I Used to be a Top Splatoon Player

And I couldn't give two shits that it's a "children's game" either 😂 In battles where players are matched based on skill, I have always come out top-tier.

And in a society where gaming skills are about to be eradicated due to AI capabilities (similar to how the car drives you -- the game will play you 😄), this isn't something to joke about!

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Splatoon is a game that was originally developed for Nintendo. It is a third-person "shooter" that takes place in a marine-inspired universe -- all of the characters are based off of cephalopods! 😱🐙 For example, the protagonists/playable characters are all squids, known as Inklings. Inklings are basically supposed to be the "cool teenagers" of the universe lol.

(Source: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/splatoon-character-design.1043905/page-2)

Now, because they are Ink-lings, and this is Nintendo-approved content, I cannot necessarily call this a shooter game. Because, like the name suggests, ink/paint is used in combat as opposed to bullets 😅

So there are weapons, absolutely! You can use water guns, paint brushes, buckets, umbrellas, etc. Anything that can be versatile with paint -- it's a weapon! 😂 My personal favorite was the paint roller, I could kick so much ass with my roller...

(Source: https://aminoapps.com/c/splatoon/page/item/splat-roller/aVxS_8IezRqg4x1p548NKPbrQZlawBz)

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The premise for Splatoon is simple enough. Two teams, two different colors, one map... The objective is to cover the map with as much of your team's color as possible before the clock runs out.

Splatoon is also interesting in how it chose to convey "death/killing." Of course, being an age-appropriate Nintendo game, Inklings don't actually die; they simply deconstruct before materializing at the spawn point again 😄

(Source: https://aminoapps.com/c/splatoon/page/blog/splatoon-2-first-thing/aVxS_0ue8jgoe6dMa5QM6EavVQmQd7w)

(Source: https://tenor.com/en-CA/view/splatoon-splatoon-respawn-respawn-checkpoint-gif-26921776)

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There is also the option to play more challenging maps. One is an intense version of Capture the Flag. The other one is holding the turf for as long as possible -- whichever team's color lasts the longest, wins.

And they're both great maps 👌 But the grading system is extremely fickle... Obviously it is your standard Rank C - Rank S grading system. After a certain number of wins, you increase in rank; after a certain number of losses, it decreases. And when your rank relies on teamwork, and teamwork involves carrying said team, it becomes almost impossible to move up 😒

Don't get me wrong either -- there are extremely talented players on Splatoon, some that have even managed to exceed my abilities 😄 But for the most part, it is far and few between...

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Splatoon used to be one of my favorite games. Today, it has been almost 4 years since I last played it 😭 Unfortunately I can no longer afford to spend big bucks on top-tier games, so I don't expect to play again until I'm making steady income. And unless Splatoon 4 comes out in the near future, online play will be dead (and it is entirely what the game relies on 😩).

Anyway, I just wanted to make a quick shout-out post to one of my favorite games 😄 If you've never played, check it out! If you've ever played, my Friend Code is SW-4521-8774-5314. Have a great weekend! 👋