Getting Started

First Hour Walkthrough

When you first launch Splatoon 3, you'll be greeted by the game's opening cinematic. After that, the very first interactive step is character creation, which is simple but important.

Character Creation

• You can customize your Inkling or Octoling (choose whichever you prefer – they play identically).


• Options: skin tone, hairstyle, eye shape/color, eyebrow style, and legwear (pants/shoes).


• Tip: Don't stress – you can change hairstyle and skin tone later using coins at the Grizzco Barge (Salmon Run area). Legwear can be changed from the locker room. Only the initial choice of species (Inkling vs Octoling) is permanent without a save reset.

Prologue (The "Splatlands" Tutorial)

1. After creation, you're dropped into a short, on-rails tutorial where you control your character using the left stick to move and the right stick (or motion) to aim.
2. You'll learn to splat targets with ZR (shoot), ink the ground (also ZR), and swim through your own ink by holding ZL while moving.
3. A few simple navigation steps: follow the glowing ink trails, press B to jump, and use a basic sub weapon (e.g., Splat Bomb by pressing R).
4. The tutorial ends with a friendly dummy battle against AI opponents. You can't lose here.
5. After the tutorial, you'll be placed in the lobby – the main hub for online play. This marks the end of the first ~10 minutes.

Controls (Nintendo Switch)

Splatoon 3 uses two control schemes: Motion Controls (gyro aiming) and Stick Only. Motion is strongly recommended for precision, but you can disable it in Settings > Controls.

Tip for new players: Go into Settings ➔ Controls and set Motion Camera Sensitivity to -1 or -2 if you feel motion is too twitchy. You can always adjust later. Stick-only players should set right stick sensitivity to +2 for faster turning.

UI Overview

Main Menu (World Map)

• Battles: Enter online multiplayer (Turf War, Ranked, etc.)


• Grizzco: Salmon Run (co-op horde mode) – unlocked at level 4.


• Story: Single-player campaign "Return of the Mammalians" – accessible anytime, great for practice.


• Locker Room: Customize your gear, change your character's legwear, and view your locker decorations.


• Shop: Buy weapons, gear (clothes, shoes, headgear) with cash.


• Salmon Run: Cooperative mode where you collect golden eggs – unlocked after level 4.




In-Match HUD



• Top-left: Your ink tank gauge (shows remaining ink for your main weapon). Flashing red means you need to refill (swim in your ink or wait).


• Top-right: Team score (p) – in Turf War, shows percentage of inked area.


• Bottom-center: Sub weapon icons and special weapon charge indicator (a circle that fills when you ink turf).


• Map (Y): Shows positions of all players (you as arrow, teammates as dots, enemies as enemy ink splatter). Use it to navigate after respawning.


• Respawn: When splatted, you'll see respawn timer and can press A to move spawn point (useful to jump to a teammate).




Essential Early Objectives




• Level Up: Play Turf War to reach level 4 quickly. This unlocks ranked modes (Splat Zones, Tower Control, Rainmaker) and Salmon Run.


• Buy Basic Gear: Visit the shop (Hotlantis) and purchase at least one piece of gear with useful abilities (e.g., Ink Saver Main, Swim Speed Up). Gear abilities help a lot.


• Try Single-Player: The story mode teaches advanced movement (like squid roll, squid surge) in a low-pressure environment. Strongly recommended before competitive play.


• Adjust Controls: Spend 5 minutes in the training room (Options > Test) to practice aiming and movement.




What to Do First (Day-One Checklist)



1. Complete the Prologue (~10 mins).
2. Change your controls (if needed). Disable motion if you despise it, else keep on.
3. Play 2–3 Turf War matches (they last 3 minutes each). Focus on inking the base first, then pushing forward.
4. Visit the Shop: Buy the cheapest weapon (e.g., Splattershot Jr. is free, but you can buy Hero Shot replica after story mode). Also buy a piece of clothing with Ink Saver (Main) to last longer.
5. Complete the first level of Story Mode (Return of the Mammalians) – easiest way to practice movement and aim.
6. Unlock Salmon Run (reach level 4 by playing Turf War; should take ~1 hour of play).
7. Spend 10 minutes in the Training Room to practice sub weapon throws and special usage.
8. Join a friend or queue solo – play until you feel comfortable.



What to Avoid (Common Beginner Mistakes)




• Ignoring your base turf. In Turf War, the first 20 seconds should be spent inking your spawn area. Uninked base gives the enemy free percentage.


• Overextending alone. Splatoon is a team game – always try to stay near a teammate (not all in one spot, but within 2 seconds of help).


• Dying with a full special. Use your special weapon (press X) when you have it – don't hoard it. The special meter resets on death.


• Refusing to adjust sensitivity. If you can't aim, lower sensitivity. If you can't turn fast enough, raise it.


• Not refilling ink. Always swim in your ink briefly to refill your tank. If you run out in combat, you're dead.


• Using motion controls without practice. If you choose motion, spend 5 minutes in the training room holding the controller still and aiming with small wrist movements.




Early Resource Priorities




• Cash (Coins): Earned from battles. Spend on gear that has good abilities (check abilities before buying). Don't buy every weapon initially – stick to one or two you like.


• Ability Chunks: Obtained by scrubbing gear (talk to Murch in the plaza). These allow you to add specific abilities later. Save them for endgame gear; don't scrub low-level gear frequently.


• Levels: Focus only on reaching level 4 to unlock Salmon Run and more gear. After that, levels matter less – just play what you enjoy.


• Gear: Prioritize Ink Saver (Main) and Swim Speed Up for general use. For weapons like rollers, Run Speed Up helps.




Common Beginner Mistakes (Expanded)




• Holding down ZR continuously: Some weapons (like Splattershot) fire rapidly, but always keep an eye on ink tank. Fire in short bursts to conserve ink and accuracy.


• Ignoring the map: Press Y often – especially after respawning – to see if your team is pushing or getting flanked.


• Not using squid rolls or squid surges: These are advanced movement techniques unlocked in story mode. At the very least, learn to squid roll (hold ZL while swimming, then press B to leap sideways). It makes you harder to hit.


• Staying in one spot: Keep moving. Splatoon is about map control and flanking.


• Panicking when shot: If you take damage, swim away into your ink. Don't fight unless you have advantage.

Day-One Checklist (Summary)

Total first day playtime: ~2–3 hours. You'll have a solid foundation for the rest of Splatoon 3.