Video Games

Splatoon 3 Review in Progress: Multiplayer

Note: This ongoing review is for Splatoon 3’s multiplayer mode only. For our thoughts on the campaign, Splatoon 3 single player campaign review.

At first glance, you might not realize how different Splatoon 3’s multiplayer options are from past installments. But the handful of dives I’ve been able to take into the inky Warzone before release have already revealed a heaping helping of quality-of-life changes lurking just below the surface. From a great lobby system to multiple practice arenas and customization options to make your character shine, Splatoon 3 makes team-based multiplayer highly addictive without making any dramatic additions or changes. We are fine-tuning. That’s not to say you won’t find something new, though, as the inclusion of stylish new weapons and a terrifying new Salmon his-run foe can mix up a familiar formula in interesting ways. I still have to test the mode in action on a live server, but so far Splatoon 3 has given me a lot of love.

For those unfamiliar with Nintendo’s cephalopod shooters, Splatoon’s main multiplayer mode pits two teams of four against each other, using ink-spewing weapons. , which satisfactorily coats both the ground and enemies in a glossy goo. Squid and Octo-based characters can seamlessly change form to glide through your team’s ink, rapidly advancing, popping out of goops, and firing a variety of weapons to build even more territory. Splatoon 3’s main mode — Turf Wars — tasks your team to cover the most ground before time runs out, but other modes for more experienced players include protecting payloads and towers. The specific purpose of is added. Each mode I’ve experienced is as fun as ever, enhanced with new weapons, special moves, and tactical moves.

Nintendo Switch OLED Splatoon 3 Special Edition

Matches are crazy fast, yet friendly enough that anyone can easily join in and have a blast. You will inadvertently paint over the ground. Splatoon 3 also made smart adjustments by moving the starting position and respawn point from an overly abused spot on the ground to a launch pad in the air, allowing you to choose which part of the base to launch into ( (And you can see where your teammates are going) or check the map to easily target teammates on the field to provide backup. It’s amazing how teams escape encamping in their own starting areas, so long as they coordinate their efforts.

I fell in love with the tall towers of Scorch Gorge, making them great spots for sniping.


Each map is largely symmetrical, with mesh passageways to slip through, ink rails for fast travel, ambush paths from above, and multiple routes with varying advantages that allow for calculated attacks or evasion into enemy territory. It features elements of Especially Turf his Wars mode never loses its chaotic fun, with many of the best maps from previous Splatoon iterations returning. This includes the Mahi-Mahi Resort and its changing water levels that reveal more grass to ink, and the Makomato that splatters enemies along the aisles of giant supermarkets. Among them, the tall towers of Scorch Gorge now make great sniping points (or ambush points using the new Zipcaster special). Turf Wars mode in particular never loses its chaotic fun.

As you play matches and level up, you’ll be able to browse Splatoon 3’s vast array of weapons. This can range from a traditional blaster and speed-boosting ink his rollers to literal paint his buckets and precision snipers. All of Splatoon 2’s best options can be found in store offerings, including two new weapon types. The charm of Splatana (giant squeegee with wiper blades) is the master of The Legend of Zelda I have yet to master the extremely precise swipe that releases projectiles reminiscent of his sword but in my sword loving eyes stayed in Another new armament is a bow called the Tri Stringer. This, when charged, can unleash his 3 ink his bolts that explode after a short pause. It’s a fun concept with great potential for pinning enemies or keeping them away from objectives, and I’m looking forward to trying it out in Splatoon 3’s ranked mode.

While previous Splatoon games required players to collect currency in matches to purchase various weapons, Splatoon 3 anticipates players’ return needs by making weapons easier to obtain. did a great job. Here, every time he levels up he gets a token that can be exchanged for one weapon. Beginner weapons roll out slowly and steadily at first, but you can also use three tokens to choose your weapon. that level requirement. This is for veterans who want to go straight to their favourites, and he doesn’t want to wait 10th level to get another bucket type weapon if he falls in love with what he was using early on. It benefits both new players.

Splatoon 3 has done a great job anticipating the needs of returning users.


In fact, many of Splatoon 3’s new tweaks and changes seem to be with experienced players (especially competitive players) in mind. Not just one or two, but four different ranges to experiment with weapons depending on where you are and what mode you’re practicing. The inclusion of a recon mode is also very welcome, allowing you to freely explore the 12 launch maps to familiarize yourself with the terrain and chokepoints of the level. You can now view replays of 50 battles. This included a wealth of great options, like being able to switch to another player’s view on either team with a quick button press, or quickly scrubbing through the timeline to set it up. Highlights to share online.

The best addition so far is the new lobby, as you’ll no longer be trapped in an obscure menu while waiting for matchmaking to begin. (or if you have a place to join), take advantage of the many great features of the huge practice range, or even clean up all your ink with the push of a button. Between matches, you can quickly swap out stat-boosting clothing and weapons (things that weren’t available when Splatoon 2 first debuted). You can also see other players running around the practice field before the next game starts. Not only are these new additions much-needed, they’re presented in a cool, stylish way that perfectly reflects Splatville’s fresh fashion and design, and in the locker room below you’ll find stickers as a separate location. You can also customize your Cubby with items and gear to express your personality. You can also earn new titles, badges, and banners that add even more customizable style to your Inkling character.

The best addition so far is the new lobby.


Splatoon 3 still retains its strict and sometimes nonsensical claims about gating certain features that existed in previous incarnations. With the Ranked Objectives mode of Anarchy Battles unlocked at level 10, it’s understandable why new players should play Turf War first and foremost. Even your own locker room up to level 4 for reasons I’m still trying to justify. Even new tabletop card games seem unnecessarily gated, even though they’re only against AI for the time being. At the very least, returning players with saves from Splatoon 2 will be able to join Ranked Battles immediately and purchase some weapons early on.

The aforementioned PvE salmon run is back. Thankfully, you can now queue 24/7, rather than the bizarre decision made in previous games to shut down for hours at a time. As you and his three other players battle an invading salmonid horde, you are given a random weapon from the set. His new Splatana and Tri Stringer can really shine here. I especially like the new intro that introduces you and your companions as they prepare to take off from the helicopter as if they were dropped in Metal Gear Solid 5. Surviving waves of enemies while collecting golden eggs from the various boss monsters that spawn is still a lot of fun, and there are some great new tweaks here as well.

The most notable of these changes is the ability to fire the golden egg you hold in front of you like a grenade. to quickly collect eggs and launch them at each other to reach the goal faster, opening up huge possibilities for maximizing your time on the map. Of course, the trade-off is that firing eggs takes a lot of ink, much like grenades do, and as a result they are more vulnerable to fire and can run out of ammo. they.

These modes are only good when fighting or fighting other players. This is something I’m still not good at.


New boss enemies also bring fresh strategies into the mix, like Fishstick, which drops giant spiers to the ground to harass you from above. To reward players for repeat victories, new salmon bosses like Godzilla can also be introduced if they’re on track, changing the mood instantly when they appear.Instead of stockpiling eggs , it’s recommended to use them as ammo and fire them at the beast to take it down — however, even if your team is defeated, you’ll still be rewarded for accomplishing it as much as possible.

Of course, all of these modes are only good when fighting or fighting other players. This is something I’m not good enough for yet. There seems to be a very limited number of people playing the Prerelease, so far I’ve only been able to try out certain modes for a few hours each. Add strict level gating to the mix (which shouldn’t be too much of an issue if your server is open to everyone), and I’m still barely able to participate in ranked battlemodes. not. Various opponents. I’ll update this review with my final thoughts and scores once I’ve had the time to swim on the live servers but what I was able to play was already a lot of fun with enough tweaks and new additions that I It feels like a new and greatly improved version of the game we already loved.

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