Beginner basics for Splatoon 3: the ins and outs of playing online

Greetings, and thank you for stopping by! In this article, we’ll be explaining how to play online in Splatoon 3.

How to play the eight modes

Splatoon 3 features eight modes for online play that allow you to compete or cooperate with other players. Each mode has different rules.

You can use the Pool function for modes such as Regular Battle and Anarchy Battle, and play only with others who know the password to the Pool.

Regular Battle

In Regular Battle, players split into teams of four and engage in a Turf War where the team that covers the most area (“turf”) in ink wins.

Participate in Regular Battles to receive XP. Accumulate enough, and your level will increase. As your level increases, you will unlock additional game modes, weapons, and gear in the shops.

The amount of XP you receive will increase in relation to the amount of turf you ink, and whether or not you win the battle.

Anarchy Battle

Players can enjoy four unique rulesets in Anarchy Battle. They are: Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker and Clam Blitz. The available rulesets change every two hours.

Anarchy Battle is unlocked at player level 10.

In Anarchy Battles, a player’s ability is represented by rank. A player’s rank will increase once they accumulate the required Rank Points from battles. Certain ranks will require winning three Rank-Up Battles before ranking up.

Your rank will start at C- and can go up to S+ 50.

Anarchy Battles are divided into Open, which can be challenged alone or with friends, and Series, which can only be challenged alone.

In Open, every battle will raise or lower your Rank Points.

In Series, you pay a challenge fee in Rank Points to start. Once you reach either five wins or three losses, you obtain Rank Points based on your results.

X Battle

Only players who have reached rank S+0 can participate in X Battles. Rather than Rank Points, players fight for X Power, which is calculated per rule set, and aim for the top.

X Power changes after winning or losing three times in X Battles.

Challenge

Challenge is a limited-time mode. It features unique rules different from the usual Regular and Anarchy Battles. Players compete for Challenge Power, which changes based on wins and losses.

For example, there may be Challenges where you can only use certain weapons.

Challenges with various rules are held on a regular basis. The following are some past examples.

The schedule for Challenges can be found in the stages section of the game.

Splatfest Battle

Splatfest Battles are special Turf War battles held during a limited-time festival event called Splatfest, which takes place several times a year.

In Splatfests, three teams will face off and compete for points during the duration of the event. Each player votes for one of three teams. They will be assigned to the team whose option they voted for.

There are two phases: the preparatory Sneak Peek, and the Splatfest Main Event.

In the Sneak Peek, play Regular Battles or Anarchy Battles to raise your Catalog level to obtain Conch shells. During the Splatfest Main Event, you play in Splatfest Battles and accumulate points based on your results.

The winning team will be decided based on their performance during the Splatfest Main Event and the number of Conch shells accumulated during the Sneak Peek etc.

You can also obtain Super Sea Snails from Splatfests, which can increase the Star Power of your gear. The winning team will obtain a few more Super Sea Snails than the losing ones.

During Splatfest Battles, you can use a special item called a Fizzbang. You get them when the battle starts, when you respawn, or splat an opponent, etc. You can throw them with the A Button or L Button.

It launches into the air and explodes into a mass of ink, inking the area.

A Halftime Report begins 24 hours after the start of the Splatfest. After that, Tricolor Turf Wars (Tricolor Battles) will be available. In Tricolor Turf Wars, you will play a 3-way Turf War consisting of a 4-player defending team, and two 2-player attacking teams.

The attacking teams will attack the defending team from both sides of the stage.

Private Battle

Private Battles allow for friends to freely set the rules and stage before battling. You can play 4-vs-4, or with fewer players.

You can go for a stroll around the stage on Recon mode and even take a group photo with your friends!

Take a group photo in your favourite stages.

Salmon Run

In Salmon Run Next Wave, you team up with three other players to take on the Salmonids and collect Golden Eggs. You can team up with players online, or with friends.

Salmon Run is divided into three waves, and if you reach the quota for each wave, the run will be a success. You will be rewarded with Grizzco Points, which can be traded in for rewards.

You can get lots of Ability Chunks and cash, and you may even get gear exclusive to Salmon Run.

After finishing the third wave, a King Salmonid can sometimes appear. You will be rewarded with gold, silver, and bronze fish scales. These can be exchanged for rare items.

Tableturf Battle

In Tableturf Battles, you play a 1-vs-1 card battle. Create a deck and try to conquer your opponents’ territory.

Both players will take turns to play cards and ink spaces on the board to make it their territory. Whoever has inked more spaces by the end will be the winner.

Cards can be obtained from Card Packs. Card packs can be obtained from the Shell-Out Machine in the lobby, or from increasing your Catalog Level.

Obtain points through battling, and level up your rank once you accumulate enough. When your rank increases, you receive rewards such as Card Packs and will be able to challenge additional Tableturf Battlers.

Five battle mode rules and tips

We’ll now introduce the five different rulesets and some corresponding tips for the following battle modes: Turf War, Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker, and Clam Blitz.

Turf War

The key to Turf War is to take back territory the opposing team has inked. Not only does this expand your own turf, but it also narrows the opponents’ turf, and helps turn the tide of battle in your favour.

Press the X Button to open the map and see how much territory each team has covered in ink.

It's difficult for opponents to spread ink around your spawn point. We recommend that someone ink this area at the start, as it’ll make it easier to focus on the frontline until the end.

Inking every nook and cranny can be the key to victory.

Splat Zones

In Splat Zones, you fight for control of the Splat Zone, which is an area at the center of the stage. You control it by covering the majority of the area in your team’s ink. Maintaining control of the Splat Zone will decrease the countdown clock. Whichever team lowers the countdown clock the most wins.

It's easier to control the Splat Zone if you split up into two groups. For example, the one who secures the Splat Zone should have a good weapon for covering the area in ink, while the one who keeps the opposing team at bay should have a weapon suited for battling opponents.

Tower Control

In Tower Control, players will ride on the tower placed within the stage, which then moves towards the goal in the opponents’ territory. Whichever team gets their tower to the goal first wins.

The player riding on the tower is more likely to be targeted. Those not on the tower should move ahead to where the opponents are and prevent them from approaching it.

It's also better to have someone with a long-range weapon ride the tower, as they can prevent opponents from approaching from a distance.

Rainmaker

In Rainmaker mode, the team that carries the titular Rainmaker weapon, located in the centre of the stage, into the goal in the opponents’ territory wins.

The Rainmaker is protected by a Rainmaker Shield. You must pop the shield to carry the Rainmaker. When you pick up the Rainmaker, you'll lose access to your weapon. Instead, you'll gain access to the Rainmaker’s powerful shots.

When the Rainmaker Shield is popped, a burst of ink is spread around it, making it easier for the team that popped it to carry the Rainmaker. Pop the shield as soon as you can to gain the upper hand.

Clam Blitz

In Clam Blitz, players scour the stage for clams. Whichever team throws the most clams into the opponents’ basket wins.

The basket is protected by a Clam Barrier, which can be broken with a Power Clam.

Collect eight clams to form a Power Clam. However, once you have a Power Clam, your opponents can see your position, making you an easy target. You can use this to your advantage by purposefully drawing attention to yourself, or carefully timing when to make the Power Clam.

When you have a Power Clam, you will be marked on-screen, making it easy for opponents to find you.

For example, if your allies have lots of clams, you can use this to draw attention away from them. Defeat opponents and make an ink path to the goal to help them break the barrier.

Meanwhile, if the opponent has a lot of clams, they are more likely to break your barrier. It is important to keep them away from the goal by inking the goal area to strengthen your defences.

You can check the top of the screen to see how many clams each player has.

Final thoughts

In this article, we explained the ins and outs of playing online in Splatoon 3. Play through the different online modes and find which ones you enjoy most.

Internet connection required during online play. To use online services, you must create a Nintendo Account and accept the related agreement. The Nintendo Account Privacy Policy applies. Some online services may not be available in all countries. Online play requires paid online membership. Find out more about the paid membership subscription.

This guide is written in collaboration with the editorial team of GameWith, a Japanese game information website.