Splatoon 3

Genre: Third-Person Shooter

Players: 1-8 Team Competitive (Local Wireless), 2-8 Team Competitive / Co-Op (Online)

The Nintendo Switch 2 Difference

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Review:

Splatoon 3, released on Nintendo Switch in 2022, is a game that I think many felt was… well, somewhat unnecessary. Yes, we got the previous Splatoon game all the way back in 2017, but… did we really need more than one on the same platform? And would the changes made in this game justify getting another Splatoon game on Nintendo Switch when the prior one still has a healthy player base online?

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A Fresh Experience?

I wish I could give you all clear answers to those questions, but even after plugging hours into this game, I don’t feel any closer to finding those answers. To be clear, Splatoon 3 does make numerous additions, enhancements, and improvements over what we saw in Splatoon 2 that add up to this being overall a better game. However, I don’t believe any of these changes are truly transformative – at its core, Splatoon 3 is more or less the same experience that we got in Splatoon 2.

Now, that’s not necessarily a bad thing – I gave Splatoon 2 an A grade in my review of that title, and for good reason – not only is the Splatoon franchise’s brand of multiplayer-focused team-based Third-Person Shooter well-designed and filled with variety and personality bursting at the seams, but it is truly unique when compared to other Third-Person Shooters, with its focus on not only taking out opponents, but painting the arena itself with colorful ink to claim territory. It’s truly excellent gameplay, and there’s not really anything else like it.

Well, okay, now there is something else like it, because all of those things I said also apply to Splatoon 3 – this sequel loses none of the charm and well-crafted gameplay of its predecessor, but it does lose points for originality, because if you’re the sort of person who will find this game appealing, you probably already own the prior game that plays very much like it.

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Off the Hook Upgrades?

Now, while there is no significant new addition to the Splatoon gameplay formula here, I did mention that there are multiple smaller additions and improvements. Of course you have the requisite new content – new weapons (the bow-like stringers and the sword-like splatannas), sub-weapons, specials, equippable gear, maps, and cosmetic options for your character, as well as new maps and enemies for the series’ co-op mode, Salmon Run, and an all-new single-player campaign that still feels more than anything like a stretched-out tutorial and obstacle course than anything that’s much more than a brief distraction from the multiplayer modes.

However, Splatoon 3 doesn’t just expand the content of the prior games, but improves on it in a number of small ways too. The new online game lobbies let you practice with your loadout while waiting for a match to start. You can save preferred loadouts, a nice added convenience. There’s a new ‘catalog” system that gives players extra rewards for continued play. And it is much easier to start a multiplayer match with friends, or even play on the same team together (something that I’m honestly stunned it took this long for the series to include). You also have the new ability to edit your gamertag for added distinctiveness when playing online.

There’s the new ability to toss eggs in salmon run. There’s a little helper character you can make use of in the campaign mode. There’s new jump abilities you can use in specific situations. There’s a new customizable locker area, which seems… well, pointless, but I’m sure some people out there will appreciate it. And Splatfests now make use of a creative three-team competitive system instead of the usual two.

Then there’s the new Tableturf Battle, whose rules are not very well-explained, but when I got a feel for how they work, I found this to be a truly exceptional Collectable Card Game with strong Puzzle Game elements. In fact, I’m honestly a bit frustrated that Nintendo didn’t just split this off and sell it as its own separate game for $5-$10, since it clearly got overlooked by many in favor of the main game, and even the game itself doesn’t seem especially interested in making it easier for you to access this feature in the game’s menus.

Then, of course, there’s the presentation, which is still phenomenal, with some wonderfully wet-looking colorful ink splattering on everything, great detail, tons of personality, and some environments that are actually much more elaborate than what we saw in prior Splatoon games. Splatoon 3, like earlier games, is a graphical showpiece on Nintendo Switch.

And when it comes to the sound, Splatoon of course once again features the series’ usual distorted nonsensical voices, and a soundtrack of vocal tracks with the vocals consisting of those same nonsensical voices. I wouldn’t have it any other way, of course, but I feel like the soundtrack of the first Splatoon game is still by far the best in the series.

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Does it Sink or Swim?

What does all of this add up to, in the end? Well, Splatoon 3 is a phenomenal game that is truly one of the best multiplayer experiences on the Nintendo Switch, one of the most visually-appealing games on the platform, and overall a well-crafted action-packed Third-Person Shooter that improves on its predecessor in countless ways that overall make it a game that is clearly better than what came before. And yet, despite all of this improvement, Splatoon 3 does still feel like only a moderate or even marginal improvement over the prior two games, with none of these new features being truly transformative.

If you didn’t like the other Splatoon games, Splatoon 3 won’t change your mind. And if you did like the previous two games, you’ll certainly like this one too, but I doubt it will feel especially new to you, even if much of this game’s contents and features are new. Perhaps more die-hard fans of this series will say that I’m completely wrong here, that these changes make Splatoon 3 a completely different game that feels nothing like the previous games. However, I think that if you’re not a series fan, you’ll probably just see this as “just another Splatoon game”. Which, to be fair, is still very, very good.

tl;dr – Splatoon 3 is a multiplayer-focused team-based Third-Person Shooter that adds a bunch of new content, new features, and new improvements on top of what we saw in Splatoon 1 and 2, yet it still feels like much the same sort of experience. To be clear, that experience is an outstanding Third-Person Shooter that looks great, plays great, and is truly unique within the genre… except, well, that’s just it, it’s not completely unique – Splatoon 2 is right there, on the same platform. Still, even if it feels in many ways like “more of the same”, it’s more of the same of something great, and the improvements mean that this is the best Splatoon game yet. Just know that if you didn’t care for earlier games in the series, Splatoon 3 isn’t going to change your mind.

Grade: A

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The Nintendo Switch 2 Difference

Splatoon 3

Genre: Third-Person Shooter

Players: 1-8 Team Competitive (Local Wireless), 2-8 Team Competitive / Co-Op (Online)

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Review:

Splatoon 3 was already one of the best-looking games on Nintendo Switch, with an unflinchingly smooth framerate and an overall slick presentation, so it would be easy to wonder just what could be improved in a Nintendo Switch 2 update. Yet, we still received one, and only a week after the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, no less!

The improvements here are pretty subtle. There’s a full list of the update’s changes here, but the gist of it is mainly improvements to overall resolution and some animations. It’s most noticeable in places like Inkopolis, where things looks smoother, with less aliasing and better-looking shadows, and with framerates closer to the rest of the game in these areas.

Not really sure what else to say here. The game looked great before, and still looks great. But even a minor graphical improvement is always appreciated!

tl;dr – Splatoon 3 is a multiplayer-focused team-based Third-Person Shooter that adds a bunch of new content, new features, and new improvements on top of what we saw in Splatoon 1 and 2, yet it still feels like much the same sort of experience. To be clear, that experience is an outstanding Third-Person Shooter that looks great, plays great, and is truly unique within the genre… except, well, that’s just it, it’s not completely unique – Splatoon 2 is right there, on the same platform. Still, even if it feels in many ways like “more of the same”, it’s more of the same of something great, and the improvements mean that this is the best Splatoon game yet. Just know that if you didn’t care for earlier games in the series, Splatoon 3 isn’t going to change your mind.

Grade: A

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