As the smallest map in the game, conflicts and splats will be frequent in the claustrophobic center of the map. Take control of the tower at the center for a crucial vantage point that overlooks the entire area.
Layout[edit]
Blackbelly Skatepark has a uniquely wide open area for each team's base. From the spawn point, there is a narrow path leading left and three hills straight ahead and to the right. There is a small barrier on the largest hill that can be used for cover. These hills can only be climbed by swimming up in friendly ink. A fairly flat area leads to the left entrance into the middle section, where there's tall wall that can be inked from both sides. There's also a steep slope that seperates the skating area from the flat corridor that serves as the main route to the middle. There is a raised platform along with an inkable wall on this flat area, with a grate on the other side of the wall.
A large column is found to the right with grates on the walls which can be swam up by inking the wall it's attached to. It overlooks a half pipe with two walls jutting out at their middle. The half pipe leads to the right entrance to the center region through a ramp, where there's a flat platform perpendicular to the main entryway. Nearby is a series of ramps that go up to a vantage point that serves as a popular sniper perch, but most players just ink up the wall to reach it quickly. This sniper perch can only be reached from the half-pipe, it is inaccessible to players coming in from the center.
A tall tower is the dominant feature of the middle area. The top is the highest point on the map, which can be reached from inking the two steep slopes on its side or the rest of its completely vertical walls. Two elevated platforms are located perpendicular to the steep ramps which must also be inked to get on top. The rest of the area is flat low ground with a small half pipe below the wide wall covering each team's left route into mid.
Mode strategies[edit]
Turf War[edit]
Exclusive in Turf Wars are two barriers at the center of the sideways entrance into mid, near the sniper perch.
An odd feature about Blackbelly Skatepark is that only roughly a third of the map is usually contested by either team, that being the arena at the center. The hills and ramps in the spawn area makes up a lot of turf, but due to the proximity to the spawn point and the uneven terrain it's usually only inked by the team it belongs to, usually as an afterthought compared to the more important central battlefield. A Sprinkler can be dropped anywhere in this wide area and still rack up a bunch of turf points while being completely ignored by enemies. Inkstrikes to the enemy spawn area are also quite effective when used near the end of the match due to how neglected it tends to be.
Of course, your main focus should be on the battlegrounds in the center of the map. The pillar is an important part of the map to control, providing a wide line of sight to suppress enemies with long-distance fire or assassinate hapless foes passing by below. The flat platform straight ahead from spawn is the frontline for both teams from where the offense dive into the crossfire and for defensive players to pick off foes in the vicinity. This area provides easy access to the pillar, a wide angle to shoot from and plenty of cover with the walls. However, the vertical inkable walls and multiple pathways make it a playground for mobile players taking on the enemy's frontline fighters.
The half pipe area is typically neglected due to being an indirect path from spawn, usually used only by chargers to get on the sniping perch. The platform in front of the perch also sees some use as a brief rest spot and for minor skirmishes branching out from the chaotic fight in the middle. It's tough to approach this area as the enemy has full sight of the path from the center and the height advantage from the sniper perch, but it can serve as a route to infiltrate the enemy spawn if you defeat the opponent there as other enemy players tend to neglect it. While unlikely to happen without a significant skill gap between teams, spawn camping can be very hard to break out of for the losing team since the design of the spawn area lets enemies attack spawning players from multiple angles.
Splat Zones[edit]
BLackbelly Skatepark's Splat Zones are located at two corners below the tower, partially covered by a grate. There isn't a lot of distance between both zones compared to other dual zone maps due to the size of Blackbelly Skatepark, but it's not easy to control both either. These zones are the smallest in the game, so small that a Suction Bomb or a splatted enemy on the zone will leave enough ink to claim it immediately. The zones themselves are very claustrophobic, surrounded by walls on three sides and only one primary retreat route. Thus, it is very important to avoid fighting on the zone, and instead ink it from a distance if possible. For weapons that lack range, focus on flanking enemies and scrambling their defenses instead. Bomb spamming is also quite prevalent here, being a safe way to wrest control of the zones. The Inkstrike is a good special for this mode as well, since it can not only safely claim an entire zone by itself, but also clear enemies from the pillar at the center of the map.
As usual, the central pillar is a vital area to secure. It is a powerful vantage point with full view of every path to and from the two control points. It lets you scatter ink on to the point from a relatively safe distance. Long range weapons like to use this spot to snipe at enemy defenses, while rollers and close-range shooters can use the height to ambush players passing below. It is still a very exposed position and is even more fiercely contested in this mode due to its close proximity to the main objectives. Other common sniper perches on this map still see use for both attack and defense, and they are a bit safer since they are far from the splat zones, which usually causes non-snipers to neglect them.
If your team currently has control over both points, claiming the central pillar will give you a massive advantage. Use this position to continuously pressure enemies coming in from the front. Opponents can often sneak through the side routes, so having players patrolling the exits of both flanking paths should take care of any stragglers. You can always try pushing in to their base, but it's not really worthwhile since a couple of splats from your side will usually be enough for them to regain the zone at the enemy's side of the base. You can only build a score lead by controlling both zones at once, and with how volatile zone ownership changes on this map, you must press your advantage to keep the enemy out.
In the opposite situation where your team is in control of neither zone, your first priority is to regain control of the zone closest to your base. The main entrance to the middle of the map is the most straightforward path to the zone where you can readily fire at it, but also leaves you wide open to enemy fire. The half pipe route is slower but receives less enemy attention, which lets you approach the zone from behind. It is also important to force enemies off of the pillar, either through long-range harassment or a direct ambush. Failing that, always be ready to take on enemies dropping from above as you attempt to push forward. The platforms leading into the half pipe sections are also common hiding spots for defenders when approaching the enemy side zone, as they can cut off your retreat and corner you against other enemies.
Tower Control[edit]
The tower starts on the tall pillar at the center. It takes about 10 units of distance to descend to ground level and starts moving toward the flat area below the sniper perch. After crossing the halfway point, it winds around and goes through the half-pipe to reach the goal at the end.
Starting off on the highest point on the map, the tower is a dangerous place to be on at the start of the match. It barely fits on the top surface of the pillar so there's barely any room to maneuver without falling off, and it blocks your view from enemies coming in from the opposite side. It's going to be a messy brawl at the start as mobile players from both teams wrestle on the pillar. Since it's so high up, the tower is actually somewhat protected from snipers due to the height advantage and angle.
The long descent is one of the hardest parts of the journey. The tower loses its absolute height advantage, so you're vulnerable to sudden attacks from the pillar. It also brings you in range of the enemies on the sniper perch where shorter-ranged weapons can just dive on to. If you lose the tower at this point, it is also difficult to reclaim it quickly unless your team has secured the pillar, since it is next to impossible to reach the tower as it moves back up without jumping from above.
Rounding the corner around the 60-50 mark is where the attackers will face the most resistance. Since the tower is now closer to the ground, players from both teams can easily reach and wrestle for the tower. The defenders can attack from the sniper perch or ambush the attacking team from behind, so a careful and concentrated push is necessary for the attackers to progress. Once past the sniper perch the match mostly devolves into a slugfest, since the tower has to travel through a narrow passage with only two directions to attack from. Both teams can make use of the grate to get the height advantage. While players are focused on the half-pipe path, the wide entrance to the defender's spawn can be used by both teams for sneak attacks, either for attackers to break up the defense or for defenders to cripple the offense.
Rainmaker[edit]
Like in Tower Control, the Rainmaker is located at the top of the tower. The elevated platforms around the tower have additional inkable boxes on them. A sizable pillar is added to the main entryway into the center. The goal is on the largest hill, while the barrier that used to be on that hill has been moved to the hill on the right.
Blackbelly Skatepark is by far the most volatile map in Rainmaker, making it a very unpopular map for this mode and completely absent in online map rotations. The reason is that this map is simply too small for Rainmaker, with players covering 10 points of progress roughly every 3 steps. The short distance between the Rainmaker spawn and the goal means that a failed teamfight can directly lead to enemy victory. The Rainmaker also spawns in an awkward position, as being on top of the tower makes it very troublesome to pop the bubble with short-ranged weapons without putting yourself in danger.
Playing on this map, your main concern is survival. The Rainmaker can be carried to the goal in the time it takes for you to respawn, so always having someone alive to stop the carrier is paramount. Since having more players alive is such an important advantage, getting kills can shift the match's momentum in your favor, but remember that this goes for the enemy as well. If your team has the Rainmaker, the quickest path is often the best path, as you can build up quite a lead while the enemy scrambles to defend. The half pipe area is less traveled but much less rewarding, and gives the defenders the high ground for the final stretch to the goal.