Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3
Developer(s)	Nintendo EPD[a]
Publisher(s)	Nintendo
Director(s)	Seita Inoue Shintaro Sato
Producer(s)	Hisashi Nogami
Designer(s)	Yoshiteru Fukuda Kenji Matsumoto Yoshihiko Ito
Programmer(s)	Soichi Nakajima Seiichi Yamaguchi Toshikazu Kiuchi
Artist(s)	Seita Inoue
Composer(s)	Toru Minegishi Shiho Fujii Ryo Nagamatsu Toshiyuki Sudo Yumi Takahashi Sayako Doi
Series	Splatoon
Platform(s)	Nintendo Switch
Release	9 September 2022[1]
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Splatoon 3^[b] is a 2022 third-person shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the third game in the Splatoon series following Splatoon 2. Like its predecessors in the Splatoon series, the game consists of online multiplayer (player versus player and player versus environment) alongside a single-player campaign, both featuring combat based around ink-firing weapons.

The game was first revealed in a teaser trailer on 17 February 2021 and was subsequently released on 9 September 2022. The game received generally favorable reviews, with praise for its additional maps, single player campaign, customization options, and gameplay mechanics, but criticism for its matchmaking and disconnection issues and lack of new content. As of 31 March 2024, Splatoon 3 has sold 11.96 million copies worldwide (2.64 copies in the first week alone), making it the fastest-selling game in the franchise and one of the best-selling Switch games.^[5]

Gameplay

See also: Gameplay of Splatoon 2

Like its predecessors in the Splatoon series, Splatoon 3 is a third-person shooter. Players choose to be either an Inkling or Octoling as their player character. Both wield weaponry that uses colored ink as ammunition. Weapons are diverse in ability and imagery, with most resembling household objects. For example, Rollers are large paint rollers that can cover large amounts of area in ink but are generally limited to close-range combat, while Chargers are weapons which resemble a sniper rifle, and have long range for sniping opponents but are less effective at painting the ground. Splatoon 3 expands upon this by adding new main, sub, and special weapons to the game.^[6] Main weapons are chosen by the player, and sub weapons are assigned to main weapons and act as secondary weapons that use up more ink, and special weapons are also assigned to specific main weapons and require the player to cover the ground with a varying amount of ink in order to charge up their gauge to deploy the special. Inklings and Octolings have the ability to morph into a squid or octopus form, respectively. This form is referred to as the "swim form",^[c] and can be used to climb ink-covered walls or swim through ink faster than the humanoid forms can walk.^[7] Weapons have a finite amount of ink ammunition, and submerging in ink via the swim form replenishes it quicker than in humanoid form. All basic weapons from the prior Splatoon games return in Splatoon 3.^[8]

Modes

Competitive

An Inkling engaging in the online Turf War mode

Returning from its predecessors as a playable online multiplayer game mode is Regular Battle, known as Turf War.^[9] In Turf War, two teams of four players compete to cover the most amount of the map's area in their respective ink color for three minutes.^[10] Each team can cover over an area covered by the opponents ink with their own color. When walked on, the opposing team's ink slows movement, gradually deals damage and prevents the use of the player's swim form.^[11] Each player is equipped with a weapon set, chosen before each match, and each set comes with secondary and special weapons in addition to its main weapon. Secondary weapons provide alternative methods of attacking the other team and inking the ground; for example, Splat Bombs that explode a second after contact with the surface and Burst Bombs that explode upon impact. When enough ground is covered in a player's ink, they may use a special weapon, which are primarily used to attack the opposing team.^[12] Weapons and other forms of attack can deal damage to opposing players; when enough damage is given, they will "splat" their opponent, forcing them to restart from their starting location. Whichever team covers the largest portion of the field at the end of the match is declared the winner.

Once a player gains enough experience points to reach level 10,^[d] they gain access to a ranked mode called Anarchy Battles,^[e] featuring several different battle types.^[11][14] A game lasts for a maximum of five minutes plus overtime if certain conditions depending on the game mode are met. Clam Blitz is an invasion game with elements taken from basketball and football. The game mode sees players collect golden clams and deposit them in the opponent's goals. A Power Clam is needed to break open the opposing basket to score, which is created by collecting eight regular clams. The team who deposited the most clams by the end of the match or has depleted their remaining score to 0 is declared the winner. Splat Zones plays similarly to king of the hill; two teams aim to control one or two "splat zones" for a set amount of time. A zone is controlled when it is 70% covered in a teams ink, and if the map has two zones both must be controlled for the timer to count down.^[15] Tower Control functions similarly to Payload from Team Fortress 2, requiring a team to escort a moving tower. When the tower is controlled by one team, it moves toward that team's goal line, stopping to clear checkpoints along the way, with a team winning when the tower reaches their goal line or making it the furthest when time runs out. The Rainmaker game mode functions similarly to capture the flag, in which players attempt to carry a weapon called the Rainmaker from the center of the stage to various checkpoints until they reach the opponent's side of the map.^[15]

This game also sees the return of "Splatfests", where players choose to join one of three teams (compared to the two teams in the previous games) over a particular theme, and over three days they engage in matches to gain the most points for victory. In Splatoon 3, a new "Tricolor Turf War" mode can be played during the second half of a Splatfest, where one team of four players defends an "Ultra Signal" at the center of the map from two teams of two attacking players. When an attacking team takes control of the Ultra Signal, it will summon a "Sprinkler of Doom", which will automatically ink a portion of the map's area for that team.^{[16][17][18][19]}

Salmon Run Next Wave

Players team up to defeat the King Salmonid Cohozuna boss in the co-op Salmon Run mode.

The co-op player versus environment (PvE) mode Salmon Run returns, titled Salmon Run Next Wave.^[20] The main goal is to collect Golden Eggs, obtained by splatting special enemies known as "Boss Salmonids", and depositing them into the egg basket.^[21] Salmon Run Next Wave uses the same basic gameplay as it does in Splatoon 2, where the player, employed by Grizzco Industries, teams up with three other players to fight waves of enemies known as "Salmonids". If a player gets splatted, the game's version of getting killed, another player can revive them by shooting them with ink. If the quota for eggs is not met within the time limit or the entire team is wiped out, the shift ends.^[22] Each "shift" typically lasts three waves, though, in Next Wave, a fourth "Xtrawave" sometimes occurs, where players team up to defeat a King Salmonid.^[23][24] By successfully meeting the quota of golden eggs for all waves in a shift, the player can increase their rank within Grizzco.^[25] Next Wave adds the ability to throw golden eggs along with new enemies and new "Known Occurrence" events.^[23] Salmon Run is also no longer limited to certain times of day; players are able to access Salmon Run at any time, even during Splatfests.^[26] A new addition to Splatoon 3 is "Big Run", an event where Salmonids invade the city of Splatsville. Players defend Splatsville by fighting invading Salmonids on an online competitive map, instead of the unique stages typically used for Salmon Run. After a few days, the event ends and participating players receive a prize. This event occurs every few months.^[27][28] There is also another Salmon Run event called "Eggstra Work", where teams compete to get the most golden eggs in a predetermined shift consisting of 5 waves.^[29]

Tableturf Battle

A digital collectible card game based on Turf War in which players build a deck of collected cards. In Tableturf Battle, each card can be used to apply a pattern on a grid, and after a "special attack" is charged, it can be used to place a pattern overwriting the opponent's patterns.^[30][31]

Setting

The Splatoon games take place on a version of Earth set far in the future after the extinction of humanity and almost all mammal life, suggested to be due to climate change,^[32][33] where much of oceanic life has evolved to live on land.^[34] Splatoon 3 takes place five years after the events of Splatoon 2^[35] in the Splatlands, a sun-scorched desert inhabited by battle-hardened Inklings and Octolings, and Splatsville, a city of chaos that seems to have developed rapidly since the last Splatfest, Chaos vs. Order. The game's design is themed around chaos due to the outcome of the last Splatfest.^[36]

The story mode of Splatoon 3, titled Return of the Mammalians, is set in a new location called Alterna, a large, snowy area littered with incomplete structures and hazardous Fuzzy Ooze, an ink-like substance mostly covered in brown fur, with a rocket at its center.^[37] It focuses on the reappearance of mammals, which have been long-extinct.^[38]

The Side Order DLC story is set in the Order Sector, an alternate world based on the Inkopolis Square area from Splatoon 2, which has been drained of color.^[39]

Plot

Upon following the elderly squid Craig Cuttlefish into a crater covered with lethal Fuzzy Ooze, the player is recruited by Cuttlefish into the New Squidbeak Splatoon as Agent 3 along with their pet Salmonid Smallfry. Smallfry is able to eat and destroy some of the ooze, allowing passage further into the crater. They fight Octarian enemies mutated with fur, which Cuttlefish believes are responsible for once again stealing the Great Zapfish that powers Splatsville. At the crater's base, Octarian leader DJ Octavio accuses Cuttlefish of taking his Octarian warriors. After defeating Octavio, he denies taking the Zapfish despite having previously done so in the previous two games. The ground breaks open, and Cuttlefish and Agent 3 fall into the remains of the underground city Alterna, which the fuzzy Octarians have turned into a base. In Alterna, Agent 3 meets Callie and Marie of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, as well as the Captain, the player protagonist of the first game, and realizes that Cuttlefish has gone missing. They are approached by the idol group Deep Cut, who are searching Alterna for treasure and believe the Squidbeak Splatoon is there for the same reason. Aided by an artificial intelligence named O.R.C.A., they explore the city in search of Cuttlefish, but are repeatedly led to signals from the members of Deep Cut and forced to fight them over the "treasure", which appears to be junk. It is revealed that Mr. Grizz, CEO of Grizzco and organizer of Salmon Run, has kidnapped Cuttlefish and is responsible for taking the Great Zapfish and Octarian army, proving Octavio's innocence. Mr. Grizz explains that he aims to restore mammal life to Earth by converting other life into mammals by using the Fuzzy Ooze.

After using the treasure to assemble a cutting device and reaching the rocket at the center of Alterna, Deep Cut confronts the Splatoon again and after being given the treasure for free (as the team no longer needs it), explain their intention to sell the treasure for charity, and team up with the Splatoon to defeat Mr. Grizz; they also become Marie's employees, to the latter's dismay. Eventually, they reach the top of the rocket where Cuttlefish is being held and find Mr. Grizz having "dehydrated" the former for his "essence", seemingly killing him. Mr. Grizz, who is a massive bear and one of the only remaining mammals, explains that the rocket is rigged to explode and cover the entire Earth in Fuzzy Ooze, reviving mammal life at the expense of all other life on the planet. The Captain rehydrates Cuttlefish with their tears as Mr. Grizz launches the rocket into space, and Deep Cut provides Agent 3 a lift onto it using their tamed eels and shark. Agent 3, with help from DJ Octavio and Smallfry, who transforms into a "Hugefry" form (resembling a giant coho salmon), defeats Mr. Grizz and destroys the rocket.^[40] Agent 3, Little Buddy, and Octavio return to Earth with the Great Zapfish, and Mr. Grizz is seen floating in space during the credits.

Development

Splatoon 3 was developed by Nintendo EPD,^[41] with additional work done by Monolith Soft, who also assisted in the development of previous Splatoon games, as well as SRD and Bandai Namco Studios Singapore & Malaysia.^[2][3][4] The game makes use of NLPN, Nintendo's in-house server system, which supports expanded lobby features and better matchmaking.^[42]

At E3 2019, after the announcement of Splatoon 2's final Splatfest, "Chaos vs. Order", Splatoon producer Hisashi Nogami stated that a third entry in the series was not in development.^[43] In an "Ask the Developer" interview on Nintendo's website, it was revealed that the direction of Splatoon 3's world was decided after Team Chaos won Splatoon 2's final Splatfest, with the developers planning for both outcomes before the Splatfest winner was decided.^[44][36] In a Splatoon 3 Direct on 10 August 2022, Nintendo confirmed that the game would receive two years worth of updates releasing every three months using a seasonal approach, which would feature the addition of more stages and weapons, as well as large-scale paid downloadable content (DLC).^[45][46]

Marketing and release

Splatoon 3 was announced with a teaser trailer in a Nintendo Direct on 17 February 2021.^[47] The trailer revealed items, weapons, abilities, and an apocalyptic design.^[48] More details were revealed later that year in September, including the name of Splatoon 3's single-player mode, Return of the Mammalians.^[49]

A trailer for Splatoon 3's co-op mode "Salmon Run" premiered in a Nintendo Direct on 9 February 2022.^[50] On 22 April, Nintendo uploaded a video to its YouTube channel showing gameplay of the "Turf War" game mode, as well as providing an exact release date of 9 September 2022.^[51] Additionally, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion was announced to be included with the Expansion Pack tier of Nintendo Switch Online.^[52] In July, Nintendo announced a special edition Nintendo Switch OLED model themed on the game, with a release date of 26 August 2022. In addition, the company announced a Splatoon 3-themed Pro Controller and carrying case, which released alongside the game.^[53]

On 10 August 2022, Nintendo broadcast a Splatoon 3-focused Nintendo Direct, revealing the date for the game's Splatfest World Premiere, a limited time demo Splatfest.^[54] Nintendo announced that the game would have amiibo support, with several new figurines that can be used to take photos with the characters in-game and receive special gear items, similar to past Splatoon titles.^[55] It introduced three new "idol" characters known as Big Man, Shiver, and Frye, collectively referred to as "Deep Cut".^[56] Also announced in the Nintendo Direct, the game is set to receive both large-scale paid DLC and two years of support via free updates.^[57] On 25 August 2022, a Nintendo Treehouse Presentation was broadcast which showcased the single-player story mode and the multiplayer lobby, alongside weapons and multiplayer maps.^[58]

The pre-launch Splatfest World Premiere event was held on 27 and 28 August 2022 with a rock-paper-scissors theme,^[59] which Team Rock won in all regions.^[60][61] The game was released worldwide on 9 September 2022.^[51] In a trailer on 11 October 2022, it was announced that the Splatoon 3 amiibo would launch on 11 November.^[62] During Nintendo Live 2022 on 9 October, a Splatoon 3 concert was held starring Deep Cut.^[63]

In a Nintendo Direct released on 8 February 2023, two waves of DLC were announced, with the first wave including Inkopolis (the main hub from the first game) and the second wave including a new single player campaign called Side Order.^[64][65] This mode was later revealed to be a roguelite, and featured a new story with Agent Eight, the protagonist of Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion. Side Order was released on 22 February 2024.^[66]

On 16 September 2024, Nintendo announced that the game would no longer receive regular content updates, although patches and seasonal events would continue.^[67]

Reception

Critical reception

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	83/100[68]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Destructoid	9/10[18]
Eurogamer	Recommended[11]
Famitsu	39/40[69]
Game Informer	8.5/10[9]
GameSpot	7/10[71]
GamesRadar+	[70]
IGN	9/10 (MP)[72] 8/10 (SP)[30]
Nintendo Life	[73]
Shacknews	9/10[74]
The Guardian	[77]
Video Games Chronicle	[76]
VG247	[75]

Splatoon 3 received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic.^[68] IGN reviewer Brendan Graeber called the third installment's multiplayer "more than just a simple upgrade", citing its additional maps, weapons, bosses, and customization, as well as its revamped lobby system. However, he criticized the game's lack of a "huge addition" similar to Splatoon 2's Salmon Run.^[72] Reviewing the game's single-player mode, he appreciated the new take on the series' hub world, as well as the returning ideas from Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion. He praised the story mode's lore, as well as its characters, while lamenting the reuse of enemies from previous games. He also reviewed Tableturf Battle, calling it a "lackluster card game" that "consistently ends with a whimper instead of a bang".^[30] Destructoid's Chris Carter also praised how Return of the Mammalians interacted with the game's multiplayer modes, by both teaching the player important mechanics and rewarding them with useful items, as well as appreciating how the story mode was tailored for speedrunning.^[18]

Martin Robinson of Eurogamer criticized the lack of significant new content, saying that even the largest new additions are not something "that can be applauded too enthusiastically", and other features "basic [ones] you'd expect of a contemporary online multiplayer game". However, he called the Splatoon series "one of the most polished, playable and impeccably executed series" from Nintendo. He also compared the game's story mode to the Mario franchise, saying that while it evoked some of the best parts of Super Mario Sunshine, the abstract nature of the levels failed to meet the best Mario levels.^[11]

Kotaku's Patricia Hernandez lamented the amount of disconnections while matchmaking and playing online, saying that it is "inexcusable".^[78]

Brian Shea of Game Informer praised the larger amount of content available at launch compared to previous entries in the series, as well as how the game blended new and returning content, calling it the series "best entry to date". He also praised the game's movement, saying that "few games match the smooth, intuitive mobility Splatoon gives you while submerged and cruising through a map".^[9]

Wired's Reid McCarter praised the game's original, cartoony characters, as opposed to brand crossovers and realistic graphics.^[34]

Sales

On 12 September 2022, Nintendo reported that Splatoon 3 had sold 3.45 million copies domestically within the first three days of launch, becoming the fastest-selling video game of all time in Japan (surpassing the previous record holder Pokémon Black and White)^[79][80] at the time,^[f] as well as one of the best-selling games on the Nintendo Switch. Shares of Nintendo were noted to have increased by 5.5 percent on the Tuesday following the announcement, the largest increase since December 2020.^[82][83][84] Splatoon 3 debuted at the top spot on the UK boxed charts,^[85] where it remained for three weeks^[86][87] until being pushed to second place by FIFA 23.^[88] As of 18 October 2022, Splatoon 3 was reported to be the highest-selling video game of 2022 in Japan, just over one month after its release.^[89]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
2022	Golden Joystick Awards	Best Multiplayer Game	Nominated	[90]
		Nintendo Game of the Year	Nominated
	The Game Awards 2022	Best Family Game	Nominated	[91]
		Best Multiplayer Game	Won
2023	New York Game Awards	Central Park Children's Zoo Award for Best Kids Game	Nominated	[92]
	19th British Academy Games Awards	Multiplayer	Nominated	[93]
	Japan Game Awards	Award for Excellence	Won	[94]

Notes

1. Additional work by Monolith Soft,^[2][3] SRD, and Bandai Namco Studios Singapore & Malaysia^[4]
2. Japanese: スプラトゥーン3, Hepburn: Supuratūn Surī
3. Prior to the introduction of Octolings as playable characters in Splatoon 2, this was referred to as the "squid form".
4. Alternatively by transferring data from Splatoon 2
5. Named "Ranked Battles" in its predecessors^[13]
6. Splatoon 3 was surpassed as the fastest-selling game in Japan by Pokémon Scarlet and Violet in November 2022.^[81]

References

1. "Splatoon™ 3 for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site". Nintendo. Archived from the original on 10 January 2023. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
2. Wood, Rhys (12 September 2022). "Xenoblade Chronicles 3 creator boosted Splatoon 3 during development". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
3. Doolan, Liam (11 September 2022). "Xenoblade Chronicles Studio Monolith Soft Helped Out With Splatoon 3". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
4. Nintendo EPD (25 February 2023). Splatoon 3. Scene: staff credits.
5. "Financial Results Explanatory Material Fiscal Year Ended March 2024" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
6. Grodt, Jill (23 September 2021). "Mammals Are Reemerging In New Splatoon 3 Trailer". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
7. McFerren, Damien (18 February 2021). "Nintendo Reveals Splatoon 3, Coming To Switch In 2021". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
8. Hagues, Alana (2 May 2022). "Don't Worry, Splatoon 3 Will Have All "Basic Weapons" From The Previous Games". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2022.
9. Shea, Brian (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Review - Multicolored Mayhem". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
10. Diaz, Ana (23 September 2021). "Splatoon 3 teases the return of mammals in its squid-fueled adventure". Polygon. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
11. Robinson, Martin (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 review - a lot more of the brilliant game". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
12. Chandler, Sam (19 September 2022). "All weapons, subs & specials - Splatoon 3". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
13. "Game Modes". Splatoon 2 - Nintendo. Nintendo. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
14. Michael, Cale (9 September 2022). "How to unlock Anarchy Battle ranked in Splatoon 3". Dot Esports. Gamurs. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
15. Biazzi, Leonardo (9 September 2022). "Anarchy Battles in Splatoon 3 | Ranked mode explained". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
16. "Nintendo Support: How to Update Splatoon 3". Nintendo Support. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
17. "Squid Research Lab dives deep into Splatoon™ 3". Splatoon 3 - Nintendo. 10 August 2022. Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
18. Carter, Chris (7 September 2022). "Review: Splatoon 3". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
19. Denzer, TJ (10 August 2022). "Splatoon 3's Splatfest will include 3-team Tricolor Turf Wars". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
20. Gerblick, Jordan (9 February 2022). "Splatoon 3 is launching summer 2022". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
21. Thomas, Harrison (19 September 2022). "How to play Salmon Run in Splatoon 3". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
22. "Salmon Run Guide - Splatoon 3 Wiki Guide". IGN. 9 September 2022. Archived from the original on 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
23. Doolan, Liam (9 February 2022). "Nintendo Reveals The Next Wave Of Salmon Run For Splatoon 3". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
24. Knezevic, Kevin (14 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Salmon Run Guide: How to Beat Cohozuna". CNET. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
25. Chandler, Sam (21 September 2022). "Salmon Run ranks & Grizzco Points - Splatoon 3". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
26. Reynolds, Ollie (2 September 2022). "Nintendo Reiterates That Splatoon 3's 'Salmon Run' Mode Will Be Available 24/7". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
27. Valentine, Rebekah (10 August 2022). "Everything We Learned About Splatoon 3 From the Nintendo Direct". IGN. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
28. Galloway, Ryan (9 September 2022). "Is Salmon Run: Next Wave time-restricted in Splatoon 3?". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
29. Lento, Tiziano; Graeber, Brendan; Cotten, Shailyn (27 February 2023). "Splatoon 3 Update 3.0.0 Patch Notes - Splatoon 3 Guide". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
30. Graeber, Brendan (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Review: Single-Player". IGN. Archived from the original on 29 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
31. "Catch up on all the latest from the Splatoon 3 Direct". Splatoon 3 - Nintendo. 10 August 2022. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
32. Walker, Ian (18 February 2021). "Yep, Splatoon Is Set After A Climate Apocalypse". Kotaku. TelevisaUnivision. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
33. Diaz, Ana (22 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 is a world governed by chaos — and that rules". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
34. McCarter, Reid (21 September 2022). "'Splatoon 3' Takes Shooting Games a Little Less Seriously". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
35. "Splatoon 3 Takes Place in 2022 and the "Same Amount of Time Has Passed in the Squid World as the Real World"". 9 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
36. Reynolds, Ollie (7 September 2022). "Random: Splatoon 2's Final Splatfest Dictated The Direction Of Splatoon 3". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
37. Whitehead, Thomas (24 September 2021). "Splatoon 3 Gets A New Trailer, Story Footage And Has A Crab Mech". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
38. Marks, Tom (23 September 2021). "Splatoon 3 Gets Close Look at Gameplay and Plot in New Trailer". IGN. Archived from the original on 24 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
39. "Splatoon 3: Side Order shows that the series can do it all". Digital Trends. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
40. Nintendo EPD (9 September 2022). Splatoon 3 (Nintendo Switch). Nintendo. Frye: It is as it was foretold. Behold! HUGEFRY!
41. Winslow, Levi (24 September 2021). "Why The Splatoon 3 Devs Are The Best, In One GIF". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
42. Hagues, Alana (18 August 2022). "It Looks Like Splatoon 3 Will Be Using Nintendo's In-House Server System". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
43. Khan, Imran (18 July 2019). "Splatoon 3 Is Not In Production As Final Splatfest Begins". Game Informer. Archived from the original on 16 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
44. Fields, Sarah (8 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Dev Reveals How Splatoon 2's Chaos vs Order Splatfest Impacted Creative Direction of the Sequel". Game Rant. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
45. Shutler, Ali (10 August 2022). "Nintendo confirms post-release roadmap for 'Splatoon 3' alongside new weapons". NME. Archived from the original on 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
46. Epps, DeAngelo (10 August 2022). "Splatoon 3 promises 2 years of support, expansion teased". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on 16 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
47. Grubb, Jeff (17 February 2021). "Splatoon 3 is real, and we deserve it because we've been good". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
48. McFerren, Damien (18 February 2021). "Nintendo Reveals Splatoon 3, Coming To Switch In 2021". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
49. Diaz, Ana (23 September 2021). "Splatoon 3 teases the return of mammals in its squid-fueled adventure". Polygon. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
50. Carpenter, Nicole (9 February 2022). "Splatoon 3 is coming in 2022, with new Salmon Run co-op mode". Polygon. Archived from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
51. Hood, Rhys; Boyle, Emma; Stockdale, Henry (20 February 2022). "Splatoon 3: release date, trailers, news and everything you need to know". TechRadar. Archived from the original on 24 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
52. Ivan, Tom (22 April 2022). "Splatoon 3 gets September release date and a new trailer". VGC. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
53. Humphries, Matthew (6 July 2022). "Limited-Edition Splatoon 3-Themed OLED Switch Available Aug. 26". PCMAG. Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
54. Hagues, Alana (10 August 2022). "Splatoon 3's First Splatfest Will Be Playable Later This Month In Free Demo". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
55. Norman, Jim (10 August 2022). "New Splatoon 3 amiibo Revealed, Including Inkling, Octoling, And Smallfry". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
56. Vincent, Brittany (10 August 2022). "Splatoon 3: Who is Deep Cut, the New Idol Group?". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
57. Norman, Jim (10 August 2022). "Nintendo Announces Splatoon 3 "Large-Scale Paid DLC", Details Two Years Of Post-Launch Support". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
58. Black, Todd (26 August 2022). "Nintendo Treehouse Live Breaks Down Splatoon 3". Gameranx. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
59. Hagues, Alana (10 August 2022). "Splatoon 3's First Splatfest Will Be Playable Later This Month In Free Demo". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
60. Ne, Brian (28 August 2022). "Splatoon 3: Splatfest World Premiere results". Nintendo Everything. Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
61. Shirru, Frederico. "Splatoon 3 – Prime impressioni dallo Splatfest World Premiere". Akiba Games (in Italian). Archived from the original on 28 August 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
62. Knezevic, Kevin (11 October 2022). "Splatoon 3 Amiibo Figures Launch Nov. 11, Unlock New Gear Sets". CNET. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
63. Norman, Jim (1 September 2022). "Animal Crossing And Splatoon 3 Concerts To Headline Nintendo Live 2022". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
64. "Splatoon 3 DLC includes Inkopolis and new campaign". Eurogamer. 8 February 2023. Archived from the original on 11 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
65. Dinsdale, Ryan (15 February 2023). "Splatoon 3's Expansion Pass Wave 1 Arrives Later This Month". IGN. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
66. Cripe, Michael (24 January 2024). "Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC Finally Gets Served Up in February". IGN. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
67. Yin-Poole, Wesley (16 September 2024). "Splatoon 3 Regular Updates to End 2 Years After Launch, Nintendo Says". IGN. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
68. "Splatoon 3 for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
69. Romano, Sal (28 September 2022). "Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1765". Gematsu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
70. Cryer, Hirun (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 review: "Nintendo's threequel has flashes of brilliance everywhere"". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
71. Watts, Steve (19 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
72. Graeber, Brendan (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Multiplayer Review". IGN. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
73. Olney, Alex (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 Review (Switch)". NintendoLife. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
74. Mejia, Ozzie (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 review: Squid game". Shacknews. Archived from the original on 9 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
75. Donaldson, Alex (7 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 review: you'll buy it for the multiplayer – but its single-player story mode is an absolute blast". VG247. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
76. Castle, Matthew (7 September 2022). "Review: Splatoon 3 gives Nintendo's weirdest world its safest sequel". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
77. MacDonald, Keza (15 September 2022). "Splatoon 3 review – Nintendo's new squid game is ink-redible fun". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 October 2022. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
78. Hernandez, Patricia (15 September 2022). "Splatoon 3's Terrible Online Is Inexcusable At This Point". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
79. "Domestic sales of Splatoon 3 for Nintendo Switch surpass 3.45 million in first three days". Nintendo Japan. Nintendo Co., Ltd. 12 September 2022. Archived from the original on 16 September 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
80. Tassi, Paul (12 September 2022). "Nintendo's 'Splatoon 3' Just Set Japan's All-Time Launch Sales Record". Forbes. Archived from the original on 17 September 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2022.
81. Doolan, Liam (24 November 2022). "Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Surpass 10 Million Sales In First Three Days, Setting New Nintendo Record". Nintendo Life. Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
82. Savov, Vlad (12 September 2022). "Nintendo Surges After Record Debut of New Switch Game". Bloomberg News. Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
83. Nussey, Sam (12 September 2022). "Nintendo shares jump 5% on record 'Splatoon' launch". Reuters. Archived from the original on 15 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
84. Kharpal, Arjun (13 September 2022). "Nintendo shares jump 5% after new game Splatoon 3 hits Japan sales record". CNBC. Archived from the original on 15 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
85. Norman, Jim (12 September 2022). "UK Charts: Splatoon 3 Inks Its Way To The Top Spot". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
86. Reynolds, Ollie (19 September 2022). "UK Charts: Splatoon 3 Holds Firm In Another Strong Week For Nintendo". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
87. Reynolds, Ollie (26 September 2022). "UK Charts: Mario Kart 8 Gains Ground As Splatoon 3 Continues To Dominate". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
88. Norman, Jim (5 October 2022). "UK Charts: FIFA 23 Knocks Splatoon 3 Off The Top Spot". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
89. Hagues, Alana (18 October 2022). "Splatoon 3 Is Already The Best-Selling Video Game Of 2022 In Japan". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
90. Loveridge, Sam (22 November 2022). "Here are all the Golden Joystick Awards 2022 winners". GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
91. Plant, Logan (8 December 2022). "The Game Awards 2022 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Archived from the original on 9 December 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
92. Bankhurst, Adam (18 January 2023). "New York Game Awards 2023: Elden Ring Wins Two Awards as Phil Spencer Is Honored". IGN. Archived from the original on 18 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
93. "2023 BAFTA Games Awards: The Nominations". BAFTA. 2 March 2023. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
94. Robinson, Andy (21 September 2023). "Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak named 2023's best game at Japan Game Awards". Video Games Chronicle. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.

External links

• Official website