So by now you are probably sick of me talking about Splatoon 2.

But there is one thing you are probably missing. You see the game has a new mode called Salmon Run, chances are you played it a few times but never stuck around to see how varied and deep this mode is. Basically it's a horde mode, but playing more and more, it actually turns into one of the greatest games of basketball ever made.

So the mode involves you fighting off hordes of varying enemies, from tiny little creatures that hack at your ankles versus large boss like creatures called Salmonoids. One of the Salmonoid bosses are things called flyfish. Aside from a couple of special moves you can use (you only get 2 per 3 round session), most other specials don't do anything against them. So the only way to really defeat them is to lob bombs individually into the open missile compartments. These compartments only open when the creature is ready to fire homing missiles out for a very limited period of time.

And shortly after it fires, most of the time it locks onto you. You only have a fraction of a second of time to lob in a second bomb to try and nail it in one move.

Now that in itself doesn't sound that exciting, right? But you have to put it into context with everything going on around you. Salmon Run can turn into a twisted Space Jam where you have been taken to hell itself and been told you have to play basketball - and make the most epic, improbably free throws of all time in order to win the match and fight your way out of hell.

You can be attacked on multiple sides, by all sorts of different enemies. You can be trapped against a wall, or jump backwards and throw in mid-air - or attempt a desperate dive forward for a long lob - and somehow try and survive the hell you land into with only half the ink you had before a free throw. You can be constantly forced to move and adapt. Flyfish can suddenly turn around when you are about to throw, so you cannot land that shot you were waiting for. You can be waiting for your throw when some enemy either blocks your view, or whacks you out of position with a frying pan. Or be swallowed whole by JAWS who suddenly appears below you unseen. I have done side lobs, I have tried over the top throws with the baskets facing away from me.

You can have multiple homing missiles bearing down on you, or giant laser beams inching towards you.

It becomes something completely epic and it's made moreso because flyfish seem to be quite a blindspot that not many other players focus on, which can leave the team facing multiple homing missiles in an endless hell. So next time you boot up Salmon Run, try nailing every flyfish. Have fun.  

^

Best football sim in Rocket League, best basketball sim in Splatoon 2. I want to believe.

travo said:

Best basketball sim is Rocket League too!

Splatoon 2 is now redundant!

Similar to soccer except you have a hoop to roll/shoot in.

Soon Rocket League will have the best Splatoon mode, too!