More details on Splatoon from the game’s official Tumblr. In their last set of posts, Nintendo revealed that, in between matches, Inklings hang out at a central plaza hub space where they can mingle and shop for equipment. One of the things they can shop for is new weapons to take into battle.
Which weapons you can buy will depend on your experience in battle. The shopkeeper at the weapons shop will not sell you certain weapons until you’re ready to use them, and the only way to get to that point will be to partake in battles and rack up experience to earn the shopkeeper’s approval.
There are three kinds of weapons you can take into battle with you—a main weapon (which is what you’ll use most of the time), a sub weapon (with which you can distract enemies and perform other secondary actions), and a special weapon (which can be charged up to do a great deal of damage). While details on the kinds of weapons you’ll find are scarce, one example of a sub weapon is an ink shield. Activating it will block enemy attacks and progress for a short time.
Meanwhile, an example of a special weapon is the missile you see above. When it’s armed and ready to use, you can tap a spot on the map using the Wii U GamePad, and you’ll launch a missile into that area, creating an ink explosion when it hits. The missile attack isn’t difficult to dodge, but it does a good job of scattering opponents and driving them back.
Splatoon is scheduled for release sometime this May.
