Splatoon fans are more than eager for the next entry to the Nintendo franchise, and little tidbits keep getting dropped by the company to keep them interested. The latest is a reveal of one of the upcoming Special Weapons for Splatoon 3, which hasn't be seen in any other entry yet.
Splatoon's Special Weapons can be triggered after earning a certain number of points, typically earned by covering terrain with ink. This new Special Weapon will allow players to take advantage of the offense of the enemy by turning their attack against them.
The new weapon is entitled the Ink Vac, and its name matches its use. The Ink Vac Special Weapon is run like a vacuum, sucking up any ink from the enemy that comes its way. When the charging sequence is done, that ink is converted into the player's team color, and then ejected back out towards the enemy. The pulse of ink not only recolors the terrain in the user's color and can harm enemies on impact, but it also explodes shortly after launch, offering a second opportunity to clear a small area of enemies.
Unfortunately, Splatoon 3 hasn't revealed a lot yet with regard to how many new maps or arenas are coming to the game. However, it seems quite likely that Splatoon 2's ranked modes will be seeing a return in Splatoon 3. This special weapon could potentially turn the tide of battle there in a big way. While Turf War ultimately relies upon inking to achieve victory, some ranked modes, like Tower Control, could plausibly utilize this weapon to protect one's self or even one's teammates while gathered up, and then wipe out the enemy team before they have a chance to stop the player team's push.
However, there's some possible downsides to this new Special, as well. While players are likely to see some significant benefits from it early on, as players begin to recognize the Splatoon 3 Special Weapon and what it does, they may be more inclined to simply leave the area or avoid attacking from the front when someone uses it. Like with most Specials, it looks as though the Inkling can't use their regular weapon until the Special has ended. Ink Vacs could potentially make a huge dent in the enemy, or it could leave the user as a sitting duck, depending on the situation.
Splatoon 3's release isn't too far off now, but Nintendo still has a lot left to show fans. So far, most of what has been revealed is simply new weapons or refreshed takes on existing modes, like Salmon Run. It remains to be seen how the game will shake up the formula and make it worth switching from Splatoon 2 to 3.
Splatoon 3 is set to release on September 9, 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.
