Splatoon 3 certainly made a splash during today’s Nintendo Direct stream, giving players a new peek at what they can expect when the title drops in 2022. For those hoping to shake things up, some new mechanics seem to be on the horizon, along with some more detailed information on the post-apocalyptic Splatlands, the new setting for the third title, and where the Inklings and Octolings coexist. Nintendo first announced the third installment to the third-person shooter series back at February’s Nintendo Direct, and in comparison to earlier titles, players can expect this installment to be a little more desolate. Hey, that just means decorating it with some paint won’t hurt, right?
While players can still expect to participate in some savage Turf Wars in an attempt to cover as much of their surroundings with paint as possible, some new critters are being added to the mix. Now, in addition to the typical cold-blooded characters we’re used to, some mammals will be joining the fray for the first time. The theme, as shown in the trailer, is “Return of the Mammalians.” This trailer showed a much larger portion of the game as compared to the earlier teaser trailer, and fans were quick to note the inclusion of bows, capable of shooting three ink shots simultaneously. Drones will also be making an appearance in the new title.
The original Splatoon title was released for the Wii U in 2015, with the sequel releasing for the Nintendo Switch in 2017. Splatoon 2 added enhanced battle modes, a full DLC expansion, and characters which continue to inspire the community to this day. In 2018, one of these characters even made the jump to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Splatoon 3 will be released for the Nintendo Switch in 2022. An exact date hasn’t yet been announced.
