo music to Sam Green's animations and it has some of my favorite let's players and my inspiration to make a blog.  Check them out and tell em KFlave sent you.


One Day to August Update....   Be prepared for more Weapon and Stage reviews for Splatoon.

No big post today as I'm working on things for the future. Trying to iron out some bugs to make my blog better.

KFlave signing out!



Music:

TsukoG
https://www.youtube.com/user/TsukoG

2CELLOS
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyjuFsbclXyntSRMBAILzbw

Animations:

Sam Green
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyRJT1Crn3uwKJ4VHHr0CBg

Christopher Niosi
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKnUnMncnZ7zHxtxBNzdvaA

Let's Players:

Swimmingbird941
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXQ7Z7Rd3aAgCdFnVascMLA

ChilledChaos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO5KTtyzcJK2R4VUhsCVYUQ

ZackScottGames
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzNhowpzT4AwyIW7Unk_B5Q

Game Grumps
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9CuvdOVfMPvKCiwdGKL3cQ

Markiplier
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7_YxT-KID8kRbqZo7MyscQ

August Update Balance Patch

Got a lot of things to talk about today with the August Update.  Splatoon will receive its second balance patch along with the added content on the 5th.  One obvious update is to Urchin Underpass but there are a few more stage changes as well.  These include changes to maps like Saltspray Rig and Kelp Dome to fix issues with Ranked Mode.  Also some special weapons like the Eco-locator are having there charge rates changed to balance them out.  Now to my favorite changes.   A few abilities will also experience a balance patch.  Tenacity will now be activated from the start of a battle if your team has fewer players and not after you started inking.  This is something I enjoy because Tenacity is my go to headgear ability.   Finally the most important change is happening to Splatfest.   The result adding system is getting changed so Splatfests no longer are just a popularity contest.   Win percentage from battles will be multiplied by 4 in the end.  This means that battles are going to be very important in decided the upcoming American and European Splatfest as less popular teams now have greater hope that their battle skill can actually make a difference.

KFlave signing out!

Range Blaster

Photo from Nintendo

I'm not very good at using the blaster class of weapons in Splatoon; but I can value the potential benefits of the Range Blaster for those skilled enough to use it.  Now the blaster is not great at turf wars because it can not cover ground very quickly.  This weapon does however shine in Ranked Battles as it has a higher range then other blaster weapons.  Blasters are great for tower control as you can easily hit anyone riding the tower.  Now the splash wall sub weapon helps a lot as you can use it for cover while you attack your enemies.  If you find a choke point on the map you can easily control it with the use of a well placed splash wall.  As always the inkstrike comes in very hand in ranked mode for claiming a splat zone or attacking an enemy tower.

Inkbrush Nouveau

Photo from Nintendo

There is not too much to say about this Inkbrush upgrade in the area of performance as it's speed and ink coverage are pretty much the same.  The only major difference with this weapon are the sub and special.  The inkbrush to me personally feels like a stealthier weapon since its sub, the sprinkler, can be left behind to cover turf and the special, the inkstrike, is useful for inking contested areas.  The most effective way of attack was always by surprising your enemies by hopping out of the ink.  Now the Nouveau seems like a more offensive weapon choice due to the ink mines and bubbler that come with it.  This inkbrush is on the front lines.  It lays ink mines when retreating to destroy enemies giving chase and when the bubbler is charged you head out on the attack for close combat battling.  I enjoy using both of these weapons a lot.  Which one you prefer will depend on your play style.  Offense of Defense.

KFlave signing out!

Splatoon New Weapons! Inkbrush and Blaster

Photo from Nintendo

Along with the official announcement of the next Splatfest in the Americas Splatoon now has two new weapons to explore!  The Inkbrush Nouveau and the Range Blaster.  The new inkbrush is hyst like the old one only with an ink mine sub and a bubbler.  The new blaster has a higher range but reduced fire rate with the splash wall for defense and an inkstrike for offence. With these new weapons and the two from the August Update on the way expect many weapon reviews to come soon!

KFlave signing out!

Next Splatfest?

Photo from Nintendo

According to Splatoon's tumblr page the next Splatfest is coming soon.  It seems that after the August update on the 5th which will introduce new weapons and gear a Splatfest will arrive around the 8th.  The event will celebrate the opening of Camp Triggerfish by have players pick between Marshmallow and Hot Dogs.  More summer fun is still in store for Splatoon!  May the best team win!

Ranked Battle - My New Weapon

Photo from Nintendo

After getting some valid advice on how to solve my connection issues I've actually been able to play ranked mode again.  I think I may have found one of my favorite Ranked Mode weapons, the Luna Blaster.  Normally I stay away from the Blaster Class as they do not have a high rate of fire, but I find they work great in tower control mode.  The concentrated shot can easily destroy enemies on the tower and ink mines are devastating if you can leave one on the tower before you die.  After playing for a while I managed to salvage my rank from a 24 C+ to a C+ 72.  Soon I hope to return to the land of B-.  Although after the August Update I don't think I'll every reach the S+ ranks.  Oh well.

Did You Know? - Halfbrick Studios

Here's a fun fact for you today if you don't know it already.  The popular IOS games Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride have a cool origin country.  The creator of these games, Halfbrick Studios, is an Australian company from Brisbane.  This company also worked with another Australian company Blue Tongue Entertainment on distributing the De Blob series to the DS.  The company was founded in 2001 and have created a bunch of interesting games over the years.  They have had games on the PS2, GameCube, Xbox, GameBoy, Nintendo DS, and of course, IOS and Android.

Just another reason to love Australia

Getting Better at Snipers

Photo from Nintendo

At first I didn't give the charger class weapons much look at.  In the majority of shooter games I've played such as Call of Duty and Halo I was terrible at sniper weapons.  So when I first grabbed a charger and didn't do well I figured it was just my normal failure.  I preferred the close up combat of the shooter class and the rapid ability to ink turf with them. But after giving this class another look at recently I've opened up to the idea of using chargers.  They play a support role in a battle by pinning the enemy down to a certain area so your team can in the map.  I've even improved my sniper skills...  maybe I should try Call of Duty again sometime.

Ranked Mode Struggles

Photo from Nintendo

I rarely play ranked battles in splatoon anymore for good reason.   It isn't that the competition is to tough or anything.  I enjoy the hardcore battle styles that ranked mode provides to the game.  It just grinds my gears when you get communication errors in the middle of battle and are forced to lose 10 points of your rank.  I was a 40 B- but after 4 communication errors I dropped down to 70 C+.  It took me forever to get up to B- and I just hate having my hard work taken away from me for no good reason.   I can let it slide when I actually lose internet connection on my end, but when my laptop is running with a connection and Splatoon cuts out I get mad.

I wish Nintendo would look into these problems.  I haven't seen a single time when the servers were down for maintenance or anything.   I know for sure I am not the only one who is suffering from this.  Nintendo please listen to your fans.  Maintain your servers.  Help us help you make Splatoon better for everyone!

Octoling Playable Soon?

Photo from Nintendo

One last thing!

Hackers have dug into Splatoon's code and have uncovered the ability to play as the Octolings.  I know this is old news but here is an interesting fact.  When hackers removed the Octoling goggles there was no face underneath because the developers never thought anyone would be able to remove them.  Splatoon's tumblr account has release this picture;  An Octoling without their goggles and a complete face.

Hmmm....  This is just speculation but many the fans demand for playable Octolings is coming true.  Have to see what August brings us!

Urchin Underpass Rebuild?

Photo from Nintendo

Along with the August Update news Nintendo has also said that Urchin Underpass will be offline from August 2 - 5.  If you look closely at the picture they provided us with you can see there are blueprints with some design changes.  Could Urchin Underpass be getting a redesign? What every it is I'll be keeping a close eye on it.  I have a feeling the August Update will play a major role in what happens to our favorite Underpass.

August Update is Coming Soon to Splatoon

Photo from Nintendo

The release date for the August Update is 10 days away and I am sure excited for it.  Tons of new features are being added such as an increased level cap, new game modes for friends, new weapons, gear and maps!  The two new weapons that are confirmed are a Gatling gun and a bucket.  Now with a Level 50 cap and Ranks going to S+ there are hours of more fun to be had in Splatoon.  I feel like this update will give us an entirely new game to explore and battle on.  See you all on August 5/6th!

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Although still no word on rainmaker.  Oh well, Nintendo said there are many more surprises to come later in the fall!  Stay tuned for all the new weapon and map reviews right here!

Stage Overview - Camp Triggerfish

Photo from Nintendo

One of the most interesting stages in Splatoon to date Camp Triggerfish was well worth the wait.  This map is divided into two sides with limited access across to the other.  Players skirmish along the middle firing across the the enemy pathway attempting to slow their progress.  You can not jump across to battle your enemies very easily as water hazards all across the map will result in your soggy defeat.  When the last minute is called all bets are off as the gates open allowing teams easy access to the opposite teams territory.  The last minute on this map is always a mad dash attempting to gain the upper hand and with the only major access to enemy territory right in front of the their spawn point things get interesting as you try to invade turf.

This is by far my favorite stage in Splatoon and for good reasons.

Top 5 Maps

#1 Camp Triggerfish
#2 Moray Towers
#3 Bluefin Depot
#4 Kelp Dome
#5 Arowana Mall

Bread Kitttens

Photo from Bake450

Looking for an interesting Pokemon style game filled with cats for your phone?  Look no further then Bake450's Bread Kittens.  This game is surprisingly fun as you battle your way through different areas of the world collecting and battling with wild cats on your way.  Each world has a rare boss cat to defeat which can be caught after the next world is unlocked.  The battle system in the game is rather simple but getting 3 stars for each level may take some time.  Level up your cats through battles and even bake them stronger wheat based items to upgrade their abilities in combat.  If you're looking for an interesting game this will fit the bill.  Check it out in the app store.

Splattershot

The Splattershot, an early upgrade for fans of the shooter weapon class and is Jr's big brother.  Overall the Splattershot has better accuracy and range then its Jr. counterpart but its rate of fire is slightly slower.  It is still a great weapon to use in turf wars because it can cover a lot of group almost as fast as the Splattershot Jr..  Although with the added range and damage the gun provides it will consume ink at a faster rate then faster weaker weapons.

Now the burst bombs the set comes with are not my favorite as it takes two of them to down an opponent, but they are effective in splat zones to cover territory fast with a bomb rush special.  For anyone around Lv 10 I think this would make a good introduction weapon to ranked mode.  The accuracy and damage come in handy when fighting in Tower Control trying to take out enemies and it still covers adequate turf for Splat Zones.  As with any weapon, if you get good with it you can continue using it all the way to Lv 20.

Splattershot Jr.

The Splattershot Jr. is the default weapon for every Inkling and sadly it is often discarded once people reach level 4 and are able to buy new weapons.  Personally I love using the Splattershot Jr, and continue to use it up into the higher levels.  Although it does lack some range and accuracy, I love how it can cover ground quickly and rather efficiently.  The main tactic I use with this weapon is getting to a high or choke point on a map and throwing splat bombs towards my opponents.  I have been able to get triple kills with this technique.  This means for your equipment you'll need bomb range up and of course sub ink saver to be effective.   

It doesn't take long to charge the special weapon on this gun and I'd advise you to use your bubbles wisely.  Personally, I enjoy charging the bubble in the middle of the map and then moving into enemy territory and using it to pin down my opponents while my team covers ground.  This strategy also works in Ranked Mode  charge the bubble battling for a splat zone or tower and then activate it to protect you and your team as you take the target point.  I have one many tower control games by saving the bubble and using it for the final push into the enemy base.     

Inkbrush and Octobrush

Personally I use these weapons a lot in battle especially when I want to be able to run around the battlefield and dodge enemies with speed.  One technique I like to use with the inkbrush is to make my way to the enemy's side and plant sprinklers to ink their turf while my team mates battle for control of the middle.  With the Octobrush it is the same but change out those sprinklers for beacons my team can use to move quickly across the map.

I feel one must have with the brush type weapons is ink resistance on their shoes.  It comes in handy when you are jetting around covering minimal turf.  Another must have is ninja squid.  If you spend a lot of time in enemy territory like me it is always good to be able to sneak around and possibly ambush unsuspecting opponents or just avoid attackers.   

Good Old NES Games

Found the old NES today.  It really brings back memories of my childhood playing Super Mario Bros 2 by myself or attempting to play Q-Bert, Burgertime or Blades of Steel with my sister.  These older games are definitely the foundations of what gaming would eventually evolve into.  The only downside is I have only been able to master one NES game I owned, Super Mario 2.  The rest were arcade imports so they were a lot more challenging since they were designed to each your quarters until you ran out.  I can't believe that the next gaming console I got was the Wii many years later.

What was your first gaming system? And what was your favorite game to play on it back in the day?  Feel free to drop a comment