2021 is shaping up to be a big year for shooters of all kinds. New titles like Returnal and Deathloop are hoping to make a splash, while heavy hitting franchises like Halo are poised to make a comeback. In a way, then, it's a good thing that Splatoon 3 is taking its time. The continuation of Nintendo's fairly new franchise won't be out until 2022, so hopefully it can dodge the release dates of some of its potential rivals. Splatoon fans are really eager to get their hands on Splatoon 3, though; now that Nintendo has made it clear that a lot has changed in the new game, fans want to find out just how much new content Nintendo has added.
The new setting for Splatoon 3 is definitely a good start as far as surprising fans with interesting changes is concerned. There's also lots of cosmetic adjustments, like the player's new pet, a genderless Splatoon character creator, and the freedom of choice to be either an Inkling or an Octoling. What fans really want to see, though, is everything new in Splatoon's gameplay. Players are clamoring to see some big updates, especially some interesting new weapon types. While the bow that Nintendo has teased is a good start, Splatoon 3 should push its limits in gunplay as much as its pushing limits in other departments.
Examining Splatoon's Arsenal
Splatoon and Splatoon 2 definitely had an impressive amount of choices when it came to weapons. There's lots of types of guns to choose from, with Shooters, Blasters, and Chargers all doing well to emulate machine guns, shotguns, and snipers in more traditional shooters. However, Splatoon's weirder weapons are generally its most memorable. The Roller is arguably Splatoon's most iconic weapon since it does so well to represent the heart of Splatoon's gameplay: cover the stage in as much ink as possible. It's also a decent melee weapon in a pinch. Although the Roller isn't a conventional weapon, it channels Splatoon's offbeat, charming humor perfectly. The games wouldn't be the same without it.
Splatoon 2 did well to advance the weapon weirdness with the Brella. While this umbrella-like weapon type doesn't look combat worthy at a glance, it's actually a sort of shotgun with a deployable shield, making it very useful at close-range. The Brella was a great idea, but Nintendo can't stop there. Splatoon 3 deserves some clever, unique weapons similar to the Brella and the Roller. The new bow category that Splatoon 3 is adding is a good start, seeing how badly fans wanted a bow weapon, but hopefully Nintendo has even more ideas up its sleeves.
Getting Wild in Splatoon 3
One weapon that would really change things up in Splatoon 3 is a rocket launcher, sharing a Charger's slow fire-rate and high charge time but offering huge area-of-effect damage at mid-range. An explosive Main Weapon akin to the Inkzooka could add a lot of chaotic excitement to Splatoon's multiplayer. As for something a little goofier, maybe Splatoon 3 could try a different take on covering the stage in ink with a spray can. Player could spray continuously in an area in front of them to deal damage over time and ink up the stage, then share Dodge Rolls with the Dualies from Splatoon 2, since they'd both be lightweight weapons.
These suggestions only amount to the Main Weapons in Splatoon. The players' Sub Weapons, which are nearly all grenades or other explosives, deserve a shakeup too. It'd be fun to see some more utility-focused Sub Weapons with more focus on crowd control or helping allies than on dealing damage. Diversity in weapons of all kinds will help Splatoon get more tactical than ever before. Adding more and more depth to the gameplay -- especially the multiplayer -- is one great way that Nintendo can keep fans coming back for more. Splatoon is doing really well for a six year old franchise, so hopefully Nintendo uses Splatoon 3 to try some new things and figure out what Splatoon's future looks like.
Splatoon 3 releases in 2022 for Nintendo Switch.