Since then, part two sold over 13 million units and to this day the multiplayer servers are well populated, with many updates Nintendo has kept the game up-to-date over the years. A third spin-off was therefore not really needed at this point. Why Splatoon 3 is still the best part of the series and why you should pay attention to the series now at the latest, you can find out in our review.

Painter’s craft

First things first: Splatoon 3 is more of an evolution and not a revolution of the series formula. If you’ve played one of the predecessors, you’ll find your way around right away. Nintendo keeps the well-functioning basic framework and only tightens a few screws.

At its core, Splatoon 3 is a colorful third-person shooter with a strong focus on multiplayer. The special feature is that all weapons shoot ink in different colors, which then sticks to the floor and walls. Wherever you find ink in your color, you can dive in to move faster in the puddle and recharge your ink tank.

Splatoon 3 once again relies on a motley look.

In the classic turf wars, which are the main mode of the multiplayer, it’s fitting that the four of you try to color in as much area of the map as possible in three minutes. Of course, the opposing team is pursuing the same goal at the same time, so sooner or later you’ll run into each other, culminating in fierce position battles and lots of spilled ink. The concept worked well in 2015 and is still just as fun today.

Unique gameplay mix

Splatoon has the same “problem” as many other Nintendo series. Due to the cuddly and colorful visuals, the series is quickly labeled as “casual” or “for kids”. Shooter fans in particular are used to a much more serious and down-to-earth presentation. Even the colorful Fortnite relies on classic weapons with appropriate sounds and explosions.

However, the goofy tone and colorful maps shouldn’t obscure the fact that Splatoon 3 can be at least as competitive and intense as its more “realistic” genre peers. Even more so than the visuals, Splatoon also stands out because of its unique gameplay mechanics from the competition.

The coloring of the floor is game-changing.

The focus here is not on kills and kill series, but on coloring the ground. This way every team member can make a valuable contribution. The colored areas are not only decisive for the final result, but also for the fights.

Namely, there is no sprinting, climbing, or reloading. For all these actions you need ink in the color of your team. You can’t dive into enemy areas, plus you’ll be drastically slowed down and take damage while standing in them. This results in a unique mix of direct combat and inking large areas as quickly as possible.

At the end of each round is settled.

You can hold your own routes and cut off retreats of the opposing team. If you color walls, you open up higher positions for your team. Especially in competitive matches, the composition of the group then matters. The weapons with the most damage color smaller areas, which is why more scattering but weaker weapons are needed as compensation. This mechanic is unique in the genre and actually gives Splatoon 3 a special position.

Territory Decks

While All other modes are only expanded or improved in detail, Splatoon 3 also offers with the territory decks a completely new mode. This is a card game variant of the turf war mode. A deck consists of 15 cards, four of which are always face up. New cards can be earned in the other game modes.

Each card has a pattern of blocks, similar to those in Tetris, and a value that indicates how many blocks are used for it. These must then be arranged in twelve rounds on an elongated playing field. The goal here is also to color in as much of the playing area as possible.

The precinct decks we replay the multiplayer games with cards.

The patterns must always connect to already colored areas. If both players want to occupy the same space, the card with the lower value will be the one that sticks. If the value is the same, a wall is created. After a short familiarization, the rounds are pleasantly entertaining, although it is less a classic card game, but rather a puzzle with a tactical approach.

Revierdecks will hardly become the new Gwent, but it is really good for in between. Especially in Handheld mode you can play a few fun rounds on the side. This also works completely offline, so it’s also interesting for solo players. The only strange thing is that you first have to reach level four in multiplayer to unlock territorial decks. The card game is therefore not available without Nintendo Online.

More maps, more weapons, more variety

Most players will spend the longest time in classic multiplayer anyway. Nintendo delivers the usual fare, but with more scope than ever before. A full twelve maps are available for the release, including a few returnees and many new additions.

The weapons from the predecessor are also all back on board, plus there are two exciting new additions. The stringer bow has different fire modes and expands the ranged repertoire, while the splatana is used in close combat. As before, the weapons are unlocked with level-ups and each comes in conjunction with a tactical ability like grenades or sticky bombs and special attacks.

We can use these once we’ve filled the matching meter by coloring in as much as possible. There are a few new abilities here as well. For example, we can turn into a powerful tank with different fire modes that is only vulnerable from behind, or ride an explosive shark in the middle of groups of enemies.

The battles still play very similarly, but the scope and variety are much greater than before. The new weapons and abilities fit in seamlessly and offer new tactics, the maps are all nicely designed and some change dynamically within the round.

From loose rounds and tough matches

From level ten come the already known from the predecessor Ranking modes in addition. In Domination, Tower Command, Operation Goldfish and Shell Chaos, it’s much more about the right tactics and direct battles against other players. This is where Splatoon 3 gets really competitive and is in no way inferior to other shooter series in terms of intensity.

Sometimes it can get really stressful and competitive.

Basically, the approach to the game in many cases determines how challenging the gaming experience becomes. Territory decks and campaign, for example, are perfectly suited for the Switch’s handheld mode. A few casual online matches can also be played well this way. However, the controls are most comfortable on the TV with the right controller. Especially in multiplayer battles, this can make the difference between victory and defeat.

Elegantly dressed

To specialize your playstyle, you can once again purchase clothing items in various stores. These give you different bonuses and can be leveled up with matches played. This way you’ll move through your own ink faster, recharge your supply more snappily, or take less damage from secondary weapons. You can also save multiple outfits and create your own “classes” so to speak.

Between games we can hang out and store in Splatsville.

Salmon Run

Co-op players will be happy to see the return of Salmon Run. In this horde mode, the goal is to defend an island against numerous onrushing enemies. Already in the predecessor, especially the Boss opponents the real highlight here, and Nintendo has understood that. Splatoon 3 therefore features a whole new set of nasties, all with their own tactics.

Only by taking down the bosses will you get the valuable fish eggs that are the goal of the mode. Good communication is important in Salmon Run, which isn’t always easy with random teammates, but it is possible. Groups of friends will have the most fun here, though. The challenge is once again great and those who don’t play together have little chance of success.

The biggest campaign so far

The main focus of Splatoon 3 is once again the multiplayer matches. Nevertheless, Nintendo once again offers a solo campaign, which is even more extensive than before. The world of the Inklings is enveloped by a mysterious, fluffy substance. As Agent 3, we have to get to the bottom of it and remove the fur right away.

The hub worlds are covered in a fluffy substance that we need to remove.

The story is rather secondary, as is typical for Nintendo, but it can still be described with a few twists, funny characters and furious boss fights convince. Basically, we move across an upper world, which is divided into different hubs and is full of secrets. From there we can then enter individual levels. The selection is pleasantly large with a total of 66 individual tests including some fun boss fights, so you need between two and 15 minutes per task.

Varied tasks await us here, which sometimes challenge our reflexes, sometimes our logical understanding and in rare cases our nerves. We can complete each task with one or more given pieces of equipment. Thus, we learn how to use all weapons and abilities, which is why online players can also benefit from the campaign. Overall, Splatoon 3 is a nice package for those who don’t necessarily need their shooters to be gritty, serious or realistic.