Splatoon/Arowana Mall

Set in a luxurious beachside shopping mall, this map is quite linear, with all paths converging at the middle. The fight for the bridge in the center center is brutal and chaotic, but gaining control of this crucial chokepoint will give your team a strong foothold no matter your objective.

Layout
Each team spawns on opposite ends of the map. There are three main paths leading from spawn to the center. The middle path leads down a ramp from the elevated spawn, then past another ramp that serves as a major bottleneck into each team's base. Beyond the bottleneck is a more open area leading to the bridge. It is mostly flat with the exception of a small hill, a raised area near the bridge and some potted plants. There is also a palm tree that serves as cover, as well as two ramps leading to the higher left and right paths. A high wooden ramp leads to the center, but there's a minor blindspot that limits your sight of activity at the center.

The left path is a one way drop past the bottleneck on to a high platform accessible from a ramp. After a long grated path, it ends with another inkable platform a short distance away from the center. This platform is often used by Chargers and other long-range weapons to snipe foes on the bridge, but it is rather exposed. The right path is another one way-drop with two choices one can pick. One leads to an open, flat area accessible by ramp, with a single sign at the center that serves as cover. A grated path leads from here to an inkable platform similar to the left side, but this one is further from the bridge. Another path goes along the perimeter of the map. It's possible to fall to your doom by going past the railings here, but it is highly unlikely to happen by accident. It ends on a perch perpendicular to the middle path, facing the center.

The center of the bridge is the biggest chokepoint of the map, as everyone has to pass through it to push into the other team's base. It is a pretty large arena with a small pillar at the center for cover. There are two slopes leading down from the ramps of the middle path, and swim-through railings beside the slopes. The rightmost path of either team terminate here, with inkable walls for enemies to swim up. There is a small barrier on the perch that players can hide behind against foes approaching from the bridge. Lastly, a river flows below the bridge, so falling off the edges will result in death.

Turf Wars
Due to the linear nature of the map, you'll often need to fight off enemies as you cover turf. The general goal is to keep your base completely inked and control the center of the map, pushing into the enemy base if there's an opening. This is the most barebones version of the map, so there are only two paths per side leading directly to and away from the bridge. Chargers and Splatlings are very strong as they can snipe down enemies as they arrive at the center from either vantage point, but bombs are good for driving them off. It is harder to retake the middle than it is to defend it, but an Inkstrike, Killer Wail or Bomb Rush should give your team space for a coordinated push.

Other than the center, there's the large battlefield between the bridge and spawn where a lot of the conflict will also take place. The defending team is at an inherent advantage here due to the elevated paths giving them the high ground. If you're attempting to push forward, be sure to ink the side path into the enemy base. Control of that side path gives your team a powerful position to flank the defenders. The quarter of the map around the enemy spawn is theoretically inkable, but it's not worthwhile to do so.

If your team is at a disadvantage, remember that you mostly hold the height advantage when fighting on your side. The elevated area around spawn lets you safely access the upper paths, letting you fire upon enemies on the lowest area from up to three directions. If the entire enemy team has pushed too far, you can attempt a comeback by taking the side path leading to the bridge, giving your team a spot to super jump to and ink the undefended center and enemy base.

Outside of the center bridge, a good Inkstrike spot is the elevated plaza off the right path. This area isn't used for any direct paths to the center, so it forces enemies to take a detour if they wish to reink the spot. Another good Inkstrike target near the end of the game is the low area directly in front of the enemy base, as you are unlikely to be able to ink there through normal means.

Splat Zones
The Splat Zone version of the map reinforces the importance of controlling the center of the bridge by placing the zone right at the middle. However, many additions have been made to make the Splat Zone less defensible. There is another path beside the main ramp that lets you get up to the middle by inking the walls, serving as a flanking position or to save you from accidentally falling into the water. Grates have been added around the free corners of the Splat Zone, giving players more space to stand when firing into or away from the zone. There are inkable walls that lets foes swim up the left path without having to use the ramp. Lastly, the ends of the left path and the enemy's right path are joined by a grate, making it easier to deal with snipers camping out on these vantage points.

Tower Control
The Tower Control map is much more akin to its Turf Wars version. The tower starts from the middle of the bridge, descends off the bridge to the enemy's left, travels above the water before turning past the palm tree on to solid ground. After passing the midway point, it travels in a straight line past the bottleneck and to the goal meters from the enemy spawn point. An inkable column has been added at the top of the ramp to the left path to let enemies infiltrate the elevated spawn area.

Rainmaker
In Rainmaker, much of the features added to the map from Splat Zones are retained, with the exception of the grate connecting the sniper perches. The Rainmaker sits in the center of the bridge, with two pillars added around the area for cover. The raised goal is located below the grated floor near each team's spawn. There are two paths the Rainmaker holder can take from the middle: either cut right through the middle or take the side path. Players can now access the side path using an inkable wall from the elevated plaza. Ultimately, the Rainmaker must pass through the ramp through the bottleneck in order to get a knockout.