GamesThird Person ShooterSplatoon 3Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC rolls out a wacky roguelite dungeon crawler mode with shades of Nier AutomataWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesThird Person ShooterSplatoon 3Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC rolls out a wacky roguelite dungeon crawler mode with shades of Nier AutomataWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Splatoon has a way of upping the ante as one of Nintendo’s most bizarre and genre-bending series. WithSplatoon 3, the Octolings traversed the larger post-apocalyptic world into a full adventure while facing off against new threats in the ever-escalating turf wars, and recent expansions have kept things interesting since the third game’s 2022 launch.
In the upcoming Side Order expansion, set for release on Feb. 22, the mysterious Agent 8 returns for a new adventure into a surreal dungeon crawler, which manages to up the Splatoon hijinks in surprising ways. We got a chance to play an hour of the Side Order’s opening act and saw first-hand how Splatoon 3’s new expansion is a genuine game-changer.
Splatooon goes roguelite
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Big splat(Image credit: Nintendo)Splatoon 3’s Big Man steals the spotlight from Pokemon during its own Splatfest
Big splat
(Image credit: Nintendo)Splatoon 3’s Big Man steals the spotlight from Pokemon during its own Splatfest
(Image credit: Nintendo)
Splatoon 3’s Big Man steals the spotlight from Pokemon during its own Splatfest
While the Splatoon series is largely about the turf war battles and the online community of the Octolings, the third entry focuses on the single-player storyline of exploring the Splatlands, the barren wastes beyond Splatsville. The Side Order expansion introduces a new story campaign focusing on conquering a procedurally-generated tower filled with new challenges and ways to boost your abilities to new, over-the-top levels not seen in the core game.
Side Order is a roguelite dungeon crawler mode, much like in Hades or Dead Cells. Each floor presents a procedurally generated challenge, and completing the challenge – such as clearing out enemies, defending territory, or bringing valuable items to the goal – earns you resources and new upgrades as you progress in the tower. Side Order presents an intriguing hook for a new mode in Splatoon 3. Not just for its keen focus on Splatoon lore, focusing on the events of the online Splatfest battles and the larger story, but how it funnels that into a new experience that is all about gaining power and using some wild, over-the-top powers to take out enemies in quick, stylish fashion.
One point that makes Side Order such a compelling and wild expansion for me is how much it lets you cut loose and build out Agent 8’s loadout with some really bizarre buffs and amplifiers. Along with the basic upgrades like speed and more damage, you can also apply poison damage to your ink spills, a momentary shield buff to Agent 8 after dodging and increasing the rate of fire to your weapons. These buffs can also be applied to weapon types, such as turning a Charger-type ink gun into a rapid-fire cannon. The tower buffs can radically alter some of Splatoon’s most established weapons, which on its own was a neat surprise to see play out.
It was fun seeing a powered-up Agent 8 and their arsenal just tear through enemies, and the ramping of the difficulty with each floor – which adds bonus challenges such as fighting in near darkness – adds a lot of variety to the flow. In addition to the temporary buffs you can find in the tower, you can also spend resources on permanent upgrades to give you an edge early on. I appreciated just how Splatoon’s core gameplay fits well with the roguelite conceit, making the core gameplay feel like a fresh addition.
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Embracing the weirdness
(Image credit: Nintendo)
“Side Order feels like the series dipping its toes into the more surreal and aesthetic aspects of Nier Automata, which has some really lovely parallels”
“Side Order feels like the series dipping its toes into the more surreal and aesthetic aspects of Nier Automata, which has some really lovely parallels”
It’s a wonder how much Splatoon 3 has grown since its launch. As the second expansion to the game following Return of the Mammalians along with the increased arsenal and online events, Splatoon 3 is an impressive package, and a new rogue-lite mode really adds something that not only feels like a neat add-on but also a compelling mode that can turn Splatoon’s slick gameplay into something more. It’s a welcome addition so far, and I’m compelled to see just how much the roguelite mechanics can elevate Splatoon’s already fun and slick gameplay even further.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”