Released right at the end of summer, Splatoon 3 feels like the best parts of the season. It’s fast-paced, it’s exciting in every single match, and there are tons to do. While the series doesn’t take some giant leap in scope or substance in its third entry, it’s hard to imagine much else that could have been done to make the stellar Splatoon 3 any more impressive.

The Splatoon franchise began on one of the weakest selling consoles in Nintendo’s history, the Wii U. Despite a troubled platform kickstarting its run as Nintendo’s premiere online team-based shooter, the series developed a fan base around its unique take on turning the battle maps into an element of scoring. Splatoon 2 expanded the franchise on the Switch before the console really took off in sales and widespread success. Now, Splatoon 3 is out on the Switch at the height of its power.

There’s not a major change or shift central to the reasoning behind Splatoon 3’s release. Its predecessor came out 4 years ago, but that was a completely different world from now. The major changes featured in Splatoon 3 are more minor quality boosts than franchise-defining shifts in experience. That’s all the game needed, truly. Things like allowing you to keep playing in a group of online players rather than start matchmaking over is a much bigger change than you might think.

That goes for the other minor improvements as well, including more weapons, great returning maps and new additions, and an in-game currency that is balanced enough to not need microtransactions. New firing ranges give you a chance to try out weapons before you purchase them with tickets earned from leveling up. While clothing, headgear, and other accessories are purchased with coins you earn simply from playing matches. It’s all player-focused with none of the modern annoyances of online shooters.

That said, I can see some issues with the game worth mentioning too. Firstly, the matchmaking system is smoother, but those with poor internet connections will undoubtedly have a tough time. The moment that more than one player in a match disconnects, whether on purpose or not, the whole match is shut down. You’re not punished if you stay connected, but it’s a major buzzkill when it happens. There are also quite a few times that, despite having great internet at home in Chicago, connectivity errors occur and there’s no real explanation as to why. It’s one of the few things that keep Splatoon 3 from being perfect.

An odd choice is certainly a bit of gatekeeping regarding its game modes. The main game mode, Turf War, is the 4v4 experience where you fight off opponents while also painting the map with your team’s paint color. Turf War is the only mode you can play until level 4 when Salmon Run is unlocked. Six more levels net you Anarchy Battles. I guess Nintendo wanted a bit of a learning curve for Splatoon 3’s unique mechanics so players can work them out before the more complicated game modes, but still, shouldn’t that be up to the player who paid for the game?

No, there’s not a massive difference between the overall experience of Splatoon 2 and 3. That’s good news because too often a franchise will break what doesn’t need fixing in the name of change and progress. Here’s the truth: When something is clicking with players, adjusting the smaller, finer details that might not even feel like they need adjustment will get you a lot further, and Nintendo nailed this. Newcomers have never had a better time getting on board with the franchise, particularly because the game is selling so well. In Japan, the game became the fastest-selling Switch title in just its first weekend.

Small connectivity issues and some game mode choices keep me from rating Splatoon 3 a perfect 10, but a 9 is well deserved and certainly points to what should be a great staple entry in the historic library of the Nintendo Switch. Let us know what you think of Splatoon 3 in the comments once you get a chance to play!

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Splatoon 3

$59.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• A great franchise made even greater
• Wonderful fast-paced gameplay
• Small improvements to the game's mechanics and matchmaking for a big impact

Cons

• Some modes locked behind level requirements
• Some connectivity issues - especially if you have poor internet connection