Splatoon 3 fans rejoice as news has finally been shared about its content. Indeed, Splatoon 3 received an insightful and playful Nintendo Direct earlier today, and with it came a ton of details about customization, ranked modes on rotation, new stages, and more. Splatoon 3 releases in just under a month, and upon its launch there will be a lot to look forward to following the pre-release Splatfest event that will help kick it off.
Splatoon 3 will have a ton to offer within its competitive scene between ranked Anarchy Battles, Turf Wars, and Tricolor Turf Wars as part of its first Splatfest. But as announced during the Direct, players will also be treated to an optional mini-game with its own area allotted to it in Splatsville. It may have come as a surprise addition to fans of the franchise, but Splatoon 3 will now be introducing a 1v1 mini-game centered around collectible card decks. Interestingly, this continues the modern trend of large-scale games within games, with others such as Gwent, Machine Strike, and Orlog.
Splatoon 3’s Tableturf Battle is a Nice Aside from Regular Gameplay
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Tableturf Battle is new to Splatoon and while it is thematically related to ordinary PvP in Turf Wars, it is its own separate mini-game within Splatoon 3. Tableturf Battle is a 1v1 competitive mini-game that revolves around the collection of a massive card deck, but has the aesthetic and functionality of Tetris. Players still want to saturate the playing field with their ink’s color, but need specific cards in order to do so. The player’s opponent may play particularly troubling block setups in order to obstruct the player from playing their own, and vice versa.
Special attacks are implemented in different ways based on the cards players have as well, but the Direct didn't say how cards would be earned. It is presumed that cards will be earned by winning 1v1 matches and perhaps as a residual reward from regular multiplayer matches in Splatoon 3.
It may also be possible to purchase cards from merchants, but fans will need to wait either until more details about Tableturf Battle are revealed, or until the game releases next month. Many players returning from Splatoon and Splatoon 2 may be excited for Tableturf Battle, while some may have no interest in it at all. However, that is the beauty of games within games; they are optional, but they can be highly engaging for players who appreciate them.
Tableturf Battle Joins the Likes of Gwent, Machine Strike, and More
For Splatoon to now be indulging in a mini-game such as Tableturf Battle it is fantastic, and time will tell if its popularity skyrockets it to the likes of Gwent, Machine Strike, and Orlog. Moreover, Tableturf Battle is a peculiar addition to Splatoon 3 as it is still a largely multiplayer PvP game that has little to do with card-based minigames.
Games within games are more common in open-world RPGs where the player may have a lot of leisure in their exploration and can come across NPCs willing to trade them or earn them cards. That said, when taking a closer look at Splatoon 3 and the features it presents in its hub world of Splatsville, a lot of content is actually included for players to enjoy their time idly out of battle.
Games such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Horizon Forbidden West, and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla are all immense action games with a considerable amount of downtime between exciting activities. In settlements or other areas populated with NPCs, players may find characters willing to play a mini-game with them that is simple yet comprehensive, immersing them further into the game’s world. Players then may seek out other cards or items for that game’s mini-game, and enter their next match with a greater hand to play with.
Splatoon 3 now has an opportunity to feature a mini-game as influential as these, and it will be exciting to see how it evolves throughout the game’s life. The key difference between Tableturf Battle and a few of its counterparts is that while most of them are single-player, Tableturf Battle is played online in competitive 1v1.
Splatoon 3 releases September 9, 2022 for Nintendo Switch.