Octo Expansion

“	Pale summer moonlight shimmers on the seafloor. An octopus, unaware that dawn will bring capture, Rests within a trap, dreaming fleeting dreams...	”
— The opening poem of the Octo Expansion.

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion is paid downloadable content for Splatoon 2 comprised of an additional single-player campaign mode.^[1][2] It was revealed during the 8 March 2018 Nintendo Direct and was released on 14 June 2018 at 01:00 UTC with version 3.1.0. It is the first paid downloadable content for any game in the Splatoon series.

The entrance to the mode is located at the subway entrance in the alleyway to the upper right of Inkopolis Square, next to Deca Tower. It is also listed as Deepsea Metro in the menu.

Players who purchase the Octo Expansion are also given two pieces of gear, the Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS, which were available prior to the DLC's release for players who pre-purchased it. Completing the mode unlocks the ability to play as an Octoling instead of an Inkling.

Release history

The Octo Expansion was initially revealed with a trailer as part of the 8 March 2018 Nintendo Direct, without a release date.

The full version of the song played in the trailer, revealed to be called Nasty Majesty, was performed during Off the Hook's live concert at NicoNico Chokaigi 2018.^[3]

On 12 June 2018, during the E3 2018 Nintendo Direct, Octo Expansion was labeled as a "Summer 2018" release. Later on during E3 2018, a launch trailer was shown after the conclusion of the final round of the Splatoon 2 World Championship 2018 Finals, in which the mode was revealed to release the following day. The Octoling Girl, Octoling Boy, and Octoling Octopus amiibo were also revealed to be releasing at a later date.^[4] The three amiibo were later released on 7 November 2018 in Japan and Europe, on 9 November 2018 in Oceania, and on 7 December 2018 in North America.

A bundle containing both Splatoon 2 and the Octo Expansion, titled Splatoon 2 + Octo Expansion, is available on Nintendo eShop. A physical version of Splatoon 2 with the Octo Expansion included was exclusively released in Japan on 8 October 2021.^[5]

On 22 April 2022, the Octo Expansion was added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription.

Initial trailer

The Octo Expansion was revealed by a trailer that was shown in the 8 March 2018 Nintendo Direct. At the time of release, the trailer offered little explanation for the identities of the new characters and events shown in it, but revealed the inclusion of Octolings as playable characters.

Nasty Majesty by Off the Hook plays throughout the trailer. The trailer is edited to reveal new elements and characters in time with the emphatic record scratch parts of the song. Initially presented as surveillance footage, the trailer begins with Agent 8 awaking within the Abandoned Station, then boarding a subway car; as they slowly walk from one car to the next, the characters encountered in the mode are shown one by one. In one train car, an assortment of denizens of the deep is suddenly replaced with Sanitized Octolings.

The Player Settings screen used in the mode is then shown, followed by cutscene footage of the Abandoned Station, then the turnstyle mechanic. Gameplay footage of A05 Fake Plastic Station, B12 Brute Rollup Station, C11 Abracadabra Station, A07 Maverick Station, H02 Ballercise Station, G09 B05 Wack 8-Ball Station, I05 B08 Righteous Rails Station, and one of the thang stations is then shown in quick succession. A brief snippet of the cutscenes from the finale is then shown, with Agent 8 reaching the surface, followed by footage of Octolings in Inkopolis Square who then spawn at the start of a battle in the Reef. The trailer ends with Marina singing without instrumentation, as Agent 8 sleeps on the same station floor seen at the beginning. The surveillance screen footage presentation returns, and the DLC's logo is revealed.

Story

The player takes the role of Agent 8, an Octoling with amnesia who finds themself in a strange subway station called the Deepsea Metro connected to a series of research facilities deep underground. As the game starts, the Octoling wakes up to see Cap'n Cuttlefish ready to attack them before he stops, seeing that they do not have a weapon with them and that they are stranded in an unknown location, and he decides on a truce. Cuttlefish informs the Octoling that they and Agent 3 were fighting in Octo Valley before "someone" attacked them, with Agent 3 having gone missing. He then realizes that the Octoling lost their memories of who they are when they hit the ground and asks if they remember anything, which prompts the customization of the player's Octoling. Cap'n Cuttlefish then notes that the Octoling was humming the Calamari Inkantation while unconscious, concluding that they may be one of the Octarians whose "souls were etched" upon hearing the song during Agent 3's battle with DJ Octavio two years prior.

After finding a way through a seemingly abandoned area, Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish come across Central Station, an empty platform with a telephone ringing. As the Octoling answers the Telephone, it identifies them as applicant 10,008; deeming the name too long, Cap'n Cuttlefish decides to give them the name "Agent 8" for short. The Telephone tells Agent 8 that they would want to go to the "promised land" so they can be free, but to do so, they must collect four "thangs". It provides them with a CQ-80 and CQ Card to help them before ending its speech, and a train then arrives and stops for Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish. Inside, they meet C.Q. Cumber, the conductor of the train, who explains the functions of the CQ-80 and the CQ Points system. Shortly afterwards, Pearl and Marina of Off the Hook unintentionally make contact with the two from Mount Nantai via Cap'n Cuttlefish's communication device, and they offer to help them escape to the surface.

Agent 8 completes tests in the stations and collects the four thangs. After they collect the third thang, Cap'n Cuttlefish decides to create a missing poster for Agent 3 that he then places on the Telephone, asking Agent 8 to help remind him of Agent 3's appearance, allowing the player to customize it. After Agent 8 collects the fourth thang, the Telephone cryptically asks whether they are "ready to ascend to a higher plane of existence" and "willing to become something greater than yourself", before assembling the thangs to open a door that it claims to lead to the promised land. However, when Agent 8 and Cap'n Cuttlefish enter, it turns out to be a trap: the thangs were parts for a giant blender that the Telephone now plans to use to render them into raw material.

Before the blender can turn on, Marina activates a distress signal from Agent 8's CQ-80, prompting Agent 3 (using the appearance determined by the player earlier) to smash through the ceiling and destroy the blender. Agent 3 lands on the ground unconscious, but drops their employee-model CQ-80, which Marina can use to help them reach the surface. Agent 8 Super Jumps out through the hole Agent 3 made in the ceiling, beginning a lengthy escape as they climb towards the surface and manage to get an energy core to power an elevator. During this time, the Telephone recovers and brainwashes Agent 3. Upon reaching the elevator, Agent 8 is intercepted by Agent 3, accompanied by a tied-up Cap'n Cuttlefish. Agent 8 defeats Agent 3, ending the brainwashing and rendering them unconscious again, and finally reaches the surface.

Pearl and Marina arrive in a helicopter to airlift Agent 8, Cap'n Cuttlefish, and the still-unconscious Agent 3 to safety, but the facility that Agent 8 just climbed through proceeds to rise from the water, revealed to be a statue of a human, with the Telephone in its eye. The Telephone introduces itself as Commander Tartar, an AI created 12,000 years ago by a professor to pass on human knowledge to the next intelligent species. It reveals that it has judged Inklings and Octarians as unworthy of receiving its knowledge and activates the NILS Statue, the mouth of which contains a weapon to destroy and recreate life on Earth, fueled by the blended raw material of the successful test subjects that it seeks to use to create "perfect" life. Marina quickly analyzes the statue and learns it is solar-powered, so she deploys her prototype hyperbombs on its body that Agent 8 detonates to cover it in ink, stopping it from charging. Tartar attempts to fire the weapon anyway, but Pearl counteracts the blast with her Princess Cannon, powered by her loud voice, which destroys Tartar and the statue. With the world saved, Pearl and Marina hug, Cap'n Cuttlefish celebrates, and Agent 3 wakes up. Agent 8 watches and smiles at them, finally free on the surface. As group looks out to Inkopolis in the distance (with the remains of the NILS Statue visible in the water), Cap'n Cuttlefish presses a button on the CQ-80 and the credits play. As the credits finish, Agent 8 looks back at the player and smiles at them. Off the Hook returns to Inkopolis Square, dropping off Agent 8 there as well.

When Agent 8 returns to the Deepsea Metro, C.Q. Cumber tells them that the train is still functioning despite the end of Kamabo Co.'s operations. He explains that they can now collect mem medals and use the vending machine at Central Station. Cap'n Cuttlefish informs Agent 8 that Agent 3 went out on patrol, and he wished to check on the denizens of the deep for a while longer.

After Agent 8 completes every test without using Marina's hacks, the eighth locker in Central Station opens. By interacting with it, Agent 8 has an imaginary battle with their "Inner Agent 3" as Calamari Inkantation plays, with the appearance of the arena based on that of the final battle from Octo Valley. Upon winning, they are rewarded with the Golden Toothpick that was in the locker.

Gameplay

The Octo Expansion adds a new single-player campaign consisting of 80 levels. Off the Hook supports Agent 8 from above ground and their help can be used to skip missions that are too difficult.

The first station has the Telephone, where Agent 8 learns the details on how to escape the Deepsea Metro. The Telephone also provides Agent 8 with the CQ-80 device (a flat controller shaped like a submarine), used to navigate the underground; and a CQ Card, which is used to store CQ Points. C.Q. Cumber will issue an initial 1000 CQ Points to start.

Entering each mission costs a set amount of points, for either one, three, or five lives. The player can then choose between multiple challenges, each with a different weapon set. Depending on the weapon set chosen, a different amount of points is awarded (harder sets provide bigger rewards). Players enter the actual level by pressing at the turnstyle.

Lives are lost not only from being splatted but also by failing to comply with certain test conditions. If the player fails to complete the test's conditions to pass, an inflatable balloon of ink attached to Agent 8's ink tank will explode and splat them in the process.

If the player loses all of their lives, they may continue from the last checkpoint with all lives returned by paying more points, return to the station for free (but still having to pay to re-enter the level), abandon the level and return to the subway, or ask for help from Off the Hook to skip the level. Off the Hook can only help Agent 8 skip a level if they fail at least twice. When prompted to ask for help, it requires the regular fee to auto-pass the level, wherein Marina hacks into Kamabo's mainframe to trick it into thinking Agent 8 passed. The resulting mem cake will be gray, with only the quote "Your guess is as good as mine." However, if pressed to ask for help, the player can press X to "Tough it Out" and continue to play the level as normal. If skipped, the mem cake of that level will not be collected, barring players from certain rewards until they have completed the station properly.

If a player finds themselves with less than 100 CQ Points after losing all of their lives, a game over screen will appear instead of a continue screen. The player will then return to the Metro, where Pearl will take money from her father and Marina will convert it into CQ points, transferring 3000 CQ Points to Agent 8. However, the player will be in debt, which can be repaid through Cap'n Cuttlefish. The player cannot unlock the Inner Agent 3 if they have debt (though can still access it if they gain debt after already unlocking it).

The normal Octarians from Octo Canyon are replaced with Sanitized Octarians, which are a distinctive shade of sickly green. Enemy Octolings can use more main weapons and special weapons, previously only seen in online multiplayer modes. For example, in the first test, an enemy Octoling can use an Inkjet. A select number of levels are also special only, meaning Agent 8's special bar never goes down.

Some tests have Agent 8 go against a team of four Sanitized Octolings, in the style of ranked modes. The time limit is always five minutes and Agent 8 has unlimited lives until the time limit ends.

After completing the story, players can play as a male or female Octoling in multiplayer gameplay and customize them just like Inklings. Gear and weapons will be shared between the characters in the same account.

A short gameplay video of one of the missions was published on 30 April 2018. It shows a female Agent 8 on a mission requiring her to defeat a set of Sanitized Octotroopers, Octosnipers and Octocommanders within two minutes. This video also marks the first appearance of canisters similar to the special weapon canisters from Octo Canyon, as well as metallic briefcases. Both are marked with the same logo as the CQ-80 and the CQ Card, unlike the Octo Canyon canisters that show the Ammo Knights logo.

The objectives of the missions were revealed in a short gameplay video of F04 C05 Stamped-Up Station. It is a set of three floating pieces of a goal that must be covered in ink to be activated and be touched for the level to be completed. There are also smaller posts that emit red beacons that function the same as Mini Zapfish.

After three of the thangs are found, Cap'n Cuttlefish will decide to make a "missing" poster for Agent 3, asking Agent 8 what they look like. This determines Agent 3's gender, skin color, and eye color.

During the escape, if Agent 8 dies five times in a phase, their "Skip Charge" will be filled and will be allowed to skip the phase. If so, the sounds of a Splashdown and a Sting Ray can be heard and there will be a simple transitional phrase on the screen, stating that Agent 8 got past the phase. In the final boss, it will be instantly filled after one failed attempt.

When Agent 8 returns to the Deepsea Metro, they will be able to use the vending machine in Central Station to exchange 15,000 credits for an item and go around other stations to claim mem medals to be exchanged for the vending machine. The vending machine has more variety than the Ammo Knights Enhancifier, having the chance of getting more than one drink ticket, upgraded food tickets, cash, ability chunks, and credits. The items range from getting every type of drink ticket to even getting tens of thousands in cash.

Completing all missions with each challenge cleared and defeating the secret boss will change the background of the CQ-80 to one featuring the Kamabo Corporation logo and a stamp with the Inkling text saying "COMPLETE" on the bottom of the map.

Stations

There is a mandatory tutorial station, Abandoned Station.

If a station has dual IDs, the later letter in alphabetical order takes precedence, as inferred by the cost of its test fee and the way two lines overlap each other. Stations with double circles denote where thangs are. Line A is the only line that has a station with 00 as its number, the Central Station.

Line A

Line B

Line C

Line D

Line E

Line F

Line G

Line H

Line I

Line J

Escape

Characters

• Agent 8 - Octoling - The playable character.
• Cap'n Cuttlefish - Inkling - An old war hero who helps guide Agent 8 through the Metro.
• Pearl - Inkling - A member of Off the Hook who supports and helps guide Agent 8 through the Metro.
• Marina - Octoling - A member of Off the Hook who supports and helps guide Agent 8 through the metro.
• Agent 3 - Inkling - An agent of the New Squidbeak Splatoon who rescues Agent 8 and has their mind hijacked by Commander Tartar.
• C.Q. Cumber - Sea cucumber - The conductor of the Deepsea Metro.
• Iso Padre - Giant isopod - A resident of the Deepsea Metro who takes an interest in Agent 8's mem cakes. When the player completes a full set, he gives them a piece of gear.
• Telephone / Commander Tartar - AI - An ancient AI created by the professor who seeks to destroy the world, and the main antagonist of the story.
• Various denizens of the deep.

Enemies

Regular enemies

This table is sorted by order of appearance, moving through stations line-by-line alphabetically. Enemies marked with * are newly introduced in the Octo Expansion.

Image	Name	Description	Debut
	Sanitized Octotrooper	The basic grunts of the Octarian army, Octotroopers stand on small machines that allow them to shoot single, very slow ink globules. They have very little health and mobility and so are easily defeated, but may pose a threat in numbers.	A04 Roll Out Station
	Sanitized Octoling	Octarian variants of Inklings that defend targets, now capable of also using brushes, dualies, brellas, and special weapons on top of their previous attacks. Dark-haired Elite Octolings are much harder to defeat and act similarly to human opponents in multiplayer modes.	A05 Fake Plastic Station
	Sanitized Octosniper	Elite enemies that shoot long, thin, and very powerful shots of ink, similar to chargers, while stationed on unmoving platforms. Like charger users, they have an extremely long line of sight but are mostly incapable of close-quarters fighting, while their shots require some time to charge and are marked with a laser line.	A06 Bounce with Me Station
	Sanitized Octocopter	Flying enemies propelled by their helmets. They hover above the ground and shoot at Agent 8 on sight, but their projectiles and general flying speed are slow, like Octotroopers.	A07 Maverick Station
	Sanitized Octomissile	Little explosive missiles with a tentacle in the middle. They spawn infinitely and burst with ink on contact, but can be defeated simply by being attacked.	A07 Maverick Station
	Sanitized Octozeppelin	Giant airships themed after Octarians with a single tentacle sticking out the top. They spawn infinitely, using their propellers to spray ink behind them, and are invulnerable apart from their tentacle.	A07 Maverick Station
	Sanitized Blobby Octotrooper	Octotroopers that ride a different machine resembling a gumball machine. They act and look almost identically to their regular versions but shoot a duo of shots that bounce along the ground. These can deal a lot of damage in numbers but are also susceptible to gravity.	B03 Spin Docto Station
	Sanitized Octowasher*	Indestructible spinning torrents of ink that often appear on ride rails. They deal fatal damage on contact and knock the player off the ride rail, meaning they can only be avoided.	B06 Notorious Station
	Sanitized Shielded Octotrooper	Octotroopers with shields in front of their machines. The shield can be destroyed after taking a lot of damage, but their exposed backsides are their weak spots, easily hit after being distracted. Also appears in Octodiver and Twintacle Octotrooper forms.	B11 Tubular 8-Ball Station
	Sanitized Twintacle Octotrooper	Stronger Octotroopers with two tentacles. These enemies have better mobility than the normal Octotrooper and greater ink-firing capability, similar to a splatling, but are still easy targets.	B11 Tubular 8-Ball Station
	Sanitized Octocommander	Large stationary enemies that are very similar to Octosnipers. They can only rotate in place and use giant splatlings to attack quickly over a large range. However, they take a while to recharge, leaving them wide open.	B12 Brute Rollup Station
	Sanitized Octostamp	Cuboid, machine-like creatures with inky faces. Although they are not fast, they can leap into the air and face-plant the ground, dealing fatal damage. They can only be defeated from behind, which is exposed by their method of attack.	B13 Phat Splatz Station
	Sanitized Rocket Octobomber	More powerful variants of Octobombers that can use the rocket thrusters on their helmets to quickly dodge to the side when being attacked. Their attack pattern has not changed, however.	B13 Phat Splatz Station
	Sanitized Rocket Twintacle Octotrooper	More powerful Twintacle Octotroopers. They have the same capabilities as normal Twintacle Octotroopers but with jet thrusters on their machines, making them capable of fast dodges.	B13 Phat Splatz Station
	Sanitized Tentakook	Extremely rare little Octarians that hide important items and give chase on sight. They use their ink-powered roller skates to cover their tracks and can drop Splat Bombs behind them. They are very fast and can only be caught by swimming in ink.	B13 Phat Splatz Station
	Sanitized Rocket Octocopter	More powerful versions of Octocopters that have thrusters attached to their helmets. Although they are no stronger than normal, they can quickly dodge left and right, making them a nuisance to defeat.	B14 Breakdance Station
	Squee-G	Although incapable of dealing damage, these very rare small robots serve as nuisances, attaching to walls and automatically sucking up Agent 8's ink. They can sometimes carry items and slow down upon being attacked.	C02 Shrinky Ink Station
	Sanitized Octopod	Small metallic creatures that run around wearing sneakers. Octopods jump to attention upon seeing the player. Upon reaching them, they explode in Octarian ink, dealing some damage. They can be attacked to be defused. They appear to be Octorpedoes on legs.	C03A08 Bumpin' 8-Ball Station
	Sanitized Octoballer	Inky bowling balls populated by Octotroopers that spawn infinitely and leave a trail of ink behind them. They can only be destroyed by attacking the Octotrooper. Can also appear in tall stacks that are harder to defeat.	C10 McFly Station
	Sanitized Missile Octocopter*	Variants of Octobombers that attack from a distance with Tenta Missiles, similar to Octostrikers. They move slowly and are large targets but attack continuously.	D01B15 Ink from Above Station
	Sanitized Flooder	Huge machines on stilts that rain down Octarian ink from under them and move in set patterns. They charge at Agent 8 on sight and can defeat them instantly, but their tops also act as platforms that can hold items and other mechanics. Big Flooders are even taller and harder to scale.	E05 Hypercolor Station
	Sanitized Octostamp DX	Very rare tank-like robotic Octostamps that are indestructible, unlike their smaller counterparts. They are equally dangerous and often need to be scaled to collect items.	E05 Hypercolor Station
	Industrial Squee-G	Enormous Squee-Gs that act very similarly to their small versions, except that they can deal fatal damage to both Agent 8 and Octarian enemies on touch. They carry important items on top of them and are often necessary to use as platforms, as they can be directed towards the player's shots.	E09 Squee-G Funk Station
	Sanitized Octobomber	Large flying Octarians similar to Octocopters. They hover around and shoot Splat Bombs out of their helmets which detonate fatally one second after landing. However, they are large, slow, and unwieldy, making them obvious targets.	E09 Squee-G Funk Station
	Sanitized Octohurler	Large, very rare Octarians with goggles that spit up bundles of Rolonium to attack the player. They are immobile and therefore vulnerable to attack, but the Rolonium can be deflected back at them to defeat them in one hit.	H02 Ballercise Station
	Sanitized Octorpedo	Missiles filled with Octarian ink fired by the Octo Shower Supreme. Acting like flying Octopods, they home in on Agent 8 and explode, but can be easily shot down. However, amongst the rest of the boss battle, they can serve as major distractions.	J01H07 Cool Your Jets Station
	Sanitized Speedy Missile Octocopter*	Faster Missile Octocopters that have the same attack pattern but can dodge similarly to Rocket Octocopters. They dodge very frequently, making them difficult enemies to defeat.	J04 Footloose Station
	Sanitized Octoseeker	Extremely rare large flying machines piloted by Twintacle Octotroopers. They use their propellers to rain ink below them and use their searchlights to seek out Agent 8. If they do so, they will slam down fatally like the Octostomp they are modeled after, leaving ink behind and allowing Agent 8 to climb on their backs.	Escape 02 Villi Phase
	Sanitized Octodiver	Octotroopers wearing snorkels, which allow them to breathe under their ink. They pop out without warning to attack and can dive to hide like Agent 8. Also appears in Shielded Octotrooper and Twintacle Octotrooper forms.
	Sanitized Twintacle Octodiver	Octotroopers wearing snorkels, which allow them to breathe under their ink. They pop out without warning to attack and can dive to hide like Agent 8. Also appears in Shielded Octotrooper and Twintacle Octotrooper forms.

Bosses

Image	Name	Description	Debut
	Octostomp Redux	A giant robot with an ink-covered face. Like in his previous appearances, he attempts to attack Agent 8 by face-slamming them, leaving ink behind but revealing his weak tentacle on his back. His sides are inkable and must be climbed to reach the tentacle. His attacks are much faster and he gains extra shielding buckles and a Bubble Blower attack to make accessing his sides more difficult.	F01E12 Drop the Bass Station
	Octo Oven XXL	A massive bread oven on wheels full of Octarian loaves. It rotates around a puddle of ink, attempting to use its loaves to damage Agent 8. After missing a few times, it shoots all its loaves out at once and rests, allowing time to scale its sides and attack the weak tentacle on top. Its tentacle is now protected by multiple other Octarians, Sprinklers, and Splash Walls.	I01G01 Toastmaster Station
	Octo Shower Supreme	A robotic creature kept aloft by a fleet of Octocopters that attacks with showers of ink. It is usually invincible and far out of range, forcing Agent 8 to use the battlefield to shoot down its Octocopters while avoiding its ink attacks and Octorpedoes. When all the Octocopters are splatted, it falls to the ground with its tentacle exposed. Its attacks are now much faster and it must be defeated using only the Inkjet.	J01H07 Cool Your Jets Station
	Revenge of Octo Samurai	A large humanoid Octarian who rides on a motorcycle-like roller. He attacks with the Octocycle both traditionally and by driving it at Agent 8, meaning he simply needs to be inked like a normal enemy to be weakened. After taking enough damage, he gets splatted, revealing his Octocycle's tentacle. His attacks are now much faster and he must be defeated using only the Baller.	J08F11 Whack-Fu Station
	Brainwashed Agent 3	The hero of Octo Valley and Cap'n Cuttlefish's protégé, whose mind has been hijacked by the Telephone. They fight like a regular player in online modes, using the Hero Shot and Splat Bombs, but can use as many as four different special weapons. They must be damaged enough to break their armor in each of the four phases, after which they radically change their battle strategy.	Escape 07 Spinal Phase
	Commander Tartar and the NILS Statue	An enormous humanoid statue being used by the Telephone to gather enough energy to destroy Inkopolis. Unlike regular boss battles, Agent 8 must simply use their abilities to scale the NILS Statue and detonate all thirty of Marina's hyperbombs to coat it in ink within three minutes before the statue activates, utilizing ride rails and a 3D map to do so.	Escape Boss Turf War
	Inner Agent 3	Agent 8's mental version of Agent 3. As a bonus boss, they are significantly faster and tougher than in their regular fight and utilize many more attacks in quicker succession. They are much more aggressive than any other boss and use different attacks and strategies in all five phases of the battle, making them a challenge to defeat.	Inner Agent 3

Rewards

Upon completing the Octo Expansion, the player is rewarded with the ability to play as an Octoling outside of the mode, as well as the Octo Shot Replica.

Gear

Purchasing the Octo Expansion unlocks the Studio Octophones and the Octo Layered LS. When the player enters the game after purchasing the DLC, a box containing both pieces of gear will be in the center of Inkopolis Square.

Fourteen gear items are obtainable through the Octo Expansion. All players will see the items in-game, but only players who purchase the Octo Expansion will be able to obtain the items for themselves.

Of all the items listed here, only the Golden Toothpick requires the player to complete all stages without help from Off the Hook.

Gear	Type	Brand	Ability	Star power	Unlock
Studio Octophones	Headgear	Cuttlegear	Ink Recovery Up		Purchase Octo Expansion
Octo Layered LS	Clothing	Cuttlegear	Ink Saver (Main)		Purchase Octo Expansion
Fresh Octo Tee	Clothing	Cuttlegear	Ink Saver (Sub)		Escape to Inkopolis
Octoling Shades	Headgear	Cuttlegear	Last-Ditch Effort		Complete one set of mem cakes
Neo Octoling Armor	Clothing	Cuttlegear	Haunt		Complete two sets of mem cakes
Neo Octoling Boots	Shoes	Cuttlegear	Object Shredder		Complete three sets of mem cakes
Null Visor Replica	Headgear	Cuttlegear	Special Power Up		Complete four sets of mem cakes
Null Armor Replica	Clothing	Cuttlegear	Ink Resistance Up		Complete five sets of mem cakes
Null Boots Replica	Shoes	Cuttlegear	Drop Roller		Complete six sets of mem cakes
Old-Timey Hat	Headgear	Cuttlegear	Comeback		Complete seven sets of mem cakes
Old-Timey Clothes	Clothing	Cuttlegear	Thermal Ink		Complete eight sets of mem cakes
Old-Timey Shoes	Shoes	Cuttlegear	Run Speed Up		Complete nine sets of mem cakes
Conductor Cap	Headgear	Cuttlegear	Sub Power Up		Complete all sets of mem cakes
Golden Toothpick	Headgear	Cuttlegear	Special Charge Up		Defeat the secret boss

• 

  The box that the Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS come in.

• 

  The wrapped box that all the other Octo Expansion gear comes in.

• Load video

  Local File

  Local File might collect personal data.

  ContinueDismiss

  A video showing the Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS being received by the player. (link to file)

Music

The full version of the Octo Expansion trailer song, called Nasty Majesty, was performed during Off the Hook's live concert at NicoNico Chokaigi 2018.^[3]

On 21 May 2018, a new character was revealed, a sanitized Octoling DJ called Dedf1sh. According to Nintendo, Dedf1sh was a DJ with a promising future in the music world. During their search for inspiration, they came across a deep-sea testing facility and became sanitized. Despite this, they kept up their career as a DJ, and their music is heard throughout the facility.

Fictional band	Song name	Audio sample
N/A	Octroduction	Octroduction
	Cap'n Cuttlefish's Theme (Octo)	Cap'n Cuttlefish's Theme (Octo)
	Character Creation	Character Creation
	Abandoned Station Theme	Abandoned Station
	Deepsea Metro Central Station	Deepsea Metro Central Station
	Telephone's Theme	Telephone's Theme
	Inside Deepsea Metro	Inside Deepsea Metro
Dedf1sh	#0 shell	#0 shell
	#5 thirsty	#5 thirsty
	#1 progress	#1 progress
	#6 frisk	#6 frisk
	#4 dunno	#4 dunno
	#2 ripped	#2 ripped
	#9 party	#9 party
	#8 regret	#8 regret
	#14 crush	#14 crush
	#13 shade	#13 shade Fake Plastic Station version: #13 shade (Fake Plastic Station)
	#16 salty	#16 salty
	#12 awake	#12 awake
	#11 above	#11 above
Turquoise October	Octoling Rendezvous	Octoling Rendezvous
N/A	TEST PASSED!	TEST PASSED!
Dedf1sh	#19 bless	#19 bless
N/A	Got That Thang!	Got That Thang!
	All the Thangs
	Coccyx Phase	Coccyx Phase
Off the Hook	Nasty Majesty	Nasty Majesty
	Shark Bytes	Shark Bytes
Dedf1sh	Splattack! (Octo)	Splattack! (Octo)
N/A	Reaching the Surface
	Commander Tartar's Actual Theme
	The Plan
Off the Hook	Here Comes Ultimate Doom	Here Comes Ultimate Doom
	Fly Octo Fly ~ Ebb & Flow (Octo)	Fly Octo Fly ~ Ebb & Flow (Octo)
N/A	Turf War bad ending	Turf War bad ending
	It's Over
	Mic Drop
Off the Hook	Into the Light	Into the Light
Marina	Ebb&FlowDemo.frsh (Sketch)	Ebb&FlowDemo.frsh (Sketch)
Pearl	#$@%* Dudes Be #$@%* Sleepin' (Live)	#$@%* Dudes Be #$@%* Sleepin' (Live)
Squid Sisters	Calamari Inkantation (Inner Agent 3)	Calamari Inkantation (Inner Agent 3)

Quotes

View the quotation page.

Significance of the number eight

The number eight is a recurring theme in the Octo Expansion, referencing the number of limbs an octopus has.

• Agent 8 (subject No. 10008) is the main protagonist.
• The name of the DLC (Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion) has eight syllables.
• The CQ-80 device is used to navigate the Deepsea Metro.
• The Octo Expansion has eighty levels. Additionally, there are eight escape phases; if these are counted, the total number of levels is 88.
• The tubes on the sides of the checkpoints resemble the number eight.
• Each line of the mem cake poems has exactly eight syllables.
• Some levels require the player to push an 8-ball to a goal.
  • The song #8 regret plays during these levels.
• Some levels require the player to collect eight data points.
• If the player goes through the lines in alphabetical order, the last thang is on the eighth line.
• After the final boss fight, when Pearl uses the Princess Cannon against the NILS Statue, the turf covered for the "Good Guys" goes up to 888.8%.
• The five music tracks rewarded for completion of the Octo Expansion are numbered from 80 to 84 in Squid Beatz 2 (these numberings do not follow linearly from the songs immediately before, as the other songs only number up to 57).
  • Additionally, the Octoling amiibo reward three addtional tracks, which, while linearly numbered with non-Octo Expansion songs, add to a total of eight Octo Expansion songs in Squid Beatz 2.
• The locker in A00 Central Station that is used to enter the Inner Agent 3 battle is locker 8.
• In the Diaphragm Phase of the escape, eight locks need to be unlocked to get to the energy core.
• The Squid Bumpers that appear at the entrances to the missions have eight stubs at the base, as opposed to those in the test range which have ten.
• In Marina's chat room, the file for #$@%* Dudes Be #$@%* Sleepin' (Live) is named "rec_bow_down_ball_gig08.mp8" ("mp8" being a reference to mp3).
• There are eight main characters: Agent 8, Cap'n Cuttlefish, Pearl, Marina, Agent 3, C.Q. Cumber, Iso Padre, and Commander Tartar.
• When the player completes eight mem cake sets, Iso Padre mentions that eight is "an important number".
• The DLC was announced on 8 March 2018, and released in 2018. Additionally, the Japan-exclusive physical version of Splatoon 2 featuring the Octo Expansion was released on 8 October 2021.
• In Dedf1sh's album art, they use a series of turntables that each have the number 8 on them and eight buttons.
• Several numbers are skipped in the numbering of Dedf1sh's songs, namely 3, 7, 10, 15, 17, and 18. When adding the numbers from the title of each song and then dividing the total by the number of Dedf1sh songs in the Octo Expansion (in other words, taking the average of the numbers used plus an extra 0 to represent Splattack! (Octo)), the result is eight.

Manga adaptations

The Splatoon manga adapted the Octo Expansion into the Octo arc. It lasted from chapters 24 to 28.

In the Octo arc, Goggles wakes up in the Deepsea Metro, after being washed away during his "part-time job". He is greeted by Eight, who saves him from some Sanitized Octarians. He meets up with Cap'n Cuttlefish.

Gallery

➤ View the gallery

Trivia

• The Octo Expansion features many references to 1980s and 1990s pop culture (station names and subtitles) and the vaporwave style (visuals and audio).
• The Studio Octophones and Octo Layered LS obtained by purchasing the Octo Expansion are a reference to the initial Splatoon Global Testfire, where players who pre-purchased Splatoon during the event were given the Studio Headphones and a special squid-themed layered shirt.
• Outside the café Spyke is located in (near the Deepsea Metro's entrance), an employee model CQ-80 and two CQ cards can be seen.
• Only 14 levels are strictly required to be completed to reach the end of the Octo Expansion (Abandoned Station, A05 Fake Plastic Station, the four thang stations, and the eight phases of the escape sequence), but all routes that the player can take to reach the four thangs require at least two additional levels to be completed, so the minimum number of levels that must be completed to reach the ending is 16.
• The Octo Expansion is the only single-player mode in the Splatoon series where the credits song (Into the Light) is not introduced in a special news broadcast before or after the credits roll.

Names in other languages

Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	スプラトゥーン2　オクト・エキスパンション Supuratūn 2 Okuto Ekisupanshon	Splatoon 2 Octo Expansion
Dutch	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion	Same as English
French	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion	Same as English
German	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion	Same as English
Italian	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion	Same as English
Russian	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion (Осьмодополнение) Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion (Os'modopolneniye)	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion (Octoaddition)
Spanish	Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion	Same as English

Opening poem

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	蛸壺や はかなき夢を 夏の月 Takotsubo ya - Hakanaki yume wo - Natsu no tsuki	An octopus pot - And the ephemeral dreams - Of a summer moon[note 1]
Dutch	Een octopusfuik Vanbinnen kort een droomhuis Bij de zomermaan	An octopus fyke From within briefly a dream house By the summer moon
French	Dans le piège la pieuvre Espoir futile la grise Sous la lune.	In the trap the octopus Futile hope inebriates her[note 2] Under the moon.
German	Fahles Mondlicht auf dem Meeresboden Ein Oktopus, nicht der Gefahr gewahr, Ruht in einer Falle, träumend...	Pale moonlight on the seafloor An octopus, unaware of danger, Rests within a trap, dreaming...
Italian	Molle illusione Veder luce ancorati In fondo al mar	Soft illusion To see light while anchored At the bottom of the sea[note 3]
Russian	В глубокой тьме морских пучин Моллюски мнят себя царями. Хорош улов! V glubokoy t'me nochnykh puchin Mollyuski mnyat sebya tsaryami. Horosh ulov!	In the deep darkness of sea depths Mollusks think they're kings. A good catch!
Spanish (NOA)	La luna sobre el agua los sueños fugaces del pulpo que ignora su captura	The moon over the water the fleeting dreams of an octopus that ignores their capture
Spanish (NOE)	Érase un pulpo atrapado en una ilusión fugaz bajo la luna de verano.	There once was an octopus trapped[note 4] in a fleeting illusion under the summer moon.

Translation notes

References

Modes in Splatoon 2

Online Regular Battle (Turf War) • Ranked Battle (Splat Zones • Tower Control • Rainmaker • Clam Blitz) • Splatfest Battle • League Battle • Private Battle (Spectator View) • Recon • Salmon Run Offline Octo Canyon • Octo Expansion • The Shoal (Private Battle • Salmon Run) • Squid Beatz 2 • amiibo • Tutorial