VIDEO GAMES: Think Ink: Splatoon 3
Nov. 5—Nintendo Switch
Nintendo has never really been known for being as into the shooter genre of games as their competitors but they made some massive waves when the first "Splatoon" hit the Wii U back in 2015.
Seven years later, the third entry in what's become one of their most successful properties has helped the series make an even bigger splash.
"Splatoon 3" follows in the footsteps of its previous entries through the series' unique spin on team-based shooters; instead of typical ammunition, the weapons you use in game fire ink, making your team's goal not only taking down your rivals but painting the battlefield around you.
The weapons themselves also don't follow usual norms, instead practically oozing with the series' charm; rather than pistols and machine guns, the Inklings and Octolings of Splatsville charge into battle with water guns, buckets and oversized paint rollers, among other things.
Every weapon in the game has its own strengths and weaknesses, each one functioning very differently from the others, giving players a lot of options to experiment with and find their personal role in their squad.
"Splatoon 3's" various modes take the basic idea of "shoot more ink than the enemy" and run with it in their own fun and creative ways, offering players a variety of unique and carefully crafted experiences to choose from — from 4v4, to 4vHorde, to a more contained single player experience.
The series' story modes are always a delight and the campaign on display in "3" is definitely one of the best the series has ever had. Expanding on concepts from the previous game, players can tackle the levels of each area in any order, with each level giving them a specific weapon or set of weapons to complete the mission.
In this way, the campaign almost becomes a tutorial for many of the game's weapons, sub-weapons and specials. Some of the levels can definitely be tricky, especially if you're still getting used to a weapon, but it's still generally a great learning experience for new players that's also just really fun to play.
And while it might be a small thing to some, it's impossible to skip over how much livelier and personalized "Splatoon 3" feels compared to its predecessors
Not only is the area of Splatsville you get to explore so much bigger and more packed with content than earlier hubworlds but the series' iconic Splatfests, where players back a team and compete for dominance based around a specific theming like sci-fi vs. fantasy, have never been more vibrant and festive, now featuring three teams to pick from and a chaotic three-way battle mode.
"Splatoon 3" also offers a heaping of customization, going from appearances and clothing to character tags, titles and personalized lockers.
Even options like hairstyles, which used to be gender-locked, are now completely unrestricted, giving players as much freedom with their avatars as they want.
A big sticking point, however, is that every mode in this game, aside from the story mode, requires an Internet connection, and unfortunately, the servers are still having some hiccups when it comes to maintaining connection between players.
As a silver lining, though, "Splatoon 3" is very much still in its larval stages, and, like its predecessors, is set to receive an ocean of updates to add more content and fix any lasting bugs.
If you're a fan of the series or just starting out for the first time, definitely give this game a try. Shooters have never been my thing but this is by no means a normal shooter — and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Davis Cobb is a reporter with The Tifton Gazette.
