In 2015, Nintendo’s brand new IP, Splatoon, was released on Wii U and became an instant classic, with its unique take on an online multiplayer shooter with easy-to-learn controls and game mechanics. The sequel, Splatoon 2 on Switch, improved on everything of its predecessor with even more ink splatting action, and even introducing the Octolings in the Octo Expansion DLC.

The ever-growing fanbase has inspired tons of dedicated online communities with a wide variety of fan art and fanfics, an official manga series, and the Inklings have even appeared as playable characters in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros: Ultimate. The successful free Splatfest event that occurred a week before the game’s official release gave a taste of things to come, and finally, in 2022, the long-awaited Splatoon 3 looks to keep that momentum going, now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch.

The Splatoon series provides a wide variety of single and multiplayer content, both online and offline, that suits seasoned players and newcomers alike. The game begins with players customising their Inkling or Octoling with some limited choices, before being thrown into a helpful tutorial mode right off the bat. Here, players will learn the basics to get them prepared for all the chaos they’ll face ahead.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t fully explain the more advanced mechanics such as the power-up moves. While they can easily be learned through trial and error, it can still kind of make the newcomers feel excluded. The tutorial also forces motion controls, but thankfully these can be changed to traditional controls after completion.

Splatoon 3’s story mode is titled Return of the Mammalians and takes place in a new location called Alterna, 5 years after the events of Splatoon 2. The world of Splatoon is set in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s a battle of Inklings and Octolings vs the Mammalians in order to gain control of Earth; a classic Nintendo adventure with various enemies and oversized bosses to take down. The only downside is that the weapon choice is strictly limited to the mission being played, but this also allows players to experience the different variety of weapon types, which can also influence their weapon choice in the multiplayer modes.

The multiplayer modes are where the real fun is, and they have attributed too much of the series’ success, even having its own major Esports events. Whether playing Turf War, which is the most played, any of the four different rule sets in Anarchy Battles, Salmon Run, or the monthly Splatfest events, Splatoon 3 will surely create some exciting, intense, and often hilarious moments, but most importantly, it’s just pure fun.

All the famous weapon types from the previous games are back plus two new additions. The Splatana is an oversized window squeegee wielded like a sword, and the Tri-Stringer is a bow that shoots three loads of ink, either widespread or vertically while in the air. There’s a weapon suited for every player based on their preferred gameplay type, whether they prefer shooting games or action-adventure platformers with melee weapons.

Every weapon has its advantages and disadvantages, so having a team with different weapon types will help cover more ground and overcome certain obstacles. Players will start with a single pistol, but it won’t be long before they can unlock more. A higher player level means more weapons available, but those with a Splatoon 2 save file will actually be given some golden tokens to buy any of the weapon varieties no matter their level. It’s really nice seeing Nintendo’s appreciation for the game’s longtime fans.

The aim of the game is to cover the stage in ink and the team that has a higher percentage of their coloured ink on the stage takes the victory. Players can also cover their opponent’s ink with their own to increase their ink percentage and lower the opponents’, and can even knock out their opponents, putting them out of action temporarily and slowing them down. Players have a variety of skills to utilise from their choice of weapon, with secondary weapons such as ink-themed explosives and powerup moves that can cover a large area of the map and take out any opponent within the blast zone. Players can even turn into their squid or octopus form to quickly traverse anywhere covered in their ink.

While Nintendo isn’t known for the best online functionality, Splatoon 3 is actually one of their better online games. It plays incredibly smooth, feels responsive and there’s barely any noticeable lag in any of the matches, even if playing with people across the globe. The only downside is matchmaking, as it can take a while to get into a match, which could be due to a large number of players and the game still being very new.

There’s also an issue with players disconnecting for whatever reason, which actually cancels the whole match instead of just swapping in another player waiting in the queue as other online multiplayer games do. The players who disconnect during the game do receive a loss and penalty against them which could time them out, but everyone else won’t receive any rewards or progress they could’ve had. There have also been instances of players disconnecting during the results screen, which also cancels any rewards and progress. This is really irritating since even losing a match can still earn you some progress and level you up. Thankfully, there’s the potential for this to be fixed via patch updates, as it’s really annoying that one player can ruin it for everyone else.

The bright, colourful, and cartoony design of all the characters somehow fits in really well with the more realistic urban city environments of the stages and main HUB, as well as the post-apocalyptic setting in story mode. While the characters don’t speak actual words, the way they talk really adds to their charm and personalities. The upbeat music really compliments the game’s aesthetics and has something that suits any stage or moment in story mode.

As players progress, they can spend their in-game currency on new weapons or a variety of headwear, shirts, and shoes, which all change in rotations. This allows players customise their unique Inkling/Octoling, and can even change their hairstyles, skin tones, etc anytime. Seeing your character alongside the other players really shows how diverse the Inklings and Octolings can be.

There’s even a trading card game called Tableturf Battle, where players use cards they’ve collected and play in matches against the NPC. This is its own unique and fun game separate from the main game modes. Unfortunately, there’s no multiplayer for this yet, but will be included via DLC very soon.

While the third game in the series doesn’t add anything majorly new and innovative, it does improve on everything it already has. It’s a perfect case of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, and free updates have already been announced, so it’ll be exciting to see what new additions get included. There’s a ton of variety in single and multiplayer content, and weapons suited for any play style. Even though the matchmaking system needs some work, it’s definitely one of the best online multiplayer games out there and an excellent reason to buy a Nintendo Switch, whether playing docked or handheld mode.

Much like its predecessors, Splatoon 3 is a must-buy for seasoned players and newcomers alike. With a wide variety of game modes and more Splatfest events occurring every month, now is the perfect time to pick up an oversized paint tool and cover the world in ink.

Written by: Sammy Hanson