Nintendo has never really been known for their online efforts. Usually associated with family-friendly offline affairs, Nintendo has always seemed to be hesitant to embrace the internet battlefield. Sure, recent games like Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros.

Turf War; Multiplayer is more than just generic deathmatch; Always contributing; even when not engaged in combat; Fun campaign bosses

Limited offline modes; Repetitive campaign; Multiplayer needs loadouts; voice chat; and offline play with bots

Splatoon is coming! Splatoon is coming! If you own a Nintendo Wii U or 3DS, and you haven't seen anything about Splatoon , well, you probably haven't turned it on in the past month.

Art and music kicks; and creates an energetic atmosphere of rowdy fun; Battle maps are well crafted for action-packed battles; Plenty of fun content beyond the multiplayer; from customizing your Inkling to a fun single-player campaign; A promising start to a great new IP

Matchmaking is questionable; though that may have been due to amount of players available pre-launch; Plenty of fun content beyond the multiplayer; from customizing your Inkling to a fun single-player campaign

Nintendo does a nice job of painting outside the lines with its own third-person shooter, but then muddles the final product with meager content, frustrating online design, and an unremarkable single-player offering. In some ways, Splatoon seems like it would be an ideal free-to-play game – especially with the rotating map selection and limited, straightforward matches – or perhaps a low-cost, multiplayer-only digital game. But by positioning it as a full boxed game instead (albeit a comparatively affordable one, at £29 from Amazon), Nintendo has made Splatoon's frustrations sting a little more than they otherwise might.

Fast-paced fun; Colourful aesthetic; Squid navigation;

Limited content; Irritating menus; So-so solo mode;

Ah, Splatoon. With this one game Nintendo has done the unthinkable, at least for them. They've gone full steam ahead with a competitive online multiplayer shooter, something we haven't seen them do since the underrated Metroid Prime Hunters on the DS, and it's the first time we've seen them do it on...

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.

Updated August 19th: Since James first reviewed Splatoon, the game has been updated constantly with new multiplayer modes, new maps, new weapons and of course finally a way to play with your friends easily.

Splatoon , Nintendo's first foray into online competitive shooters, is one of the most joyful and imaginative takes on the genre. While pre-release there has been some hesitation due to Nintendo's inexperience with shooters, and it does show in certain aspects.

Splatoon is simultaneously proof that Nintendo can still deliver tremendously entertaining experiences outside of its usual wheelhouse, and an example of how even the most leaden genres can be twisted to new and delightfully creative ends.

It's no longer strange to see the concept of genres challenged by unusual games, but Splatoon is a special case. It's a lighthearted, sugar-coated game that's landed on the back of today's dark and gritty shooters ( Battlefield , Call of Duty , Wolfenstein , and Titanfall come to mind).

Proves shooters don't have to be violent to be engaging; Employs one of the most unique movement mechanics around; It makes you look at your environment and opponents in new ways; The colorful atmosphere lifts you up rather than weighing you down

The single player campaign loses steam too quickly; A lack of control over multiplayer matches does more harm than good; Some content is locked behind amiibos; forcing eager Inklings to spend real world money