Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3​

Splatoon 3

North American box art

Developer(s)	Nintendo EPD
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Producer(s)	Hisashi Nogami
Director(s)
Platform(s)	Nintendo Switch
Release	9 September 2022
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer
Media	Game card Digital download (Nintendo eShop)
Game size(s)	8.4 GB (standalone) 11.1 GB (with DLC)
Age rating(s)	JP: All ages by CERO KR: All ages by GRAC BR: L by ClassInd DE: 6+ by USK RU: 6+ by RARS TW: 6+ by BAMID EU: 7+ by PEGI NA: Everyone 10+ by ESRB MX: B by SEGOB AU: Parental Guidance by ACB

Splatoon 3 is the third entry in the Splatoon series and the sequel to Splatoon 2. Announced during the February 2021 Nintendo Direct, it was released on the Nintendo Switch on 9 September 2022. As of March 2024, Splatoon 3 sold 11.71 million copies.

Following the Team Chaos victory in the Chaos vs. Order Splatfest, Splatoon 3's style is very chaotic, bringing post-apocalyptic, patchwork, and other chaotic elements together with the styles of both previous games.

Splatoon 3 expands the Splatoon series on many different fronts, with an extensive story mode, new Salmon Run challenges and rewards, a wider range of customization with more options (including the additions of Splashtags and the locker room), and the new mode Tableturf Battle. Additionally, Splatoon 3 streamlines many aspects of the previous games. The lobby is reworked into a greatly expanded practice area accessible between matches, Splatfests are overhauled with three teams rather than two and a new Tricolor Turf War mode, and the UI has been made more responsive and informative. Additionally, Splatoon 3 is the first game in the series to have Korean and Chinese translations.

Development

In an interview with the weekly Famitsu magazine from around July 2019, Splatoon series producer Hisashi Nogami said that after completing Splatoon 2, the team focused on the Octo Expansion DLC as well as updates, and would not think about the future until completing version 5.0.0 of the game. This means that Splatoon 3 development had not started as of July 2019 and presumably started after the release of Version 5.0.0 on 31 July 2019. This is quite different compared to the timing of the development of Splatoon 2, which started immediately after Splatoon was released.

On 17 February 2021, Splatoon 3 was announced in a Nintendo Direct.

On 23 September 2021, more information was revealed about Splatoon 3 in a Nintendo Direct, including new special weapons, stages, and music, as well as the reveal of the single-player mode Return of the Mammalians.

On 1 January 2022, the @SplatoonJP Twitter account posted a Tweet for the arrival of 2022. The post included a video with an Inkling performing a victory pose along with a jingle, while 2022 is written in ink. This revealed the return of the brush main weapon class, marking the final returning weapon class revealed.

On 27 January 2022, Volume 16 of the Splatoon manga was released with a teaser of the new Agent 3 arriving in Splatsville.

In a Nintendo Direct on 9 February 2022, Salmon Run Next Wave, a successor to Salmon Run from Splatoon 2, was revealed to be a mode in Splatoon 3, introducing new Boss Salmonids, Egg Throwing, and the King Salmonid. It was also confirmed that the game would be released in the summer of 2022.

On 22 April 2022, a fourth trailer for Splatoon 3 was released, showing gameplay of a Turf War and revealing the release date to be 9 September 2022. It was also revealed that the game would support cloud saves (for offline play data) and that there would not be separate regional versions, meaning that all language options would be available to every player.

On 10 August 2022, an approximately thirty-minute long Nintendo Direct focused entirely on Splatoon 3, titled the Splatoon 3 Direct, was aired, revealing many new details about various aspects of the game, such as its modes, characters, stages, weapons, etc. A free demo of the game called the Splatoon 3 Splatfest World Premiere was also revealed.

On 25 August 2022, Nintendo Treehouse showed off some gameplay of the game's story mode, such as the reveal of the first level of Future Utopia Island, Get to Know Alterna, Your Only Choice.

On 27 August 2022, the Splatoon 3 Splatfest World Premiere was started at different time zones with 26 weapons to use and a variety of different gear to wear. A single Splatfest took place in the demo, the theme of which was Rock vs. Paper vs. Scissors. After the Splatfest's results were announced, the demo ended.

On 9 September 2022, Splatoon 3 was released.

Splatsville

Story

The game takes place five years after the events of Splatoon 2 in the Splatlands, a sun-scorched desert inhabited by battle-hardened Inklings and Octolings, and Splatsville, a city of chaos that developed rapidly since the last Splatfest of Splatoon 2, Chaos vs. Order. The game's design is themed around chaos due to the outcome of the Splatfest.

The Splatoon 3 single-player story mode is called "Return of the Mammalians". Octarians return as the primary enemies, but the majority of them now appear mutated with brown fur and purple eyes. The story starts in the Crater where the player's character, an Inkling or Octoling accompanied by their companion Smallfry, is recruited by Craig Cuttlefish into the New Squidbeak Splatoon as the new Agent 3. The majority of the mode takes place in a location beneath the Crater called Alterna, a large, snowy area littered with incomplete structures and hazardous Fuzzy Ooze with a rocket at its center. Callie, Marie, and the Captain (the former Agent 3 from the previous games who is now the captain of the group following Cuttlefish's retirement) appear in this area to aid the player in their goal of exploring Alterna and finding Cuttlefish, who went missing shortly after recruiting the player.

Gameplay

Like its predecessors, Splatoon 3 is a third-person shooter game focused on online multiplayer ink battles, in which eight players are divided into two teams of four. Players have two main forms and may switch between the two at will: their humanoid form, in which they can use weapons to spread ink and splat opponents, and their swim form - with a squid or octopus appearance, which, if they enter their team's ink while in the form, allows them to swim through ink at greater speeds, including up walls, recharge their ink tank faster, and hide from opponents.

Players have access to new movement techniques to dodge attacks and expand the possibilities of attacks. A Squid Roll allows them to leap and twirl out of their ink and a Squid Surge allows them to quickly swim up ink-covered walls and jump out at the top, and both have a short phase of invincibility. Additionally, medals are now awarded at the end of multiplayer matches for various accomplishments, such as inking the most and getting the most splats.

In the Splatlands, players in online battles enter the battlefield with a spawner. It floats above the stage behind each base and allows players to aim at their desired deployment location within that team's spawn area. After choosing where to deploy, the spawner launches players to that location in squid or octopus form similar to a Super Jump. If a player is splatted, they respawn in the spawner and launch in the same way a battle starts.

In story mode, Smallfry, nicknamed "little buddy", accompanies the player. It can be thrown to attack Octarians, interact with contraptions to solve various puzzles, and remove hazardous Fuzzy Ooze.

Characters

Main article: Character

Several characters that appear in Return of the Mammalians.

Several characters that appear in Splatoon 3: Side Order.

Protagonists

• Inklings
• Octolings
• Agent 3 and Smallfry
• Agent 8

Secondary

• Deep Cut
  • Shiver
  • Frye
  • Big Man
• Cuttlefish
• New Squidbeak Splatoon
  • Squid Sisters
    • Callie, also known as Agent 1
    • Marie, also known as Agent 2
  • Captain, the former Agent 3 from Splatoon as the new leader of the group
• O.R.C.A.
• DJ Octavio
• Judd and Li'l Judd
• Sheldon
• Gnarly Eddy and Nails
• Jel La Fleur
• Mr. Coco
• Harmony
• Murch
• Staff
• Shelly and Donny
• Annie and Moe
• Jelonzo
• Fred Crumbs
• Spyke
• Off the Hook
  • Pearl
  • Marina
• Acht
• Bisk
• Jelfonzo
• Flow and Craymond
• Cipher
• Crusty Sean
• Zapfish
• Super Sea Snails

Antagonists

• Octarians
• Salmonids
• Mr. Grizz
• Jelletons
• Overlorder

Player customization

Main article: Player Settings#Splatoon 3

Selecting a style.

The genders of the Inklings and Octolings are no longer explicitly stated. Instead, the player "selects a style". Additionally, Octolings can now be selected from the start rather than having to be unlocked from paid DLC first.

New Player Settings have been added:

• Two new skin tones in addition to the seven returning, for a total of nine.
• Seven new eye colors, including six heterochromatic eyes that form a gradient from one color to another, in addition to 14 returning colors, for a total of 21. Some of these new eye color options feature colored pupils.
• New hairstyles and legwear.
  • Hairstyles and legwear are no longer split between genders, meaning either style can access any hairstyle or legwear option. Hairstyles are still split between species.
  • Four new Inkling hairstyles and four new Octoling hairstyles are available, many of which are asymmetrical. All 16 hairstyles from Splatoon 2 return, for a total of 24 options.
  • Four new legwear options have been added in addition to the eight returning, for a total of 12.
• The player can now also customize their character's eyebrow shapes. There are new eyebrow options in addition to four eyebrow shapes from previous games (that previously matched the character's species and gender). In addition to their classic eyebrows, they can have the same eyebrows but with a slit, rounded eyebrows (for Inkling girls), triangular eyebrows (for Inkling boys), teardrop-shaped eyebrows (for Octolings), thin eyebrows (for Inklings), and curved eyebrows (for Octolings).
• The player now has a Smallfry companion, that plays a role in the single-player mode. Their hairstyle can be customized, with a total of seven different options.
• Each player now has their own customizable Splashtag, displaying the player's username and ID number alongside customizable titles, badges, and a background. These are displayed in certain situations, such as at the start and end of battles and when viewing players in the square. In the player's first battle, they use a default Splashtag with the default username of "Player"; after their first battle is complete, they unlock username and Splashtag customization. More titles, badges, and backgrounds can be obtained in various ways.
  • Usernames can now be changed directly in the game independently of the player's Nintendo Switch username. Their username after their first battle defaults to their Switch username but is otherwise no longer determined by it.
• Players can now customize the emotes that they perform upon winning battles. Unlike in the previous games, there are no longer animations for when players lose; instead, only the winning team of the battle is shown regardless of whether that was the player's team, at which point all players on that team are seen performing their selected emotes.
• Players can now choose which of four Splatfest regions to take part in (Americas/Oceania, Europe, Japan, SE Asia/Hong Kong) about once every two months. This also defines which region's plaza art and Top 100 they see.
  • Choosing Japan prompts a warning that not all Japan-region Splatfests have support in other languages.
• Players can now choose which of two X Battle divisions to take part in (Tentatek for mostly Western players, Takoroka for mostly Eastern players) once per season.

File:Splatoon 3 Fashion 3D Render.png

Inklings and Octolings with new gear and customization options.

New gear has been added, along with returning examples:

• Three new brands have been introduced:
  • Barazushi makes high-quality technical wear for both hot and cold regions, like parkas and hoodies.
  • Emberz produces mostly patchwork clothing with an addition of other pieces, representing the chaotic ethos of Splatsville.
  • Z+F is a collaboration between the brands Zekko and Firefin, producing street-savvy gear inspired by hip-hop and skater roots.
• Numerous returning brands have added new choices to their arrays, including brands such as Enperry, Forge, Krak-On and Toni Kensa.
  • The brands Zekko and Firefin don't offer any new gear, instead offering a combination of choices from past games.

Locations

Alterna

A map of Inkadia and the Splatlands.

The Order Sector

• The Splatlands
  • Splatsville
    • Ammo Knights
    • Naut Couture
    • Man-o'-Wardrobe
    • Crush Station
    • Hotlantis
    • Crab-N-Go
    • Lobby Tower
      • The Shoal
      • Test range
    • Grizzco Industries
    • Tableturf Battle Dojo
  • Scorch Gorge
  • Eeltail Alley
  • Hagglefish Market
  • Undertow Spillway
  • Mincemeat Metalworks
  • Brinewater Springs
  • Um'ami Ruins
  • Barnacle & Dime
  • Crableg Capital
  • Shipshape Cargo Co.
  • Marlin Airport
• Alterna
• The Crater
• Greater Inkopolis
  • Inkopolis Plaza
    • Inkopolis Tower
  • Inkopolis Square
    • Deca Tower
  • Flounder Heights
  • Hammerhead Bridge
  • Museum d'Alfonsino
  • Mahi-Mahi Resort
  • Inkblot Art Academy
  • Sturgeon Shipyard
  • MakoMart
  • Wahoo World
  • Manta Maria
  • Humpback Pump Track
  • Bluefin Depot
• Order Sector
  • Spire of Order
• Sockeye Station
• Gone Fission Hydroplant
• Spawning Grounds
• Marooner's Bay
• Jammin' Salmon Junction
• Salmonid Smokeyard
• Bonerattle Arena

Modes

Turf War

There are no changes to the rules of Turf War in Splatoon 3 besides the addition of spawners. As in previous games, Turf War is the only Regular Battle mode.

Tricolor Turf War

First introduced in the Splatfest World Premiere, Tricolor Turf War is a new mode in Splatoon 3. This mode is only available in the second half of a Splatfest and is an altered version of the Turf War mode in which the three Splatfest teams battle in one Turf War. The Splatfest team that was in the lead at the Halftime Report of the Splatfest has four players in the match and starts in the middle of the stage, while the other two teams have two players each and start at opposite ends of the stage. In the middle of the stage, there is a device called the Ultra Signal. If a member of one of the two losing Splatfest teams captures the Ultra Signal by holding it for long enough, a Sprinkler of Doom appears and constantly rains that team's color for the rest of the match, and it cannot be destroyed. The person trying to capture the Ultra Signal is immobile while capturing it, so they can be splatted in the process, causing them to lose it.

Anarchy Battle

Anarchy Battle is a new mode that replaces Ranked Battles from previous games. It features all four modes from Ranked Battles that previously appeared (namely Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz) on rotation and the returning rank system. There are two types of Anarchy Battles, Series and Open; Series Anarchy Battles do not allow for friends to join each other and use a new best out of five rulesets by which losing three battles results in a loss, while winning five battles results in a victory. Open Anarchy Battles are standalone battles in which players have the option to either join their friends or play solo.

Challenge

Challenge is a new mode that replaces League Battle from Splatoon 2, only available in limited rotations. Challenge battles usually have special conditions added. Players can compete either solo or in a team to gain Challenge Power. Challenge was first added in Sizzle Season 2023.

X Battle

X Battle replaces Splatoon 2's X Rank from Ranked Battles, featuring the same four ranked modes but on a separate rotation, available only to players who have achieved a rank of S+0 or above in Anarchy Battles during the current season. X Battle was added to the game on 1 December 2022 as part of the Chill Season 2022 update.

The Shoal

The Shoal allows Private Battles and Salmon Run to be played locally with other nearby players. Like in the lobby, the player can now move around inside the building, and it houses its own test range that can be used while waiting for battles or shifts to start.

Tableturf Battle

Tableturf Battle is an adaptation of Turf War styled after a card game and involves various cards depicting characters and weapons that fill areas like in a Turf War. As of Drizzle Season 2023, there are over 200 different cards that players can use to build a deck; they correspond to various shapes that can be used to cover turf and they can be charged up to cover additional turf, with the winner of the game being whoever covers the most squares of turf. The mode takes place in the Tableturf Battle Dojo and can be played against various CPU-controlled enemies, with online play against other players added at the beginning of Fresh Season 2023.

Salmon Run Next Wave

Salmon Run Next Wave promo image

Salmon Run Next Wave is a horde mode that is the successor to Salmon Run from Splatoon 2, introducing new Boss Salmonids, stages, and mechanics, such as Egg Throws, King Salmonids, and Big Runs. The mode can now be played at any time, rather than being available on a set schedule. It is accessible from a Grizzco Industries building in Splatsville, which, like the lobby, can now be freely moved around in and houses its own test range that can be used while waiting for shifts to start.

Stages

Main article: Stage

Multiplayer

Multiplayer stages in Splatoon 3
Barnacle & Dime	Bluefin Depot	Brinewater Springs	Crableg Capital
Eeltail Alley	Flounder Heights	Hagglefish Market	Hammerhead Bridge
Humpback Pump Track	Inkblot Art Academy	Mahi-Mahi Resort	MakoMart
Manta Maria	Marlin Airport	Mincemeat Metalworks	Museum d'Alfonsino
Robo ROM-en	Scorch Gorge	Shipshape Cargo Co.	Sturgeon Shipyard
Um'ami Ruins	Undertow Spillway	Wahoo World

Salmon Run

• Sockeye Station - A new stage in the Salmon Run Next Wave mode, with a similar aesthetic to previous Salmon Run stages.
• Gone Fission Hydroplant - A new stage, shown in the Splatoon 3 Direct. It is next to a large hydroplant.
• Spawning Grounds - The basic Salmon Run stage from Splatoon 2 returns with minimal changes.
• Marooner's Bay - Another Salmon Run stage from Splatoon 2 returns with minimal changes.
• Jammin' Salmon Junction - A new stage, shown in the Splatoon 3 Sizzle Season 2023 promotional video. It is on a collapsed multilane highway.
• Salmonid Smokeyard - Another Salmon Run stage from Splatoon 2 returns with minimal changes.
• Bonerattle Arena - A new stage introduced in Fresh Season 2024. It is set in a former penal colony converted into a Salmonid arena.

Weapons

Main weapons

The Tri-Stringer

• The Stringer class was added, of which there are two; the Tri-Stringer, and the REEF-LUX 450. Once charged, it fires three strings of ink simultaneously. Stringers also have two stages of charge, as seen in the Nintendo Switch OLED trailer.
• A new Splatana class was released, consisting of the Splatana Wiper and the Splatana Stamper. Splatanas fire slashes of ink when used and can perform a charged slash to deal more damage to a faraway opponent or instantly splat an Inkling or Octoling within melee range.
• All base main weapons from previous games return, except for the Dual Squelcher. However, no second variants were available at launch.
• The Painbrush introduced in Sizzle Season 2023 is the first new entry in the brush class since the original roster from Splatoon.

Sub weapons

• All sub weapons in Splatoon 2 return in Splatoon 3. They have retained most of their attributes from previous games.
• A new sub weapon named the Angle Shooter was added. It is thrown in a straight line, bouncing off any surface and leaving behind a trail. Directly hitting enemies with the projectile deals damage, and both the projectile and its trail mark enemies on contact, allowing them to be seen through opaque obstacles similar to the Point Sensor.
  • It is part of the Big Swig Roller Express, Bloblobber Deco, Jet Squelcher, Rapid Blaster Pro Deco, Splattershot Pro, and Slosher Deco's sets.

Special weapons

Main article: Special weapon

Special Weapon	New	Returning	Main Weapons	Description
Trizooka	✓	N/A		Similar to the Inkzooka, a rocket launcher-like weapon is summoned. Players can shoot up to three large ink-ball clusters that travel in an arc. The globs explode on impact. Players can swim with the weapon equipped.
Big Bubbler	✓	N/A		A deployable shield dome. Inside the dome is a generator that can be Super Jumped to like a Squid Beakon. The shield protects anyone inside from attacks, but attacking the shield slightly damages it and shrinks its radius. Attacks done to the generator inside the dome or the propeller on top of the dome damage and shrink it faster. Additionally, enemies can walk into the dome.
Zipcaster	✓	N/A		A grappling hook-like special allowing players to extend their arms to latch on to walls or other surfaces, creating a small explosion of ink upon impact. Players can use their main weapon throughout the special's duration, and they jump back to the special's activation location when it runs out.
Tenta Missiles	N/A	✓		Players can lock on to targets and fire off a set of missiles. The missiles follow their target and strike from the sky.
Ink Storm	N/A	✓		A cloud that rains ink over the map for some time. The rain droplets lightly damage enemies.
Booyah Bomb	N/A	✓		A super-charged ball of ink that rapidly expands after being thrown to a surface. While charging, the player is coated in a protective layer of ink and suspended in the air. Teammates can help charge the special faster by using the "Booyah!" signal, and also receive a small increase to their special gauge if they do so.
Wave Breaker	✓	N/A		A device that emits shockwaves across the floor. If the waves hit an enemy player, they take damage and are marked for a short amount of time.
Ink Vac	✓	N/A		A vacuum that sucks in any ink or projectiles fired towards it. After a set amount of time or once the vacuum is filled, players can fire a blast of ink that explodes upon impact.
Killer Wail 5.1	✓	N/A		Six floating lasers that lock on to enemies. The lasers follow them through any surface, and if they are not locked on they rotate to either the left or right.
Inkjet	N/A	✓		An ink-propelled jetpack that launches players into the air. It is equipped with a cannon for players to shoot explosive ink shots. The jetpack's exhaust leaves an ink trail on the ground following the player's movement. The player can boost themself up slightly by jumping, and can return to swim form as usual.
Ultra Stamp	N/A	✓		A giant hammer that players can continually swing while rushing forward, splatting anyone in its way. The hammer can also be thrown, ending the special early.
Crab Tank	✓	N/A		A crab-shaped robot that can shoot ink or transform into a ball and roll around. When shooting, players can switch between a rapid-fire mode and cannon-like blasts with a large area of effect.
Reefslider	✓	N/A		An inflatable shark that players ride down a straight path, splatting enemies on contact. The shark creates an explosion of ink when it reaches the end of the path, or the player can choose to cause the explosion prematurely.
Triple Inkstrike	✓	N/A		Players can throw three sticky beacons to launch Inkstrike-like missiles. Each missile creates a giant vertical tornado of ink shortly after landing. The player is unable to swim or use their main weapon until all three strikes are thrown.
Tacticooler	✓	N/A		A deployable fridge with four drinks players on the same team can pick up. Each player can take only one drink. The drinks provide temporary buffs related to movement and respawn penalties.
Super Chump	✓	N/A		Allows players to launch multiple Suction Bomb-like decoys that explode after a short amount of time. Super Jump markers are displayed on the decoy's landing points. They can be destroyed by enemy fire or moving terrain before detonation.
Kraken Royale	✓	N/A		A rework of the Kraken from Splatoon, players are transformed into an invincible giant squid or octopus for a few seconds. They can attack by jumping or charging up a powerful dash attack. Players are briefly vulnerable upon activation, and after the special's duration ends.
Splattercolor Screen	✓	N/A		A large, slow-moving ink wall that does not block shots. Instead, any opponents that pass through the affected area are damaged, have their view of the game temporarily rendered in grayscale with darkened ink colors, and hear a fizzing sound.
Triple Splashdown	✓	N/A		A reworked version of the Splashdown special from Splatoon 2. The special works the same way as Splashdown, but the user summons two giant fists made of ink ahead and to either side of them to create two additional Splashdowns. This special can still be used while super jumping, but the two additional fists won't spawn this way.

Music

Most of the music heard during multiplayer battles is made by C-Side, a band that performs music in a rock-esque style. They made a remix of Splattack! and Now or Never!, as well as Paintscraper, Headhammer, Triple Dip, Clickbait, Rinse/Repeat, and Learning Curve.

Several other bands make music that plays during multiplayer battles. Two of them were released with the game: Front Roe, with the songs Sandy Side Up and Sea Me Now, and Damp Socks feat. Off the Hook, with the songs Tentacle to the Metal and Candy-Coated Rocks. Yoko & the Gold Bazookas was introduced in Version 4.0.0 with the songs Three-Horn Circus, Ska-BLAM, and Rockagilly Blues. H2Whoa was introduced in Version 5.0.0 with the songs Ripstop & Go and Aquasonic. Chirpy Chips was reintroduced in Version 6.0.0 with the songs Slopping Spree and No Quarters.

ω-3 retains all of their songs from Splatoon 2. They also released Frothy Waters and Toxic Anoxic for Salmon Run Next Wave, and during Big Runs, their song Bait & Click can be heard.

The idol band of Splatoon 3 is called Deep Cut, and, unlike the previous idol groups, Deep Cut's music takes inspiration from many traditional cultures. Most of Deep Cut's music is heard during Splatfests, such as Anarchy Rainbow, Till Depth Do Us Part, Fins in the Air, Big Betrayal, their cover of Now or Never!, Ego Overboard, Still Swimmin', and Daybreaker Anthem. However, some of their music is also heard during Return of the Mammalians, specifically Deep Cut's Theme, Surprise and Shine, Hide and Sleek, Smeared Canvas, and Calamari Inkantation 3MIX.

In the lobby, multiplayer battle songs from all games sometimes play, as well as Sinkopated, Drip Feed, Heliocentri City, Fuzzy Dazzler, Blop Bop, Gilded Cage, Dressed to Krill, Slick Moves, Gillty, Pour It On, Pop 'n' Schlock, Clashing Colors, and Dorsal Slicer. In Version 3.0.0, a Jukebox was added that allows the player to request almost any song in the game (as well as a select few from previous games) for  100.

Post-launch updates

Main article: List of post-release content in Splatoon 3

Promotional image for Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass

Much like the previous Splatoon games, several free post-launch updates are being released for Splatoon 3. Such updates are liable to prevent battle replays from working due to balance adjustments. The game's season changes roughly every three months, with additional weapons, stages, a new catalog, as well as other content being added at the start of every season.

Major additions

• New special weapons: the Kraken Royale and Super Chump were added in Fresh Season 2023, and the Splattercolor Screen and Triple Splashdown were added in Chill Season 2023.
• New modes:
  • X Battle, added in Chill Season 2022
  • Big Run, also added in Chill Season 2022
  • Eggstra Work, added in Fresh Season 2023
  • Challenge, added in Sizzle Season 2023
• Online Tableturf Battle, added in Fresh Season 2023

Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass

The major paid DLC Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass was announced during the 8 February 2023 Nintendo Direct. Wave 1: Inkopolis, released on 28 February 2023, allows the player to travel to Inkopolis Plaza from the first Splatoon game; Wave 2: Side Order, released 22 February 2024, includes a new story mode, Side Order, which takes place in the Spire of Order, located in a version of Inkopolis Square from Splatoon 2.

Significance of the number three

As a reference to the game being the third in the series, the number three is a recurring theme in the game, similarly to eight being a theme in the Octo Expansion. For example:

• The protagonist of Return of the Mammalians is named Agent 3.
• The default Inkling hairstyle is a braid, a hairstyle made by twisting three strands of hair.
• The most prominent bands in the game, C-Side and Deep Cut, each have three members.
  • Deep Cut's Japanese name, すりみ連合 ("Surimi rengō"), includes puns on "スリー" ("surī", Japanese pronunciation of "three") and "み" ("mi", an alternate reading of the number 3). One of their songs is named Calamari Inkantation 3MIX.
  • One of C-Side's songs is named Triple Dip. Additionally, one of Yoko & the Gold Bazookas' songs is named Three-Horn Circus.
• Splatfests feature three teams, Tricolor Turf Wars, and 333x battles.
• Several weapons introduced in the game are named after and associated with the number three, namely the Tri-Stringer (which fires three shots at once), the Trizooka (which can fire three times, each shot consisting of three blasts), the Triple Inkstrike (which has three uses before expiring), and the Triple Splashdown (which has the player and two fists all splash down, adding up to three explosions). Additionally, the Wave Breaker fires three shockwaves before it vanishes.
• Octolings draw a "3" in the air when trying a brush at Ammo Knights.
• Multiple new gear items are named to fit this theme, such as the Tri-Shred Tee.
• The model of the Octobot King used by DJ Octavio in Return of the Mammalians is called the Octobot King L3.Gs (a pun on "legs").
• Three pieces of treasure are collected in Return of the Mammalians.
• Mr. Grizz's original name, as revealed in the Alterna Logs, was "Bear #03", and he is given the title of "The Ursine Anomaly #03" in Return of the Mammalians.
• The time limit in the final boss battle of Return of the Mammalians is 3:33, and the final mission of the mode, After Alterna, has an entry fee of 333 Power Eggs and first-time clear reward of 3333 Power Eggs.
• In Tableturf Battle, there are 30 CPU opponents as of Wave 2 of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass. Each has three difficulty ranks, and must be defeated in a rank three times to unlock the next rank. Additionally, non-jellyfish CPU opponents reward sleeves after being defeated 30 times on the third difficulty rank.
• When the player has reached level 900, 333,333 more XP is required to reach the maximum level of 999.
• In Salmon Run, the maximum hazard level is 333%. The most expensive items in the shop are a pair of golden banners that cost 333 Golden Scales each.
• In Wandercrust, several of the point requirements for locations to be reached fit this theme, with the final location in the first journey requiring 33333p, every even-numbered location in the second journey requiring 33333p except for the final one requiring 333333p, another three locations in the third journey requiring 33333p with the final one again requiring 333333p, and the fifth location in the fourth journey requiring 33333p.
• In Side Order, the Spire of Order has 30 floors split into three sections. The color chips to set in the Palettes have three tones per category. The Risky Rewards hack costs 333 Prlz to enable, and the Order Regulator Replica, Controller VM, and Parallel Mask each cost 333 Prlz to purchase from Cipher.

Gallery

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Trivia

• The signature ink color set for this game is similar to the Color Lock set in Splatoon 2 and one of the Ranked Battle color sets in Splatoon, as well as Deep Cut's color scheme.
• The Inkopolis Memorial Mixtape ends with the same drum loop used in the Splatoon loading screen followed by the opening of the original version of Splattack!, similar to the music of the Splatoon 3 announcement trailer.
• In the Splatoon 3 announcement trailer, it could be seen that while Inklings and Octolings are being shown individually, the Octoling using the Hydra Splatling had the symmetrical teeth of an Inkling, unlike the asymmetrical teeth Octolings usually have. This was later corrected in some promotional art of Octolings on the Splatoon 3 official Japanese website after the game's release date reveal.
• Upon closer inspection, the "3" in the final version of the game's logo has scratches and cracks visible on its surface. This is a reference to the game being themed around chaos and taking place in a desert region.
• Splatoon 3 won the "Best Multiplayer Game" award at The Game Awards 2022.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	スプラトゥーン3 Supuratūn 3	Splatoon 3
German	Splatoon 3	Same as English
Spanish	Splatoon 3	Same as English
Chinese	斯普拉遁 3 Si1 pou2 laai1 deon6 saam1 (Cantonese) Sī pǔ lā dùn sān (Mandarin)	Splatoon 3
Korean	스플래툰 3 Seupeullaetun 3	Splatoon 3

External links

External links:
 

• Official Splatoon 3 websites ( America, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan)
• Trailers: Announcement trailer • Story mode trailer • Salmon Run trailer • Release date trailer
• Announcement thread ( America @NintendoAmerica, Japan @SplatoonJP)
• Story mode thread ( America, United Kingdom, Japan @SplatoonJP)
• Salmon Run thread ( America @SplatoonNA, Japan @SplatoonJP)
• Release date thread ( America @SplatoonNA, Japan @SplatoonJP)