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Nintendo’s August Splatoon 3 Direct was packed (or should that be ink-filled?) with new stuff, announcements, teasers and more for the upcoming splat shooter, and if you missed it, or just need a refresher what was announced, then we have you covered, squid!
Here’s the VOD streaming in case you missed it:
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Now let’s get our hooks into this delicious new content!
On this page:
- All announced in The Splatoon 3 August Direct
All announced in The Splatoon 3 August Direct
photo mode
Players can now enter photo mode to take snapshots of their characters and the environment. These photos can be shared on social networks, sent to friends or used as decoration in customizable lockers.
New techniques
Squid wave
Players can use Squid Surge to quickly swim through walls in a single burst.
Squid roll
A technique designed to make quick 180 turns, the Squid Roll also features a frame and brief that repels ink when the character shines.
New battle stages
New stages include Eeltail Alley, Scorch Gorge, Mincemeat Metalworks and Undertow Spillway. There are 12 stages available at launch, including some returning ones, but more stages will be added in post-launch updates.
new weapons
Normal weapons
The Tri-Stringer
A bow-like weapon that can fire in three directions at once, with the ability to fire charged shots that freeze and then explode.
The Splatana windshield wiper
Part katana, part windshield wiper, the Splatana Wiper is a long-range weapon that can shoot ink in wide arcs using centrifugal force. Charge it to release vertical slices that can help the squid kids swim the walls with ease.
special weapons
The Tacticooler
A vending machine that provides in-game drinks for up to four players to increase their stats and abilities. Drop it at the start of a match for a tactical advantage!
The Reefslider
A shark pool float that travels around the arena, blasting the enemy with ink.
The Breakwater
A tactical spot that releases waves of energy, pinpoints enemy positions and deals damage to them. You can jump over the waves to avoid it!
Returning content
stages
- Alfonsino Museum
- Hammerhead Bridge
- Mahi-Mahi Resort
weapons
- Test the missiles
- Ink injection
- ink storm
- Ultra Seal
- Booyah Bomb
New and returning amiibo
Three new amiibo will be released this winter:
- Inkling (yellow) – $15.99
- Octoling (Blue) – $15.99
- Smallfry – $15.99
Amiibo can be scanned to access exclusive outfits, take photos with them and save your character’s outfit combinations as Fresh Fits.
Some Splatoon 2 amiibo will be restocked alongside the new ones:
- Callie & Marie 2 Pack – $24.99
- Pearl & Navy 2 Pack – $24.99
deep cut
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Replacing Marina and Pearl, the hosts of Splatsville from Splatoon 2, are a new Deep Cut trio (yes, trio): Frye, Shiver, and Big Man, who is a stingray. They’re still musicians, so expect to see them perform some of the new Splatoon 3 music, like Anarchy Rainbow. Its music seems noticeably more festival-themed than the poppy, hip-hop stuff of previous games.
Splatfest
Splatfest returns on August 27th, two weeks before Splatoon 3 launches on September 9th. Instead of two sides, this time, there will be three…
Turf Wars for three players
Nintendo seems to have run out of two-sided battles to pit Splatoon players against each other, as the new Turf Wars gimmick in Splatoon 3 is three-sided battles. Turf Wars will now be split into two halves: the first is regular 4v4 battles between the three teams, which determines who will start from the center of the map in the second half, where the three teams compete on the Tricolor Turf. War battle as a 4-v-2-v-2 match.
Part of the Aug. 27 Splatfest, the first Turf War will allow players to choose between Rock (Shiver’s team), Paper (Frye’s team), and Scissors (Big Man’s team).
Customizable labels and lockers
Plenty of online multiplayer games have some sort of customizable badge system to show off your colors, and now Splatoon 3 is getting in on it with Splashtags. These appear before a match and can be customized with a title (like Animal Crossing: New Horizons titles), a background, and a badge. You can also change the emote your character makes when winning a game.
Take your #Splatoon3 customization to the next level with a custom Splashtag, a combination of a customizable banner, badge, and title!
Then add your favorite weapon, gear, and stickers to your locker. You’ll be able to see the lockers of people you’ve played with recently. pic.twitter.com/lAXDS05SPy
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 10, 2022
Your locker, which will appear in the lobby of players you’ve recently played with, can also be customized to display weapons, items, photos and more. You can also change the color of the cabinet.
Customization options will appear in the Hotlantis catalog, which will offer new items regularly and seasonally every three months for the next two years.
SplatNet 3 app
Splatoon 3 is getting a companion app, called SplatNet 3. It can be accessed through the Nintendo Switch Online app on your phone, for which you’ll need a subscription.
SplatNet 3 will give you access to battle logs, unique app-only gear, and something called Crusty Sean’s Wandercrust, which appears to be the ability to fund Crusty Sean’s backpacking trip with inked points earned from winning territory in battle.
New minigame: Tableturf Battle
A new mode in Splatoon 3 where players can remove ink from cards. Tableturf Battle is a competitive 1v1 game where cards are played to “ink” a grid-based battlefield, with over 150 cards to collect.
Battles of anarchy
Anarchy Battles is the new name for Splatoon 2’s ranked battle mode. The four rotating “rules” (Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz) are returning, and players will be able to compete for the highest rankings in these explosion-based targets.
If you want to play with friends, you can join Anarchy Battle (Open). But if you’re thinking of going it alone, there’s also Anarchy Battle (Series).
Lobby ghosts and training dummies
You can now see your friends in the lobby as ghosts, allowing you to join their matches, see what they’re doing and play with them before a match starts. There’s also a training area in the lobby, which you and your ghost friends can use to try out weapons and tactics ahead of time.
The lobby also allows you to replay recent battles with the memory player. You can fast forward, change character view and send clips to friends.
Post-release updates
The catalog of customization options for lockers and tags will be released every three months from launch for two years and is available to all players for free. New weapons will be added at the same time.
New stages will also be added to the 12 available since launch.
Other planned updates include X Battle and League Battle, which allow high-ranking players to compete against other players who match their skills.
DLC
While we don’t have any details, Nintendo is planning “large-scale paid DLC” in the future.
The Miiverse is back (sort of)
Splatoon 3 will give players the ability to draw little cartoons (or write words or post memes) and make them visible in Splatsville to other players… just like Miiverse did. And this time, you can make vertical art too!
Salmon Run
Up to four players can battle the salmonids in the returning Salmon Run mode, now playable whenever you want.
Added Boss Salmonids, such as Slammin’ Lid and Big Shot, and a supergiant king called Cohozuna, who can spawn at the end of a match. Players can defeat this big guy by using the new Egg Cannon, which fires golden eggs to deal massive damage.
The Splatoon 3 Direct also promised a new mode called Big Runs in the future, which sees the Salmonids invade Splatsvile…
Story Mode: The Return of the Mammals
The single-player story mode is perfect for new players to learn the ropes of ink, and concerns the Octarian Army, a group of strange, hairy fish. You will play as the new recruit of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, Agent 3, who is tasked with finding out the secrets behind Alterna, the Fuzzy Ooze.
That’s all for now, but check back with us for all the Splatoon 3 information as it arrives. If you’re already sold on Splatoon 3 and/or amiibo, be sure to read our pre-order guide:
And if you missed the broadcast, you can read our live blog while watching the video and it will be like you were there:
What was your favorite Splatoon 3 Direct announcement today? Tell us in the comments!