You’re Not Bad At Splatoon 3, Everyone Else Is Just Really Good

Players who are finding Splatoon 3 a challenge should take heart: there are a lot of excellent players out there in the online multiplayer, with countless hours of experience under their belts. The Splatoon franchise is by now well-established, with millions of players worldwide, many of them having played since the 2015 launch of the original game, and Splatoon 3 has enough of the same mechanics as its predecessor that players of Splatoon 2 come to the sequel well-prepared to compete. But there is still hope for the inexperienced.

The latest addition to the game franchise, Splatoon 3 saves Nintendo’s multiplayer wasteland by being a family-friendly, third-person shooter unlike anything else available for the Switch platform. It pits four-player teams against each other in Turf Wars, as they are called, which can be daunting to inexperienced players thrust into competing against teams of highly skilled Splatoon veterans. This may be especially true for younger players. Things become even harder in the subsequent Anarchy Battles, where players compete to move up in the overall rankings, which can be more than a little intimidating.

Splatoon is most known for its multiplayer mode, and despite the addition of new maps and weapons, Splatoon 3’s Turf War mechanics remain very similar to those of Splatoon 2, giving players familiar with that game a significant edge over newcomers. Fortunately, Splatoon 3 features a considerably expanded single-player mode compared to its predecessor, giving new players a chance to practice their moves and hone their skills prior to taking on more experienced foes in multiplayer Regular Battles.

Hone Your Skills in Splatoon 3’s Single-Player Story Mode

Millions of people worldwide play Splatoon games and are expert in its gameplay, mechanics, and strategy. This can be daunting for new players, who may encounter early obstacles to advancement in the Regular Battles of Turf War. Anticipating this, Nintendo offered beginners Splatoon 3 gameplay tips in the form of a YouTube video released prior to the game’s unveiling. This and other online resources are available for new players hoping to compete against more experienced rivals in the game’s multiplayer mode.

Another option for honing one’s skills can be found in Splatoon 3’s single-player mode, known as Hero Mode in earlier versions of the game. Unlike its predecessors, Splatoon 3 features a highly developed single-player story, Return of the Mammalians. Players assume the role of Inkling Agents as they explore a post-apocalyptic landscape, completing rescue missions and collecting Salmon Eggs, the in-game currency. Players are given the option to skip any missions they don’t want to take on, enabling players to beat Splatoon 3’s main Hero Mode story in about eight hours.

Single-player mode is not Splatoon 3’s most recognizable feature. Experienced players, drawn to the game for its Turf Battles and ranked competition, may give the game’s story mode little attention. But single-player mode offers less-experienced players the chance to improve their abilities in a stress-free environment before entering into direct competition against more veteran players and teams.