To test out Splatoon, Nintendo generously sent over a Wii U bundle which included the coordinating amiibo set. My little Nintendo kid reviewers were overjoyed to be able to try out some new Wii U games and also play some of their old Wii favourites. Setting up the console was pretty straightforward. The only thing was that we still have an old tube TV so I had to use the AV cable from our old Wii. The Wii U bundle only includes the HDMI cable. Configuring the system was easy enough thanks to the Quick Start Guide but I felt it was a very long process. Either that or I was just plain anxious to get playing. Once the Game Pad and Wii U Pro Controller were paired with the console, we were able to follow the on-screen instructions and then registered using the Nintendo Network ID I had recently set up for our Nintendo 2DS. 

My seven-year-old son was the first to try out Splatoon. There are lots of ways to play but he prefers the four-on-four online "Turf War" mode. This is when he gets to team up with players from around the world to cover the most ground with their team’s ink. Using the Wii U GamePad controller, he can see a top-down view of the map as it is covered in ink in real-time. Learning to manoeuvre through the level and getting used to the large controller was tricky for him at first but fun to watch him twist his body as he waved the controller from side to side. Since we've installed the Wii U, Splatoon has been his game of choice and now he is a pro with the GamePad controller.

Me: What do you like most about Splatoon?

Paolo: I like how you can roll over the other characters with the giant paint roller and how you get to play with other teammates. 

Me: What do you like the least about the game?

Paolo: I don't like how we sometimes lose. (Insert sad face here.)

The "Ranked Battle" mode uses a player's wins in 4-on-4 multiplayer matches to rank and match players in a highly competitive online battle. In “Battle Dojo,” players can take on friends in a local 1-on-1 battle. One player plays on the GamePad controller, while the other plays on the TV using a separate controller. Whoever pops the most balloons wins! Splatoon also has a single-player campaign that teaches players how to splatter, swim, leap, hide and climb walls, while trying to defeat the Octarian army. And finally, the Splatoon amiibo figures (sold separately) can be used to gain access to special challenge stages. By tapping Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy and Inkling Squid amiibo figures to the GamePad, players can receive special missions to unlock weapons and gear that you won't find anywhere else in the game.

In my opinion, Splatoon is a great game for kids since it's a colourful, fun and non-violent game that can be played in a single player mode, with a friend or online. The game does not have a voice chat which makes it safer than your typical online game and the levels are different from one another making it more interesting for the players. The price-point is little high for my liking - $69.99. You can find a hard copy at retail stores across Canada or you can purchase at digital version via the Nintendo web site. My son doesn't really use the amiibos so I say only purchase them if you know your child really, really wants them since the 3-pack Splatoon amiibos retails for about $40. The Wii U Special Edition Splatoon Deluxe Set is also available in retail stores across the country. This inkredible bundle includes a Wii U Deluxe console as well as Splatoon (via included download code) and Nintendo Land (pre-installed) games for a suggested retail price of $329.99.  

For more information about the game, visit http://splatoon.nintendo.com/.

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.