Splatoon 3 Reviews
Splatoon 3 might not reinvent the wheel, but it more than makes up for it with the most fully-featured and polished entry in the series to date.
The first Splatoon game was a wonderfully novel experience and Splatoon 2 also managed to build on its framework while still feeling new. In comparison, Splatoon 3 doesn’t feel quite as fresh as those two initial games even with its new additions, opting instead to polish and refine the franchise’s tried-and-true formula. That being said, Splatoon 3 represents the pinnacle of the series’ shooting mechanics, which are further fine-tuned into splatting perfection. Add a campaign with fun and creative bosses as well as engaging multiplayer options and you have another colorful and addicting addition to the franchise.
Splatoon 3 is the successful crowning glory of the colorful trilogy with original gameplay and more scope than ever before.
Review in German | Read full review
More than innovating, Splatoon 3 is in charge of polishing each of its elements to offer one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Splatoon 3 feels like a fresh coat of paint for the series, with a new story mode as well as additional weapons, stages and enemies. With the main multiplayer modes largely unchanged compared to Splatoon 2, series veterans may feel aggrieved that there aren’t any substantial upgrades or new game modes. But Splatoon 3 still offers spades of fun and will no doubt be one of the leading multiplayer titles on the Nintendo Switch.
In short, if you loved the first two Splatoons, this sequel will not struggle to win you over, and in case you have never splatted in the franchise ... well, maybe it's time to think about it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Splatoon 3 is the same reliable fun the franchise has always been, and it has the much-needed improvements that fans clamored for, but players should just be aware of how much new content there actually is before committing to purchasing.
Blending fun territories and weapons with easily accessible features, a variety of gameplay modes and a solid solo offering, this installment makes for the kind of game that does the Splatoon name proud.
All in all, putting the online infrastructure disaster aside, Splatoon 3 is a lot of fun, but I can't help but feel like it could have been an update to Splatoon 2 rather than a new game. I enjoyed the new story mode, the new weapons are great, and the lobby changes are fantastic, but everything else just feels like too little to warrant $60. I generally don't like to evaluate games on price point, but it needs to be said this is more like Splatoon 2.25 than a full jump in number or even just half. Once you take into account the awful connection it definitely doesn't feel worth it. Don't get me wrong, it's still a good game and a great entry for new fans, but I'd get basically the same experience and probably slightly more stable in Splatoon 2 and that's still right there on my home screen. Nintendo really needs to step their game up in terms of updates, and for God's sake invest in some servers or better netcode.
Splatoon 3 finally feels like the full package that expertly pulls together single-player, multiplayer and a streamlined video game experience. Though some players have reported connection issues early on, the game is overall a stable and super-fun experience for anyone looking to get into Splatoon.
Splatoon 3 is simply a very good game that can be, however, considered a bit too derivative. But if I were to rate this game without the context of the prequels, the impression would be quite excellent.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Splatoon 3 is a very fun title that people are going to enjoy for a long time due to the multiple modes, great quality of life improvements, and the new additions to things like the Splatfests! Jump in and see what so many are having fun playing.
It might not nourish your body, but it nourishes your soul, each taste leaving yet another joyful memory. The wrapper may be different, but the insides are still the same consistent and sublimely tasty treat. You don't mess with the perfect junk food; they changed the flavor of Coke once and it almost caused national riots.
Splatoon 3 may not benefit from the novelty that propelled the series to instant stardom, but it is chock full of content, and the self-assured step the series has made at launch yet. The core remains compelling and fun, but several issues from older games still persist. Those who were on board the first two times, or at the very least intrigued, are going to love what is on offer here.
If you haven't picked up a Splatoon game before, then Splatoon 3 is a great place to start. It takes a lot of steps to make it easier to play with friends and has a variety of different modes to play, meaning everyone will have something they enjoy, even if they just want to play single player. The game is more customisable than ever and you are free to change the appearance of your character at any time if you find yourself wanting a new look. The only real problem with the game as it stands is the connection issues. When it works, the game is amazingly fun and you will find yourself playing match after match, only for the connection to drop again out of nowhere. Hopefully this gets fixed soon so I can be playing Splatoon 3 for even longer during my next session.
While more iterative than it is innovative, Splatoon 3 is without a doubt the best entry in the series yet. Despite lacking new multiplayer modes at launch, there's a clear commitment to content and quality, with each aspect of the package being pushed to its logical extreme through smart and meaningful additions. This is the most feature-complete and tightly designed Splatoon to date, and you'd be missing out if you choose to pass it up.
Splatoon 3 adds nothing of significance to the series, which is quite disappointing considering that it, as a whole, was bursting with originality when it first launched.
It’s more fun, more refined, and more accessible in every way, while somehow managing to surpass the previous games in style and presentation. Evolution, not revolution, is the catch of the day, and that’s fine by me if it’s served up as exquisitely as Splatoon 3.
Even more colourful, engaging and eccentric than ever before, Splatoon 3 is bringing the same highly amusing casual and competitive fun of Splatoon's unique paint-based versus gameplay and polishes it closer to perfection, like topping up some old decorations with a fresh coat of paint.