Welcome, squids and kids! Whether you’re just diving into Splatoon 2 for the first time or you’ve been swimming around Inkopolis for a while now, there’s always room to sharpen your skills. In this episode of the Super Fresh Guide, we’re focusing on two of the most fundamental—and often overlooked—skills that separate the casual inklings from the competitive contenders: aiming and movement. Master these, and you’ll be the slickest squid in the square.

---

The Sacred Code: Motion Controls

Let’s not ink around: if you’re serious about getting good at Splatoon 2, you need to turn on motion controls. Yes, it might feel a little weird at first, especially if you’re used to stick-only aiming from other shooters. But trust us, once you get the hang of it, the precision and fluidity of motion aiming will transform your gameplay.

Head into the training room and stand at the designated corner. Take a moment to point your cursor at a specific spot. This is where your aiming journey begins. When a match starts and an enemy appears, your job is to shift your aim from wherever you were looking to your new target. This is called target acquisition.

Start slowly: move your controller in a straight, smooth motion toward your target. Once you get the feel for it, try doing it quickly—but don’t rush your learning. After each try, pause to reflect. Did you move too far? Not far enough? Use this feedback to fine-tune your sensitivity settings. If you overshoot often, turn it down. Undershooting? Turn it up. Once it feels natural, practice acquiring targets across different distances and directions.

---

Target Tracking: Stay on Them Like Ink on Turf

Once you’ve got acquisition down, it’s time to move on to target tracking. Use the moving dummies in the test room. First, acquire the target—then stay on it. Sounds simple, right? But here’s where things get nuanced: Splatoon 2 uses projectile travel time. There’s a delay between firing and your ink actually hitting the target. The farther away you are, the more delay.

To compensate, you need to aim ahead of your target’s path—this is known as leading your shots. The better you become at predicting enemy motion, the more accurate your tracking will be. So next time you see an enemy squid zipping from one place to another, don’t just follow them—anticipate them.

---

Move Like You Mean It: Why Standing Still Gets You Splat

A stationary inkling is an easy splat. If you want to stay alive, you need to master movement just as much as aiming. Let’s start with strafing—a simple side-to-side motion that allows you to shoot while staying evasive. This small movement forces your enemies to track you, and in Splatoon 2, even slight missteps can mean the difference between getting splatted or staying in the game.

Swim strafing takes this to the next level. Instead of walking, you swim side-to-side through your own ink. You can’t shoot while swimming, but you can fire each time you pop up—and even better, you can change direction when surfacing, making your movement unpredictable. Mix in jumps for good measure. The more erratic your movement, the harder you are to hit.

Combine strafes with smart positioning. If your opponent is able to hit you even when you’re strafing, spice it up. Change your rhythm, switch directions mid-pop, or incorporate short pauses. Keep them guessing.

---

Field Work: Aiming and Moving in Real Matches

Time to put theory into practice. In Turf War, as you cover ground, move while shooting—don’t just stand still and paint. Strafing while inking helps you maintain awareness and evade surprise attacks.

When engaging enemies, acquire your target and lead your aim based on their direction. In one example, the player spots an enemy, moves their cursor not directly on them, but slightly ahead—anticipating their path. Result? Easy splat.

But mistakes happen. Standing still to recover ink in the open is a rookie mistake that leads to a swift punishment. And walking directly at an enemy? Even worse. It makes you an easy target. Move at angles. Strafe. Swim. Jump. Make your path unpredictable and force your enemies to miss.

A standout moment involves swimming to one direction and walking the opposite right after surfacing—confusing the enemy enough to secure the splat. In another clip, the player survives with just a sliver of health after panicked movement and messy aiming. But the key takeaway? Never give up. Even imperfect movement can save your life.

---

Ranked Mode: Next-Level Tactics

Jumping into Ranked (specifically Tower Control at S+4), we see the same principles at play but with higher stakes and tighter competition. One encounter showcases perfect acquisition but poor prediction—the enemy escapes. In contrast, when there’s room to strafe freely, the player wins their fights with ease.

Even skilled enemies will challenge your tracking. But consistent use of movement and aiming fundamentals gives you the edge. Sometimes, you’ll need to sacrifice yourself to finish a splat and protect the objective. It’s all part of the strategy.

In high-pressure scenarios, good footwork can even outplay a sniper. Quick dodges and dance-like strafes throw off their aim—earning your survival, and sometimes even a cheeky counter-splat.

---

Final Ink

Even in losses, there’s something to learn. This guide is just the beginning, and as you keep playing, you’ll refine your mechanics, develop your own movement patterns, and become harder and harder to hit.

So go practice. Experiment. Push your limits. And most importantly—keep swimming.

Thanks for joining this episode of the Super Fresh Guide. If you found this helpful, be sure to share it with your fellow squid-squad and stay tuned for future episodes.

Stay fresh!