- Publisher: Nintendo
- Release Date: Sep 9, 2022
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- Critic score
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- Unscored
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Edge MagazineOct 6, 2022For the most part it feels like we're chasing the giddy sugar high the original gave us, without ever quite getting there. [Issue#377, p.102]
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Sep 20, 2022It feels strange to complain about simply getting more of a good thing, but Splatoon is still a young and creatively fertile series that can do even more, and should.
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Sep 13, 2022As it stands Splatoon 3 feels more like a delayed expansion than a brand new experience, but for those who just wanted more of the same old Splatoon, this will offer up more inking and splatting for them to partake in.
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Sep 8, 2022Though the mechanical elements are rock solid, the look and feel of the game is still off. At least for me, this campaign content feels subdued and a little lonely. Taken as part of the complete experience, the single-player content is something of a safe house. A quiet space where you can sharpen your skills and experiment with new weapons. Even so, the solo campaign for Splatoon 3 had me longing for the chaos of the online arena.
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Sep 7, 2022Nintendo does not take any risks with a Splatoon 3 that is far too close to its predecessor on many points, a predecessor that a sequel that was already lacking in notable novelties compared to the original WiiU title. This is all the more frustrating as the gameplay is still very pleasant to play and the charm of this very special formula remains intact. As far as content is concerned, if we put aside the new weapons, it's mainly the solid single player campaign full of good ideas that manages to raise the bar of this lackluster episode.
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Sep 28, 2022Splatoon 3 is just as colorful and charming as ever, but the lack of new meaningful content makes for a harder sell than its immediate predecessor.
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Sep 7, 2022While it’s weird to see Nintendo deliver such a safe sequel, there’s no denying the continued pull of Splatoon’s splotchy skirmishes. Seasoned inklings can dive straight in; casual dabblers might find it a bit bare.
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Sep 13, 2022Splatoon 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.
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| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Sep 19, 2022The best and most complete Splatoon game ever made. You should try it if you have a Nintendo Switch console. [Recommended]
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Sep 7, 2022Splatoon 3's existence feels like a corporate decision, meant to fill a release calendar, as opposed to being driven by good design ideas. I rarely find myself thinking that about a Nintendo game, but Splatoon 3 is that disappointing.
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Sep 7, 2022There are few surprises to be found in Splatoon 3's multiplayer or campaign, but it is the best Nintendo's spectacular series has been to date. [Eurogamer Recommended]
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Sep 7, 2022As it stands, Splatoon 3 is a wildly inventive story campaign paired with a massive amount of multiplayer modes and options, making it the most robust Splatoon game so far. I need more time to put the multiplayer modes through their paces, but the foundation appears strong. [Review in Progress; Provisional Score = 70]
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Sep 7, 2022Splatoon 3’s single-player campaign takes all the highs of Splatoon 2’s creative Octo Expansion missions and places them in a satisfying hub world where freedom of choice lets you get as much as you want out of your playthrough — confident that you’ll be back for more. Even when it relies heavily on familiar enemies, smart level design and objectives, and bosses brimming with personality keep things fresh for the whole ride. [Single-Player review score = 80]
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Sep 7, 2022The game still feels like it’s treading water. And at this point, it might be too little, too late. The series has had two chances to evolve and continue to be a standout series for a generation of Nintendo fans. But it’s only taken baby steps, when it needed to take leaps. Splatoon 3’s script and characters suggest that it’s been keeping up with the times since it burst onto the scene seven years ago. But its stagnant design pillars suggest otherwise. The result is a game that reaches for the excitement of the original, but can’t quite grasp it.
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Sep 7, 2022As it stands, Splatoon 3 has just about everything I’d want in a sequel — and my real hope is that it’ll be a nice, long while before we see another one. The online space has changed dramatically since Splatoon debuted in 2015, with almost every large-scale multiplayer game essentially doubling as a live service experience. The living, breathing worlds of games like Fortnite have altered player expectations. I spent a long time perfecting my craft (and wardrobe) in Splatoon 2, and now I have to essentially start over from scratch. Hopefully, Splatoon 3 has the kind of life — and support from Nintendo — that means I won’t have to do that again for a long time.
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Sep 7, 2022If you’re in it purely for the single player content, you’ll find a lot to love in Splatoon 3. It’s disappointing that there’s pretty much nothing else for you if you’re completely offline – without live servers we haven’t even been able to access the included Tableturf Battle card game or spend any time customising anything – but we’ll have more to say once we can actually get stuck into the rest of the game. [Review in Progress]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 286 out of 448
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Mixed: 47 out of 448
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Negative: 115 out of 448
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Sep 13, 2022It's full of connections issues that destroy all the good points, I'm really disappointed.
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Sep 12, 2022
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Sep 28, 2022