Booyah! The next round of Splatoon is almost here, and we've been given a good look at what to expect in the dedicated Nintendo Direct. Here are all Splatoon 3 game modes coming in September and beyond!
Splatoon is, at its core, a multiplayer online game, where teams of four Squid Kids throw paint at each other in hopes to secure the win. There is more to do than that, though - there's ranked matches with different rules, and the formidable Salmon Run.
While we wait for Splatoon 3 to release, check out our hub for everything you need to know, and our full list of weapons coming to the third game.
All Splatoon 3 game modes
To begin with, the game will have a single-player campaign, Turf War, Salmon Run, and Anarchy Battles. Let's take a look at what each of these are.
The single-player campaign
Each Splatoon game has featured a fleshed-out story mode, designed to introduce players to each weapon type, and how the game works. This time, it is called 'Return of the Mammalians', and features a new type of evolved enemy.
The Mammalians are furry creatures, reminiscent of the Octarians in Splatoon 2, but with fuzzy brown hair all over them. The story is set in the Splatlands desert region, and an icy climate.
Turf War
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+ 4The classic Turf War, as seen in both previous Splatoon games, is back again. This time, we have a couple of new weapon classes and subs to try out, along with some new stages.
The main premise is the same. Two teams of four battle it out in an online game, shooting paint at the floors, walls, and every surface they can find; along with each other. The team to cover the stage with more of their team's colour wins, but you're encouraged to pick off other players and play dirty to achieve it.
Salmon Run - the Next Wave
click to enlarge + 4Introduced in Splatoon 2, Salmon Run takes place as a form of employment for our Ink and Octolings. They're tasked by Grizzco to go and fight off terrifying Salmonids, and collect the precious Golden Eggs.
You'll work in a team of four, together, to collect as many eggs as you can, and push back the gross Salmonids at the same time. Salmon Run can be ruthless, and the Next Wave shows no signs of slowing down. New bosses, new mechanics, and new stages have been added, including a giant Salmonid boss that will take all of your strength to beat.
Anarchy Battles
click to enlarge + 4Anarchy Battles is the rebranded name of previous games' Ranked Battles. There are four different games included here, and players will compete to improve their rank. Seasoned players will recognise the returning modes, but for the uninitiated, the four games are as follows:
- Clam Blitz
- Players fight to collect as many Clams as possible, and use them to score points. The team with the most Clams at the end wins. Of course, it's not that simple when there's ink slinging everywhere!
- Splat Zones
- The aim is to keep the Splat Zones covered in your team's ink. Anything outside the line doesn't count. Sounds easy? Sure, if the opposing team wasn't there. Fight them back and cover the area with your ink!
- Tower Control
- Teams of four must fight to get control of the Tower. It starts in the middle of the map, and will move into enemy territory once someone has claimed it. Your team must stay on the Tower to keep it claimed, while defending it. The winner is the first to reach the end goal.
- Rainmaker
- Get the Rainmaker, and put it on the goal in the enemy's territory. Oh, but holding it slows you down and puts you at risk. And there's the enemy team trying to splat you.
If you're not quite in the mood for fast-paced action, you can chill out in the Test Range, and try some new weapons or perfect your bomb-throwing skills. This area has inflatable enemies and climbable surfaces so you can properly get to grips with the game's mechanics.
click to enlarge + 4Something new to Splatoon 3 is the Recon Mode, where you can enter empty stages on your own to get the lay of the land. This allows us to finally find some good hiding spots without the constantly looming threat of opposing players.
Will League Battles come back to Splatoon?
August 10's Splatoon-centric Direct showed us a glimpse at the future of Splatoon 3, beyond it's release. This includes both free updates and paid DLC.
Something that will be added in the near future is X Battles and League Battles - once we're all settled into the Splatlands and we've got some levels under our belt. There's no release date yet, but when we know more, we'll update right here!