In a just world, Splatoon 3 would be the biggest multiplayer game of the year. That’s a level of success it would certainly deserve, as Nintendo has created the best iteration of its wildly inventive ink-shooter series yet. It does that without microtransactions, compulsory log-in bonuses, or pop culture references. Not only that, but it’s been packaged into the kind of content-loaded release that feels all but extinct in today’s competitive multiplayer landscape. That’s largely due to free-to-play, a business model that gives developers a lot of slack upfront. Free games like Rumbleverse or MultiVersus don’t need to be fully formed on day one — hell, they don’t need to be good at all. They just need to be fun enough to hook players who were curious or bored enough to download them. A full-priced multiplayer game doesn’t have the same luxury. It needs to be a full experience at launch, not just one fun mode if it’s going to convince players to buy in. Splatoon 3’s best trait is that it...
Strong online play; Fun new weapons; Lengthy single-player content; Salmon Run gets tense; Excellent world construction;
Still no voice chat; Tableturf battles feel isolated;
The original Splatoon proved that Nintendo could still dream up fresh new franchises without leaning on Mario and Zelda. It was so cool that it even found success on the forgotten Wii U before eventually stepping up to the Nintendo Switch with Splatoon 2 in 2017. Five years later, Splatoon 3 ($59.99) once again reminds us why we fell in love with this creative cocktail of competitive painting and team-based shooting. It doesn't feel like there's half a decade of innovations and upgrades here, though. Like Splatoon 2 was to the original Splatoon, there isn't much new in Splatoon 3 besides a fresh coat of paint and a few features. However, for fun, family-friendly online shooting (or a surprisingly still-energized competitive scene), that might be all you need. You’re a Kid Now, You’re a Squid Now The Splatoon games are set in a post-apocalyptic world (seriously, it's in the in-game lore) inhabited by evolved, stylish, street-savvy cephalopod children called Inklings and Octoling...
Splatoon 3 offers entertaining, fast-paced multiplayer action that anyone can enjoy, but the new features don't differentiate the game much from its predecessor.
New weapons, maps, and movement; Enhanced multiplayer features; Inventive single-player mode; Fun character customization
Very similar to past games; Awkwardly implemented live service elements
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