What is Salmon Run? A Complete Guide to the Frenzied Fish Fray

Salmon Run is a co-op multiplayer mode available in Splatoon 2 for up to four players. It can be played locally with other people (local wireless or LAN) at The Shoal or online at certain times through Grizzco Industries. The online version requires the player to be at least Level 4 to be able to play.

Producer Hisashi Nogami says that Salmon Run was made to take advantage of how portable the Nintendo Switch is and to give smaller groups of players an interesting local multiplayer experience, since other game modes need a lot of players (eight), which makes Salmon Run unique. [1].

There are three waves in each Salmon Run. To finish a wave, players must defeat Salmonids and drop Power Eggs and Golden Eggs in the egg basket. Every Boss Salmonid that is splatted drops three Golden Eggs. If these eggs are not picked up within a few seconds, a Snatcher will show up to take them back. Each player can carry only one Golden Egg at a time.

Each wave has a quota, which varies depending on the number of players present and its ranks. Players fail the run if the quota isn’t met before the wave timer runs out or if all of their shots hit the ground. Completing a run increases the players pay grade, which also determines the difficulty of runs. Players are still paid for the Golden Eggs they found even if they fail, but their pay grade may go down.

When the difficulty is high, the most waves that can be sent at once are 21, 23, and 25. This happens when the squads average rank is Profreshional 600 or above. A message appears on-screen at the start of such a shift stating “Hazard Level MAX!!”.

In this mode, Inklings and Octolings have special gear that lets them be brought back to life if they get splatted. When splatted, a lifesaver appears at their last position after a few seconds. By inking it, a teammate can revive them and they come back with a short period of invulnerability. If they collected a Golden Egg before being splatted, it is not lost. Also, if they didn’t have a Golden Egg before being hit, they might get one while they’re in a lifesaver. However, eggs cannot be deposited in the egg basket until they are revived. During the whole game, every player wears the same uniform, which includes a green cap, orange overalls, green gloves, and green boots, no matter what gear they were wearing before entering this mode. Also, no gear abilities apply during this modes gameplay.

In Salmon Run, Inklings and Octolings ink level and special weapon uses are displayed visually. The lifesaver on their back acts as their ink tank, which depletes clockwise from top. Their special weapon stock looks like two silver bags on their hat, but when they use a special weapon, the bags disappear.

The box around the squid or octopus icons glows orange to let you know that one of the teams is down or that there are less than four active players.

When thirty seconds are left, the timer turns yellow, and if the quota isn’t met yet, the box around the timer and quota lights up orange to warn you. A separate countdown shows up in the middle of the screen as an overlay for the last ten seconds. The numbers are orange if the goal is not met and green if it is.

Salmon Run is not always playable online, as the Grizzco Industries building can sometimes be closed. It opens in an irregular pattern but can be expected to be available every other day. Each Salmon Run rotation features one random stage and four random weapons to be assigned to players.

The stages menu shows when the next five Salmon Runs will start, as well as the stages and weapons for the next two. Because the rotations are planned ahead of time, new stages and weapons might not show up for a while.

Salmon run – the mass migration of salmon from the ocean to their freshwater spawning grounds. This epic journey is fraught with peril as the fish must battle their way upstream past swift currents waterfalls, and hungry predators. For centuries, indigenous peoples have relied on the salmon runs for sustenance. These days, salmon runs still hold ecological and economic significance, though their numbers have declined. Read on to learn all about these incredible fish and their death-defying odyssey.

What Triggers the Salmon Run?

  • When the ocean gets warmer in the spring and summer, the salmon run starts. This tells the fish it’s time to go back home and spawn. Scientists believe salmon may use the sun’s position and water temperature as cues.

  • Salmon runs are precisely timed to ensure young hatch at the optimal time in their freshwater habitat, Runs are triggered by hormones and other physiological changes

  • Some runs occur in fall or winter King salmon runs often coincide with spring’s heavier rainfalls that swell the rivers

The Incredible Journey Upstream

  • Salmon go through big changes in their bodies to get ready for the trip. For example, their immune systems are weakened and their fat stores are turned into fuel for their marathon swim.

  • Salmon cease feeding once they re-enter freshwater. They rely solely on remaining energy reserves.

  • Depending on the species, salmon may travel 600 to 1900 miles upstream against strong currents and rapids.

  • They leap up waterfalls and other obstacles up to 13 feet high through powerful strokes of their tails.

  • To locate their precise spawning sites, salmon likely use the sun for direction and remember chemical cues from when they lived there as juveniles.

The Rigors of Spawning

  • Once at their spawning grounds, female salmon dig nests called redds in the gravelly river bottom to lay their eggs.

  • A female may deposit anywhere from 500 to 5,000 eggs. Males fertilize them as they are laid.

  • Salmon are near death after spawning. Their bodies decay rapidly, soon dying from exhaustion, injury, or disease. A fraction may survive to make the journey again.

  • The eggs hatch after several weeks or months. The young salmon spend time in their home stream before migrating to the ocean to repeat the cycle.

Salmon Run Species

There are seven species of Pacific salmon, five of which perform salmon runs:

  • Chinook: Also called king salmon, they have the longest run at up to 1900 miles. They are the largest salmon, at over 100 pounds. Runs occur in spring, summer, and fall.

  • Sockeye: These salmon have the longest migration at up to 900 miles. Their runs take place in summer and fall. Sockeye turn bright red when spawning.

  • Coho: Smaller and less abundant than other salmon, coho migrate up to 600 miles inland. They spawn in late summer and fall.

  • Pink: The most abundant salmon, pink run 300 to 700 miles in late summer and fall. They are the smallest salmon, at just 5-10 pounds.

  • Chum: Also called dog salmon, chums run 500 to 1900 miles in summer and winter. Their name comes from their dog-like teeth that develop during spawning.

Threats to Salmon Runs

  • Dams blocking migration routes and habitat loss from destruction of spawning grounds have diminished runs.

  • Overfishing, pollution, invasive species, and climate change also threaten runs.

  • Hatcheries help maintain salmon populations but aren’t a total solution. Preserving natural habitats remains vital.

The Future of Salmon Runs

While salmon runs today are just a fraction of their historical sizes, all is not lost for these resilient fish. Conservation efforts like removing dams, restricting fishing, and restoring rivers help protect the runs. We owe it to future generations to ensure the epic salmon runs endure. When in doubt, look to the salmon – nature’s most determined migrants – for inspiration to persevere!

Cultural Significance of Salmon Runs

For indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest like the Coast Salish and Kwakwaka’wakw, salmon runs have long held cultural, spiritual, and sustenance value.

  • Salmon were considered gifts from the natural world and treated with reverence. Rituals honored the first caught salmon. Bones were returned to the water to reincarnate as new fish.

  • Fish wheels, traps, and nets were used to catch salmon during the runs. Salmon meat was preserved by drying, smoking, or canning.

  • The salmon runs marked a season of bounty. They were a time for trade, celebration, and community.

  • Declining salmon populations deal not just ecological damage, but cultural loss. Restoring salmon runs is vital to revive these traditions.

Salmon Run Events in Splatoon

The Salmon Run is a popular co-op multiplayer game mode in the Splatoon series of video games that draws inspiration from real-world salmon runs.

  • Teams of up to four “Inklings” battle waves of enemy “Salmonids” while collecting and depositing Power Eggs in a basket.

  • Players are equipped with makeshift gear and weaponry like Splat Rollers and Splat Chargers to splat Salmonids.

  • Boss Salmonids yield Golden Eggs when defeated. Players can revive fallen teammates with lifesavers.

  • There are special events like fog, goldie seeking, mothership, and grillers that alter the Salmon Run experience.

  • Completing waves raises the player’s Job Title, increasing the mode’s difficulty and rewards. Grizzco points earned unlock gear and bonuses.

Salmon Run offers frenetic fishy fun for Splatoon players. If only real salmon had access to such elaborate armaments during their runs!

Key Facts on Salmon Runs:

  • Occur when salmon migrate from ocean to spawn in freshwater

  • Triggers include warming water temps and other physiological cues

  • Fish undergo changes to prep for arduous journey upstream

  • Salmon species perform runs of varying distances in spring to winter

  • Spawning completes the lifecycle though most adults then perish

  • Dams, overfishing, pollution threaten runs vital to ecosystem

  • Cultural traditions intertwined with runs for indigenous peoples

  • Splatoon’s popular co-op mode inspired by real salmon runs

what is salmon run

Local mode

You can play and host a Salmon Run locally at The Shoal, but other players will need their own consoles and copies of Splatoon 2 to join. Local play is independent of the online Salmon Run rotation, thereby being available at all times. According to Version 204.0, the host of a local Salmon Run can choose which maps are played and set the risk levels (which should not be confused with the pay grade). These levels range from 5% to 2020%. 0. 0. Versions that came before this one had a range of 5% to 2010% at the beginning of a game session. This means that players had to clear a match set at the highest level of difficulty to have the option to make it harder by 10%, with 2020% being the highest level of difficulty. A hazard level of 10% is the same as a fresh graduate, earning 215 percent of the highest pay grade. A hazard level of 120% is the same as a fresh graduate, earning 240 percent of the highest pay grade. Matches played in the local mode do not affect the rankings and battle records of the online version.

The following is a table of the different Hazard Levels corresponding Job Title:

Title Hazard Level
Apprentice 5% – 15%
Part-Timer 20% – 35%
Go-Getter 40% – 55%
Overachiever 60% – 75%
Profreshional 80% – 200%

When playing locally, Mr. Grizz has a darkened icon and is known as “Raspy Voice” while he comments as usual. There is no dialogue at the end of the result screen like there is in the online version of Salmon Run.

It is possible for players to pick the weapon they want to use during a match. The selection screen looks a lot like the equip screen. There is also an option to choose a random weapon. The weapons you can use are not the same as the ones you can buy in Ammo Knights; you can choose from a different set of weapons.

The following is a list of all available weapons in local Salmon Run.

  • 2D art of an Inkling girl in Salmon Run gear
  • 2D art of a work crew
  • For The Art of Splatoon 2, this is a 2D drawing of an Inkling boy wearing Salmon Run gear.
  • Web art in 2D for Splatoon 2’s Salmon Run mode
  • 3D art of an Inkling girl wearing the uniform
  • Polaroid-style render
  • 3D art of a work crew
  • 3D art of the egg basket
  • 3D art of a lifesaver
  • Concept illustration of Salmon Run
  • Concept illustration of an Inkling in Salmon Run attire
  • Early unused icon
  • Promotional artwork

Rare weapon wildcard rotation

Every few months, a wildcard rotation has golden question marks instead of the normal green ones. This signifies that the supplied weapons are all rare, but still randomly loaned. Each player is equally likely to receive any of the four rare weapons. The first such rotation took place on and was announced in a Tweet citing a message from Mr. Grizz saying that he wouldn’t be able to get the standard weapons ready in time, so the shift would happen with just his own things. [3] Like other random rotations, Frantic Aspic replaces Deluge Dirge during normal waves.

The Salmon’s Life Mission | Destination WILD

FAQ

Why is it called Salmon Run?

Most salmon are anadromous, a term which comes from the Greek anadromos, meaning “running upward”. Anadromous fish grow up mostly in the saltwater in oceans. When they have matured they migrate or “run up” freshwater rivers to spawn in what is called the salmon run.

What is the Alaskan Salmon Run?

Each variety “runs” (moves upstream) at a different time during the year. King Salmon, also known as Chinook salmon, run from late May until late July. During mid-July to mid-August, it’s the pink and sockeye salmon’s turn. July to October rounds out the spawn with silver, also called coho, salmon.

Do salmon eat during the Salmon Run?

Anglers in Michigan rivers have long known that Chinook and coho salmon will bite on eggs and egg imitations. Salmon were believed to stop feeding in rivers, but recent research suggests this isn’t always the case.

Do you get money for doing Salmon Run?

Completion of a round of Salmon Run grants players Grizzco Points, which they can redeem for bonus prizes at the window outside Grizzco. The reward amount is based on the number of Golden Eggs and Power Eggs collected and the player’s current pay grade.

What is a salmon run?

A salmon run is an annual fish migration event where many salmonid species, which are typically hatched in fresh water and live most of the adult life downstream in the ocean, swim back against the stream to the upper reaches of rivers to spawn on the gravel beds of small creeks.

When does a salmon run occur?

The salmon run is an annual occurrence, with the main spawning season for Pacific salmon taking place in autumn. The actual timing varies between species and locations. It also changes from year to year, sometimes occurring slightly earlier and sometimes slightly later.

What is salmon run in Splatoon?

Salmon Run is Splatoon’s take on a horde mode. Four plucky entrepreneurs are employed by the mysterious MR. Grizz for hunt Salmonids and earn Golden Eggs! This page will take you through the most important points about Salmon Run and provides links to our other Salmon Run guides!

Can you play salmon run online?

This mode can be played online only during certain times at Grizzco. Salmon Run usually occurs every other day and is available for about 24 to 36 hours. Schedules are viewable on the Stages tab of the menu, or in Splatnet 2 via the Nintendo Switch Online app. Each schedule features one stage and four Supplied Weapons.

Leave a Comment