The latest Nintendo Direct unveiled an action-packed new look at Side Order, the single-player DLC for Splatoon 3.
The dream-like trailer follows a lone inklet as they explore what appears to be a bizarrely devastated world caked in white paint. As the environment glitches around them, swarms of strange, gooey fish amass seemingly with the intention of claiming their next meal. In a bid to stay alive, the inklet pops out two pistols and lays waste, damage numbers popping up over the heads of the enemies. Previous teasers have suggested that the story will take players to the ruins of Inkopolis in a “what if” scenario that focuses on Team Order defeating Team Chaos and enacting their rule over the world.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0Jjeko4wMs&pp=ygUVc3BsYXRvb24gMyBzaWRlIG9yZGVy
The story really kicks into gear when the inkling stumbles upon an elevator where a mysterious figure, equipped with headphones, a baseball cap, and what appears to be Vegeta’s power scanner, invites them inside. We get a bit of the story here, as the inklet’s robotic sidekick threatens the newcomer, named Acht, for potentially colluding with the skeleton-fish-gooballs.
The trailer then reveals an upgrade system, achieved by slotting a color square on a palette. The menu that pops up seemingly the inkling to travel to several different floors which, upon completion, yields a reward of some kind. Some of the highlighted options include a buff to splash damage, increased speed, and a new item called a “drone splat bomb.”
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Released in late 2022, Splatoon 3 has become a standout multiplayer hit for Nintendo. Although some may have criticized it for not adding much to the formula (going so far as to label it Splatoon 2.5), its improved net code and reworked multiplayer have elevated it above its predecessor. It also boasted a full-fledged single-player campaign, something Side Order will clearly expand.
Splatoon 3’s Side Order DLC does not yet have a confirmed release date but is expected to launch in spring 2024.
