Side Order

From Inkipedia, the Splatoon wiki

Side Order
SO Key art Horizontal.jpg
Type Single-player campaign[1]
Players 1
Ranked
Weapons Order Weapons & Octo Shot
Various Sub Weapons
Various Special Weapons
Controllers Nintendo Switch Joy-Con with grip.png Joy-Con
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.png Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Release Date 22 February 2024[2][3]

Side Order is a single-player mode in Splatoon 3. It is the second wave of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass paid downloadable content. It was revealed through a teaser trailer during the February 2023 Nintendo Direct and released on 22 February 2024. The mode is designed to be highly replayable.[4][5]

Release history

During the Splatoon 3 Direct on 10 August 2022, large-scale paid downloadable content involving Off the Hook was announced to arrive in a later Splatoon 3 update. A Tweet was put out by Nintendo of Europe the same day reiterating Off the Hook's association with the DLC.

During the 8 February 2023 Direct, Side Order was revealed as Wave 2 of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass, without a release date. The teaser trailer features Agent 8 in a bleached-out version of Inkopolis Square. Shortly after the Direct, some brief information about Side Order was listed on official Nintendo websites detailing the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass.

A longer gameplay trailer was shown during the 14 September 2023 Nintendo Direct, in which the Octoling player character seen in the teaser trailer was confirmed for the first time to be the Octo Expansion's Agent 8; additionally, Pearl and Acht were revealed as major supporting characters. The mode's Floor progression system and Palette skill tree system were briefly demonstrated. After the trailer was shown, the Spire of Order's name was revealed, and the mode's release date was stated as Spring 2024 at the earliest.

The same day as the trailer's release, an official Japanese website went online.

On 21 November 2023, an online version of the winter issue of the Japanese Nintendo Magazine was made available for free; pages 42-43 of this issue cover Side Order. An English language version of the issue is also available, though its translation is noted to possibly differ from official localization choices, as the magazine is not intended for the international market.

On 24 January 2024, Nintendo social media accounts posted a release date trailer for the DLC, which was shown to be 22 February 2024. It also revealed the vertical artwork for the DLC, similar to past artworks revealed for the series' other campaigns.

On 13 February 2024, Nintendo posted a longer overview trailer, containing extended new gameplay footage accompanied by a voiceover. On the same day, a Fresh Season 2024 trailer was released, which included a short Side Order teaser at the end. The Japanese website was also updated.

At an unknown time before the 13 February 2024 trailer's release, Nintendo invited journalists to play Side Order early at Nintendo headquarters locations in San Francisco and London for ninety minutes to two hours depending on the location.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] These reviewers subsequently released reviews for the mode immediately upon the overview trailer's release. Participants of the early access demo include Splatoon community content creator ThatSrb2DUDE as well as journalists writing for Gamespot, Video Games Chronicle, The Mercury News and Nintendo Life. Early reviewers claim Nintendo accommodated all travel expenses, though they were not allowed to record their own footage of the demo event. Within the reviews, the mode was noted as fun, difficult, and frenetic, often compared to Salmon Run Next Wave or the roguelite genre.

All promotional material leading up to Side Order's release notably excluded Marina in order to not reveal her role in the mode's story.

Trailers

Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass: Wave 2: Side Order teaser trailer

A teaser trailer revealing Side Order was shown in the latter half of the Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass trailer shown in the February 2023 Nintendo Direct. The teaser trailer opens with a slow pan across a dull, stark white version of Inkopolis Square from Splatoon 2, slowly focusing on Agent 8, who is wearing new gear. This altered version of Inkopolis Square features presumed dead or bleached coral; Deca Tower has been replaced with the Spire of Order. A swarm of fish-like objects "swim" around Agent 8 towards the end of the clip shown.

Throughout the trailer, various cryptic static images and short video clips briefly flicker on-screen; the images primarily depict Agent 8 in strange bright white locations, as well as Off the Hook, while the clips seemingly depict biological components such as cells, blood, and organs.

A dull, slightly out-of-tune music box melody with steady electronic percussion accompanies the teaser trailer, which slowly grows more intense; towards the end, someone can be heard speaking.

Side Order trailer

A second Side Order trailer which focused on gameplay was shown in the September 2023 Nintendo Direct. The trailer opens with Agent 8 in an updated version of the dull, stark white version of Inkopolis Square alongside the Pearl Drone, a drone resembling Pearl, as the same out-of-tune music box melody featured in the first trailer plays.

Agent 8 is shown descending into an unknown Floor via a grappling attachment on the Pearl Drone. The Pearl Drone, Agent 8's equipment, and Jelletons are revealed, then gameplay footage of Agent 8 in combat with Jelletons is shown. The Jelletons are seen spawning from portals.

Cutscene footage of Agent 8 and Pearl encountering Acht in an elevator is then shown; within it, Acht introduces themself as an old friend of Marina's. The Floor Selection and Palette screens are shown, then Agent 8 enters the Exposed Winding Floor. Gameplay footage of several different Floors is shown in quick succession, then the trailer abruptly cuts to a clip of Agent 8's octopus ghost entering a crystalized shell resembling their form, respawning into a Floor. After a cut to black, Agent 8 is shown running in slow motion alongside the Pearl Drone towards Asynchronous Rondo. After another cut to black, the mode's title is shown with glitch and black coral effects.

Throughout the trailer, various scenes depict the Spire of Order's Floors seemingly spontaneously generating with a Matrix-style code effect. Many Floors shown appear to have blocky, black holes in their walls reminiscent of a greeble effect. Additionally, armor pickups and canned specials can be spotted within certain Floors.

Agent 8's ink color is significantly paler compared to the previous trailer; their ink color tint appears to change between clips, being affected by different color chips. Their gear appears at various stage of upgrade throughout the trailer; the seemingly well-upgraded version includes thin, bright, hologram-like extensions on their Dualies, as well as an eyepiece similar to the See-an-Enemy HUD.

The trailer opens with the same musical box tune heard in the teaser trailer, then cuts to a slow-paced electronic glitch song with prominent industrial percussion called rout1nes. Midway, the song swaps for a more intense electronic song, that being demoli2h. Then at the end, the music transitions into a slow, echoed version of Spectrum Obligato.

Release date trailer

The key artwork of Splatoon 3: Side Order.

A third Side Order trailer revealing the mode's release date as well as new key artwork was posted to Twitter and YouTube on 24 January 2024.

The trailer opens with the train cutscene seen in Splatoon 3's tutorial; the player's character is instead listening to Muck Warfare (rather than Anarchy Rainbow) alongside a sleeping Smallfry and other passengers. As the player dozes off, the music becomes more and more distorted, accompanied by glitch effects. The yellow Matrix-style code seen in the second trailer slowly fills the screen.

The scene cuts to what is presumably Agent 8's point of view upon waking in the Order Sector version of Inkopolis Square. Pearl calls out to wake them, as the Square is seemingly generated on the spot by the yellow code effect. The glitch effects seen in the previous scene intermittently appear. The music box theme from the previous trailers plays as someone can be heard speaking, similar to the first trailer's ending.

The trailer then cuts to the campaign's key artwork, which unfolds from the upper section, gradually descending to the lower portion: at the zenith, Marina and Pearl (in her Inkling form) are displayed, alongside Parallel Canon. The middle segment showcases Jelletons circling Asynchronous Rondo, with Pinging Marciale directly below it, as well as Acht and Cipher. The lower segment highlights Agent 8 and the Pearl Drone. During the descent, the 22 February 2024 release date slowly fades in.

Overview trailer

A fourth Side Order trailer showing an overview of the gameplay was posted to Twitter[15] and YouTube on 13 February 2024.

The trailer features a voiceover explaining the mode's basic gameplay loop, which consists of Floor selection, Color chip enhancement, and Objective completion.

New Floor objective types, Jelleton types, bosses, Color chips, and available weapons were revealed in this trailer. Additionally, the Membux and Prlz currencies were introduced.

At the end of the trailer, various footage of Side Order gameplay and cutscenes is shown, along with the announcement of replica gear and main weapons that can be used in multiplayer battles.

Fresh Season 2024 teaser

A brief teaser for Side Order was shown after the fake-out ending in the Fresh Season 2024 trailer posted to Twitter[16] and YouTube.

The teaser is a fast-paced montage of new Floor and boss gameplay footage, cutscenes, close-ups of stage details, and a brief look at a customization screen for Agent 8. Most notably, it briefly shows Pearl in her regular Inkling form speaking, as well as Acht at their DJ table.

Story

Agent 8 has been unexpectedly transported to the Order Sector, a mysterious world that is built out of its own unique rules.[17] Agent 8 wakes up to find what appears to be Inkopolis Square, suddenly drained of color and uninhabited.[5] They are challenged to ascend the Spire of Order, a tower that changes floor structure each time it's entered, which has mysteriously replaced Deca Tower, as "something wants to make the entire world orderly".[11] Pearl, having been transformed into[17] a drone called the Pearl Drone, accompanies Agent 8 and assists them in combat.

Acht, also known as Dedf1sh, has "wandered into" the Order Sector,[17] and appears to travel between Floors alongside Agent 8 inside an elevator within the Spire of Order.

After freeing Marina from a machine in the Spire, Agent 8 and Pearl are confronted by a being calling itself Order. They are booted out of the Spire after it declares its goal to establish a world of pure order. When they end up back in the Order Sector, Marina reveals that it is in fact part of a prototype virtual reality system she designed called the Memverse, which was originally intended to reverse the sanitizing process. After Order seized control of the Memverse, it began forcibly connecting people to the system to begin building a world of perfect order where independent thought does not exist. By "grayscaling" its victims, it will eventually be able to impose its ideal world upon reality.

Gameplay

The mode's missions take place in the Spire of Order's many different Floors; the Spire contains thirty Floors total, where a boss is encountered every ten floors.[12] Players can unlock different main weapons, which are assigned to individual Palettes. Palettes are unlocked by obtaining Keys dropped by bosses on the 10th, 20th, and 30th floors, and using them to open the Lockers in the Memverse version of Inkopolis Square.

While the Locker cubbies containing Palettes are set (which are indicated by pulsing rings around them), the exact contents is randomized, so individual players may unlock specific Palettes earlier or later than others.

Before each Floor begins, the player may select one of three objectives to complete; harder objectives yield greater rewards. After selecting a floor, the player is given Color chips. The color chips provide many different enhancements, some of which are similar to gear abilities, like Ink Saver (Main) or Run Speed Up. By default, the Pearl Drone can scout sight enemies, glide with Agent 8, and activate the Step-Off Song after collecting three Disc Pieces. All of her other abilities are unlockable,[12] which means her aid will be limited without the collection of color chip type Drone Drone color chips.

Clearing Floors rewards the player with Membux, which can be used as a currency on Floors containing vending machines.[11] However, if the player loses all their lives, they will lose all their Color chips and must restart from the first Floor. When this happens, the accumulated Color chips and Membux will be converted into Prlz, which can be used to buy permanent upgrades via Marina in the Square[13] that will subsequently apply to all future runs through the Spire.

Permanent Upgrades

Main article: Marina's Hacks
Menu for obtaining upgrades with Prlz

Permanent upgrades can be purchased with Prlz via Marina hacking them into effect, and will aid the player in reaching the top of the Spire.

Mechanics

Each Palette (excluding Eight's Palette) can unlock up to three SO Icon Key.png keys used to unlock various rewards by using them on the lockers located near the entrance of the Spire of Order.

Characters

  • SO Icon Agent 8.png Agent 8 - Octoling - The playable character.
  • SO Icon Pearl Drone.png Pearl - Drone (Inkling) - A member of Off the Hook who accompanies Agent 8.
  • SO Icon Marina.png Marina - Octoling - A member of Off the Hook who supports Agent 8 and creator of the Memverse.
  • SO Icon Acht.png Acht - Octoling (Sanitized) - A musician who meets Agent 8 and Pearl in the Spire of Order.
  • SO Icon Cipher.png Cipher - Owner of a stall named Cipher's Siftings. Sells items which can be bought with Prlz.
  • SO Icon Order.png Order - A rogue AI who made the Spire of Order after being created by Marina.
  • Various citizens of the Order Sector

Floors

Main article: Floor

Rewards

Over the course of Side Order, it is possible to unlock replicas of the weapons and gear used throughout the mode.

Additionally, clearing Side Order for the first time unlocks Inkopolis Square for the player character to traverse to.

Badges

Badges can be obtained by completing certain objectives in Side Order. An example are the color chip badges, which can be obtained by collecting the data for all of the color chips of the same tone. A list of badges from Side Order and how to obtain them can be found below.

Image In-game description How to obtain
S3 Badge Pearl.pngS3 Badge Marina.png Cleared the Initial Spire Defeat Marina Agitando in the Spire of Order
S3 Badge Acht.png Cleared Side Order Defeat Overlorder in the Spire of Order
S3 Badge Pearl Drone.png Cleared the Spire of Order with Every Palette Defeat Overlorder in the Spire of Order with every Palette
S3 Badge Cipher.png Bought Everything from Cipher's Siftings Buy every item from Cipher's Siftings
S3 Badge Low Hacks.png Cleared the Spire of Order with the Low-Hacks Eight's Palette Defeat Overlorder in the Spire of Order with Eight's Palette
with 6 hacks or fewer excluding Risky Rewards.
S3 Badge Power Chip A.png S3 Badge Power Chip B.png S3 Badge Power Chip C.png Collected Data for All Color Chips of the Same Tone Unlock all extra Collection information for all chips in a group
(indicated by a line in the Collection screen and three lit up lines above the chip) by equipping
5 copies of a given chip in your Palette during one run.

Unique chips (unstackable) only need to be acquired once.

S3 Badge Support Chip A.png S3 Badge Support Chip B.png S3 Badge Support Chip C.png
S3 Badge Range Chip A.png S3 Badge Range Chip B.png S3 Badge Range Chip C.png
S3 Badge Mobility Chip A.png S3 Badge Mobility Chip B.png S3 Badge Mobility Chip C.png
S3 Badge Lucky Chip A.png S3 Badge Lucky Chip B.png S3 Badge Lucky Chip C.png
S3 Badge Drone Chip A.png S3 Badge Drone Chip B.png S3 Badge Drone Chip C.png


Lockers

The Lockers, located in plain sight of spawning distance, hold various rewards, used both within Side Order and in multiplayer.

Within the Lockers are Palettes which are weapon sets to be used to climb the Spire of Order, entries of Marina's Dev Diary which serve as the Sunken Scrolls of Side Order with each entries' backgrounds becoming locker stickers once read, Prlz to spend on Marina's hacks or Cipher's wares, and even splashtag banners.

To access the Lockers, players need Keys, which can only be earned by defeating the bosses found on the 10th, 20th, and 30th floors for the first time with any given weapon (barring Eight's Palette, which instead gives the final three Dev Diary entires). Completing a run with any given Palette unlocks replica versions of that weapon for multiplayer battle usage.

Locker Number Reward Image Details
1 Marina's Dev Diary 01 SO Dev Diary 1.png
2 Banner S3 Side Order Locker Banner 1.png
3 Agent 4's Palette
4 Random Palette
5 Random Palette
6 Marina's Dev Diary 02 SO Dev Diary 2.png
7 Random Palette
8 30 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
9 Random Palette
10 Marina's Dev Diary 03 SO Dev Diary 3.png
11 Random Palette
12 40 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
13 Marina's Dev Diary 04 SO Dev Diary 4.png
14 Random Palette
15 30 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
16 Marina's Dev Diary 05 SO Dev Diary 5.png
17 Random Palette
18 50 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
19 Marina's Dev Diary 06 SO Dev Diary 6.png
20 40 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
21 Random Palette
22 Marina's Dev Diary 07 SO Dev Diary 7.png
23 50 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
24 Marina's Dev Diary 08 SO Dev Diary 8.png
25 40 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
26 Banner S3 Side Order Locker Banner 2.png
27 Marina's Dev Diary 09 SO Dev Diary 9.png
28 50 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
29 Marina's Dev Diary 10 SO Dev Diary 10.png
30 60 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
31 Marina's Dev Diary 11 SO Dev Diary 11.png
32 60 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
33 Marina's Dev Diary 12 SO Dev Diary 12.png
34 100 Prlz SO Prlz artwork.png
35 Banner S3 Side Order Locker Banner 3.png
36 Eight's Palette
Rewards from Eight's Palette:
10F Acht's Letter 1 SO Dev Diary 13.png
20F Acht's Letter 2 SO Dev Diary 14.png
30F Acht's Letter 3 SO Dev Diary 15.png

Cipher's Siftings

Cipher at Cipher's Siftings (English)

Cipher's Siftings is a shop found within the Order Sector run by the enigmatic Cipher, located in the corner where the Tableturf Battle Dojo is located in the actual Inkopolis Square.

Items available for purchase in the store include locker decorations, locker stickers, splashtag banners, and gear in exchange for Prlz.[18]

Cipher only appears after clearing Side Order for the first time. Additionally, Cipher's wares expand for every three locker keys that Agent 8 collects, with its full selection unlocked with all 36 keys.

Decorations

Main article: List of locker decorations in Splatoon 3#Cipher's Siftings
Name Cost
S3 Decoration Marching Andante.png
Marching Andante
Prlzs 10
S3 Decoration Swarming Languendo.png
Swarming Languendo
Prlzs 10
S3 Decoration Battering Lento.png
Battering Lento
Prlzs 10
S3 Decoration celebratory pancakes.png
celebratory pancakes
Prlzs 10
S3 Decoration Panicking Alla Mambo.png
Panicking Alla Mambo
Prlzs 20
S3 Decoration Drizzling Capriccioso.png
Drizzling Capriccioso
Prlzs 20
S3 Decoration puzzle with missing piece.png
puzzle with missing piece
Prlzs 20
S3 Decoration memorable picture book.png
memorable picture book
Prlzs 20
S3 Decoration Whirling Accelerando.png
Whirling Accelerando
Prlzs 30
S3 Decoration Springing Spiccato.png
Springing Spiccato
Prlzs 30
S3 Decoration dead-C toy piano.png
dead-C toy piano
Prlzs 30
S3 Decoration nostalgic mobile.png
nostalgic mobile
Prlzs 30
S3 Decoration Spawning Accordo.png
Spawning Accordo
Prlzs 50
S3 Decoration Homing Arpeggio.png
Homing Arpeggio
Prlzs 50
S3 Decoration inseparable anglerfish.png
inseparable anglerfish
Prlzs 50
S3 Decoration Towering Nobilmente.png
Towering Nobilmente
Prlzs 100
S3 Decoration Gushing Trionfale.png
Gushing Trionfale
Prlzs 100
S3 Decoration beloved toy.png
beloved toy
Prlzs 100

Stickers

Main article: List of locker stickers in Splatoon 3#Order Sector
Name Cost
S3 Sticker dream tapestry 01.png
dream tapestry 01
Prlzs 15
S3 Sticker dream tapestry 02.png
dream tapestry 02
Prlzs 15
S3 Sticker dream tapestry 03.png
dream tapestry 03
Prlzs 15
S3 Sticker dream tapestry 04.png
dream tapestry 04
Prlzs 15
S3 Sticker dream tapestry 05.png
dream tapestry 05
Prlzs 15
S3 Sticker Marina Order graffiti.png
Marina Order graffiti
Prlzs 20
S3 Sticker Pearl Order graffiti.png
Pearl Order graffiti
Prlzs 20
S3 Sticker Callie Order graffiti.png
Callie Order graffiti
Prlzs 20
S3 Sticker Marie Order graffiti.png
Marie Order graffiti
Prlzs 20
S3 Sticker pixel Big Man.png
pixel Big Man
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Frye.png
pixel Frye
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Shiver.png
pixel Shiver
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Marie.png
pixel Marie
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Callie.png
pixel Callie
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Sheldon.png
pixel Sheldon
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Pearl.png
pixel Pearl
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Marina.png
pixel Marina
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Eight.png
pixel Eight
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Agent 4.png
pixel Agent 4
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel DJ Octavio.png
pixel DJ Octavio
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker pixel Murch.png
pixel Murch
Prlzs 30
S3 Sticker Jelleton sticker.png
Jelleton sticker
Prlzs 50
S3 Sticker Pearl wallpaper.png
Pearl wallpaper
Prlzs 100

Banners

Main article: Banner#Cipher's Siftings banners
Image Details Cost
S3 Banner 861.png Prlzs 200
S3 Banner 862.png Prlzs 200
S3 Banner 863.png Prlzs 200
S3 Banner 864.png Prlzs 200

Gear

Image Details Cost
S3 Gear Headgear Order Regulator Replica.png
Order Regulator Replica
Prlzs 333
S3 Gear Headgear Controller VM.png
Controller VM
Prlzs 333
S3 Gear Headgear Parallel Mask.png
Parallel Mask
Prlzs 333
S3 Gear Headgear Pearl Plushie.png
Pearl Plushie
Prlzs 888

Today's Find

After purchasing all available items, players can use 100 Prlz once per day to receive one of the following rewards from the terminal: [19]

Reward Chance
1 Locker Figure 35%
1 Locker Sticker 35%
S3 Ticket Food Random.png 1 Food Ticket 10%
S2 Icon Ability Chunk Generic.png 5 Random Ability Chunks 10%
S3 Icon Cash.png 30000 10%

Receiving decorations via this method is the only way to receive duplicates of decorations obtained in Side Order. A total of 4042 Prlz must be spent to unlock this function.

Music

Side Order's music is very different than the music of the main game.

Part of Side Order's music is based on or made by Off the Hook, as the DLC's main plot revolves around their music group. Songs like Spectrum Obligato ~ Ebb & Flow (Out of Order) and Short Order show a heavy emphasis on the duo. Marina also produces a new solo called Unconscience, played during the Marina Agitando boss battle.

In addition, Acht (a.k.a. Dedf1sh) has a heavy musical influence, with some of their songs from Octo Expansion influencing songs in Side Order, like #0.1 style being a remix of #0 shell and #12.2 awakened being a remix of #12 awake.

The other type of music in the campaign is made by a group called Free Association and is used in the campaign's levels. For normal levels, different songs play based on the objective of the level and area of the floor within the spire. Songs can be grouped by objective, using different names ("demolish", "jesting", "routines", "souvenir", and "jitters"), or by area, using numbers to replace letters in the titles (either a 1, 2, or 3), reflecting intensity. Songs using a 1 play in the first ten floors of the spire, songs using a 2 play in the second ten, and songs using a 3 play in the last 10. Each of the five types of music have their own style and select instruments.

  • Songs using demolish in the title (demol1sh, demoli2h, d3molish) play on portal destruction floors. These songs have very heavy, strong bass parts and are generally accompanied by synth background melodies. They keep a steady pulse as well.
  • Songs using jesting in the title (jest1ng, je2ting, j3sting) play on enemy pursuit floors. These songs mainly feature several fast groupings of notes, usually happening at the same time. The notes are very unpredictable, and each song features various sudden rhythm and melodic changes. This alludes to the unpredictability of the Panicking Alla Mambo, the enemy Agent 8 must chase in this game mode.
  • Songs using routines in the title (rout1nes, routine2, routin3s) play on "Protect the zone!" floors. These songs are generally characterized by heavy layers of percussion and rhythmic lines, as well as various background melodies from synths. These songs also feature a sound effect which resembles a piece of metal clanging into an object.
  • Songs using souvenir in the title (souven1r, 2ouvenir, souv3nir) play on ∞-ball floors. These songs are often the simplest of the five types, and normally feature very airy and light melodies and layers. "Nostalgic" chords play in the background, while mellowed synths play a simple melody. Every so often, the track will randomly change to a small, differing clip of music from what was previously played, then return to the original melody. This is likely meant to resemble a memory flashback, alluding to either the name of the song ("souvenir" meaning "to remember" in French), to the Memverse and Marina's project to restore memories, or Agent 8's memories of 8-ball levels from Octo Expansion, as the two are quite similar.
  • Songs using jitters in the title (j1tters, jitter2, jitt3rs) play on turbine tower floors. These songs are recognizable based on their short and frenzied piano excerpts, played at seemingly random times in the piece. The songs also feature dissonant background melodies and melodic elements. This alludes to the name of the song, matching the feeling of restlessness and angst that the name implies.

Different music plays on boss levels, also made by Free Association.

Area Fictional Band Song Name Audio
Player Settings
S2 Band Dedf1sh.jpg
Dedf1sh
#0.1 style
Elevator #12.2 awakened
Order Sector
S3 Side Order cover art.png
Leaving with Pearl
Origin of Order
10F (first climb)
S3 Band Marina.png
Marina
Unconscience
Spire of Order Floors
(Destroy the portals!)
S3 Band Free Association.png
Free Association
demol1sh
demoli2h
d3molish
Spire of Order Floors
(Defeat the fleeing foes!)
jest1ng
je2ting
j3sting
Spire of Order Floors
(Protect the zone!)
rout1nes
routine2
routin3s
Spire of Order Floors
(Sink the ∞-balls!)
souven1r
2ouvenir
souv3nir
Spire of Order Floors
(Escort the turbine tower!)
j1tters
jitter2
jitt3rs
Boss Floors (10F, 20F)
vs. Parallel Canon
EchΘ Θnslaught
Boss Floors (10F, 20F)
vs. Pinging Marciale
CΘld StΘrage
Boss Floors (10F, 20F)
vs. Asynchronous Rondo
ΘctΘpticΘn
30F (before first clear) New World Order
S2 Band Off the Hook.png
Off the Hook feat. Dedf1sh
Spectrum Obligato ~ Ebb & Flow (Out of Order)
Credits
S2 Band Dedf1sh.jpg
Dedf1sh feat. Off the Hook
#47 onward
30F (after first clear)
S2 Band Off the Hook.png
Off The Hook
Short Order

Quotes

As for the second wave, we're flummoxed! What is that strange tower? Why has everything turned white and ghostly? What's on that Octoling's mind? We're going to get to the bottom - or maybe the top - of this, so stay tuned for further updates on our research.
— @SplatoonNA on Twitter[20]
A new single-player campaign called Side Order super jumps to the Splatoon 3 game in the second wave of this DLC. See what has become of Inkopolis Square, the central area featured in the Splatoon 2 game!
— eShop description
Challenge yourself to a new single-player campaign, Side Order! See what has happened to Inkopolis Square from the Splatoon 2 game, and what would've happened if Order thwarted Chaos to rule the city!
— Official DLC webpage[21]
As Agent 8, you wake up to discover Inkopolis Square has been drained of colour and its residents have gone missing. Alongside a drone who claims to be Off the Hook member Pearl, ascend the floors of the Spire of Order and strengthen your abilities as you climb the tower in a single-player experience that's designed to be replayed over and over!
— Official UK DLC webpage[5]
Based on what we know so far, it's safe to speculate that Agent 8 is in for a tall order of trials in this new world. Side Order is planned to launch spring 2024 at the earliest, so please have patience while we make everything...perfect.
— @SplatoonNA on Twitter[22]

Gallery

Image linking to the gallery page
View the gallery

Trivia

  • Side Order is the first single-player mode in the Splatoon series:
    • to feature a returning protagonist as the playable character.
    • to feature a roguelite style of gameplay and progression.
    • to not feature Octarians as the main enemies.
    • to not feature the Octostomp in any capacity.
    • to not feature any levels completed by touching a particular object (either a Zapfish or a goal).
    • to not feature Octoling Rendezvous.
    • to not feature any version of Calamari Inkantation.
  • Side Order's inclusion of Acht marks the second instance of a non-idol musician making a major appearance, the first having been Harmony.
  • Side Order was announced in February of 2023, two years after Splatoon 3 was announced.
  • February being the 2nd month of the year, Side Order's release on the 22nd of February and it being the 2nd wave of the DLC may be a reference to its main characters (Agent 8, Off the Hook, and Acht) debuting in Splatoon 2.

Etymology

A side order is another term for a side dish, a food item meant to accompany a larger main item as part of a meal. The title is a pun on the mode being a side story about Team Order, the Splatfest team led by Marina that lost the Final Fest in Splatoon 2.

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese サイド・オーダー
Saido Ōdā
Side Order
Netherlands Dutch De Toren der Orde The Tower of Order
CanadaFrance French Tour de l'Ordre Order Tower
Germany German Ruf zur Ordnung Call to Order
Italy Italian Torre dell'Ordine Tower of Order
Russia Russian Порядочная порция
Poryadochnaya portsiya
Decent serving[note 1]
SpainMexico Spanish La cara del orden The face/side of order [note 2]
China Chinese 秩序篇
Zhìxù Piān
Order Chapter
South Korea Korean 사이드 오더
Saideu odeo
Side Order

Translation notes

  1. A wordplay on the words порядок poryadok ("order") and порядочный poryadochnyy ("decent") having the same root
  2. the "cara" of something can mean either literally the face of it or its side

References