Jack Fennimore
Splatoon 2’s Splatfest is back and this time it’s Mayo vs. Ketchup. The special event pits the two teams against each other in Turf War matches. Whichever side has the most wins overall and has the most votes wins the Splatfest, with people earning slightly more Super Sea Snails than people on the other team. Super Sea Snails are given to Murch near the lobby tower, and are used to add new ability slots to gear or replace an ability and earn you the old ability chunk.
Whatever condiment you choose, here are five tips and tricks you need to know so your team comes out on top.
1. Use Weapons That Specialize in Ink Coverage
While there are many different kinds of weapons in Splatoon 2, weapons can be further boiled down to two functions: those that specialize in defeating opponents and those that specialize in inking turf. Since Turf War matches are won by covering the map in more of your team’s colored ink that your opponent’s, you should pick weapons that specialize in ink coverage. Defeating opponents is still a big help as it takes them out of the match for a bit and reduces their special weapon meter, but you need to focus on inking as much turf as possible.
One weapon we recommend is the Carbon Roller. While it’s not as powerful as the regular roller, it’s much faster and can cover tons of ground quickly. The Autobomb sub weapon makes up for your low attack power and the Ink Storm special increases your coverage while slowing down opponents. We also recommend the Aerospray MG or its cousin, the Aerospray RG, because its high rate of fire and wide coverage is perfect for Turf Wars and it’s actually quite devastating at close range despite its low attack power.
2. Split Up
Make sure your entire team is covering the map at different points. It can be useful to have teammates nearby to protect you from attackers, but you should be covering as much of the map as possible. This is especially important for maps like Port Mackerel which have multiple narrow corridors to move through.
The beginning of the match can be very chaotic, so take a step back and see where your teammates go. Then if your teammates miss some terrain to cover, pick up the slack. This can prevent you from inking up terrain that’s already been inked and prevent teammates from doing the same in the heat of the beginning of the match.
3. Take the Road Less Traveled
Be sure to hit places that the enemy won’t be able to reach as easily so that those areas are guaranteed to stay inked for longer. This includes the roads along the sides of Port Mackerel where enemies would have to reach your team spawn point in order to hook around to it. It also includes platforms on higher ground such as the sides of Starfish Mainstage with the grate walkways.
Also get the area around and behind your spawn point. It’s often left completely uncovered in matches and it’s prime real estate.
4. Use Gear With All Ability Slots Filled
You should be wearing gear with all ability slots filled. While Splatfest may be a good opportunity to get experience points for your gear, you’ll be at a disadvantage compared to other players. The effects may seem small, but they can really give you the edge especially when paired with appropriate weaponry. We especially recommend abilities that reduce the rate of ink consumption, make you respawn faster, or boost your abilities during the last 30 seconds of a match.
Also, the Splatfest Tee that you’re required to wear and you receive before Splatfest begins has an ability that doubles the effects of all other abilities that it unlocks. You can even talk to Murch in the hub world and he’ll scrub clean any abilities that you have on the shirt so you can start fresh and get new ones. So be sure to get experience points for that shirt before Splatfest so you can unlock all of its ability slots. The only downside is that you have to return the shirt after Splatfest is over.
5. Don’t Worry About Inking Everything
While inking as much turf as possible is the main goal of Splatfest, don’t feel obligated to ink every single inch of an area. You’ll just waste time that could be better spent helping teammates out or inking other parts of the map. Your teammates will probably get to it eventually, if the opponent doesn’t do so first. Focus instead on inking the general area of a map and then move on to inking over your opponents’ ink so that your team has more ink covered at the end of the match.
Have any other tips? Share them in the comment section below.