Great game!

My 7 year old was asking for this game in the summer holidays, I got it for him on a pocket money basis, I hoped it would help us get through the holidays, I never realised that I would be so addicted to it, every time he plays I have to have a turn or 10!

My 7 year old was asking for this game in the summer holidays, I got it for him on a pocket money basis, I hoped it would help us get through the holidays, I never realised that I would be so addicted to it, every time he plays I have to have a turn or 10!

Splatoon is a game about color. Color as a noun, color as a verb. If ever a game were alive with the joy of color itself, it's this one. Splatoon has been described, incorrectly, as Nintendo's first shooter.

Holistically rethinks the shooter..

...but locks some content behind hard-to-find amiibo

Minor matchmaking issues aside, Splatoon more than delivers on Nintendo's unique vision of how online shooters can play. Randomizing teams and maps between each three-minute match keeps the mix fresh whether you only want to play a handful of games or have a marathon session.

Fun; quick-playing online battles; focused not on kills but on turf-claiming

Limited offline options; not a "family game" in the local multiplayer sense

As a 4-vs-4 team based shooter, when you come face to face with opponents, it's possible to take them out with weaponry, but Splatoon's Turf War mode, the game's only unranked mode, is largely about making a mess, and making more mess than your opponent does.

Over the years, there are certain genres that have found an affinity on Nintendo consoles, a comfort zone of fun and familiarity - racing games, platformers, puzzlers and the odd fighting game or two. One of the more popular arenas that Nintendo haven't explored as much are shooting games.

Splatoon is a pretty big deal. When it was revealed at E3 2014, it excited fans for being Nintendo's first foray into the online shooter genre. It's also the first new character based franchise from Nintendo's main EAD development teams since Pikmin was released on the Gamecube back in 2001.

Fun; flowing gameplay; Tons of customisation; There's nothing else like it

Lack of online options; Limited local multiplayer; Too much locked behind amiibo

We had little doubt Splatoon would deliver a great first impression. Chaotic, original and colourful, Nintendo's take on the shooter genre is fresh and innovative, and in spite of those who thought that Mario's company wasn't able to compete with other genre giants.

It's those three minutes that really count, though, and it's there you'll find the genius and the joy of Splatoon. It's where you'll find a genre distilled, broken down and reassembled, with each piece snapping perfectly in place.