Splatoon 3 already seemed phenomenal on the unique Switch, in a method that appeared to defy the console’s {hardware} limitations. The recreation’s paint-slicked visuals have been beautiful, and its chaotic battles have been a testomony to how nicely the Switch might run software program that was fine-tuned to make one of the best of its specs. What was most spectacular, although, was the way in which Splatoon 3 saved refreshing itself for years after its preliminary 2022 launch with a gradual stream of latest garments, weapons, phases, and a nifty DLC enlargement.
Splatoon 3 felt prefer it had reached its zenith on the unique Switch — a lot so {that a} full-on sequel appeared just like the franchise’s logical subsequent step as Nintendo ready to launch the Switch 2. But because of an surprising replace, Splatoon 3 performs like a slicker, sleeker, and extra trendy shooter on the brand new console. And whereas the enhancements aren’t fairly as dramatic as what we noticed with Fortnite, they’re sufficiently big to make Splatoon 3 really feel prefer it’s greater than able to holding down the fort whereas Nintendo focuses on growing no matter’s subsequent.
While battles inside Splatoon 3 have at all times maxed out at 60fps, the very first thing that jumps out concerning the recreation post-update is how that top framerate can now even be seen principally in every single place you information your Inkling character. In the previous, nonmatch areas like Splatsville, Inkopolis, and the Grand Festival Grounds by no means seemed dangerous, per se. But there was a roughness to characters’ animations as they walked round and a stiffness to the way in which the atmosphere moved that made these locations really feel like they have been making an attempt laborious to not push the unique Switch previous its limits.
Image: Nintendo
After the brand new Switch 2 replace, which additionally bumps the sport’s decision up, all the things in Inkopolis flows with a pleasant slickness that makes the place really feel alive. Inklings’ steps and idling poses are nonetheless measured and gradual, however there’s a gracefulness to them now that made me pay nearer consideration to individuals’s avatars. And whereas the replace doesn’t deliver any drastic adjustments to Splatoon 3’s character fashions, you possibly can clearly see the superb particulars of their fashionable hypebeast matches and the way in which mild interacts with the shiny, reflective surfaces of their pores and skin.
Better-looking NPCs hanging out in lobbies won’t look like a giant deal, however it’s an vital a part of the Splatoon expertise due to the way in which many of the characters you see in locations like Inkopolis are literally different gamers’ avatars. The added visible polish works to remind you that Splatoon 3 could be very a lot a community-focused recreation that also has a devoted playerbase, and as I walked round, it was nice seeing so many higher-resolution characters sharing messages about how they have been having fun with the replace.
You may also really feel how rather more horsepower the Switch 2 is working with in how rapidly Splatoon 3 now breezes by means of its loading screens as you’re on the point of dive right into a match. Once you’re really in a battle, you possibly can actually begin to get a way of how the replace impacts Splatoon 3’s core gameplay on the Switch 2 and why, for individuals nonetheless enjoying on the unique Switch, Nintendo determined to strip out a few of the background visible parts in sure aggressive modes.
On the entire, common PvP matches ran each bit as nicely at 60fps as they did on the primary Switch, however you possibly can see that background parts within the far off distance, just like the jellyfish spectators, now transfer rather more easily. It stands to motive that Nintendo selected to not drastically change how Splatoon 3 battles run on the Switch 2 in order to not put gamers on the unique Switch at an unfair drawback. That’s additionally most likely why, after the replace, a few of the background parts within the Splat Zones / Tower Control /Rainmaker / Clam Blitz modes have been eliminated on the primary Switch. In my expertise, this didn’t actually change all that a lot since you’re meant to be centered on portray the bottom and splatting your enemies. But these adjustments seemingly assist the Switch dedicate extra of its power to displaying the vital issues nicely.
Even when there’s a horde of enemies swarming in Salmon Run mode, their animations are a lot, a lot smoother, which really makes it simpler to maintain monitor of what’s happening as matches change into extra hectic. It was nonetheless nearly unimaginable to get my teammates to drag it collectively when a Horrorboros confirmed up and began hurling paint bombs at us, however that felt just like the kind of difficulty that is likely to be extra simply addressed in a follow-up recreation that makes use of the Switch 2’s voice chat function.
For each consoles, the replace additionally introduces a slew of remixed weapons. Giving commonplace weapons, just like the Aerospray, totally different sub-weapons has at all times been a core a part of Splatoon, and the brand new kits are primarily an invite to check out your outdated favorites with a few new tips connected that encourage distinctive play kinds.For longtime Splatoon 3 gamers, all the things concerning the replace actually serves as a reminder of how a lot enjoyable the sport has at all times been. But it additionally appears like Nintendo is making an effort to deliver extra gamers into the fold forward of Splatoon Raiders’ launch. And, as good as it could have been to have a brand new Splatoon title for the Switch 2’s launch, it’s incredible to see Nintendo making strikes that profit your complete Switch household as an entire.
