Video Game, 2022
Splatoon 3 creates a miniature universe where style is everything. Self-expressionin the form of clothing, locker decorations, name tags, and victory emotes is the ultimate reward that ties together the game’s assortment of modes, though each of them is a joy to play in its own rightOnly Tableturf Battle has outworn its welcome for me, but it’s a cool minigame. It’s clever in the way it simulates Turf War..
I’ve taken to Salmon Run especially. The mode is a showcase of the game’s variety of weapons and creative enemy design, and the interactions between them. Getting better is a constant process of discovering new tricks and executing them under pressure. The rotation of maps and weapon loadouts keeps it feeling fresh; you learn to adapt to each weapon’s role in the team composition, then the schedule shifts and you do it again for a set of weapons with different strengths and weaknesses. There’s a flow state you can get into when going up against a King Salmonid: splat a Boss Salmonid, save one of its golden eggs, weave between Chums and Cohocks, use your egg cannon to take down another Boss Salmonid, repeat.
I like to use the Splatana Stamper. The shink noise when you land a charged slice at close range is immensely satisfying.
Fundamentally, Splatoon just works because it feels great to cover the ground in ink and sail through it in squid form.