Like all special weapons, the Inkstrike must be charged before it can be used. To use it, the player must activate it then tap anywhere on the gamepad's screen to launch it. It will then deploy a giant tornado made of ink that covers the tapped area. A short warning can be seen on the ground once someone possessing an Inkstrike has chosen their location on the gamepad.
If an opposing player is caught by an Inkstrike tornado, they will instantly be splatted.
The time it takes for the tornado to cease is around 2-3 seconds and the area of the tornado is fairly large. Throughout its 2-3 seconds of performance, the Inkstrike will grow in size from when it first hit the ground, with the approximate final area being about 2.8% of the map!
Usage
The Inkstrike can be used as a smokescreen for capturing central areas, or making it to the opposing side to ambush enemies.
The Inkstrike is great for countering Chargers, especially the Splatterscope and E-Liter 3K Scope. Even if they get out of the way, players can now rush them.
Players are an easy target while launching the Inkstrike, so players are in an area with cover to delay enemy attacks.
A great place to use an Inkstrike is a spawn area. (Note: Don't use on the enemy Spawn Point as it won't cover much terrain, nor splat anyone.)
Inkstrikes are also used by Octostrikers in Hero Mode. In the levels they appear in, the player will have to dodge many Inkstrikes throughout the level and defeat the Octostriker at the end to complete it.
Like all specials, using the Inkstrike will refill the user's ink tank.
Use the Inkstrike to target campers, or people in secluded areas that would be hard to escape from.
Launch Inkstrikes to choke points, as it can allow you and your team access.
Launching it at a Splat Zone will guarrantee it's capture.
If launched near the end of the match, it will still go off dispite everyone being frozen. This can be used to gain turf that can't be recovered, potentially turning a loss into a close win or a close win to an overwhelming win.
Trivia
Originally the Inkstrike was meant to create a giant dome of ink instead of a cylindric tornado-like appearance. It was also called the ink tornado.
If one looks closely, the "5.2" in its licensing on the weapon is actually 50.
The name "Inkstrike" is a parody of the weapon "Airstrike" used commonly in FPS or TPS shooters.
The inkstrike resembles more of a satellite Lazer, as a rocket being launched before becoming a Lazer to fire a large beam of energy onto the target.
The Instrike reappears in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as a Kart.
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