Splatoon Direct

Today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts were full of interesting details, and we learned a little more about one of the year's biggest Wii U titles - Splatoon; for starters, it's due to arrive in May in both North America and Europe.

Beyond that we saw some footage of the main hub area, known as the 'Plaza'. In a move reminiscent of Nintendo Land it'll be populated with characters from Miiverse, allowing interaction; this'll also be the area from which you access all available modes.

It's clear that, although there is a single-player campaign, the online multiplayer is the primary focus in the title. You get into this mode by stepping into a tower in the plaza, and by playing online you'll level up and earn in-game currency; this money can then be used in a variety of stores. You can buy different types of guns and equip up to three at one time - one is your main weapon, another is a sub-weapon to use for diversionary tactics, and finally there's a limited-use Special weapon for dealing out a lot of damage.

Other stores will sell clothes, hats and boots separately. Though you can simply try and look fashionable, different items will boost your character's abilities, so there may be strategy involved in completing sets or targeting specific areas such as speed. It looks accessible but also, potentially, deep enough to keep the most serious players quite busy.

Splatoon is shaping up nicely with a little more depth, and with its release just four months away it won't be long until we can paint a full picture.

Are you pleased with these details and looking forward to this one?