Time flies when immersed in neon blaze. The off-the-wall Nintendo shooter quite literally granted squid-coolness to the term, and now it has completed its grand 10 years in the sun since its launch on Wii U. And, wow, the whole online reaction has been pure nostalgia with a pinch of salt-one really old-time gamer’s spirit.
So, May 28 or 29, depending on from which timezone fancy normativity you wish to attend to, marks 10 years of the “stay fresh” day since Nintendo’s weird yet entrancing action-turf wars. The very first tweet by @thegameawards unleashed a torrent of memories, with people reminiscing about begging their parents to get them a copy of the game and whether the language used to discuss the sequel was worthy of the label applied to the OG itself. One anonymous guy threatened somebody else with making them eat their own craps! Love the internet!
Here is the mad thing: Splatoon was not another Wii U wreck. Splatoon is the last major original IP of Nintendo that really lasted. Can you name maybe even a couple of new Nintendo franchises within the last ten years that have gotten to the stage of merchandise, spin-offs, and competitive scenes? There aren’t any. Even those haters will never deny that creation shaped a generation unless of course they want to be double-standard about it.
Why It Mattered
Back in 2014, a child-friendly shooter in which you paint the floors and shoot your opponents probably wasn’t on many people’s radar. But with Splatoon’s gyro controls (RIP to haters refusing to use them) and chaotic charm, we had a sleeper hit. The campaign was so cool-think secret agent squids, weirdly existential bosses, and banging tunes from DJ Octavio himself. @TheKingMarz and others still carry a torch for those stealth stages, while @not_aeo reckons that even the trailers were enough to sell him on the game’s style.
This one should be obvious: Nintendo online paywall. @Peyton93734526 is somehow somewhat right in that the Switch Online paywall keeps the multiplayer cool with some. But hey, at least we got Splatoon 2 and 3, even if we’ll never see anything as meme-worthy as the original.
Drama You Forgot
Not all the memories are warm and fuzzy. @Treesmurf dropped a dark reminder about the “Splatoon crime podcast” (yes, really) tied to the game’s launch. No spoilers, but let’s just say the early days had… layers. Meanwhile, @TD4CM hit the nail on the head: Splatoon clawed its way into Nintendo’s top 5 IPs despite starting on the Wii U. That’s like winning a race with your shoes tied together.
Where’s the Party At?
Nintendo went silent on anniversary celebrations, but the pleading players want a remaster (or at least a port to Switch). @thrillakkuma straight-up questioned whether the tweet was a hint, while @ErnyDima dubbed it Nintendo’s “last relevant original IP.” Ouch to ARMS fans, I guess.
So, happy 10th birthday, Splatoon. You brought us to squid kids, ink physics, and that Nintendo could really innovate in the 2010s back in the very day. Excuse me while I go boot up the dusty Wii U and reminisce about the golden days when “booyah” wasn’t a toxically used quick-chat.
A side note: If you’re still mad about gyro controls, @SmashKnowsBall and @itsyaboy14 are debating it, as we speak. Godspeed.
