Following a spell of no news or information shared, Splatoon 3 has finally revealed more info with a huge 30-minute Nintendo Direct. This Direct has all the information fans need leading up to Splatoon 3’s release on September 9, and acts as a welcoming introduction to the game for players who are new to the franchise.
This Direct offered a look at a bunch of the new weapon types in Splatoon 3, such as Stringers and Splatanas. Likewise, a look at new stages was given, as well as an overview of what fans can expect to see as they explore the Splatlands’ Splatsville, such as what clothing is available from merchants at either Naut Couture, Man-o’-Wardrobe, or Crush Station. Further, Splatoon 3’s new idols are Deep Cut, composed of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man as a trio. But aside from ordinary gameplay players would expect, Splatoon 3 also introduces a card-based mini-game for competitive 1v1 play.
Splatoon 3’s Tableturf Battle features the same competitive Turf-based battle system to a Tetris-like mini-game. Players go head-to-head playing distinct cards earned somehow in-game that allow them to cast specific Tetris blocks onto the playing field. The same principle applies here as it does to Splatoon’s regular Turf Wars, where players want to occupy as much of the area with their own ink as possible. Tableturf Battle does this with particular block shapes in over 150 collectible cards, meaning that players will likely fare better if they have taken the time to build their deck.
All players receive a starter deck that they can begin to collect more cards from in Splatoon 3. Tableturf Battles seem to be exclusively playable in the Tableturf Battle Dojo in Splatsville, where players will surely find others waiting to compete.
It is uncertain what rewards players receive after having won a battle, but for now it seems like a fun, leisurely takeaway from Splatoon 3’s ordinary gameplay if players want a break from 4v4 Turf Wars. If nothing else, Tableturf Battles contribute to all the fascinating gameplay modes and activities players can enjoy. Besides customizing the player’s personal locker, cooperating in boss-laden Salmon Runs, and experiencing Splatoon 3’s own story mode, the gameplay seems diverse enough to carry it for an indefinite period of time.
Long-time support for the game is confirmed as Catalogs will launch every few months for two years after launch. In that time, Splatoon 3 will be content-rich and will receive free DLC, new weapons, Splatfests, and more.
Splatoon 3 releases September 9, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.