I don’t know about yours, but my household is currently in the throes of Splatoon mania. This isn’t exactly a rare occurrence; we are all uniquely prone to bouts of this diabolical, squid-based madness. But why the sudden onset? Well, there are three very particular reasons.
Just yesterday, Nintendo’s Treehouse team wowed us with a live video presentation largely centered on the single-player mode of Splatoon 3, dubbed “Return of the Mammalians.” Not only did the Treehouse trio properly introduce us to some new techniques (the Squid Roll, Squid Surge, and Squid Spawn), new weapons like the dart-launching Stringer and powerful Splatana, and your adorable story mode sidekick Smallfry, they even let slip a few juicy details about the much-anticipated new special weapons—specifically the Crab Tank, Ink Vac, and Zip Caster. Oh, and they also showed us a dangerous environmental hazard that can turn your squid kid all fuzzy at the slightest touch. I guess that’s pretty important too.
In case you missed it, the entire presentation—including some bonus gameplay of the upcoming Square Enix RPG Harvestella—is still available for viewing on the official Nintendo YouTube channel.
Meanwhile, likely as you’re reading this very post, I (like so many others) am on the hunt for the elusive Nintendo Switch – OLED Model Splatoon 3 Edition. This gorgeous Inkling-themed system hits shelves today, and since North American pre-order opportunities have been pretty much nonexistent, hordes of the Splatoon faithful are currently trolling websites and retail stores searching for this elusive quarry.
With a custom console, two-toned Joy-Cons, and an ink-splattered dock, this system is a thing of radiant beauty. It’s also the first special edition OLED Nintendo Switch model to be released, but hopefully not the last.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, tomorrow, August 27, marks the arrival of the Splatoon 3: Splatfest World Premiere. This 12-hour event only requires that you download the special game demo available via the Nintendo eShop and that you have a Nintendo Switch Online membership.
If you’re not currently an NSO subscriber, fear not! Simply by downloading the demo, you can receive a free seven-day trial for Nintendo Switch Online.
With that squared away, fire up the Splatfest demo between 9 AM and 9 PM Pacific time (that’s between noon and midnight Eastern) to fight for the glory of your respective team: Rock, Paper, or Scissors. From 9 AM-3 PM (12 PM-6 PM here on the east coast) teams will participate in standard Turf War matches.
Then, from 3 PM-9 PM (6 PM-12 AM), things switch over to the brand new Splatfest Tricolor Turf War battles! This 4-vs-2-vs-2 format pits the leading team against both the underdogs and will ultimately determine who rules the Splatlands… at least until Splatoon 3 launches for real on September 9.
I look forward to seeing (and splatting) you all Saturday, but until then, stay fresh!
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