Entering the sewer grate in Inkopolis Square leads you to Octo Canyon, a bizarre world of hidden lairs occupied by the dreaded Octarians. Here you’re greeted by a familiar face. Is that really Marie? Marie of the Squid Sisters fame? But what is she doing here? Unknown to the public, Marie is actually a member of the New Squidbeak Splatoon! While Cap’n Cuttlefish was away with Agent 3, the Great Zapfish was abducted by the Octarians…again. Marie desperately needs your help to locate and rescue the Great Zapfish so power can be restored to Inkopolis Square. She supplies you with a Hero Suit and a Hero Shot—you are now Agent 4 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon! Do you have what it takes? Or has Marie mistakenly placed too much responsibility on the shoulders of a random stranger? Fortunately, this chapter has all the information you need to overcome each obstacle and outwit every Octarian you encounter during your search for the Great Zapfish.
Interface
Aiming Reticle
This white icon in the center of the screen is your weapon’s reticle—the reticle shape differs from weapon to weapon. Place it over a target to spread ink.
Life Count
These three squid icons represent how many times you can respawn after getting splatted or falling off a stage—you lose one bar after each splat. One bar is replenished with each new checkpoint you cross.
Timer
The timer tracks how long it’s taking you to complete the stage. Timers only appear when you’re replaying a completed stage.
Sunken Scroll/Sardinium Status
These two icons indicate whether you’ve located a stage’s Sunken Scroll and Sardinium—if the icons are grayed out, you still need to find them. Sunken Scrolls reveal more story information, while Sardinium is necessary to purchase new upgrades for your weapons and gear.
Power Eggs
This counter displays how many Power Eggs you’ve collected. Use Power Eggs to purchase upgrades for your weapons and gear.
Special Gauge
In the single-player campaign, specials can be held on to for the duration of a stage, but only activated once. When certain specials (notably the Bomb Launchers) are active, the Special Gauge rapidly empties, indicating how much time remains.
Sub Weapons
These three icons represent your equipped sub weapons, including Splat Bombs, Curling Bombs, and Autobombs. Use the Control Pad to select the active sub weapon.
Octarian Lairs
There are a total of 27 hidden Octarian lair entrances scattered throughout Octo Canyon, not including the five Boss Kettles. These lairs are divided among five different areas. Infiltrate and complete every lair in an area to unlock its Boss Kettle, which allows you to fight that area’s boss. Once a boss is defeated, you can proceed to the next area. Before you can enter a lair, you must find it. Lairs are cloaked, invisible to the naked eye. However, if you repeatedly splat a lair entrance with ink, it becomes visible, allowing you to enter.
Power Eggs, Sardinium, and Upgrades
While advancing through the various Octarian lairs, you collect Power Eggs and Sardinium. Power Eggs are earned by defeating enemies, but can also be retrieved from lairs by simply touching them or splatting them with ink. Sardinium is a bit tougher to find, usually hidden in well-concealed crates. There’s only one Sardinium per stage, including one in each of the area hub maps. Power Eggs and Sardinium function like currency, allowing you to purchase upgrades for your existing gear, as well as new sub weapons like Curling Bombs and Autobombs.
All upgrades are handled through Sheldon’s Ammo Knights Enhancifier, located in the first area. Initially you come equipped with a Hero Shot, Ink Tank, and Splat Bombs—the Hero Shot and Ink Tank can be upgraded to enhance their performance. Weapons received from Sheldon can also be upgraded. Before entering a new lair, review how many Power Eggs and Sardinium you have and consider purchasing some upgrades. There’s no other use for Power Eggs and Sardinium, so you might as well spend them.
Sunken Scrolls
Each lair (and hub map) holds one Sunken Scroll. These collectibles are usually hidden, tucked away within orange crates. Once retrieved, their contents are automatically revealed after you complete a lair or boss fight. These scrolls contain pieces of backstory that give you more insight into life in Inkopolis, as well as historical details pertaining to the conflicts between Inklings and the Octarians. While in Octo Canyon, you can review the contents of your collected Sunken Scrolls at any time by accessing the menu’s Scrolls tab.
