Splatoon 3

Did You Know?

• The game was developed by Nintendo EPD with additional work by Monolith Soft, SRD, and Bandai Namco Studios Singapore & Malaysia.
• At E3 2019, Splatoon producer Hisashi Nogami stated that a third entry was not in development.
• The direction of Splatoon 3's world was decided after Team Chaos won Splatoon 2's final Splatfest.

Setting

The Splatoon games take place on a future Earth after the extinction of humanity and most mammal life, suggested to be due to climate change, where oceanic life has evolved to live on land. Splatoon 3 occurs five years after Splatoon 2 in the Splatlands, a sun-scorched desert inhabited by battle-hardened Inklings and Octolings, and Splatsville, a chaotic city that developed rapidly after the last Splatfest. The story mode, Return of the Mammalians, is set in Alterna, a snowy area with incomplete structures and hazardous Fuzzy Ooze. The plot follows the player character, recruited by Craig Cuttlefish as Agent 3, along with a Salmonid companion named Smallfry. They fight Octarian enemies mutated by the ooze and eventually fall into the remains of a former underground human settlement named Alterna.

Marketing and release

Splatoon 3 was announced with a teaser trailer on 17 February 2021. More details, including the single-player mode name Return of the Mammalians, were revealed in September 2021. A trailer for the co-op mode Salmon Run premiered on 9 February 2022. On 22 April, Nintendo released a Turf War gameplay video and announced the release date of 9 September 2022. A special edition Nintendo Switch OLED model was announced for 26 August 2022, alongside a themed Pro Controller and carrying case. On 10 August 2022, a Splatoon 3-focused Nintendo Direct revealed the Splatfest World Premiere demo date, amiibo support, and three new idol characters (Shiver, Frye, Big Man, collectively Deep Cut). The pre-launch Splatfest World Premiere was held on 27–28 August 2022 with a rock-paper-scissors theme, won by Team Rock. The game released worldwide on 9 September 2022.

Reception

Splatoon 3 received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic. Critics commended the overall presentation, including the cartoony characters and immersive hub world Splatsville. The soundtrack was praised for its experimental and distinct fusion of cultural styles. The fine-tuning of returning gameplay elements was noted, with the revamped matchmaking lobby and indefinite availability of Salmon Run receiving positive comments. The ability to manually hurl Golden Eggs was seen as an enhancement. Movement controls were praised, particularly the new Squid Surge and Squid Roll maneuvers; the Squid Roll grants brief invincibility when performed as enemy ink strikes, rewarding skilled play. Customization features were appreciated but not considered especially innovative compared to other shooters.