Nintendo is full of diverse gaming franchises that offer a wide range of experiences, but most people will be more familiar with the likes of Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Animal Crossing, or Pokemon to name a few.
Another one of these franchises is the somewhat lesser-known Splatoon series and Nintendo is gearing up for the release of the third game in the series.
Splatoon was Nintendo’s attempt at creating a competitive third-person shooter for the Wii U in 2015. The first two games were widely praised for how they reinvented the third-person shooter genre.
Due to the multiplayer modes available, Splatoon became a big name within the E-Sports scene, even offering lucrative prizes. Splatoon 3 looks to build upon the changes made in Splatoon 2 that kept the series fresh and innovative.
Before its release on 9 September, The Mirror was invited to Nintendo to play an early build of the game.
Splatoon 3 has changed its main hub that’s usually located in Inkopolis to Splatsvill which is based in the Splatlands.
This just means that the franchise can expand the lore by introducing new characters, weapons, and locations.
But fans of the first two games shouldn’t fret as a selection of stages have been added from Inkopolis.
Splatoon already featured some of the best stage design among Nintendo’s multiplayer games with the likes of New Albacore Hotel and Musselforge Fitness pushing the boundaries of creativity.
And from what I was able to play so far, it looks like Splatoon 3 will create some of the best stages yet, that are filled with a plethora of routes and strategic locations.
Eeltail alley and the Undertow Spillway are sure to be early favourites for their innovative designs.
Splatoon 3 will bring back all original weapons while introducing one's native to Splatsville such as the Tri-Stringer or Splatana.
The game also introduces a slew of new special weapons including the Crab Tank or Triple Inkstrike which are devastating.
These new additions were not only fun to play with but they added another level of strategy to the gameplay which in turn allowed for border strategic options.
This is also handy as it stops fans of the second game from having a major advantage over newcomers.
Players will also be able to customise their characters by purchasing different types of gear that not only look stylish but also come with special abilities.
It will be interesting to what new items will be available and if there will be Splatsville-specific upgrades.
Splatoon 3 features a single-player story mode named Called Return of the Mammalians. This mode revolves around the Squidbeak Splatoon who will do battle with the Octarian Army.
From what I have played so far, the early levels in this featured complex designs that offer great platforming challenges.
I believe the story mode could be something special if it continues to offer clever puzzles and challenges.
Other than the single-player, Splatoon 3 returns with new and old modes, with the main Turf War returning.
Turf War has the same objectives as the previous game but the new weapons should make this version stand out from the rest.
Ranked battles come in the form of Anarchy Battles, which will once again feature the four different modes including Splat Zone, Clam Blitz, Rainmaker, and Tower Control.
Players will now be able to tackle these modes by themselves with three random players or form their own team with friends.
Salmon Run returns, where players will have to defeat waves of salmon while retrieving golden eggs.
This updated iteration introduces new types of Boss Salmonids and King Salmonids that come fully equipped with new attack patterns not seen in the previous game.
The new Salmonids I did encounter provided a much tougher challenge than they did in the previous game and I look forward to facing all the different types.
Nintendo has also revealed a new mode called Table Turf Battle in which players will build decks with cards and battle with them.
Not much has been revealed about this mode as of yet but I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays into the bigger picture of Splatoon 3.
Splatoon 3 looks like it is shaping up to be another brilliant installment of colourful chaos that’s full of upgrades from its predecessor.
So far the new locations, weapons, and modes seem like they are going to be great additions that will offer a completely new experience for even season players.
Splatoon 3 will be out for the Nintendo Switch on 9 September
