Splatoon 3 can't come soon enough to the Nintendo Switch for fans of online multiplayer. Nintendo has long had issues with online play, whether it be problematic online payment plans or games with inadequate multiplayer options. Nintendo has fallen short of its competitors like Sony and Microsoft, who offer expansive game catalogs with some of their online plans as well as a large variety of titles with better functioning multiplayer modes. But by the looks of Splatoon 3's recent Nintendo Direct, the game looks to fix this issue with its multifaceted online multiplayer experience.
The Splatoon series has been Nintendo's strongest online multiplayer series for five years now. Since the Nintendo Switch launched in 2017, the game company has failed to offer a variety of original titles that appeal to players interested in interacting with others online. Additionally, the games Nintendo did release had poor online multiplayer functionality. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's Quickplay and Arenas are both slow and encourage toxic play styles, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons suffers from long loading times and places extreme limitations on players visiting friends' islands. Even more recent titles like Super Mario Strikers and Mario Party Superstars fail with their online play due to their lack of content. Splatoon 2, which launched July 2017, has been the only Nintendo Switch game with an online multiplayer focus of noteworthy quality. It's a shame considering how well the console has performed and how perfect it would be for online play with its portability.
Splatoon 3's new features will make it better than Splatoon 2, almost certainly, but it will shake up Nintendo's Switch multiplayer offerings considerably once it releases in September 2022. The third installment in the series not only has a large variety of game modes but has also already promised two years of new content in its Nintendo Direct. This will make Splatoon 3 feel more complete than most online multiplayer oriented titles released on the Nintendo Switch in the last five years.
Why Splatoon 3 Is So Good For The Nintendo Switch's Multiplayer Problem
What makes Splatoon 3 such a promising title for the Nintendo Switch is how robust its online multiplayer functionality is. Players will not only get enjoy the classic multiplayer mode Turf War but one of Splatoon 3's biggest reveals is co-op coming to its campaign mode. On top of this, Splatoon 3 is introducing new online multiplayer modes to the series, including an all-new card game called Table Turf Battle. The diversity of options players will have when it comes to multliplayer interactions in Splatoon 3 will place the game leaps and bounds ahead of any other Nintendo Switch title's online modes. Even third-party titles like Fortnite and Apex Legends cannot compete with Splatoon 3, as their poor performance on the Switch make their strong multiplayer capabilities less appealing than the Nintendo game.
Additionally, Splatoon 3 is looking to avoid the avaricious approach some other Nintendo Switch titles have taken to the DLCs and microtransactions that are becoming expected facets of online multiplayer. Weapons in Splatoon 3 can be purchased with licenses, which are obtainable through play and not money. This will prevent Splatoon 3 from becoming pay-to-win while rewarding players for investing time into the game. In contrast, Nintendo Switch Sports launched without golf and consequently fewer sports than its much older predecessor Wii Sports Resort, locking customization content from those who do not have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. This technique to small games with subscription plans has essentially allowed Nintendo to release incomplete-feeling games at or near full-price and then milk more money out of players. Splatoon 3 is luckily completely avoiding this approach by offering a more than complete online multiplayer system, which is much-needed for the Nintendo Switch and its longevity as a console.