Return of the Mammalians

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Return of the Mammalians
RotM Key artwork horizontal.jpg
Type Single-player campaign
Players 1
Ranked
Weapons Various
Controllers Nintendo Switch Joy-Con with grip.png Joy-Con
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.png Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Release Date Launch
This article is about the single-player mode of Splatoon 3. For the mission, see Return of the Mammalians (mission).
Join Agent 3 and the New Squidbeak Splatoon in a hairy fight against the unruly Octarians. Discover the secrets of Alterna and the Fuzzy Ooze.
Splatoon's official website

Return of the Mammalians is a single player game mode in Splatoon 3. It involves the player donning a Hero Suit and venturing into the Crater to defeat the Octarian army (which is now covered in hair), soon ending up in Alterna.

Story

An Inkling or Octoling accompanied by their "little buddy" Smallfry are scrap hunters who search for junk gems and splat it up in Turf Wars on the side. When they go through a manhole, they meet Craig Cuttlefish on the other end at the Crater, who dubs them the new Agent 3 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon. He explains that the New Squidbeak Splatoon's continued mission is to stand in opposition of the unruly Octarians, who are suspected to be behind the recent disappearance of the Great Zapfish from Splatsville.

The areas throughout the campaign have a large amount of Fuzzy Ooze. To get through areas, Agent 3 has to take care of the Fuzzy Ooze, which Smallfry can eat as long as they have the adequate amount of Power Eggs. Cuttlefish also notices that the Octarians have fur grown over their body, as opposed to their previous appearances where they were smoother. When Cuttlefish tries to contact Agent 1 and Agent 2 to come pick them up, DJ Octavio intervenes but Cuttlefish dismisses it as his radio being broken.

After reaching the center of the Crater, DJ Octavio appears in his battle mech named the Octobot King L3.Gs, trying to confront the two for the recent disappearance of his Octarian army, but when asked about the stolen Great Zapfish, states that he does not even know about it this time, and engages Agent 3 in a fight. Upon being defeated, Octavio tells Cuttlefish and Agent 3 that he indeed did not steal the Great Zapfish. Cuttlefish thinks that someone else might have done it, but before they can continue, the ground beneath them collapses as Fuzzy Ooze flows out. A tentacle-shaped piece of Ooze takes Cuttlefish away from Agent 3, who loses their Hero Suit and Power Eggs in the fall. Agent 3 then wakes up in Alterna, where they are greeted by the New Squidbeak Splatoon, comprised of the old Agent 3 (now Captain) and the Squid Sisters.

The new Agent 3 is also aided by a robotic assistant known as O.R.C.A., who helps guide them through Alterna.

At the end of Site 1, Future Utopia Island, Deep Cut makes their entrance and makes it clear that all the loot in Alterna belongs to them. Later, each of them guards one of the three 'treasures' in the area and Agent 3 has to defeat them to continue.

After collecting all three parts of the Treasure, Callie and Marie assemble it into a lawn mower-like tool, which the Captain uses to cut off the fur near the rocket at Alterna Space Center so the team can go there and save Cuttlefish.

The Captain gets hurt while using the tool, and it also breaks down. Soon after this, Deep Cut appears again, trying to take back the treasure, but Marie tells them that the New Squidbeak Splatoon does not need the treasure and that they can have it back. Deep Cut then asks Marie to be their boss, who reluctantly accepts.

On their way to the rocket, the party overhears that Mr. Grizz plans to use Cuttlefish and the Golden Eggs (collected by the unwitting Inklings and Octolings in Inkopolis and Splatsville working in his company) to 'restore the balance of the world'. When asked about the reason for hunting treasures, Shiver and Frye explain that they want to sell the treasure to help those in need in Splatsville, while leaving little to themselves, which makes Callie and Marie respect them.

After completing all the sites, Agent 3 has to get on the Ooze-covered rocket. Once they get to the top, they and the New Squidbeak Splatoon find Cuttlefish dried up and lifeless, as a result of being dehydrated by Mr. Grizz. Grizz, now revealed to be a grizzly bear, then appears and escapes on the rocket, aimed to spread Fuzzy Ooze all over the Earth and bring forth a new era of mammalian dominance.

The Captain drops a tear on Cuttlefish's body, which makes him come to his senses. Deep Cut appears again and helps Agent 3 and Smallfry reach Mr. Grizz's rocket. There, Agent 3 and Mr. Grizz engage in a fight. After having some of his Fuzzballs splatted, Mr. Grizz knocks Agent 3 and Smallfry out from his rocket as he absorbs the Fuzzy Ooze and plans to send it on the Earth himself. Now, DJ Octavio, now knowing who the true culprit is, appears in his modified Octobot to save the two. DJ Octavio, the Squid Sisters and Deep Cut then play the Calamari Inkantation 3MIX together, causing Smallfry to become Hugefry. They then fight Mr. Grizz as DJ Octavio and Agent 3 vacuum the Fuzzballs on Mr. Grizz's body, before blasting him back with the ooze, defeating him. After emerging victorious, DJ Octavio, Agent 3 and Smallfry return to the Earth together.

Gameplay

Mechanics

Comparing to the Hero Mode of the previous two games, Return of the Mammalians has a less linear progression similar to the Octo Expansion. Upon entering a mission, O.R.C.A. explains the rule of the level with dialogue and prompts the player to select one of the sets of weapons available. Different sets of weapons may have different Power Eggs rewards. Some missions also cost Power Eggs to play, and/or have special conditions that will cause the player to get splatted if they fail.

The areas in this mode are covered in Fuzzy Ooze, which serves as the obstacle blocking the path to other areas, rather than having the missions locked themselves. The player needs to use the Power Eggs they collect from the missions to clear them and progress.

The map screen in each of the sites tracks how many of each type of item the player has found on the overworld (loot anchors that contain decorations, golden records, Sardinium, and Sunken Scrolls). The map highlights areas with unobtained items to find in green, labeled as Areas of Interest, whereas it marks areas which the player hasn't been to yet with black striped squares labeled Parts Unknown. If the player fully collects all items in a site and goes to every possible part of the map so that there are no longer any black squares, the site becomes marked as "Surveyed". Marie will award the player with a piece of the map of Alterna as a sticker if they survey that site.

Fully surveying all sites causes a Shel-drone to appear. Each day the player can charge this drone by using 999 power eggs. The following day, the drone will send an item to the lobby terminal. These items include cash, ability chunks, and meal tickets, as well as decorations that can only be found in Alterna. This is currently the only way to get duplicates of these decorations. If the Shel-drone doesn't appear after the player surveys every area, they will need to go back to Splatsville, and then Alterna again.

Missions

Prologue: The Crater


Site 1: Future Utopia Island


Site 2: Cozy & Safe Factory


Site 3: Cryogenic Hopetown


Site 4: Landfill Dreamland


Site 5: Eco-Forest Treehills


Site 6: Happiness Research Lab


Finale: Alterna Space Center

Enemies

Regular enemies

This table is sorted by order of appearance. Enemies marked with * are newly introduced in Splatoon 3.

Image Name Description Debut
FuzzyBlobbyOctotrooper.jpg Fuzzy Blobby Octotrooper Octotroopers that ride a different machine resembling a gumball machine. They act and look almost identically to their regular versions but shoot a duo of shots that bounce along the ground. These can deal a lot of damage in numbers but are also susceptible to gravity. No. 1 Octarians in the Crater? YIKES!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octocopter.png Fuzzy Octocopter Flying enemies propelled by their helmets. They hover above the ground and shoot at Agent 3 on sight, but their projectiles and general flying speed are slow, like Octotroopers. No. 3 Boxes Locked! Keys, Please!
RotM render Octotrooper.png Fuzzy Octotrooper The basic grunts of the Octarian army, Octotroopers stand on small machines that allow them to shoot single, very slow ink globules. They have very little health and mobility and so are easily defeated, but may pose a threat in numbers. No. 4 What Are They? Can We Stop Them?!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Shielded Octotrooper.png Fuzzy Shielded Octotrooper Octotroopers with shields in front of their machines. The shield can be destroyed after taking a lot of damage, but their exposed backsides are their weak spots, easily hit after being distracted, such as by Smallfry. Also appears in Octodiver and Twintacle Octotrooper forms. 0101 Get to Know Alterna, Your Only Choice
Squee-G Splatoon 2.jpg Squee-G Although incapable of dealing damage, these very rare small robots serve as nuisances, attaching to walls and automatically sucking up Agent 3's ink. They can sometimes carry items and slow down upon being attacked. 0101 Get to Know Alterna, Your Only Choice
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octopod.png Octopod Small metallic creatures that run around in sneakers. Octopods jump to attention upon seeing the player. Upon reaching them, they explode in Octarian ink, dealing some damage. They can be attacked to be defused. They appear to be Octorpedoes on legs. 0102 Octopods at Rest Tend to FLIP OUT!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Oversized Octopod.png Oversized Octopod* Giant Octopods that move and attack in a similar way to their smaller counterparts. However, they are slower but require much more damage to detonate, having a much larger blast radius as well. 0102 Octopods at Rest Tend to FLIP OUT!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octosniper.png Fuzzy Octosniper Elite enemies that shoot long, thin, and very powerful shots of ink, similar to chargers, while stationed on unmoving platforms. Like charger users, they have an extremely long line of sight but are mostly incapable of close-quarters fighting, while their shots require some time to charge and are marked with a laser line. 0104 Doors, Doors, Doors! And More! (Doors)
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octocommander.png Fuzzy Octocommander Large stationary enemies that are very similar to Octosnipers. They can only rotate in place and use giant splatlings to attack quickly over a large range. However, they take a while to recharge, leaving them wide open. 0104 Doors, Doors, Doors! And More! (Doors)
FuzzyRocketOctocopter.jpg Fuzzy Rocket Octocopter Darker versions of Octocopters that have thrusters attached to their helmets. Although they are no stronger than normal, they can quickly dodge left and right, making them a nuisance to defeat. 0109 The String's the Thing
S3 Tableturf Battle card Amped Octostamp.png Fuzzy Amped Octostamp* Stronger Octostamps that are recognisable by their headphones. They have a cover over their weak point, requiring more damage to break, and send out a damaging shockwave on contact with the ground similar to the Wave Breaker. 0110 Deadly Dance Hall—Jump, Jump!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Twintacle Octotrooper.png Fuzzy Twintacle Octotrooper Stronger Octotroopers with two tentacles. These enemies have better mobility than the normal Octotrooper and greater ink-firing capability, similar to a splatling, but are still easy targets. 0201 Twirling, Swirling, Whirling
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octomissile.png Fuzzy Octomissile Little explosive missiles with a tentacle in the middle. They spawn infinitely and burst with ink on contact, but can be defeated simply by being attacked. 0205 Tread Heavily
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octozeppelin.png Fuzzy Octozeppelin Giant airships themed after Octarians with a single tentacle sticking out the top. They spawn infinitely, using their propellers to spray ink behind them, and are invulnerable apart from their tentacle. 0302 They Said We'd Have Flying Cars, and We Do! Kinda!
FuzzyOctowasher.jpg Octowasher Indestructible spinning torrents of ink that appear as damaging barriers. They deal fatal damage on contact and block shots, meaning they can only be avoided. 0304 Try Curling! Alterna's 11th Most Popular Athleisure Activity!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octohopper.png Fuzzy Octohopper* Bouncing Octotroopers that follow Agent 3 on sight. Although they are as weak as regular Octotroopers, they are persistent and attack with slosher-like ink flings which deal a lot of damage. 0402 Octohoppers Don't Have a Sense of Humor (and They Hate Puns)!
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octoballer.png Fuzzy Octoballer Inky bowling balls populated by Octotroopers that spawn infinitely and leave a trail of ink behind them. They can only be destroyed by attacking the Octotrooper as normal. 0403 Let's Put a Pin in That
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octodisco.png Fuzzy Octodisco* Flying spherical Octarians that look similar to disco balls. Instead of attacking Agent 3, they hover over other enemies and form a shield like the Big Bubbler. In this state, they can only be attacked from above, but the shield breaks if the enemy inside is defeated. 0407 Charge Now, Splat Later
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octoling.png Fuzzy Octoling Octarian variants of Inklings that act as elite forces en masse and can utilise a wide variety of main, sub, and special weapons. Dark-haired Elite Octolings are much harder to defeat and act similarly to human opponents in multiplayer modes. 0411 Stamp 'Em Out
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octostamp.png Fuzzy Octostamp Cuboid, machine-like creatures with inky faces. Although they are not fast, they can leap into the air and face-plant the ground, dealing fatal damage. They can only be defeated from behind, which is exposed by their method of attack. 0411 Stamp 'Em Out
FuzzyRocketTwintacleOctotrooper.jpg Fuzzy Rocket Twintacle Octotrooper Noticeably darker Twintacle Octotroopers. They have the same capabilities as normal Twintacle Octotroopers but with jet thrusters on their machines, making them capable of fast dodges. 0501 Trouble Round Every Corner
S3 Tableturf Battle card Flooder.png Flooder Huge machines on stilts that rain down Octarian ink from under them and move in set patterns. They charge at Agent 3 on sight and can defeat them instantly if not distracted by Smallfry, but their tops also act as platforms that can hold items and other mechanics. Big Flooders are even taller and harder to scale. 0505 A Compulsive Collector's Paradise
FuzzyOctodiver.jpg Fuzzy Octodiver Octotroopers wearing snorkels, which allow them to breathe under their ink. They pop out without warning to attack and can dive to hide like Agent 3. Also appears in Shielded Octotrooper and Twintacle Octotrooper forms. 0508 Making Waves with Splashdowns
S3 Tableturf Battle card Octobomber.png Fuzzy Octobomber Large flying Octarians similar to improved Octocopters. They hover around and shoot Splat Bombs out of their helmets which detonate fatally one second after landing. However, they are large, slow, and unwieldy, making them obvious targets. 0509 Low Viz, High Risk
FuzzyRocketOctobomber.jpg Fuzzy Rocket Octobomber Darker variants of Octobombers that can use the rocket thrusters on their helmets to quickly dodge to the side when being attacked. Their attack pattern has not changed, however. 0509 Low Viz, High Risk
S3 Tableturf Battle card Tentakook.png Fuzzy Tentakook Extremely rare little Octarians that hide important items and give chase on sight. They use their ink-powered rollerskates to cover their tracks and can drop Splat Bombs behind them. They are very fast and can only be caught by swimming in ink. 0611 Don't Tease with the Keys
Splatoon 2 Octorpedo Model.png Octorpedo Missiles filled with Octarian ink fired by Mr. Grizz. Acting like flying Octopods, they home in on Agent 3 and explode, but can be easily shot down. However, amongst the rest of the boss battle, they can serve as major distractions. Rocket S3 Icon Boss Black.svg 1 The Ursine Anomaly - #03

Bosses

Image Name Description Debut
Splatoon 3 Octobot L3.Gs.png DJ Octavio and the Octobot King L3.Gs The leader of the Octarians in his signature machine, now with added legs and new attacks to make up for no longer being powered by the Great Zapfish. Like in previous appearances, Octavio attacks with a variety of fist attacks which must be avoided or shot back to damage him. In later phases, he utilises Ink Vac and Wave Breaker attacks as well. Crater S3 Icon Boss Black.svg Octobot King L3.Gs
RotM Frye boss intro.png Frye* and moray eels The first member of Deep Cut. She rides on the remains of the Octostomp out of range and attacks by shooting dozens of moray eels at Agent 3, which must be avoided or shot back to damage her. When stunned, the player must scale the Octostomp to damage her directly, after which she adds a variety of extra eel attacks to her move set. 02 S3 Icon Boss Black.svg The Future Stares Back
RotM Shiver boss intro.png Shiver and Master Mega* The second member of Deep Cut and her shark, which she rides mostly out of range of attack. Although they can be damaged while circling the arena, it is easiest to attack Master Mega when it charges onto the arena like the Reefslider, at which point Shiver can be attacked directly. In later phases, they jump between ink tornadoes around the arena and attack much faster. 04 S3 Icon Boss Black.svg The Pursuit of the Precious
RotM Big Man boss intro.png Big Man* The third and final member of Deep Cut. He transforms into a shadow and floats around the arena, leaving ink behind. When attacked, the shadow splits into smaller ones which attack with various bomb blasts. The real Big Man shadow is identified through the Squid Sensor, whereas fake ones explode. In later phases, the shadows attack faster and with more bomb types. 06 S3 Icon Boss Black.svg The Obscurest Chiaroscurist
Mr. Grizz.png Mr. Grizz* He is Ursine Anomaly #3 and CEO of Grizzco Industries who has harvested Golden Eggs and stolen the Great Zapfish in order to return mammals to the world through his Fuzzy Ooze. Agent 3 must dodge his many attacks and clear Fuzzy Ooze with Smallfry to be able to attack Grizz directly, after which he intensifies his attacks. In the second half of the battle, Agent 3 must work with DJ Octavio to use the Octobot King L3.Gs' Ink Vac and absorb and shoot out the Fuzzballs on Grizz's body within 3 minutes and 33 seconds, all while avoiding space debris. Rocket S3 Icon Boss Black.svg 1 The Ursine Anomaly - #03

Quotes

SRL historian here with a pro tip. Want to learn about the weird world of Alterna AND brush up your skills with all kinds of weapons and varied terrain? Check out Story Mode! Just follow the strange old man into the Splatsville sewer to get started. Wow, new sentence.

Another Story Mode tip: most stages allow you to choose from multiple weapon loadouts. So you can sharpen your skills AND take advantage of a weapon's particular strengths to survive. That said, sometimes you'll have nothing to rely on but your wits... and maybe a Zipcaster.

— @SplatoonNA on Twitter[1][2]
It's not all multiplayer mayhem in #Splatoon3, you know? Dozens of single-player stages filled with unique tricks, tests and... hairy Octarians await in Story Mode.
— @NintendoEurope on Twitter[3]

Badges

Main article: Badge#Story Mode

Doing certain things in Return of the Mammalians will reward the player with special badges that they can use on their Splashtag.

Return of the Mammalians Badges
S3 Badge DJ Octavio.png DJ Octavio Defeated! Defeat the Octobot King L3.Gs in the Crater
S3 Badge Cuttlefish.png Story Mode Cleared! Complete the Alterna Space Center sequence
S3 Badge Callie.png Max Hero Level Achieved! Collect the maximum of 99 Upgrade Points
S3 Badge Marie.png Max Hero Level Achieved!
S3 Badge Mr. Grizz.png Secret Kettle Found and Cleared! Unlock and clear After Alterna

Music

Area Fictional Band Song Name Audio
The Crater
S3 Tutorial & Crater cover art.png
The Crater
S2 Band Turquoise October.png
Turquoise October
Crater Eighters Routine
Mission Clear! (The Crater)
S Band DJ Octavio.png
DJ Octavio
I'm Octavio (F34RME Remix)
Future Utopia Island (Square).png
Future Utopia Island
S3 Band Stars in the Deep.png
Stars in the Deep
Sandcastles (Phase 1)
Sandcastles (Phase 2)
Sandcastles (Phase 3)
Sandcastles
Cozy & Safe Factory (Square).png
Cozy & Safe Factory
S3 Band Mimicry.png
Mimicry
Sudden Depth (Phase 1)
Sudden Depth (Phase 2)
Sudden Depth (Phase 3)
Sudden Depth
Cryogenic Hopetown (Square).png
Cryogenic Hopetown
S3 Band Wash Out.png
Wash Out
Two Shadows in the Sun (Phase 1)
Two Shadows in the Sun (Phase 2)
Two Shadows in the Sun (Phase 3)
Two Shadows in the Sun
Landfill Dreamland (Square).png
Landfill Dreamland
S3 Band Firefly.png
Firefly
Dead Sea (Phase 1)
Dead Sea (Phase 2)
Dead Sea (Phase 3)
Dead Sea
Eco-Forest Treehills (Square).png
Eco-Forest Treehills
S3 Band On the Clock.png
On the Clock
Whirlpool Tune (Phase 1)
Whirlpool Tune (Phase 2)
Whirlpool Tune (Phase 3)
Whirlpool Tune
Happiness Research Lab (Square).png
Happiness Research Lab
S3 Band Anxiety Society.png
Anxiety Society
Hyper Diver (Phase 1)
Hyper Diver (Phase 2)
Hyper Diver (Phase 3)
Hyper Diver
Squid Sisters' Camp
S3 Alterna cover art.png
Meeting the New Squidbeak Splatoon
Level Entrance

(Kettles)

N/A Alterna Shimin Program M-01: Standard Course (Asagiri no Kaigansen)
Alterna Shimin Program M-02: Challenge Course (Yūgure no Ofushoa)
Alterna Shimin Program M-00: Init (Test Noise)
Alterna Shimin Program M-??: mY dEAR
Alterna Levels
Octoplush.png
Octoplush
Nine Out of Tension
Underwater Neon
Flop to It
Smoke and Mirrors
Ride or Fry
With Flying Colors
Seep & Destroy
Marine Machines
#35 caught
Don't Flinch
N/A Mission Complete! (Alterna)
Future Utopia Island,

Boss Levels, Alterna Space Center

S3 Band Deep Cut.png
Deep Cut
Deep Cut's Theme
Boss Levels Surprise and Shine (Phase 1)
Surprise and Shine (Phase 2)
Surprise and Shine
N/A Treasure Obtained
Future Utopia Island Cutscene: Building the Treasure
Alterna Space Center Rocket Intermission 1
Rocket Intermission 2
Rocket Intermission 3
Rocket Intermission 4
Rocket Intermission 5
Octoplush.png
Octoplush
In Filtration
S3 Band Deep Cut.png
Deep Cut
Hide and Sleek
Smeared Canvas
Smeared Canvas (First Class)
N/A Mr. Grizz Appears Cutscene
Cap'n Cuttlefish Theme (Dry)
Deep Cut's Assistance Cutscene
The Ursine Anomaly - #03 (Space)
S3 Band Grizzco Industries.png
Grizzco
Bear with Me (Phase 1)
Bear with Me (Phase 2)
Bear with Me (Phase 3)
S3 Band Deep Cut x Squid Sisters.png
Deep Cut x Squid Sisters
Calamari Inkantation 3MIX
N/A Kyodai na Kedama
End Credits
S3 Band Squid Sisters.png
Squid Sisters
Wave Goodbye

Gallery

Artwork

Promotional images

Other

Screenshots

Similarities with Octo Expansion

Return of the Mammalians bears multiple similarities to Octo Expansion. Both stages share their name with a playable game mode within their respective Splatoon game.

Story Mode Progression

  • The player can choose between different non-Hero weapons.
  • Both modes have a similar interface, a variety of mission conditions and heightened freedom as opposed to the previous two Story Modes' linear progression.
  • Both modes have a form of currency
    • Mammalians has Power Eggs.
    • Octo Expansion has CQ Points.
    • Use of in-game currency is required to unlock or attempt missions, progressing the campaign.
  • In Mammalians, Power Eggs are also used to clear Fuzzy Ooze that block the way.
  • Both modes have a key NPC that guides the player throughout an area or splats them if they fail certain objectives (such as running out of ink or time).
  • Both modes are underground, far below the sea level of Earth.

Final Stage

In both Octo Expansion and Return of the Mammalians, the player must face a continuous final stage before attempting to face the final boss of each campaign. The start of both stages remove the player's weapons and requires the player to re-equip their gear along the way. Both stages also feature an "unlimited use" section that allows special weapon use without losing special power.

Return of the Mammalians

The final stage in Mammalians is the Alterna Space Center with the inital Alterna Space Center: Entrance starting the player with no gear.

The section for unlimited special weapon use is The Spirit Lifter: First Class with Zipcaster as the weapon.

Octo Expansion

The final stage in Octo Expansion is Deepsea Metro Escape with the initial areas of Coccyx Phase and Villi Phase starting the player with no gear.

The section for unlimited special weapon use is Diaphragm Phase with Inkjet as the weapon.

Penultimate Missions

Both of these sequences feature two songs written by the game's main idol group.

The penultimate mission uses different music for each section: the first playing a modified version of the enemy's theme, and the second play's the idol's theme.

In both final missions, the successful final attack grows so powerful that the attack damages the game UI in some way.

In both final missions, being splatted or running out of time will show an additional cutscene of the world being destroyed before showing the 'Continue?' screen.

Return of the Mammalians

The first mission is The Ursine Anomaly - #03, using Bear with Me as the theme.

The final mission is Return of the Mammalian (mission) , using Calamari Inkantation 3MIX as the theme. DJ Octavio's Ink Vac destroys the game UI as the attack power increases.

Octo Expansion

The first mission is Sanitized Agent 3 using Splattack! (Octo) as the the theme.

The final mission is Turf War (Octo Expansion) using Fly Octo Fly ~ Ebb & Flow (Octo) as the theme. Pearl's Princess Cannon destroys the game UI as the attack power increases.

Changes after completing the mode

After the player completes Return of the Mammalians, the following changes occur:

  • The Great Zapfish can be seen in Splatsville.
  • Li'l Judd starts to wear a headset.
  • Deep Cut in Splatsville and the Squid Sisters in Inkopolis Plaza both have more enthusiastic animations when the player zooms in on them in their studios.
  • The statue used by Mr. Grizz in Grizzco buildings changes from a bear eating a fish to a large fish eating a miniature bear, though his dialogue icon remains the same. The original Mr. Grizz statue appears in Alterna behind the Squid Sisters Camp, and can be interacted with to replay the final Alterna Space Center section or watch the credits again via memories.
  • Cuttlefish, in his dried-up form, joins the Squid Sisters and the Captain at the Squid Sisters Camp, where he can be spoken to.
  • The Spirit Lifter in Alterna is replaced by a near-identical rocket that is blue rather than orange.
  • If the player has fully surveyed all of Alterna by visiting all of the space on the map, the Shel-drone appears on the platform near the Squid Sisters Camp.
  • If the player has completed every level in Alterna, the secret kettle for After Alterna appears at the spot where the player first arrived in Alterna.

Trivia

  • Return of the Mammalians is the first single-player mode in the Splatoon series:
    • to not have "Octo" in its title.
    • to not feature any levels based on multiplayer stages.
    • to not feature multiple levels focused on Octolings, and to not introduce the Octolings via a mini-cutscene.
  • Return of the Mammalians is the only single-player mode in the Splatoon series in which the player can play as either an Inkling or an Octoling, without being restricted to one or the other.
    • Cuttlefish's quotes about Octarians and squid references do not change when the player is an Octoling.
  • Agent 3 has two styles of the Hero Suit. A post on Nintendo's official website hinted that they are "each suited to different situations".[4]
    • In-game, the torn down version is a "standard" form while the other is part of the upgradable Hero set.
  • Many mysterious sounds can be heard in Alterna, but are hard to hear and are distorted. This ambient noise includes announcement messages sent over a loudspeaker system to the Alterna Space Center, with various notification sounds and human speech in English reporting on the status of the rocket launch.
  • The Booyah Bomb and Tacticooler special weapons are the only ones in the game that were available at the game's launch to not appear in any way in Return of the Mammalians. Big Bubbler, while not available for use by the player, is used by Octolings in the final section of After Alterna.
  • Before Version 1.1.1, if the player closed the game or entered sleep mode during Deep Cut's news broadcast directly after beating the final boss, they would be forced to replay the entire final section due to a glitch.
  • As level progression in Return of the Mammalians is linked to collecting Power Eggs rather than completing levels, the ending can be reached by completing a minimum of 15 levels (the five Crater levels, the three Deep Cut bosses, and the seven stages in the final Alterna Space Center sequence). This is the fewest required levels of any single-player mode in the series, with one fewer than the Octo Expansion.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese 哺乳類の帰還
honyūrui no kikan
Return of the Mammals
Netherlands Dutch Terugkeer van de Mammalianen Return of the Mammalians
CanadaFrance French Le retour des mammifériens The return of the Mammalians
Germany German Rückkehr der Mammalianer Return of the Mammalians
Russia Russian Возвращение молокоедов
Vozvrashcheniye molokoyedov
The return of the milk eaters
China Chinese (Simplified) 哺乳类的回归
Bǔrǔlèi de huíguī
Return of the Mammals
Hong Kong Chinese (Traditional) 哺乳類的回歸
Bǔrǔlèi de huíguī
Return of the Mammals
South Korea Korean 포유류의 귀환
poyuryu-ui gwihwan
Return of the Mammals

External links

References