Zapfish

From Inkipedia, the Splatoon wiki

Zapfish
Species
Habitat
Height
Hair color
Eye color Brown
Age
Gender
Pronouns
Relations
Location Inkopolis, Octo Valley, Octo Canyon, the Crater
Shop
HP
Maximum HP
Members
Other forms
“ Zapfish off the port bow! Bust in and grab it! ”

Zapfish are creatures that appear as the main objectives in several single-player modes in the Splatoon series, namely Octo Valley, Octo Canyon, and the Crater levels in Return of the Mammalians. They are a type of electric catfish that provide energy for Inkling society, and they are stolen by the Octarians in order to power their underground domes. Most levels end with a Zapfish that the player must collect in order to complete the level, surrounded by a lightbulb-like shield. To collect it, the player must burst its shield with ink, similarly to the Rainmaker's shield, and then touch the Zapfish before the shield respawns.

Normal Zapfish are small, approximately the size of an Inkling's head. Octo Canyon features another type known as Mini Zapfish, which are smaller and weaker; these are featured in levels that focus on Octolings, where eight of them must be collected to complete the level. The more powerful and much larger Great Zapfish provides enough electricity to power cities and is held by the final boss of each game.

In the Octo Expansion and most of Return of the Mammalians, goals serve as a functional replacement for Zapfish, signifying the end of a level.

Description

A Zapfish.

Zapfish are a type of electric catfish that power the cities of Inkopolis and Splatsville. Through an Inkopolis News broadcast at the start of both Splatoon and Splatoon 2, the player learns that the Great Zapfish has been stolen and taken to Octo Valley and Octo Canyon respectively, both places being a hidden underground base used by the Octarians. The player is guided by Cap'n Cuttlefish or Marie and must rescue all the Zapfish in order to restore Inkopolis' power supply. A Zapfish is found at the end of every level, enclosed in a glowing sphere of electricity and sitting on a light bulb-esque pedestal. The player must shoot the sphere with ink until it bursts, releasing the Zapfish. If it is not grabbed after some seconds, a new bubble will form around it.

There is a doll version of a Zapfish that replaces the normal Zapfish when completing a mission that had already been cleared. It is made out of wool, has googly eyes and some stitches patched, and it wears a blue cap made from wool, resembling Cap'n Cuttlefish's Legendary Cap, which the real Zapfish do not wear. The animation for obtaining the Zapfish also changes, having Agent 3 and Agent 4 holding the doll differently.

In Splatoon 3, an Anarchy Splatcast announcement regarding the disappearance of the Great Zapfish is performed instead. The player is then recruited as Agent 3 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon by Cuttlefish. For the Crater stages, Zapfish are found trapped as usual, however, after entering Alterna, no more Zapfish are found. A Zapfish doll at the Squid Sisters camp at Future Utopia Island can be examined to revisit the Crater.

Appearance

Zapfish appear to be a cross between a small fish and a light bulb's filament. They have a large head with two small eyes, two nostrils, and a pair of orange lips. Below the head is a smaller, yellow body.

Mini Zapfish

Mini Zapfish only appear in Octo Canyon inside Octoling missions. There is a total of eight Mini Zapfish scattered across the map in each mission, and it is Agent 4's job to collect all of them. It is stated by Marie that all eight Mini Zapfish combined have the power output of one normal Zapfish.

Octo Expansion

In the Octo Expansion, Zapfish are replaced by a different goal, which has a thin, silver, pencil-like design. They are the way for Agent 8 to complete levels that task them to get to the goal. They function the same way as a Zapfish, with bombs exploding instantly if they touch it.

Similarly, data points replace Mini Zapfish, which appear in groups of eight. These only appear in three levels, being E11 Bodacious Rotation Station, F10 Cubular Station, and Escape 05 Diaphragm Phase. The Diaphragm Phase also features an object called the energy core which looks like a red spherical Zapfish, and is confirmed by HaikaraWalker to be a Zapfish egg.

A Mini Zapfish mem cake can be found at I07G07 Ride with Me Station and a Zapfish mem cake can be found at I08 Radio Station.

Gallery

Splatoon

  • A Zapfish in captivity.

    A Zapfish in captivity.

  • Agent 3 holding a rescued Zapfish.

    Agent 3 holding a rescued Zapfish.

  • Agent 3 patting a retrieved Zapfish doll.

    Agent 3 patting a retrieved Zapfish doll.

  • The Great Zapfish, curled around Inkopolis Tower.

    The Great Zapfish, curled around Inkopolis Tower.

  • The Great Zapfish and a jellyfish in a raft at Piranha Pit.

    The Great Zapfish and a jellyfish in a raft at Piranha Pit.

  • Promo art of Marie and a Zapfish doll for the Pokémon Red vs. Pokémon Green Splatfest.

    Promo art of Marie and a Zapfish doll for the Pokémon Red vs. Pokémon Green Splatfest.

  • Concept art of a Zapfish with some Power Eggs.

    Concept art of a Zapfish with some Power Eggs.

  • Concept art of a stuffed Zapfish with a real one.

    Concept art of a stuffed Zapfish with a real one.

  • Concept art of a small Zapfish, possibly a baby.

    Concept art of a small Zapfish, possibly a baby.

  • Agent 3 holding a Zapfish and a doll version.

    Agent 3 holding a Zapfish and a doll version.

  • Cap'n Cuttlefish sewing a Zapfish.

    Cap'n Cuttlefish sewing a Zapfish.

  • Cap'n Cuttlefish, two Inklings, and some Zapfish.

    Cap'n Cuttlefish, two Inklings, and some Zapfish.

  • Zapfish featured in the artwork for the Squid Jump minigame

    Zapfish featured in the artwork for the Squid Jump minigame

  • Zapfish featured in the artwork for the Squid Racer minigame

    Zapfish featured in the artwork for the Squid Racer minigame

  • Zapfish featured in the artwork for the Squid Ball minigame

    Zapfish featured in the artwork for the Squid Ball minigame

  • A Zapfish in a Line wallpaper

    A Zapfish in a Line wallpaper

  • A small Zapfish drawing in the corner of Sunken Scroll 1

    A small Zapfish drawing in the corner of Sunken Scroll 1

Splatoon 2

  • A render of a Zapfish from Splatoon 2.

    A render of a Zapfish from Splatoon 2.

  • Render of a Mini Zapfish.

    Render of a Mini Zapfish.

  • A mem cake of a Zapfish from the Octo Expansion.

    A mem cake of a Zapfish from the Octo Expansion.

  • A mem cake of a Mini Zapfish.

    A mem cake of a Mini Zapfish.

  • A Mini Zapfish doll inside a barrier.

    A Mini Zapfish doll inside a barrier.

  • An exhibit of a Zapfish's lifecycle at the Shellendorf Institute.

    An exhibit of a Zapfish's lifecycle at the Shellendorf Institute.

  • Artwork of the male and female versions of Agent 4 with a zapfish from the Credits

    Artwork of the male and female versions of Agent 4 with a zapfish from the Credits

Splatoon 3

Trivia

  • It is shown in credits art that Cap'n Cuttlefish is the one who makes and sews the stuffed Zapfish dolls.
  • Zapfish in the Octarians' spheres are surrounded by electrical charges, likely indicating that they are generating power.
  • All sub weapons that come into contact with a Zapfish's shield will explode instantly, similar to the Rainmaker's shield.
  • The Japanese name, denchi namazu, means "catfish battery". Similar to electric eels, some catfish produce an electrical discharge to defend themselves.
  • In Shellendorf Institute, there is a display showcasing the development of a Zapfish.
  • The Zapfish dolls can be found lying around Cap'n Cuttlefish's cabin in Octo Valley, as well as one found in the waste container in Inkopolis Plaza, standing beside the entrance to Octo Valley.
  • A Mini Zapfish doll can be found lying under a pillow on a sofa in Tentakeel Outpost.
  • After being left around for a little, the Zapfish will look around, making noises that sound like "Huh?" and "Where are you?" before regenerating its bubble.
  • The Mini Zapfish dolls wear a hat resembling Marie's squid slice hair ornament in Splatoon, instead of Cap'n Cuttlefish's Legendary Cap that Zapfish dolls wear.
  • A trailer for Return of the Mammalians shows a Zapfish in an area of Alterna, despite the fact that Zapfish do not appear in Alterna whatsoever in the final game.

Names in other languages

Zapfish
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese デンチナマズ
Denchi Namazu		 Battery catfish[a]
Netherlands Dutch Voltvis
Elektrovis[1]		 Voltfish
Electrofish
CanadaFrance French Poisson-charge Chargefish[b]
Germany German Elektrowels Electro catfish
Italy Italian Pescescossa Shockfish. From pesce ("fish") and scossa ("shock")
Russia Russian Вольторыба[2]
Электрарыба[3]
Vol'toryba
Elektroryba		 Voltfish

Electrofish
Mexico Spanish (NOA) Volbagre From voltio ("volt") and bagre ("catfish")
Spain Spanish (NOE) Siluro eléctrico Battery catfish
China Chinese (Simplified) 电池鲶鱼[4]
电鲶[5]
diànchí niányú
diàn nián		 From 电池 ("battery") and 鲶鱼 ("catfish")

From 电 ("electric") and 鲶鱼 ("catfish")
Hong Kong Chinese (Traditional) 電池鯰魚
diànchí niányú		 From 電池 ("battery") and 鯰魚 ("catfish")
South Korea Korean 전지메기
jeonjimegi		 Battery Catfish
 Internal Msn_ZapfishNormal[6]


Stuffed Zapfish
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese でんちゃん
Den-chan
Netherlands Dutch Namaakvoltvis Counterfeit voltfish
Canada French (NOA) Poisson-charge jouet Toy chargefish
France French (NOE) Poisson-charge factice Dummy chargefish
Germany German Dummy-Wels
Italy Italian Pescescossa finto Fake Shockfish
Russia Russian Чучело вольторыба
Chuchelo vol'toryba		 Voltfish dummy
Mexico Spanish (NOA) Volbagre peluche
Spain Spanish (NOE) Siluro de pega
China Chinese (Simplified) 电仔
Hong Kong Chinese (Traditional) 電仔
South Korea Korean 전지메기 인형 Zapfish doll
 Internal Msn_ZapfishReplica[6]


Mini Zapfish
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese マメデンチナマズ
Mame Denchi Namazu		 Miniature battery catfish
Netherlands Dutch Dwergvoltvis Dwarf volt fish
CanadaFrance French Mini poisson-charge Mini chargefish
Italy Italian Mini Pescescossa Mini Shockfish

Translation notes

  1. ↑ Also a pun of デンキナマズ denki namazu ("electric catfish")
  2. ↑ A pun on poisson-chat ("catfish") and charge ("charge", as in electric charge)

References

  1. ↑ From Splatoon's electronic manual on Nintendo nintendo.com/nl-nl
  2. ↑ Splatoon 2, Squid Sisters Stories
  3. ↑ Pre-release material
  4. ↑ Splatoon 3
  5. ↑ From the official Chinese release of The Art of Splatoon
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 GitHub Leanny on GitHub
Main Major
Minor
Enemies
Vendors
Musicians
Other
Species
Main Major
Minor
Enemies
Vendors
Musicians
Other
Species
Mechanics
Introduced in Splatoon Area Gate • Balloon • Balloon Fish • Bumper • Canned special • Crate • Gusher • Ink Cannon • Ink tank • Inkrail • Invisible platform • Kettle • Key • Launchpad • Mark • Pinwheel • Power Egg • Propeller • Spawn point • Splat-Switch • Splatform • Sponge • Spreader • Squid Bumper • Vault • Zapfish • Zone
Introduced in Splatoon 2 Bounce Pad • Dash track • Egg basket • Grapplink • Ink Piston • Ink Switch • Inkfurler • Lifesaver • Ride rail • Rolonium • Squid Ring
Introduced in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion 8-ball • 8-ball launcher • 8-ball switch • Canned weapon • Energy core • Equipper • Goal • Ink refiller • Orb • Switch • Turnstyle
Introduced in Splatoon 3 Copy Machine • Emote • Fizzbang • Fuzzy Ooze • Ink wheel • Loot anchor • Soaker block • Spawner • Sprinkler of Doom • Ultra Signal • View Pad
Introduced in Splatoon 3: Side Order Color chip • ∞-ball • Palette • Turbine tower
Retrieved from "https://splatoonwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Zapfish&oldid=645959"