The recent release of Splatoon 3 introduced a lot of new additions to the series. New modes were added, including Tricolor Turf War, Anarchy Battles (replacing Ranked), Tableturf Battles, and a new iteration of Salmon Run. A unique version of the game mode called Big Run has been discussed that allows players to fight off Salmonids invading the Splatlands, in which all normal multiplayer stages become valid Salmon Run maps. Stages like Wahoo World are shown flooded and under a red sky in promotional material.
Much like Splatoon 3's Splatfests, the Big Run mode should arrive as an event every few months. The next Pokemon-themed Splatfest is supposed to arrive in mid-November, according to Nintendo, having players choose between the three different starter types. The lack of a Splatfest until next month has many fans wondering if events will be coming in time for Halloween, and if a Big Run event does come this month, it would perfectly fit the Halloween theme.
How Splatoon 3's Big Run Could Slot Into Halloween
The concept of Big Run in Splatoon 3 lends itself perfectly to horror as once vibrant and colorful maps are now shrouded in a blood-red sky, with hordes of enemies evoking a sense of chaos and claustrophobia. The maps are also in a state of disarray, with flooded areas making players feel like they are seeing a post-apocalyptic version of the Splatlands. If a Halloween-themed event were to come, these maps could easily be tuned to play up the horror factor with different enemies and themed decorations.
In addition to these maps being aesthetically different, their changing layouts and enemies affect how to approach combat situations. As opposed to Splatoon 3's competitive multiplayer, Big Run is a PvE mode against hordes of Salmonids. The same strategies that work in something like Turf War would not work as well in Big Run. In addition to the false sense of security created by playing on familiar maps, a Halloween event could add extra surprises like different enemies or more map changes.
Splatoon 3's Salmonids Act Like Zombies
Many games have added horde modes with great success. Some that come to mind are Call of Duty Zombies, Team Fortress 2's Mann vs Machine mode, and Overwatch's Junkenstein's Revenge. Zombies, or zombie-like enemies, make for good fodder as players defend themselves against multiple waves. The Salmonids in Splatoon 3's Salmon Run are no different in this aspect, flooding into maps and forcing players to adapt.
The Salmonids in Big Run will have enough variety to keep players on their toes. They come in lesser variants and bosses that every player should work to take down together. Their designs lend themselves well to zombie comparisons, with beady eyes and sharp teeth. It is easy to make them a kind of enemy that overruns the player, and there's plenty of room to modify them for different seasons. For a Halloween event, the zombie comparison could be made literal, possibly dressing up as different horror monsters.
While there is still no confirmed Halloween event, fans have speculated how Big Run could be made to fit the Halloween season. As is, Salmon Run is built upon horror aspects, so it would not be a stretch to theme the game mode for Halloween. Big Run can act as Splatoon 3's version of a seasonal zombie horde mode, Splatoon 3 just has to capitalize on the opportunity.
Splatoon 3 is available now on Nintendo Switch.