Nintendo has a pretty packed 2022. Even with the delay of the Breath of the Wild sequel, Nintendo's still got quite a few big-hitters still to release this year. Thanks to a recent announcement, one of these big-hitters finally has a release date. Splatoon 3 comes out September 9, bringing a full campaign, a tweaked Salmon Run mode, and a multiplayer mode full of new and returning maps.
Along with the confirmed release date, Nintendo also dropped a new gameplay trailer, highlighting some of Splatoon 3's new Special Weapons. Special Weapons have been a staple of the Splatoon series since day one, with the Inkzooka and Kraken being fan-favorite abilities right away. From the looks it, Splatoon 3 is going to continue the tradition, with six Special Weapons already confirmed.
Splatoon 3's New Special Weapons
While the most recent Splatoon 3 trailer showed off some brand new Special Weapons coming to the game, a few were already confirmed before this point. The Tenta Missiles, for instance, were showcased a few trailers ago. The Tenta Missiles weapon is being carried over from Splatoon 2, and fires 10-20 homing missiles at a locked-on target.
The Big Bubbler Special Weapon was also confirmed prior to this trailer. This weapon is a stationary structure that produces a large barrier, capable of protecting the player against enemy fire. The Killer Wail 5.1 was debuted alongside the Big Bubbler in October 2021. This weapon is a modified version of the Killer Wail Special Weapon from the first Splatoon. Now, the Killer Wail 5.1 is capable of launching six autonomous speakers, which all fire small homing waves of sound.
One of the most helpful-looking Special Weapons highlighted in the Splatoon 3 trailer seems to be the new Crab Tank. At the press of a button, the player can hop in this mechanical crustacean, and use its mounted cannons to quickly gain the advantage. For faster movement, the Crab Tank can turn itself into a ball, and can roll around the arena at high speeds, kind of like Overwatch's Hammond.
Another modified version of an original Splatoon weapon, Trizooka takes the iconic Inkzooka, and triples its lethality. Each shot of the Trizooka launches three powerful blasts at once. The Trizooka can be fired a total of three times before its ammo is depleted.
The Zipcaster looks like one of the most unique Special Weapons in Splatoon 3. As opposed to dealing damage, the Zipcaster allows the player to traverse the arena with ease. Acting much like a grappling hook, the Zipcaster can be shot at a wall or surface, and will bring the player directly to that spot.
Players can still fire their primary weapon while using the Zipcaster, and as the Zipcaster is linked to a time-limit, the player can use it multiple times before the weapon expires. Once the Zipcaster's time-limit runs out, the player is launched back into the air, and returned to their original position. This could have the potential to irritate some players, but for those who are skilled enough, the Zipcaster could be used effectively to infiltrate enemy lines, strike fast, and return to safety.
Two more Special Weapons were revealed in the latest Splatoon 3 trailer, but they are yet to receive official names. One of these weapons resembled a vacuum cleaner, that sucked up some of the ink in the arena, and shot it back out. The other weapon seemed to produce a vortex that swept up ink and opponents who ran into it, similar to how the Inkstrike functioned in the first Splatoon game. While these are a great start, fans of Splatoon 3 are sure to see more about incoming Special Weapons before the game's September 9 release date.
Splatoon 3 releases on September 9, 2022, for Nintendo Switch.
