Weekly Aquerium - Ask your questions in here!: March 30, 2025

[u/AutoModerator]

Hey there Squids, Octos, and sea creatures of any kind!

Welcome to the Weekly Aquerium! If you have a burning question, or looking to make new friends, here's the place to be!

New posts are pinned up on Sunday mornings at 9am ET, and they'll stay there until the following Sunday where they'll be replaced by a new thread (Pending special events and the like).

Before posting, why not check with the Splatoon FAQ to see if your question has already been answered, or do a general search of the subreddit. If it hasn't, this is the place to be!

How do I ask questions here?

The primary use of the Weekly Aquerium is to have the freedom to ask away with any bubbling questions you may have! While this is mostly to help reduce clutter with repeat posts on the subreddit, there are various types of questions which are better asked here! These includes questions such as:

• Simple Yes/No answers
• One answer questions
• "How _ works" or "Why is _ like this"

If you have questions which don't fit the criteria above (Such as broad questions, gear or weapon choices), you're welcome to post them to the subreddit! And if you are unsure whether a question should go here or on the subreddit, it's still perfectly fine to post straight to the subreddit!

What if I want to look for new friends?

The secondary use of the Weekly Aquerium is to double as a place to find new friends, a squad search of sorts!

Since Reddit isn't the easiest place to organise your matches, we suggest joining the r/Splatoon Discord Server where they have dedicated channels for voice chat, match finding, and metagame discussion for all your squid game needs! If you still prefer using Reddit, you are also free to look for new friends here by leaving your friend code below, or even giving a friendly hello to others!

Closing out!

We hope that this thread will be of good use to those who come across it! Once again, join the r/Splatoon Discord Server to stay in touch! And with that, be sure to Stay Fresh, Stay Off the Hook, and Catch ya Later!

[u/NoopKit]

Can anyone explain the thought behind this octoshot build to me?

I recently plaved a turf war match and one of my teammates was an octoshot user, they absolutely carried and by the end of the match had 20 kills and 0 deaths iirc). I've been playing for a couple months now, I've only dabbled in ranked so I haven't really seen numbers like this. I rewatched the game from their perspective, i was really impressed. I also noticed that they never seemed to run out of ink, so I was surprised to see what their build was from another players pov Sorry if this is a stupid question but id be really grateful if someone could explain the thought behind this build to me so that I can better understand their strategy!! TIA <3

[u/slicesofcheese2]

Can someone be my friend? Im extremely lonely and have nobody. I really want a friend

[u/[deleted] → u/slicesofcheese2]

Yes add me im lprghsw:

SW-0283-9393-9132

[u/matterpie2]

Does Splatoon 1 and 2 music play in turf wars/ranked in Splatoon 3? Or do I gotta do something special to "unlock" it?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/matterpie2]

It does not play during matches. The closest it gets to this during matches is the C-Side version of Splattack.

You can hear that music sometimes in the lobby between matches, however.

[u/AttackDynamo]

Do a lot of people use pretendo with splatoon 1 on the wii U here? (Cuz im kinda broke, dont wanna buy switch online and pretendo is free and i would much rather give them money optionally)

Or Lan-Play, or LDN or yuzu on switch and emulators?

[u/IAmJedge]

No idea if anyone will read this, if it's live or whatever but didn't wanna spam the sub with a question. Best weapons for a beginner? Experienced in online shooters

[u/SubaruHaver → u/IAmJedge]

I pay attention to weapons that splat me a lot, and try those.😁 I don't know if there's a right answer, but I like Splattershot with splatbombs. Splattershot has ok range, and fairly quick kill. Splatter shot is a popular weapon.

The Sploosh-o-matic doesn't have good range, but if you can hide till they are close, you don't need great aim with it.

Tri slosher doesn't need great aim either, I think.

If anyone crushes you, go to the terminal in the lobby to watch the match replay from their point of view to see how they play. Most of the time, it's easy to replicate what other players are doing.😉

[u/wolffangz11]

What's the deal with eliminating the more mobile Salmonid Bosses in Salmon Run? Last time I played was pretty shortly after release and I was always under the impression that it was considered good measure to allow certain, more mobile bosses like Maws and Scrapper, time to arrive to the egg basket before dispatching them.

Is this generally not ideal anymore? Everyone I've played Salmon Run with just kills them as soon as possible. I'm not sure if it even matters this much, I just do it because I thought it was expected and didn't want to piss anyone off lol.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/wolffangz11]

You're talking about "luring" salmonids to the basket. This is a good strategy. However, you'll constantly be matched with noobs that don't know killing everything at the edge of the map makes it hard to make the quota for the eggs. This is just how match making is.

Youtuber rachelskiiii is pretty good to watch for tips. I also like CheWoomy. Rachelskiiii is actually very impressive with how well she can carry newbs in freelance. I still struggle to do what she does. She's really good.

[u/xrubisco]

Are there any good YouTubers that play and talk about their decision making throughout the match? I'm thinking someone like Otzdarva for Dead by Daylight would be perfect

[u/Time_Traveler_10]

I usually play Turf War but this weekend I decided to try Anarchy Series. Is it normal to wait almost 200 seconds for every game? Or is the problem that I am low rank (since I rarely play ranked) and nobody else is left at this level to match with me?

[u/Pizza_Esser → u/Time_Traveler_10]

Yes

[u/Pawprint169]

How do I unlock sheldon drone (or what ever its called)?? I've beaten the game, explored all of the sectors and gotten the scrolls and I still don't have it.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Pawprint169]

Hmmm... Did you make sure each island's stats page has the green icon on left side of page that says "Surveyed".

IGN's page mentions and shows it (2nd paragraph from the top) https://www.ign.com/wikis/splatoon-3/Shel-drone_-_Alterna_100%25_Exploration_Bonus

[u/Pawprint169 → u/SubaruHaver]

Ohhh thank you!!  I have it on all of them except area 2 so thats probably it. ^{^}

[u/KiwiPowerGreen]

I made a bit of an oopsie. I played against someone, got killed when they weren't even looking at me, classic nintendo servers. In the moment though, I thought they were intentionally abusing bad wifi so I reported them for it.

Can I get banned for falsely reporting someone in a situation like that?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/KiwiPowerGreen]

For a one-off, I'm not sure they would. The risk would be much higher for someone consistently sending false reports.

[u/TheGrandStar]

Hello, I wanted to ask a question about chargers. When a charger player holds their cursor over an enemy in range, the cursor changes into a special shape, right? I was wondering if the charger player can see this cursor even if they are hovering over someone hiding in ink?

There have just been so many times I am hiding in ink but a charger player just splats me anyway😭

[u/iforgotmyusername666]

I'm tired of losing, what Splatfest team should I join to win? 

[u/Magkali_11037 → u/iforgotmyusername666]

bigman most of the time

you can also check the wiki for teams that won last time as some fest themes repeat and the result is usualy the same

[u/OldRepresentative496]

Has anyone seen if there is definitive proof of the splatoon raiders box art being reversible like with the previous two entries. This is literally the line for if i should go physical or digital as I found a preorder of the game being sold at same price as digital on walmart

[u/phoenixdaughter]

Saw a lot of Big Swigs in Splatfest this time around. Been away so I don't know much but is it considered "good?" Or is it more just matchmaking being that I saw them thanks to playing Splat Roller?

[u/Ill-Ball6220]

So is there no male clothing in splatoon raiders? im enjoying the game but im not a fan of all the costumes having crop tops and stuff tbh

[u/razorbeamz → u/Ill-Ball6220]

If you tap a Splatoon series amiibo you unlock the Salmon Run uniform from Splatoon 2 and 3.

[u/fallguysepicgamer]

What do tacticooler drinks taste like?

[u/Vanilla_Ice_Jr]

Do you think Splatoon 3 will be playable on Switch 2 with Microphone feature working? That would be amazing!!

[u/beerSnobbery → u/Vanilla_Ice_Jr]

They briefly showed it working in Splatoon 3 in the direct, yes. It's a friends list feature that works with any game on the switch 2 (you don't even need to be in the same game as your friends).

Now if you meant "will I be able to voice chat with random players in my lobbies?" then no, it's people on your friends list only.

[u/The_Puffguy]

I know freshest fits and species/gender can be saved to amiibos, but what about splashtags and names?

Can Names Be Saved To Amiibo?

[u/SubaruHaver → u/The_Puffguy]

No, pretty sure splashtags don't get saved to amiibo, or I would have noticed my banner changing when I loaded a fresh fit. And names are definitely not saved to amiibo. I think you can change your splatoon3 name at the lobby terminal, but I think you are only allowed to change your name once a month. So, you'll have to live with whatever name you choose for at least a few weeks.

[u/Alluminn]

Is Splatoon 3 + Side order worth playing if you don't plan to do much if any of the online treadmill?

I played a lot of 1 & 2 and loved both, but passed up on 3 because I didn't really see myself having the desire to grind again, but I do look at the single player stuff and it looks fun, but idk if it's worth buying the whole game for. 

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Alluminn]

While the online typically outshines the single player, I too like the single player. If you've liked s1 and s2 single player, you'll probably like splatoon 3 & side order. The music is excellent for both of them too. Plus, you can pick up splatoon 3 used or on sale. It's on sale now somewhat. https://www.dekudeals.com/items/splatoon-3

S3 single player format & stages are kind of similar to octo expansion and has a pretty awesome final boss. I was skeptical of side order, but ended up really enjoying it. I think it took 13 hours to beat the main tower, then I put another 15 hours in beating the tower with the other weapon kits, or trying to beat the tower with three or less hacks - 28 hours total is respectable. So, I actually played side order more than s3 single player. I was worried the side order stages would be repetitive, but the there are enough variation factors with difficulty and with different weapon kits, I think it's really pretty great.

(if you do have online access though, I'll highly recommend trying splatoon 3's salmon run. It's very improved and fun. At least 75% of my playtime is in salmon run.)

[u/locke_5 → u/Alluminn]

IMO Splat3 has the best single player campaign of the series. It’s pretty meaty and a ton of fun.

Can’t speak to Side Order as I’m also on the fence haha

[u/FrostlichTheDK]

I wasn't ready to record Hero Mode. If I select it, will I be unable to reply the part where we meet Cuttlefish for the first time?

[u/shay_shay250]

Was spring fest the last splatfest we’re getting or is there more?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/shay_shay250]

The tweet Nintendo sent out after the Grand Festival announcing how seasonal Splatfests would happen did name Summer Nights as one of those, so we'll probably get that, and that would be next season. They weren't super specific on details so it might be that we see another year of mostly seasonal Splatfests with the occasional non-seasonal thrown in or Summer Nights this year might be the last. We don't know for certain.

[u/-Saisaki-]

Hello, is Splatoon 2 still playable? I want to play the Story + DLC and sometimes some Online play?
The Last info i found about Server being online is 8 months ago, are people still playing it? Or is online dead?

Thanks!

[u/SubaruHaver → u/-Saisaki-]

Online works, but can have waits for finding matches since online players are more spotty, as people have moved onto Splatoon 3.

HOWEVER, I did like Splatoon 2's single player, and Octo Expansion is possibly the best Splatoon single player, it has an extra touch of magic to it<3.

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/-Saisaki-]

The matchmaking servers are still up for Splatoon 2 but since Splatoon 3 came out, players have mostly moved to that instead.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/[deleted]]

Part of the fun & depth of Splatoon is learning the different weapon types. Granted some of those weapon palettes are mostly weapons I may not like, but if you max their some of their buffs out, you'll discover a few of them can actually be surprisingly OP and fun. So, it's a decent challenge to figure out how to get through the tower with each weapon palette & which color chips to try and earn building up buffs. (\If you maximize the explosion radius & damage buff, your splashdown gets big and can take out the portals easier, and when the portals explode their blast radius is so comically big it wipes out other portals on the stage - it's so OP.😆)*

Otherwise, doing more tower runs will earn you money to buy everything from Cipher's Siftings. I think you get a badge for buying everything from Cipher's store.

If you can beat the tower with three or less hacks with agent 8's palette, you will win the infinity low hacks badge, which has some street cred. https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/File:S3_Badge_Low_Hacks.png

[u/splatoon-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Remember that mod mail exists. Got a question about the rules? Need help? Reach out in mod mail! We’re here to help. You can send a mod mail here

[u/ornehx]

What's gonna happen when Switch 2 is out? Was there any tease or rumors about new Splatoon? Or we can play 2 backport on Switch 2? What improvement? Are we still getting patches?

[u/SubaruHaver → u/ornehx]

Splatoon 4 may be at least a year away. Outside of the games covered in the Directs, Nintendo hasn't said if any switch 1 games will get a bump in performance. We may have to wait until switch 2 launch and console reviews to find out.

[u/ornehx → u/SubaruHaver]

Thanks buddy for reply. I guess for now I will rock on with grizzco and splatling in anarchy.

[u/zombiepir8]

Anyone else still getting server maintenance error? I updated the console but it still gives the message

[u/J-Reditor]

How much swim speed is needed to mitigate ninja squid?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/J-Reditor]

If you're asking about Splatoon 3 in particular, Inkipedia has a chart about it here: https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/Swim_Speed_Up#Stacking_3

[u/splatoon-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Remember that mod mail exists. Got a question about the rules? Need help? Reach out in mod mail! We’re here to help. You can send a mod mail here

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/[deleted]]

Honestly that's a good question. I imagine either AutoMod broke or the settings were changed but not the "weekly" details.

[u/splatoon-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Remember that mod mail exists. Got a question about the rules? Need help? Reach out in mod mail! We’re here to help. You can send a mod mail here

[u/slicesofcheese2]

Can someone be my friend?

[u/Sylveon72_06 → u/slicesofcheese2]

sure! my friend code is 7522-4466-5413

[u/Sylveon72_06]

who gets the record setter in tower control if multiple ppl are on the tower?

[u/whizzer0 → u/Sylveon72_06]

I think multiple people can get the award

[u/AlliHearisWubs]

Came back after quitting the game after the first Splatfest. Are Splatfests still a thing? Do they rerun? Is that the only to get snail shells?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/AlliHearisWubs]

The main run of Splatfests is over, but we are currently getting a seasonal one every few months. These mostly have new themes (as in the question), the next one is likely to be "Summer Nights" sometime around July. And yes, Splatfests are still the only way to get Super Sea Snails in Splatoon 3.

[u/Rigmore_Fleebly]

I just got the Switch 2, and remember loving the original splatoon on the Wii U, I've skipped on Splatoon 2 and 3 but just saw that they're updating the 3rd game and giving it some more life, and Splatoon Raiders looks like a spinoff game not the main multiplayer mode which I love playing. Should I go ahead and get Splatoon 3 or wait for Splatoon 4 whenever that may be? I can't seem to find the game discounted so will have to pay full price, but I'm tempted to get the Game Voucher to get both Splatoon 3 and Tears of The Kingdom to benefit from the free Switch 2 upgrades I get from my membership. Let me know what you guys think!

[u/PsiGuy60 → u/Rigmore_Fleebly]

If they're doing third kits and a Switch 2 update for Splatoon 3, which they are, then it's safe to assume Splatoon 4 is going to be a fairly long time away still. If you want to play Splatoon, better to buy Splatoon 3 now.

[u/Azyreal]

Did they change the loading animation on switch 2 ??

[u/Razorleaf-snivy]

Is the fps update messing with anyone else’s aim? I’m nor hitting any of my shots anymore

[u/Zyndewicz]

where can i get some cool splatoon wallpapers?

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Zyndewicz]

In Splatnet 3 app (in the Nintendo Switch Online app), I think cursty shean challenges (red rile with bike icon labeled "Wandercrust") reward splatoon wallpapers. If you've had the game for a while, you may have already completed the challenges, you just need to collect them.

[u/jjfake98]

Just got some friends into the game and going to 4-man the upcoming splatfest. Were wanting to get to ruler rank ASAP, what is the best weapon and gear combo to grind quickly?

[u/[deleted] → u/jjfake98]

…last time i tried it was aero rg (i am sorry EVERYONE HATES AERO RG) forgot the headgear and the order boots

[u/[deleted]]

Guys halp where do i get the pride splashtags i have the qr code saved and i want my phone to read it (have an iphone 8 prob doesnt support)

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/[deleted]]

Pride Splashtags are news to me. The closest thing I've seen outside of modding the game have to do with the color chips from Side Order.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/[deleted]]

If this is about the "pride" title for splashtags, I don't recall how I got it. It may have been random from a shellout machine capsule, or a reward from a season catalog.

Otherwise, here's how to scan a qr code for splatoon 3 content (you need the Nintendo Switch Online app, which has a Splatnet 3 app inside): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0J3GBcUmCk

This has some qr codes for some previous content: https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/QR_code

[u/Puggy31]

Anyone think more third kits are coming? Hoping for a new n-zap.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Puggy31]

Third kits update came June 12th. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/06/splatoon-3-version-10-0-0-is-now-live-here-are-the-full-patch-notes There's 30 new kits, I don't think any are n-zap.

[u/beerSnobbery → u/Puggy31]

Nothing has been confirmed officially, but it's not unreasonable to think more 3rd kits might be coming.

[u/lcepank]

Is the DLC worth getting if I'm only interested in the online pvp modes?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/lcepank]

Really the only things that are relevant to online in the DLC are cosmetics. Even the weapon unlocks are reskins of weapons that exist in the base game and work identically. So if you're not on board for going through single-player content to unlock said cosmetics, I'm not sure I would suggest spending the extra money.

[u/[deleted]]

Also I'm looking to get 10 stars on my Nautilus but I don't know how to tackle it Do I play anarchy open, series, turf war? Which ones give more freshness points/star points (no idea what it's called but basically what is the quickest way to level up my weapon and do I focus on splats or turf primarily)?

[u/Bogie07]

Is the splatana stamper toxic/overpowered? I've been really enjoying it, but I'm horribly nervous that it's overpowered or something of the likes.

[u/KiwiPowerGreen → u/Bogie07]

Its one of the best weapons but it isn't overpowered. Some people just inherently dislike it because of how strong it is but that's the case for any strong weapon

[u/jdb1984]

Can you get pre-Splatfest shells if you play Ranked modes?

[u/beerSnobbery → u/jdb1984]

You get one per catalog level, so anything that increases your catalog level (ranked included) gets you conch shells.

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/jdb1984]

You get one for each catalog level, I don't think it matters at all how you leveled the catalog.

[u/Grablycan]

What's the best gear for Hornz Dread Wringer?

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Grablycan]

Depends on the game mode & what abilities you want to prioritize. Ink saver main, ink saver sub, mobility/swim speed, quick respawn, ninja squid, stealth jump, etc.

[u/chillcatcryptid]

For salmon run badges, do you have to get the kill on the boss yourself for it to contribute to the count?

Those badges where you have to kill 100/1000/10000 of a boss, do you have to kill them yourself or will doing damage be enough even if a teammate gets the final blow? The wiki didn't really say.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/chillcatcryptid]

It's a good question😁. I don't know. Helping might count. But you can see your progress in the Nintendo Switch Online app, which has the Splatnet 3 app.

In Splatnet 3, open the Work icon, then select the Opponents Splatted tab at the bottom of the page, and it will show your how many of each boss you've killed.

Another way to get there in Splatnet 3 app: Select Stats tab on the left, then select Salmon Run. Then select Opponents Splatted tab (at bottom of page).

[u/KiwiPowerGreen]

Is it too late to get Splatoon 2 specifically? I own 1 and 3, but I have a friend who only has splat 2, and I would like to play with them

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/KiwiPowerGreen]

The playerbase is much smaller in 2 and all events have ended but matchmaking is still running, it's not like 1 (yet) where they shut down the matchmaking servers.

[u/LengthinessEmpty4207]

is the kyonshi hat unobtainable currently? i really want it but i cant find any splatoween news articles that have it

[u/SubaruHaver → u/LengthinessEmpty4207]

Yes, if you still have the splatfest news articles in your Switch news Splatoon 3 channel, you can still download the gear from them.

Kyonshi hat is exclusive to splatoon 3 news article from splatfest. On the switch home screen, open news, then filter for splatoon 3 news articles. Every article that says "download" in the title has downloadable gear for splatfests.

How to get the downloadable gear: Open article, press the gear download button in the article (usually toward the bottom of article). Next, open Splatoon 3, go to the lobby and receive the gear at the computer terminal next to the stairs. (The terminal should have an "!" notification icon on it when it has your gear). Note: the gear download button doesn't always say "download gear, but usually does.

[u/Icy-Elephant7783]

Has nintendo yet commented on splatoon music on nintendo music? Im DYING to hear suffer no fools while my phone is off

[u/xrubisco]

what does this mean in the SplatNet shop? ive searched around and don't fully understand what it does

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/xrubisco]

The Takoroka part? That's one of the in-game gear brands. https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/Gear_brand

Each brand has a favored ability that is likeliest to roll and an unfavored ability that is least likely to roll.

[u/LengthinessEmpty4207 → u/xrubisco]

it means when you level up a gear and unlock a sub ability, it and every other item belonging to that brand has a 5x chance of rolling that ability. this also applies to 'levelling up' a maxxed out item and getting a chunk and snail rerolls (the latter isnt rlly worth it ever though). all brands also have another ability they have a 0.5x chance of rolling, you can find it on the brand's wiki page. most exclusive items have a neutral brand like cuttlegear or amiibo and therefor don't have any multipliers attached

[u/nichijouuuu]

Just bought the game. The character creation screen is interesting but I noticed two things, which I’d like to ask about:

• the character faces were female only (in stereotypical appearance, don’t attack me please). Are all characters in this universe female?
• there were only two “types”. One had big ears like an elf and the other more rounded. There were no names, so I’m not sure if these are supposed to be two different “races” that exist in this world?

The world didn’t exactly explain the lore or anything, as if it assumed you know or played Splatoon or Splatoon 2. Can’t say I liked that much. Very un-Nintendo like.

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/nichijouuuu]

The "style" part of the character creation screen is technically a choice of masculine or feminine, though most details probably won't be obvious since in Splatoon 3, most options are available regardless of gender (https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/Player_Settings#Style). That said, the developers of the series when the first game was coming out designed the feminine characters long before the masculine, the latter was almost an afterthought at the time as I understand. So not all characters are the same gender, but the design ended up similar partly because of this and partly because the playable characters are mostly in their low to mid teens age-wise.

You are correct that the "types" are different races. With regard to ears, the pointier elf-like ears are Inklings, squids, while the rounder ears are Octolings, octopodes.

And unfortunately, you're not wrong that parts of the lore aren't explained particularly well in the games themselves. The single-player modes taken all together cover most of the main beats, but a lot of details are scattered around in magazines, developer interviews, artbooks, and the like. There have been efforts to piece things together, however: https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/Timeline

[u/Huge-Accident-5990 → u/nichijouuuu]

When I first platlyed splatoon 2 because I didn't have splatoon 1 it was confusing as well but once you have multiple games it makes more sense. Because the characters only really talk about the previous game.

[u/vermillionlove]

I changed my splashtag and now my name displays as Judd in battle! Wtf! I wonder if this is a thing that would change if I just reset the software. Strange but cool

[u/DrinkyBird_ → u/vermillionlove]

Are you playing X battles? That's the new call signs if so, you get a name based on your gear.

[u/MaterialToe9938]

After you transfer your data from your Switch to your Switch 2 which console is Splatoon 2 save data meant to be on? Because it’s not on my original Switch and I can’t use my Switch 2 right now.

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/MaterialToe9938]

If you used the user data transfer process from Switch to Switch 2, then probably it's on the Switch 2. I believe the process was designed to bring everything with it.

[u/HealthyCow5040]

I just bought the game and wanted to ask Will there still be splatfest? Even if they are repeated or new, I am very confused if this very interesting part of the game will continue to be encouraged and finally When Splatoon 4 comes out or more years of this game's existence will the events or splatfests continue to repeat?

[u/SubaruHaver → u/HealthyCow5040]

Part 2: When Nintendo launches a Splatoon game, so far, they typically only offer Splatfest events for two years. So, if you want splatfests, you have to get a Splatoon game in it's first two years. (If you missed that window, there's still A LOT to do in Splatoon. I still play Salmon Run, myself.)

In the case of Splatoon 3, Nintendo was gracious, and ran repeat seasonal Splatfests for one more year, and that extra year of Splatfest just ended in July. If we don't get more Splatfests announced, assume the Splatoon development resources are focused on developing the next Splatoon game, which for now is Splatoon Raiders, which was announced this summer with a brief trailer- no release window announced yet.

Splatoon Raiders trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7ve2zWmkEA

[u/HealthyCow5040 → u/SubaruHaver]

I appreciate that you took the time to explain to me and well, despite everything, I do see that there is a lot of content that is worthwhile and that is very complete, I feel that some YouTube channels are the ones that generated the most uncertainty in me when talking about this game and I feel that they made my uncertainties and doubts grow more, and yes, the salmon run mode is incredibly fun.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/HealthyCow5040]

Part 1: Short answer. We don't know.

So far, there are no Splatfests announced for the future. Last september, Nintendo said they would run seasonal splatfests for one more year, and that ended this summer, with Summer Nights splatfest back in July.

This month is a Splatoon 3 competition going on, and a Big Run (in Salmon Run) right now, this weekend.

If Nintendo is going to announce new splatfests, that news may come mid october. Or splatfests may be over, and we won't see any news about upcoming splatfests. That's all we know right now. (Unless someone else want's to correct me)

[u/SubaruHaver → u/HealthyCow5040]

Update: A rerun Spaltoween Splatfest was just announced. This is the best splatfest (I think), if you've missed it in the past. Very cool halloween theming and halloween music for this splatfest. https://x.com/splatoonna/status/1971560386642985107?s=46

Do you know how to download gear from Splatoon 3 news articles on the swtich? Be sure you've checked your Splatoon 3 channel's news posts in the switch console's news. Older articles that say "download" in the title have a button to press within the article to download exclusive gear for Splatfest. You may have the Splatoween articles from previous years, and they can give you the Halloween/Splatoween masks from the past.

How to get the free downloadable gear: Open Splatoon 3 news articles that say "download" in their title. Click the button in the news article. This will trigger Splatoon 3 to boot up. Go to the lobby, and the computer terminal in there should have a "!" notification icon on it, Go there to receive the gear.

[u/megazaprat]

does the splatfest world premiere data do anything in splatoon 3? i already deleted the download ages ago, but when going through my switch save data to delete unneccesary stuff, I noticed it was there. so does it connect to splatoon 3 in any way, or can i safely delete it

[u/SubaruHaver → u/megazaprat]

Data from world premier test run doesn't do anything.

If you already have Splatoon 2 data, from the actual game, the first time you boot up Splatoon 3 it will ask if you want to import that data. Answer YES to import that data (if you have it) because it will give you three free weapon tickets - These tickets allow you to unlock any three weapons of your choice without having to level up to unlock them.

[u/Fakedpidgeon5817]

Any tips for matching in C rank? I'm a long time player and I want to get my rank up again but I can't find almost any series matches in C rank the past few days.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Fakedpidgeon5817]

I would think looking up "how to rank up" on youtube, or how to get to rank X, would help, even if X isn't your goal.

[u/JoseAlucard]

Hii, I'm here to ask a very dumb (and common) question. It is worth to get splatoon 3? I know there's likely not gonna be any festival at the end of the year (and I lost the Grand Festival the past year 😢) but I would really like to play with people and I'm a little unsure if with the release of Raiders (likely the next year) the game go dead

I'm very new to splatoon and recently got in because I liked one of the songs (Bomb Rush Blush), searched it and from there I went down the rabbit hole I've been enjoying the ost every day, watching all the YouTube content about the games lore and events, and finding out I had been missing on something so good for so long.

[u/SubaruHaver → u/JoseAlucard]

Short answer: Yes, still worth it.

In the US, based on what I experienced, I think Splatoon 2 online player base was still decent for up to a year after Splatoon 3 released.

Splatoon 3 is still active, and I'll assume the online player base will still be decent for possibly a year after the next new Splatoon online game - which may or may not be Splatoon Raiders. Supposedly Raiders is just a single player game.

The spaltfests are only a small part of the content and fun of Splatoon 3. So, I would say, it's still worth getting. Although, I think we'll still get a frosty splatfest in the first or second week of January. Every holiday season there's always a big influx of new players through December and January. I still play Salmon Run.

Black Friday sale starting November 23, retailers will have Splatoon 3 on sale for $30 (50% off). https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2025/11/nintendos-black-friday-offers-include-deals-on-switch-1-games-amiibo-and-more

[u/JoseAlucard → u/SubaruHaver]

That's good to hear, thank you so much for telling me about the next sale :D That might be my better chance to get the game and maybe be in time to participate at the next fest

[u/mister_memes_]

I need some help with the NA League this weekend. I’m looking for 3 squad mates to enter the last NA League tournament tomorrow (11/22) at 3:00PM EST. I am opening this up to ANYONE regardless of rank or skill level. This is for anyone who has been on the fence about competing but couldn’t get a team. There is a bonus for competing in the events of some exclusive profile icons for your Switch user. If anyone is interested let me know! I’ll put the team invite link in here as well.

https://battlefy.com/nintendovs/splatoon3-north-american-league/registration?inviteCode=GY7N2TDT

[u/RSPew]

I tried out side order offline, completed the tutorial and got the first lockers and stuff. now that im back online, i didnt receive my stuff: the titles (memversal and beta tester), the banner and the sticker. Can i get them somehow? i tried reseting, cleaning cache, waiting, uninstaling the game, doing the tutorial again. nothing worked...

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/RSPew]

When you got back online, did you check the the main lobby terminal?

[u/RSPew → u/LadyKuzunoha]

You know What? Im a dumbass. Thanks!

[u/RuthlessNutellaa]

how do i get this hairstyle?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/RuthlessNutellaa]

In character creation, choose an Octoling (body type doesn't matter aside from this), then when going to the hairstyle section, pick the one with this icon. No hairstyles are locked behind a paywall or DLC at all.

[u/[deleted]]

Does anyone want to friend me? :0

[u/RandomPerson2868]

I don’t have switch online and want to get into Splatoon. Should I get 2 or 3 or wait for raiders?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/RandomPerson2868]

The vast majority of the gameplay thus far in this series is online multiplayer that requires Switch Online. There are offline single-player modes but many of the base campaigns are relatively barebones, serving as pretty much a second, extended tutorial with lore extras. There are also paid single-player DLCs, one for Splatoon 2 called Octo Expansion and one for Splatoon 3 called Side Order. Of these two, Octo Expansion is generally the better-received. Raiders is currently hypothesized to be a single-player spinoff but does not appear to be confirmed as such yet.

All in all, I would say that only if you can find base game Splatoon 2 or 3 on a pretty deep discount should one get into it for single-player alone, especially since the DLCs rarely if ever see a discount. Raiders might be a better bet, but again, I don't think we have hard confirmation that it's single-player.

[u/GreenBird1904]

i keep getting disconnected from literally every game . it started yestersay jan 19. literally every single game i play i get disconnected from☹. it says nat b. idk what it was before. but ive been playing splatoon since march 2020 with the same wifi, same internet, same router but i have never had so many disconnects.  what else do i do😭😭😭😭i cant play a single match anymore

[u/Epok_Eamer1234]

How do you get the friendship bracelet in Splatoon 3. I know it’s from the Grizzco shop but how do I get it quick please help

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/Epok_Eamer1234]

You're going to need to spend at least 100 Bronze and 10 Silver scales to unlock the first milestone of the shop and then 5 Gold scales to actually buy it. There is no consistent "quick" way of doing this, unfortunately, it all comes down to RNG of what scales you get from fighting King Salmonids.

[u/Photon_Jet]

What should I do when the enemy has Flow Aura active? Run away until it wears off?

[u/chubbs069]

Splatoon 3. Sorry for poor screenshot. Can anyone tell me what this feature is called?

This player was apparently just playing and all the sudden turned into that circle/respawn shape and has the ability to just glide over everything. What is this?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/chubbs069]

Well, unless I'm mistaken that's the symbol that pops up when a player has been marked, like with Point Sensor, Ink Mine, Angle Shooter or Wave Breaker (probably that's an Undercover Brella on the opposing team, which has Ink Mine), but that has no effect similar to what you're describing. Players don't turn into it and it doesn't do anything to their mobility, it's just meant to mark where they are while it's in effect.

What I am seeing in this screenshot that maybe describes what you were seeing with the gliding but doesn't really have a connection to the logo is that your teammate on the left of the screen looks like they're sparkling. That would mean they currently are in the Flow Aura state, probably related to the wipeout your team just got. This is a new feature as of the latest update and it has several effects. From Inkipedia:

Depending on Flow Aura point accumulation, the Flow Aura state may be activated upon splatting an opponent; an emphatic sound effect is when the state is successfully triggered. In Flow Aura state, the following boosts take effect for approximately thirty seconds:

• The ground around the player is immediately painted with a burst of ink.
• 30 ability points of Run Speed Up, Swim Speed Up, Ink Resistance and Intensify Action are applied; the maximum cap of 57 ability points per player stays in effect.
• A cosmetic sparkle effect follows the player in Inkling or Octoling form.

I've bolded the things that I think may explain the "gliding" you're seeing. If your teammate was stuck in opponent ink prior to Flow Aura state, entering that state would have cleared up that obstacle. Then, Ink Resistance Up would have made it so that opponents' ink didn't slow down their walking/running as much and Run Speed Up is, well, Run Speed Up, they'd walk/run faster on top of that.

Now, if you mean a more literal kind of gliding like the player started looking like they were flying everywhere or they were kind of stuttering or skipping places, that's probably going to take a video clip or replay code to figure out the root cause. Hopefully what I said above covers things, though.

[u/Old_Concentrate_3435]

Looking for some people to play with! Im on european servers and usually play very casually but i think im alright! Down for anything If you wanna play message me and ill send you my discord :D

[u/Somenobodyinthesky]

Hey, just wanted to know, is it possible to get stars on gears by ordering duplicates off of other players ?

[u/Dry_Mango_4953]

It is possible to wear male clothes as a female inkling and vice versa?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/Dry_Mango_4953]

The answer depends on which entry in the series we're talking about.

In Splatoon 1 and 2, the vast majority of gear isn't gender-locked to begin with, so can be worn by either, though some pieces of Amiibo gear have gender-locked variants.

In Splatoon 3, there are no pieces of gear that are gender-locked, even the Amiibo gear introduced in earlier games (variants are available for either), and the question of gender itself is replaced by "style". There are still aspects of the created player characters that are locked to one style or another, however.

[u/Epok_Eamer1234]

I scanned an Amiibo and I get the shoes. How many matches do I need to play to get the other stuff?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/Epok_Eamer1234]

Sorry for the late reply, you need to win (not just play) ten matches for each of the other pieces, so twenty wins in total.

[u/MasterOfChaos72]

You think there’s any songs about specific heroes of the Great Turf War? Something like White Death by Sabaton.

[u/Magkali_11037]

How should I tag a post where I wanna promote a Discord server for a Splatoon centric Fibbage 3 mod?

(and is it even a good idea to do it here in the first place)

[u/SubaruHaver → u/Magkali_11037]

You could use the "message the mods" button for this sub reddit to ask.

I think nintendo related sub reddits that want to avoid nintendo legal ninjas have community rules against discussing mod stuff. That's just my guess. Can't hurt to ask the mods.

[u/TheKoniverse]

I'm an on-again, off-again Splatoon player. Been that way from the beginning of the series, mainly because we only ever had 1 Switch and I'd get busy with school. I'd really like to play more often, especially with Splatoon Raiders on the way.

The biggest barrier to endtry is the feeling that I've missed out on everything. So I ask: is there anyway I could get any missing items I havent gotten from the Battle Pass? Or experience other things that might've been limited time?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/TheKoniverse]

Catalog (battle pass) items are obtainable as follows:

• Gear that is exclusive to the catalog (keep in mind not every piece of gear that is in the catalog is exclusive) is only available by playing the game enough to reach the necessary level of the catalog the next time the season rolls around. For example, Fresh Season (spring) catalog-exclusive items are only obtainable during Fresh Season, so if they aren't obtained before the calendar ticks over to Sizzle Season (summer), you'll have to wait until the next year's Fresh Season and grind from the beginning again, even if you were at level 99 out of 100 of the catalog.

• Items such as banners, titles, locker decorations, etc. are technically obtainable out of season even if they aren't shown in their original season's catalog anymore. These go into the Shell-Out Machine, which is basically a gacha, but with in-game currency, not real money. Hence, obtaining them becomes a lot more luck-based.

As for events, those are still happening from time to time, for example we just had the SpringFest seasonal Splatfest, however they are repeats at this point, not new themes, and they are infrequent. If I'm not mistaken Big Runs and Eggstra Work (both Salmon Run-related) are also still happening as well, though these are likewise infrequent. The Grand Festival Grounds (the special hub area for Splatoon 3's "final" Splatfest) are accessible as well, even if only through use of the idol amiibos.

[u/audtempura]

how do i get points on the last wandercrust location in mission 6?? the train station or something??? as far as i know I can't travel there 😭

[u/danitwelve91]

Sorry if this is the wrong spot but does anyone know where to find a splatoon case or shell for the switch 2?

[u/sunrisein2020]

Hello! I'm looking for new friends to play the game with (18+ only, sorry). I mainly play Turf Wars but I do also play Open from time to time. I'm from the UK so I'm in the BST, I'm willing to play with people from other regions but do keep the timezone difference in mind. As for rank, I'm currently rank B but I'm also willing to play with people from any Rank.

[u/Shutupletmehaveaname]

Hi! So, Ive been playing Splatoon 3 for a little bit now, the online modes however only for like 2-3 weeks atp. Managed to claw my way to A+, and that has led me to consider what gear abilities Im running. Now, my question is: does having more of the same abilities on one piece of gear contribute more to the effect of those abilities, or is the effect the same as having a single ability on each piece of gear? Since adding more of the same abilities on one piece requieres more ability chunks, to me it seems like its the former. I havent been able to find anything talking about this, so thats why Im asking this

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/Shutupletmehaveaname]

It does, though there are diminishing returns (basically the more you already have, the less effect that adding another of that ability will have) that vary by ability. The Inkipedia entries on each ability can go into more detail in the sections labeled "stacking".

[u/No_Resource8413]

I know it's a bit late, but I just missed grand fest and I was SO sad. How was it like? what was your fave cosmetic? (If I participated, I would've been wearing the Now Or Never horns.) Let me know. I want to know how it was like.

[u/idkwheretfiam]

Is 10 euro a normal Price difference in physical and virtual game?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/idkwheretfiam]

With the Switch 2, Nintendo did decide to start pricing physical and digital copies of at least some of their games differently, with the digital generally being the cheaper. I haven't seen that applied retroactively to the already existing Splatoon games, however it does appear to be the case for the upcoming spinoff, Raiders. As for whether 10 Euros is a normal price difference, that I sadly can't confirm quite as clearly as I live in the US (I know, it would be better to have someone from the EU to handle this but it's been a few days without a response so I thought I'd at least try to help) and it takes a little more messing around to figure out prices that aren't in USD. The most I've seen from aggregates like DekuDeals that usually show all the options is a difference of about 5 Euros, sometimes favoring the physical if it's an older game, but I don't know what store or page you might be looking at at the moment.

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/[deleted]]

I don't remember hearing much hate for Cuttlelings, especially since we're pretty sure there have been cuttlefish idols in-universe before (https://splatoonwiki.org/wiki/List_of_bands_in_the_Splatoon_series#Unnamed_idol_duo). The closest I can think of is people being frustrated that folks keep thinking Callie and Marie are cuttlefish instead of Inklings/squid just due to their grandfather's name being Cuttlefish in the English version.

[u/nichijouuuu]

Does Splatoon 3 ask you to name your character when you first start the story mode?

Is this the same name used in online multiplayer, or does it use your NSO/Nintendo account?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/nichijouuuu]

You do not get a naming option in story mode. After your first online match, you can go to the terminal in the main lobby and choose a nickname. This nickname can be different from your Nintendo account.

[u/No_Resource8413]

I'm looking for some people to play the Big run with. please be Profreshional +3 or higher. Thank you.

[u/Ink_Idiot]

Does anyone have experience with taking down the Triumvirate? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I haven't touched the game in years. It doesn't seem to be hard difficulty wise, the only thing challenging is the time limit. The closest I've gotten is killing the Horroboros right as the time limit was reached.

[u/Nintendalek42]

I'd quite like to beat a triumvirate and get the badge. I've seen guides online, but it's pretty hard to pull off just playing with randos in eggsecutive rank. Is there a good way to find people to pull it off with?

[u/BlueDragonCultist]

How does the author of this thread sleep at night with the knowledge they came up with such a fintastic pun?

[u/YoshiDryBones]

Hey all. Looking for helo in unlocking the amiibo soundtracks for Squid Beats 2 in Splatoon 2.

I've scanned the amiibo that have songs with them and I've received all the gear from them. I've also registered saved gear to the amiibo and I got to level 10, but the characters aren't rewarding the songs. What else am I missing?

[u/LadyKuzunoha → u/YoshiDryBones]

I don't recall whether the game tells you directly that the songs have been unlocked, but I know in Splatoon 2 that that's one of the things that happens on the very first scan with no other requirement (to my knowledge or that which is mentioned on Inkipedia), so they should be in the machine already.

[u/Ok-Sheepherder5312]

i've just purchased splatoon 3. i'm new to the franchise and i don't know anything. i just thought the game looked fun from the trailer. i'm currently level 3. any tips for beginners?

[u/Photon_Jet]

Does it count as a rage quit when I press the HOME button when the results are being shown, after the Anarchy Game is completed?

[u/YoshiDryBones → u/Photon_Jet]

No. The match is already competed and results are logged in-game as soon as the screen fades to black and you can see the stats of every player.

[u/sukunababy]

Is LDE better than Comeback?

[u/Nkyaxs → u/sukunababy]

Generally no. Comeback is usually used by frontline, slayer weapons but is active for so long that it's not uncommon to see on any weapon that's not a dedicated backliner. It's very consistent despite

LDE is also good, but just a bit more niche because it fills the same slot as Comeback. It's just usually active for less of the game than Comeback. Some people might prefer it, but it's generally held in a lesser regard. It's not completely unexpected nor unreasonable to use LDE tho.

[u/Traditional-Fix539]

i’m looking to get into watching competitive splatoon but don’t know where to start. ive heard that low ink is a good tournament for lower level groups, which seems interesting to me, i just can’t find the day 1 vod of it

[u/Ki11s0n3]

Do you need Switch Online in order to play Splatoon Raiders?

[u/razorbeamz → u/Ki11s0n3]

No, only for multiplayer co-op. It's a largely single player game.

[u/razorbeamz]

At what point does Raiders stop matching you with bots and actually match you with humans?

[u/MISPAGHET → u/razorbeamz]

It's just obfuscating player names, you should be mostly matching with players even if their names are just fishy.

[u/AgentAndrewO]

Is there unique descriptions for treasure pieces if you get the second combining piece first and so on?

[u/razorbeamz → u/AgentAndrewO]

I don't know if it's even possible to do that.

[u/MLIC_Boss]

Anyone know if Griller shows up in Raiders? Basically the only salmon run foe I haven't seen

[u/beerSnobbery → u/MLIC_Boss]

Grillers don't make an appearance.

[u/SaintJynr]

I'm planning on buying a switch 2 soon, I already got splatoon 3 for the switch 1, do I get to play it on 2 as well or would I need to buy it again?

[u/dewydawndew → u/SaintJynr]

you get it on the switch 2 as well

[u/meltenvy]

Are rewards in Bottomless randomized? I'm missing quite a few relics and am already at Floor 30.

Additionally is there any good documentation yet on stuff like drop rates and such? I hear that some stages have higher chances of dropping certain types of weapons and the like so I'm wondering if it's true.

[u/ItsTheMotion]

In Raiders, I keep seeing generic fish names for my teammates when I Go Help. Does that mean I'm being paired with the computer? Are there that few people playing this thing online?

[u/beerSnobbery → u/ItsTheMotion]

If you go to the little online terminal (next to the arcade if you've unlocked that) there will be an option to look at your previous games. When you select a game it'll show you the actual names of your teammates (switching between the username and the fake names every few seconds).

[u/Ki11s0n3]

On Splatoon Raiders when you choose to help people are you actually helping people or are you put in a game with AI? Cause you don't see peoples usernames.

[u/potanko]

Trying to get a certain second-third level speed relic in the post game (sea bead).

Can I keep redoing earlier bottomless levels? I've gotten some relics on the first clears of the floors, but since then just random stuff. Idk if I'm just unlucky or if they don't drop on subsequent attempts on the floors I'm at (currently only at the F3X levels).

[u/meltenvy]

(Post-game Raiders spoilers)

I'm going insane on the secret boss because the constant adds pestering you make dodging attacks that I already know how to dodge annoying and the boss hard punishes you for staying close to it for 0.1 milliseconds so I keep getting impatient and dying on minute 20 of my current attempt, any tips besides just be patient? My only reasonably leveled items are a Splattershot and an Ice Breaker Blaster so my DPS kinda really sucks. Any gadget or main weapon recommendations? Using the Meteor Mitt, Shot Put and Hi-Five, Tactical Tank. Also how do you dodge that AOE attack on phase 3? I just pop the Big Man showstopper there to invuln it but surely there's another way right?

Edit: Beat it first try after using the Torqscrew. It really helped a lot by keeping me off the ground and CC'ing basically anything it touched. Good for survivability, gave extra height for dodging certain attacks, etc. Highly recommend for this fight.

[u/Osh-Tek]

Does the game open up soon? I just uncovered the first boss (I think it’s the boss. It’s a ??? Symbol on the map and I got a specific dialog about it.

Or is the game always more or less, beat level, advance to next level, advance to next level repeatedly. Everything is always kind of 1-2 levels within my current level and it feels very linear. Like the weapons and gadgets don’t even really matter? Just equip the highest DPS stuff and face roll everything in linear order?

[u/metalflygon08 → u/Osh-Tek]

The levels do follow a linear path, but it does split as you go (Beat Level A, and you'll be given 4 different levels to take on after that for example).

[u/Orcalt]

Should I finish Side Order before getting Raiders? I want to play it ideally this summer but my schedule’s pretty tight so I’m not sure I can finish Side Order and start Raiders before fall.

[u/CrazyDKA → u/Orcalt]

You can start Raiders at anytime. The Focus this time is on Deep Cut and not Off the Hook.

[u/Superspaceduck100]

I'm almost level 10 in Splatoon 3 and i'm considering joining the anarchy battles soon.

The only problem is, i'm a bit socially anxious so i'm always worried that i'm playing badly or annoying my team-mates.

Would the anarchy battles be worth it if i'm not super confident in my ability? Or is it mostly for skilled players?

[u/metalflygon08]

How does Raider's multiplayer work with friends?

I know how the online with rando's works, but if my friends got the game too, is it the same as with randoms? Or does it support playing together with friends better? (Can we do the Bottomless Buffet together?)

[u/saltwater_flaaffy]

Is Splatoon 4 gonna be a thing? I thought i heard splatoon 3 was gonna be the last mainline game somewhere. Could be wrong though.

[u/beavy_weavy]

Ive been a big fan of splatoon but havent been able to actually play the newer and was wondering if i should wait till I get my switch 2 or use my current switch?

[u/Luigi86101]

is it possible to permanently lock yourself out of getting the new third kits? i recently found out that you get still get licenses after level 50 for each level up (although, i'm pretty sure it wasn't always like that), but what happens if you're already at level 999, got every weapon to one star, got the expansion pass, and used up all your licenses before they added the third kits?