Inkling
| Inkling | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Artwork of Inkling Girl in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | |||
| First appearance | Splatoon (2015, Splatoon series) Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U (2015, Super Mario-related media, DLC costume and trophy cameo) | ||
| Latest appearance | Splatoon 3 (2022, Splatoon series) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018, Super Mario-related media) | ||
| Latest portrayal | Yuki Tsuji (2015-present) | ||
| |||
Template:Quote2 Inklings are protagonists from the Splatoon series who also make some appearances in crossover games. They are a race of humanoids that can turn into squids, the color of which is based on their hair/tentacle color. Inklings live in Inkopolis, where they participate in Turf Wars in which they attempt to claim as much area as possible by covering it with their ink, along with other sports and activities such as Splatfests and Salmon Run. They also speak in a made-up gibberish language known as the Inkling language.
Despite the Inklings' squid form bearing a close resemblance to Bloopers in the Super Mario franchise, the developers of Splatoon did not take them into consideration when designing them.[1]
History
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
Inklings make an appearance in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U as downloadable costumes for the Mii Fighters, which were released on June 14, 2015. The Mii Gunners can wear an Inkling Outfit which changes design based on the gender of the Mii, while any Mii Fighter can wear the Inkling Wig or the Inkling Squid Hat, the former of which also changes by the gender. A trophy of the Inkling Girl can be unlocked in both versions after players download the Inkling Outfit.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
 Inkling |
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| Game appearances |
|---|
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (unlockable) |
| Special moves |
| Neutral: Splattershot Side: Splat Roller Up: Super Jump Down: Splat Bomb Final Smash: Killer Wail |
| Battle entrance |
| The Inkling lands with a splash of ink in squid form before transforming back, then flaps both arms excitedly before drawing the Splattershot. |
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Template:Main-external Inkling Girls and Inkling Boys as fully unlockable playable characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Inklings were first implied to appear in the game through a teaser trailer shown in the March 2018 Nintendo Direct following information about Splatoon 2. The trailer is based on the Splatoon reveal trailer from E3 2014; it shows both the standard Inkling Girl and standard Inkling Boy from the original Splatoon fighting each other until the background fades to black, when the Super Smash Bros. symbol can be seen reflected on the Inkling Girl's eye. Inklings were officially announced during the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct alongside Princess Daisy and Ridley.
Inklings use a variety of weapons from the Splatoon games as part of their moveset, including the Splattershot as their primary weapon, the Inkbrush for their side smash attack, the Blaster for their up smash attack, the Slosher for their down smash attack, the Splat Bomb for their down special move, the Splat Roller for their side special move, and the Killer Wail for their Final Smash. When an opponent is covered in ink, they receive more damage from attacks. Inklings can also run out of ink, and a gauge showing how much ink is left is displayed next to the Inkling's profile. To refill, the player must press 
while shielding. The ink refills at the normal rate even while the Inkling is not standing on their ink, unlike in the Splatoon games.
In addition to the orange Inkling Girl and blue Inkling Boy used in promotional material for the original Splatoon, the player can select a yellow, pink, or purple Inkling Girl, or a green, cyan, or indigo Inkling Boy, each wearing different accessories and attires. Like in the Splatoon games, the ink's color corresponds to that of the Inkling. Due to being unable to swim at all in their home games, Inklings receive minor damage while swimming in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate; this trait is shared with Sonic the Hedgehog, Charizard and Incineroar.
Additionally, the Squid Sisters (Callie and Marie) collectively make an appearance as an Assist Trophy. When they are summoned, they appear in the middle of the stage (teleporting if not there already), and perform a live concert. As Callie and Marie are performing, the camera zooms in on them, and the blast lines get smaller and smaller (in a similar manner to Sudden Death), making it easier for players to be KO'd. Once they finish their song, the Squid Sisters disappear and the camera returns to normal.
In Adventure Mode, both the orange Inkling Girl and the blue Inkling Boy are present when the fighters oppose Galeem for the first time. They both attempt to hide in ink when Galeem's beams of light are launched, but are both hit by one of the beams and imprisoned in the World of Light. The Inkling Puppet Fighter is eventually defeated by Kirby's team, and both Inklings join the team against Galeem and Dharkon afterwards.
Inkling is a middleweight fighter, being lighter than Roy, Pac-Man, Robin, and Chrom but heavier than Joker, while having the same weight as Ness, Lucas, and Mii Brawler.
Classic Mode route
All opponents in Inkling's Classic Mode route use an alternate costume matching the color scheme of the stage, similar to the concept of Turf War in their home series.
| An Inkredible Journey | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Opponent(s) | Stage | Song | |
| 1 | Lucario (green costume), Sheik (green costume) | Yoshi's Island (Melee) | Splattack! (original) | |
| 2 | Greninja (pink costume) | Magicant | Ink or Sink | |
| 3 | Wario (red overalls), Duck Hunt (red duck) | Norfair | Metalopod | |
| 4 | Giant Yoshi (light-blue) | Summit | Seaskape | |
| 5 | Shulk (purple costume), Ness (Mr. Saturn costume), Mewtwo (dark costume) | Fountain of Dreams | Kraken Up | |
| 6 | Inkling Girl (yellow costume), Inkling Boy (green costume) (*) | Moray Towers (Splatfest) | Ink Me Up | |
| Final | Marx | Calamari Inkantation | ||
(*) - Orange Inkling girl or blue Inkling boy takes their place if the player is playing as either of said costume.
Special moves
Splattershot
Template:Main-external Splattershot is the Inkling's standard special move. When used, Inkling rapidly fires ink from the Splattershot, covering the opponent in ink. The move has very small damage, but will cause hitstun at very close range. If the opponent is further away, the attack will only push them away. Tilting up or down adjusts the angle of the attack. If the ink tank goes below the labeled line, the damage and range will decrease. If this move is used when the ink tank is empty, Inkling will recharge ink instead.
Splat Roller
Template:Main-external Splat Roller is the Inkling's side special move. When used, Inkling takes out the Splat Roller and begins to slide it forward. This will cover the ground in ink which slows down opponents. If an opponent that is standing on the ground gets hit by the Splat Roller, the opponent will get buried and covered by ink. If the opponent is already buried or Inkling is airborne, the move will launch the opponent instead. If this move is used when the ink tank is empty, Inkling will move a lot slower and the move will not deal damage.
Super Jump
Template:Main-external Super Jump is the Inkling's up special move. When used, Inkling jumps high into the air in squid form. The move deals damage on startup and landing, and can be angled left or right. It is the only move that can cover the opponent in ink when the ink tank is empty.
Splat Bomb
Template:Main-external Splat Bomb is the Inkling's down special move. When used, Inkling throws a Splat Bomb forward. It will explode on contact or after a set time, covering opponents in ink. The distance, amount of ink, and damage depend on how long the player holds the button. If the ink tank is below the labeled line (but not empty), the Inkling will not be able to throw the Splat Bomb, but will look back at the ink tank worriedly. If this move is used when the ink tank is empty, Inkling will recharge ink.
Final Smash
Killer Wail
Template:Main-external Killer Wail is the Inkling's Final Smash. The Inkling sets up the Killer Wail, which fires damaging sound waves. After a while, sound waves are replaced with ink, covering opponents. The angle can be adjusted up or down. The player also has full control of Inkling while Killer Wail is active, so the player can move away from the Killer Wail. The final hit has KO potential.
Super Mario Maker
Inklings appear as one of Mario's costumes in Super Mario Maker. There are three types of Inkling costumes: Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl, and Inkling Squid, the latter of which can assume humanoid form by holding up on a control stick. Along with being unlocked by scanning their respective amiibo, these costumes can be unlocked randomly by completing the 100 Mario Challenge. Yuki Tsuji reprises his roles as those three Inklings, albeit via recordings recycled from Splatoon.
The Squid Sisters also make an appearance in this game as costumes for Mario.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Inklings appear as playable characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, marking their first and currently only appearance in the Mario Kart series. Players can select either male or female Inklings, although they are separate characters with different statistics, much like the male and female Villagers. After the sixth wave of the Booster Course Pass, the male and female Inklings and Villagers were consolidated into one slot, though their statistics are still different. In addition to the orange Inkling Girl and blue Inkling Boy, the player can also select green or pink Inkling Girls and purple or cyan Inkling Boys; with the exception of the purple Inkling Girl and cyan Inkling Boy, the other Inkling Boys and Inkling Girls' designs are derived from their Splatoon amiibo, but with added headgear. The Inkling Boy is the 150cc staff ghost for Tokyo Blur and Bangkok Rush. Inklings are also the 200cc staff ghosts for Excitebike Arena and Dragon Driftway. The orange Inkling Girl is the staff ghost for Excitebike Arena, and the purple Inkling Boy is the staff ghost for Dragon Driftway. The color variations of Inklings cannot be used by the CPU drivers. If an Inkling is a CPU racer, they will usually ride the Splat Buggy or Inkstriker with the Standard tires; however, they can sometimes ride the Standard Kart with Standard tires, or the Standard Bike with Monster tires.
The Inklings show off Splattershots during tricks or their victory animation, and can turn into their squid form for another trick or using the Feather. They come with their own themed battle course called Urchin Underpass, and have signature ATV bodies, the Inkstriker and the Splat Buggy. Their emblem is an Inkling Squid in the color of the Inkling on a black background. Male Inklings have ink splashes on a black background on their Standard Karts and Super Gliders, whereas female Inklings have ink splashes on a white background. Both are middleweight characters; the girl is among the lightest middleweights alongside Cat Peach, female Villager, and Diddy Kong, whereas the boy is somewhat heavier, being in the same subset as Tanooki Mario and male Villager. Despite the Splatoon games showing that Inklings are defeated as soon as they land in water, Inklings are capable of remaining underwater in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
One of Inkling Girl's animations was originally considered by some to resemble an obscene gesture; it was later modified in Ver. 1.1.0.
Orange Inkling Girl
Lime Inkling Girl
Magenta Inkling Girl
Blue Inkling Boy
Purple Inkling Boy
Cyan Inkling Boy
Profiles and statistics
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U trophy
| Name | 3DS Image | Wii U Image | Appears in | American English description | British English description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inkling | 
|
|
Wii U Splatoon (05/2015) | Meet the Inklings, a mysterious race of beings that can transform into squid at will! They like to octopi their time with frantic, multicolored turf wars, and they won’t miss out on any oppor-tuna-ty to get to the top. And we wouldn’t go so far as to call them cod’s gift to fashion, but check out that fresh style! | Meet the Inklings, a mysterious race of squid that can take a humanoid form at will. They like to octopi their time with frantic, multi-colored turf wars between rivals, and they won't miss out on any oppor-tuna-ty to get to the top! And we wouldn't go so far as to call them cod's gift to fashion, but check out that style! |
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Palutena's Guidance
- Pit: Uh, are you guys seeing this? This girl/guy can transform herself/himself into an octopus!
- Palutena: A squid, actually. This curious lifeform is an Inkling. They're squids who evolved to shapeshift into human form.
- Viridi: Inklings rose to power 12,000 years after mammals went extinct.
- Pit: EXTINCT?!
- Viridi: Yep. The monkeys were eradicated! BOOYAH!
- Pit: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a second! If I'm fighting against an Inkling, then... WHAT YEAR IS IT RIGHT NOW?!
- Palutena: Don't think about it too hard, Pit. It'll just make your brain sweat.
- Pit: Twelve thousand years of missed meals? Aw man...
- Palutena: Focus, Pit. If an Inkling hits you with an ink attack, you'll take extra damage until the ink evaporates. However, Inklings can't use ink attacks if their Ink Tank is empty. That's the time to strike!
Super Smash Blog bio
- Attacks with a variety of weapons. Covering opponents with ink leads to more and more damage—plus these Inklings are really fashionable!
amiibo
- Inkling Boy (Splatoon): Inkling boys hail from the city of Inkopolis in the Splatoon™ game. They crave team-based competition and love to customize their gear before participating in the hottest sport in town, Turf War! Their hobbies include making messes, rocking the latest fashions, dancing, and spoiling the nefarious plans of their evil octopus archrivals, the Octarians! Like a boss!
- Inkling Girl (Splatoon / Super Smash Bros.): Inkling girls hail from the city of Inkopolis in the Splatoon™ game. They crave team-based competition and love to customize their gear before participating in the hottest sport in town, Turf War! Their hobbies include making messes, rocking the latest fashions, dancing, and spoiling the nefarious plans of their evil octopus archrivals, the Octarians! For realsies!
- Inkling Squid (Splatoon): In the Splatoon™ game, the main characters, Inklings, can instantly transform into squids! We're not sure what marvel of anatomy allows them to perform this majestic feat, but it sure is sweet. In squid form, Inklings can swim in any surface they've splattered with ink, even up walls! They can also hide from opponents by submerging in ink and keeping still. How cool is that?
Gallery
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe artwork of the Inkling Girl using the Blooper item in Balloon Battle
Inkling Girl alongside Isabelle and King Boo in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Inkling Boy performing tricks in Excitebike Arena in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Inkling Girl performing a trick in Big Blue in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Image macro of the Inkling Girl racing alongside Mario in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with the caption "BRO, DO YOU EVEN DRIFT?", posted by Nintendo of America on Twitter
Nintendo of Europe's version of the previous image
Inkling Boy in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Inkling Girl using the Splat Roller in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Play Nintendo holiday 2022 artwork, showing an Inkling alongside Mario and other Nintendo characters
Play Nintendo
My Nintendo Store (Holiday Gift Guide 2023)
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | インクリング Inkuringu ガール Gāru ボーイ Bōi[?] |
Inkling Girl Boy |
|
| Chinese | 女孩 (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if female) Nǚhái 男孩 (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if male) Nánhái[?] |
Girl Boy |
|
| Dutch | Inkling (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) Inkling-meisje (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if female) Inkling-jongen (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if male)[?] |
Inkling Girl Inkling Boy |
|
| French | Fille Inkling (if female) Garçon Inkling (if male)[?] |
Girl inkling Boy inkling |
|
| German | Inkling (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) Inkling-Mädchen (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if female) Inkling-Junge (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if male)[?] |
Inkling Girl Inkling Boy |
|
| Italian | Ragazza Inkling (if female) Ragazzo Inkling (if male)[?] |
Girl Inkling Boy Inkling |
|
| Korean | 잉클링[?] Ingkeulling |
Inkling | |
| Portuguese | Rapariga Inkling (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if female) Rapaz Inkling (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe; if male)[?] |
Girl Inkling Boy Inkling |
|
| Russian | Инклинг-девочка (if female)[?] Inkling-devochka |
Girl Inkling | |
| Инклинг-мальчик (if male)[?] Inkling-mal'chik |
Boy Inkling | ||
| Spanish | Inkling chica (if female) Inkling chico (if male)[?] |
Inkling Girl Inkling Boy |
References
- ^ @NE_Brian (August 16, 2015). Splatoon staff talk about the Inkling design, more on the Squid Sisters, and other topics. Nintendo Everything. Retrieved May 15, 2020.
- Cephalopods
- Children
- Characters from other Nintendo games
- Splatoon series
- Super Mario Maker costumes
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe characters
- Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS trophies
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U trophies
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fighters
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirits
- Super Smash Bros. amiibo line
