The long-awaited third installment of Splatoon 3, one of Nintendo’s biggest family games, had a lot of work to do from the moment it launched. Luckily for this title, the creators know exactly what makes the Splatoon series so special. They build on the features that people love most, ironing out the clunky elements of previous games, and the new elements introduced are a lot of fun.
Gameplay consists of newsreader cutscenes that introduce the structure of the new edition while establishing tone and humor. It’s quick and easy to skip after your first look, so you can jump right into the action.
Character customization is just as quick. Once you’ve chosen a basic style and color scheme for your playable character, you’re ready to jump into the game. As you play the game, you can further personalize your character, such as having a locker to store your favorite accessories. An image that can be displayed in an online town square.
As you can imagine, the premise of Splatoon 3 hasn’t changed much from previous games. Instead, it retains and adds to the gameplay that has made other games so popular: all the colorful chaos that comes standard with the Splatoon brand is showcased in an upgraded setting. This new entry retains some of the series’ best weapons while adding unique weapons that you can tinker with in entirely new ways.
Solo story mode is well put together. The story is very simple. A parasitic invasive species has taken over the world. Assuming the role of Agent 3, you must develop your skills and collect the necessary power-ups to stop everyone from turning into furry monsters. This campaign offers something to really enjoy when you want to play alone. It also gives you a chance to practice with different weapons and get familiar with how your character interacts with the world, preparing Turf for his wars.
Where Splatoon 3 really excels is in its co-op play. The menu is easy to navigate to find the exact kind of play you want. The game allows players to team up with players of similar skill levels. . Multiplayer modes are built in a way that suits different play styles for different groups, regardless of age or skill.
A title like this has to strike a delicate balance to attract players of all ages and sometimes very different skill levels. Splatoon 3 is one of those games that shows how well that can be achieved.
