Inklings (インクリング ,lit. Inkuringu?) are a fictional species of squid-like humanoids and also the customizable characters that players take control of within the games Splatoon and Splatoon 2. Inklings live in Inkopolis. As the main protagonists, they won't die, and instead easily respawn after being "splatted." When first starting the game, the player is given the option to choose between genders (boy and girl), eye colors, and skin colors. These can be changed later from the Options menu. They also have no bones. Inklings are said to have some kind of gene that allows them to see certain colors in certain ways.
Background
Band land nearby an ally Inkling or a Squid Beakon.
In the Nintendo Switch teaser, there are inklings with new and interesting hairstyles, such as the green inkling boy's greased hair, and the pink inkling girl's with short hair.
"Death(s)" and Splatting
See also: Splat
Inklings do not actually die in-game. However, they can be "splatted" in one of three ways: from water, enemy ink, or falling off of a ledge.
When they fall in water, because they are already made of liquid, they will dissolve, leaving their clothes and weapon in the water. When they are splatted from enemy fire, the Inkling's weapons and clothes will fall to the ground and dissolve, while the Inkling will explode in the enemy's ink color. When they are splatted like this, a ghost that looks like the squid form Inkling will float into the air. Also, if an Inkling falls off of a level in Hero Mode, they will explode as well, but in their own ink color after which they will respawn at the Spawn Point or at a checkpoint.
Trivia
- The developers said when they came up with the Squid idea, they didn't think of the resemblance of the Inkling squid shares with the Blooper from the Super Mario Bros. series.
- Both the male and female Inklings have 10 limbs and can be seen from their "hair" which feature 6 tentacles, which when added with their arms and legs make 10.
- They are not specified what sort of squids the Inklings may have a evolved from, but it is possibly a predatory species such as the Humboldt squid, which is known to be intelligent and aggressive, and has the ability to rapidly change color. However, it is more likely that they are based on the Japanese Flying Squid, which can glide up to 30 meters using jet propulsion, something the inklings can do in-game.
- In later development of Splatoon, the Inkling Girl was the first character available to play that made the cut. The Inkling Boy was then designed after her and in likeness.
- In the Splatoon manga included in CoroCoro Comic, Issue 4 shows the Inklings attempting to swim in a pool at Mahi-Mahi Resort; forgetting they didn't know how to swim, they nearly drowned in the water (not dissolving like in the game).
- In the new Nintendo Switch reveal video a brief moment of Splatoon is shown and the inklings are shown with hairstyles.
- In real life, the word "Inkling" is another word for "hint" or an "idea"
Gallery
Splatoon
- A full gallery can be found here.
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Splatoon 2
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| Main | Major |
Acht • Agent 3 • Agent 3 (Splatoon 3) • Agent 4 • Agent 8 • Cap'n Cuttlefish • C.Q. Cumber • Deep Cut (Big Man • Frye • Shiver) • Little Buddy • Off the Hook (Pearl Houzuki • Marina Ida) • Squid Sisters (Callie • Marie) |
| Minor |
Denizens of the deep • Great Zapfish • Iso Padre • Judd • Li'l Judd • Mr. Grizz • O.R.C.A. • Telephone |
| Bosses | Story Mode | |
| Octo Expansion |
| Salmonids | Lesser | |
| Boss |
Big Shot • Drizzler • Fish Stick • Flipper-Flopper • Flyfish • Maws • Scrapper • Slammin’ Lid • Steel Eel • Steelhead • Stinger | |
| Event-specific |
Chinook • Goldie • Griller • Mothership • Mudmouth | |
| King Salmonids |
| Jelletons | Lesser |
Battering Lento • Drizzling Cappriccioso • Gushing Trionfale • Homing Arpeggio • Marching Andante • Panicking Alla Mambo • Portal • Spawning Accordo • Springing Spiccato • Spawning Accordo • Swarming Languendo • Towering Nobilmente • Whirling Accelerando |
| Boss |
Asynchronous Rondo • Marina Agitando • Overlorder • Parallel Canon • Pinging Marciale |
| Vendors |
Annie • Bisk • Cipher • Craymond • Crusty Sean • Flow • Fred Crumbs • Gnarly Eddy • Harmony • Jelfonzo • Jel La Fleur • Jelonzo • Jel La Fleur • Moe • Mr. Coco • Murch • Nails • Shelly and Donny • Staff • Spyke |
| Bands |
Acht • Bob Dub • Chirpy Chips • C-Side • Damp Socks Feat. Off the Hook • Deep Cut (Big Man • Frye • Shiver) • Diss-Pair • DJ Lee Fish • DJ Octavio • DJ Real Sole • Front Roe • Grizzco Industries • H2Whoa • Hightide Era • Off the Hook (Pearl Houzuki • Marina Ida) • Turquoise October • SashiMori • Squid Sisters (Callie • Marie) • ω-3 • Yoko & the Gold Bazookas |
| Other |
| Species |
Animals • Human • Inkling • Jellyfish • Zapfish • Octarians (Sanitized version • Fuzzy version) Octoling (Playable Octoling • Enemy Octoling) • Salmonids • Super Sea Snail • Zapfish • |