Whether a game console is a smash hit or an abject failure, I find myself drawn to all of them – and typically there’s at least one killer game you have to play. Nintendo’s Wii U arguably fits into the latter category, despite the fact that the system actually has a bunch of exceptional releases – and one of those titles is the original Splatoon, effectively Nintendo’s take on the third-person shooter genre with its own unique twist, the paint system. It’s a game that oozes style, kind of like Nintendo’s take on a classic Dreamcast game – and it’s brilliant.
Like many Wii U titles, Splatoon hit Switch via a sequel: familiar in many ways, but fleshed out with a more comprehensive single-player offering and the excellent Octo expansion. Five years on, the third instalment is here – and there are plenty of changes and improvements to consider. I liked Splatoon 2, but this new release feels like a proper sequel, improving on the series’ strengths and moving in new directions. The presentation instantly feels more elaborate, the single-player mode is vast and the visuals have improved. It feels like the game Nintendo has been working towards since the very beginning.
That starts with your first contact with the game – a basic menu on the Wii U original with more polish on the sequel with a title sequence leading into the training sequence. Splatoon 3 makes far more of an impact, with a mysterious desert scene instantly setting the stage for what’s to come. The camera then cuts to your character with a more fully fleshed-out, animation rich character customisation sequence. It then seamlessly pans over to the starting point before kicking into the training mission.
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