Splatoon 2 gets a major update this week

Nintendo just announced 2 major content updates for Splatoon 2.

The first of these arrives this week with the second one following in December. The updates will add new content through gear, stages, and more. Here’s what the November 24 update includes:

Four New Battle Stages: While four new battle stages are coming to Splatoon 2, they won’t all be available immediately after downloading the update. Like with previous additions, the stages will roll out over the subsequent weeks, giving players new surprises as they play throughout the holiday season and beyond. The first new battle stage, MakoMart, will be available to play on Saturday 25th November, with Shellendorf Institute, Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall coming soon. The new MakoMart stage is a giant superstore-style stage and Shellendorf Institute is also new to the series, while Walleye Warehouse and Arowana Mall are popular stages returning from the original Splatoon game.

New Salmon Run Stage: Fan-favourite multiplayer mode Salmon Run is getting a new stage. After downloading the update, Salmonid Smokeyard will be added to the stage rotation. In Salmonid Smokeyard, a wide gap on the beach divides two upper platforms, with fan lifts being the quickest way to traverse the two platforms. Teamwork is required to use the fan lifts effectively.

New Gear: Approximately 140 pieces of gear are being added to Splatoon 2. These include shoes, headgear and clothes, like a motocross mask, additional winter clothing, as well as returning items from the original Splatoon game.

New Battle Music: Two new bands have been gaining popularity in Inkopolis! The punk-flavoured Bottom Feeders and classically-trained avant-garde-style Ink Theory are contributing new songs to the already music-rich game.

New Hairstyle: When customising an Inkling, four new hairstyles will be available to choose from – two each for female and male characters.

Higher Level Caps: Currently, players are maxed out at Level 50. After downloading the update, the new maximum level will be raised to 99. If players talk to Judd when they reach Level 99, they’ll have the option to reset their level display to Level ★1 so they can continue raising their level.

New amiibo Functionality: Tapping a compatible amiibo figure after the update will let players take and share photos in reset locations in Battle Stages, in addition to being able to take photos in Inkopolis Square. Players can also add fun filters to their images.

Convenient Gear Swapping: Players who want to change gear between battles in Regular Battle, Ranked Battle and Splatfest Battle (Solo) won’t have to exit to the lobby anymore! After downloading the update, gear can be swapped out without leaving the match room, making it quicker to get back to splatting. For Regular Battle, this also means players can play the next battle with the same players.

The mid December update includes the following:

Clam Blitz: In Clam Blitz, competing Inklings are tasked with collecting clams scattered around the stage. After one is picked up, the clam follows the player. The objective is to throw the clam into the basket near the opponent’s base, and the first team to score 100 points wins! But, of course, this being the fiercely competitive world of Splatoon 2, things are not as easy as they seem. The baskets are protected by a barrier, which much be destroyed first. After collecting 10 clams, the player will earn a Power Clam. These super-powered clams are the key to breaking the barrier, so strategic Inklings need to decide which clams are used to destroy the barrier and which are used to earn points. Not to mention the extra-satisfying opportunity to steal opponents’ clams by splatting them.

Watch a new video showcasing these updates below:

How many inklings do I need to sacrifice to be able to skip the Stage schedule intro?

Splatoon 2 is available on Nintendo Switch. Read our review of it here.