Splatoon 3 released on the 9th for the Nintendo Switch. It launched with 3 multiplayer modes as well as a single player story mode.

The entire story mode was definitely a step up from the previous installment, feeling more in depth with more content and variety with challenges. Along with the challenges, the boss fights are also lots of fun with some being fairly challenging.

The upgrade system is really tedious and boring so if you wanted to you could go through the entire game without upgrading and not have trouble like I did.

The main focus of the series has always been the Turf War mode which returns being very similar from the previous installments. It added the new Squid Surge allowing you to shoot yourself up walls to dodge opponents and add much needed mobility.

Splatoon 3 also adds 2 new types of weapons, a sword and a bow which are really fun although they can feel underwhelming and not particularly viable in a competitive setting. It also adds new specials which have been lots of fun to try out with some definitely being better than others but all of them are definitely useful but some are fairly specific in situations they would be useful.

The other game mode returning is the fan favorite Salmon Run which returns with 6 new bosses as well as a new boss that makes a 4th very challenging overtime wave that I still haven’t been able to clear yet. Unfortunately the maps feel much smaller and cramped and have less things to do to move around which adds to the cramped feeling. A new addition allows players the ability to shoot eggs into the goal which is a nice addition that makes it much faster.

The new mode Anarchy Battles are a replacement to the games ranked mode with 4 new game types only available in this mode. Most of them are fun but the problem is you can’t play casually so you can’t play the modes without risking your rank going down. Also some of the game modes are confusing for first time players.

The mode Clam Blitz just isn’t fun at all and is something that should be avoided at all costs. But Tower Controls is a mode similar to Overwatch’s payload mode and is the only reason I play Anarchy Battles.

The game also adds the ability to customize your in-game locker with collectables and stickers you can earn in story mode or buy from the new general store. Lockers were originally something I thought were added just to put on the back of a box to make the game seem like there’s more depth. That was until I found myself spending half an hour decorating without realizing it.

Easily the most slept on new addition is the Table Turf mode which is like a board game where you have to cover as much of the board as possible with the given cards. It’s a lot of fun to make your own deck and test out what works and what doesn’t. The main problem is you can’t play against other players, you can only play against the decks they’ve made while a bot uses it on their behalf which isn’t nearly as fun.

Overall Splatoon 3 is leagues better than its previous entries and definitely exceeded my expectations. It’s a lot of fun and is definitely a must play for switch players looking for a great multiplayer experience.