Day 2: Octo Oven
You know, I originally thought about having the Octostomp from the first Splatoon game being one of the bosses I'd talk about during this marathon but then I changed my mind. Why? Because I just found it way too easy, even for first boss standards. The Octostomp only has one attack which can be easy to dodge, then you climb up its side to reach the weak point on its back. Sure, the Octostomp removes some tiles from its sides so it gets harder to reach the weak point, but I still find it really easy.
(Lyra appears again)
Lyra: You do know they brought Octostomp back in Splatoon 2, right? And you do know that he actually puts up a decent fight?
Me: Yes, I am aware of that, and I applaud Nintendo for this decision. But it's not the first boss of Splatoon 2, the Octo Oven is.
Lyra: Alright, then what did you think of the Octo Oven?
Me: Absolutely Splat-tacular!
(Time to talk about the Octo Oven)
Now this is a first boss worth talking about.
First, let's talk about this thing's design because it's freaking hilarious. I mean, a sentient industrial oven that attacks with the loaves of bread it has living inside it is just so crazy that only Splatoon could pull it off. It almost sounds like something Stephen King would write.
(Writer's note: Hey, before you judge me, King made things like a car, corn, and prom work in a horror setting. Tell me a sentient oven doesn't sound that out of place in one of his stories)
Also, this thing's battle cry sounds oddly adorable to me.
Now onto the fight itself. In the first phase, you simply need to reach the top of the Octo Oven where its weak point is. The oven will try and hit you with the sentient bread it has living inside it, and when it recedes back into the oven, it'll leave behind a trail of ink that could deal damage to you. Use your ink to swim out of the way of the oven's attacks until all of the loaves pop out. Use the loaves at platforms to reach the top of the oven and attack the weak point until it's destroyed.
In the second phase, the Octo Oven will remove some if its walls so it's harder for you to climb up it to reach its weak point and unleash columns of ink that you need to make sure not to run into. Other than that, this phase is pretty much the same: dodge the loaves as they come out, climb them when all of them pop out, reach the top of the oven and destroy the weak point.
The third phase is when the real challenge comes. Not only do the loaves armor up some of their sides, making it harder for you to climb up them to get to the weak point, but also at the beginning of the phase they'll chase you with a glazing machine that'll cover almost the entire arena with its ink, making you use more of your ink up much quicker to not only cover ground for you to stand on after escaping from the glazing machine, but also to dodge the loaves which come out much quicker and more often. Once you successfully dodge the Octo Oven's attacks and climb up to and destroy his weak point a third time, though, the fight is over.
Honestly the whole reason I like the fight itself is for the third phase. It's definitely more challenging than any of the Octostomp fight for me. So, by providing me with a decent challenge and giving of a creative design, the Octo Oven is a boss that kneads to be on here!
…
Hey, leave me alone, Marie made bread puns all throughout this fight.
Marie: Donut, stop! You knead to keep going!
Marie: Doughn't start loafing around or things might go a rye.
Marie: This guy is toast!
And this is why Marie is best Squid Sister.