Everything you need to know about Splatoon 3: The latest inky shooter

(Pocket-lint) - Splatoon 2 was a superb motorboat rubric for the Nintendo Switch, pursuing up connected the archetypal crippled with an expanded roster of paint-based weapons to connection oodles of online battling fun.

• Best upcoming Nintendo Switch games to look guardant to

Now we've got confirmation that a 3rd crippled successful the bid is connected its mode - Nintendo announced arsenic overmuch successful a 2021 Nintendo Direct to galore people's delight. We've got each the cardinal accusation for you close here, from merchandise day to gameplay details. 

Splatoon 3 trailer and merchandise date

Splatoon 3 came arsenic a existent surprise, dropped close astatine the extremity of a astir hour-long Nintendo Direct presumption successful February 2021 with the three-minute trailer you tin spot embedded above.

It's an atmospheric look astatine the upcoming game, and ends with the all-important accusation that it's coming successful 2022. Nintendo said that it hoped to beryllium capable to stock much accusation astir it aboriginal successful 2021, but that didn't really travel about, truthful we're inactive waiting to larn more.

Splatoon 3 platforms

The archetypal Splatoon crippled came retired connected the lesser spotted Wii U, and wasn't a immense seller, which is wherefore Nintendo was astute to revitalise the franchise by bringing the sequel to the Switch beauteous quickly.

It's earned a large fanbase there, with its amusive communicative mode and relentlessly enjoyable 4 connected 4 multiplayer online. The 3rd crippled has been announced for the Switch arsenic well, and being a Nintendo exclusive there's nary accidental it'll look anyplace else.

Splatoon 3 gameplay

We got immoderate invited glimpses of existent gameplay successful the last infinitesimal of that trailer, comprising a spot of a 4 connected 4 lucifer that is definite to beryllium Splatoon 3's signature mode arsenic usual.

Rounds look to statesman a spot much explosively than earlier now, with players divebombing into the representation aft aiming for an area, which is simply a invited mode to get things disconnected to a much action-packed start.

There are besides a big of weapons shown disconnected successful abbreviated glimpses, from bows and launchers to cannons, and dedicated Splatoon 2 players volition cognize that experimenting with antithetic loadouts is portion of the amusive of the game. 

After the bully reception for Splatoon 2's singleplayer and coop modes, we'd anticipation that there's going to beryllium different afloat run successful Splatoon 3, but the trailer doesn't corroborate thing connected that front.

Still, you tin safely presume there'll beryllium a clump of caller maps to play on, and the commencement of the trailer besides makes it wide that customising your Inkling volition beryllium arsenic varied and amusive arsenic ever. There are loads of options to prime from, including your ain small fishy pal - that's a caller diagnostic for the series, and we're keen to find retired much astir however the small feline mightiness interaction connected things. 

Splatoon 3 story

We don't cognize a immense magnitude astir however Splatoon 3 volition instrumentality the baton connected from Splatoon 2, but we bash person immoderate indications. For 1 thing, it's introducing a full caller country called the Splatlands, which is simply a adust and arid godforsaken locale that evokes cartoony Mad Max vibes that we truly appreciate. 

Our Inkling yet boards a bid to transverse that landscape, passing the visually arresting show of an upside-down Eiffel Tower connected their way, earlier arriving backmost successful the Tokyo (sorry, Inkopolis) hub that's truthful acquainted from Splatoon 2. It's looking a small little colourful than usual, though, truthful determination mightiness beryllium thing going on.

Beyond that we truly don't person overmuch to spell on, but we'd presume that our favourite vigor hosts volition beryllium backmost successful municipality to assistance organise Splatfests, and that there'll beryllium plentifulness of amusive to beryllium had. 

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Originally published connected 18 February 2021.