Just a couple of weeks ago, Nintendo fans got the surprise announcement of Splatoon 3 at the end of what was perhaps the most long-awaited Nintendo Direct presentation yet. Many were skeptical when Nintendo first introduced the family-friendly third person shooter IP on the Wii U back in 2015. Since then, the Splatoon series has seen incredible success, with the game’s Inkling characters even securing a spot on the coveted Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster.
Quick to capitalize on their success, Nintendo released Splatoon 2 on the Nintendo Switch just two years after the original game, and while this was great news for Splatoon fans, many felt that the new sequel didn’t include enough fresh content to justify itself. However, it seems that Nintendo is taking their time with Splatoon 3, leaving a much larger gap between entries this time around. At the moment, only a trailer and a string of tweets from Nintendo about the game have been released, but there is quite a lot of information to divulge, so here’s all that is currently known about Splatoon 3.
Splatoon 2 previously locked the ability to play as an Octoling behind a DLC paywall. This time it seems players can choose between an Inkling or Octoling from the start this time around, along with a few other notable new changes. Firstly, it seems that Splatoon 3 does away with gender options by relegating them to selectable “styles” at the beginning of the game, allowing players to choose between two Inkling options and two Octoling options. New hairstyles seem to appear as well, showing off a new “braided” hairstyle in the game’s reveal trailer.
In a string of tweets, Nintendo went as far as to touch on the new hairstyles in Splatoon 3: Notably, “these wonderful creatures are capable of more intricate designs than previously known,” as the trailer also showed off a new pompadour-looking Octoling hairstyle. As always, players can also customize their Inkling or Octoling’s outfit, eye color, skin tone, and legwear. Additionally it looks like players will now be accompanied by a friendly Smallfry Salmonid this time around, aptly referred to as “little buddy,” whose hairstyle can also be customized.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Splatoon game without some brand new innovative ink-spraying weapons for players to wield in their turf wars. The main weapon of Splatoon 3, so far, seems to be the newly revealed bow. This new bow is surprisingly packed with technology, allowing players to launch three strings of ink simultaneously, Nintendo notes. A bow weapon has been highly-requested by fans for some time now, so many are excited to see it finally make an appearance. Additionally, it looks like some classic weapons return with new twists, like a drastically evolved .96 Gal and Range Blaster.
Special weapons also make a triumphant return, with some appearing to be modified versions of the special weapons previously found in Inkopolis. One special weapon looks to disperse multiple ink-filled capsules or bomb-like devices. Another appears to be some sort of mechanical crab device, which undoubtedly either shoots or explodes with ink in some way. A roughly modified version of the series’ classic Inkzooka also makes an appearance several times in Splatoon 3‘s reveal trailer.
Perhaps the most striking thing about Splatoon 3 is its brand new location, which bares similarities and differences to Splatoon‘s previous locations. Firstly, it goes without saying that Nintendo seems to be going for a post-apocalyptic, badlands-like environment this time around; complete with vest deserts, rusted wreckage, and an upside-down Eiffel Tower. The broader location has been aptly named the Splatlands, and seems to be where most Inklings and Octolings gather to compete in turf wars. However, players can also ride a train into the bustling metropolis of Splatstville.
While Splatoon and Splatoon 2 placed players in the middle of Inkopolis, Splatsville seems to take on the hub world role here in Splatoon 3. According to Nintendo, Splastville is the “newly discovered ‘city of chaos,'” which somehow feels both dated and populated at the same time. As many fans had expected, it seems that the fateful Splatfest event featuring Order vs. Chaos, with Chaos prevailing, had a significant impact on the world of Splatoon, determining how the series’ next entry would unfold. Apparently, Splatsville’s development has greatly accelerated since that fateful Splatfest.
While Splatoon‘s core gameplay is unique and innovative in and of itself, it looks like the newest installment will introduce players to some new mechanics as well. Aside from some new weapons, players will be able to perform a “squid roll,” allowing them to leap and twirl out of their ink for heightened mobility. Additionally, Splatoon 3 has added a “squid surge” move, which lets players quickly swim up ink-covered walls to subsequently jump out at the very top.
The game’s reveal trailer also showed that players will now launch themselves out of “midair spawner drones” at the start of turf wars this time around. It seems that during the countdown to a turf war, players will be able to use their gyro-aim to pick a location to launch to on the stage.
As previously mentioned, Nintendo will seemingly be taking a bit more time with Splatoon 3, with a scheduled release window of 2022. This would mark a 5-year gap between Splatoon entries, the longest ever since Splatoon 2 released just around 2 years after the original Splatoon game on the Wii U. Of course, Splatoon 3 will release exclusively for the Nintendo Switch, however, while the game doesn’t look incredibly demanding for the system, many fans expect it to take full advantage of the highly rumored Nintendo Switch Pro model which is expected to release sometime later this year, according to a recent credible report.
For now, Splatoon fans can rest easy knowing that a new entry in the series is coming their way soon. And while Nintendo had initially announced that Splatoon 2 would not be receiving any more Splatfests, the events have recently returned for a Ketchup vs. Mustard Splatfest, a special Halloween event, as well as a Super Mushroom vs. Super Star Splatfest commemorating the 35th anniversary of Super Mario Bros. It’s very likely that Splatfests could make one final appearance in anticipation of Splatoon 3‘s release, but for now, only time will tell.
Splatoon 3 is set to release in 2022 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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