‘Splatoon 3’ expansions will return players to Inkopolis and introduce new campaign

Nintendo has confirmed Splatoon 3 will receive downloadable content (DLC) that will introduce a new single-player campaign to the paint shooter.

Confirmed yesterday (February 8) during a Direct livestream, the Splatoon 3 expansion pass is available to purchase now for £22.49 and will include two waves of DLC.

The first of those expansion packs is Inkopolis, which is due “spring 2023”.

“Make Inkopolis from the original Splatoon on Wii U your stomping grounds,” reads the description while The Squid Sisters will now perform during Splatfests. Nintendo went on to confirm that products offered in Inkopolis “are the same as in Splatsville, so you can shop in either city. Modes and amiibo functionality all work in the same way, too.”

The #Splatoon3: Expansion Pass is coming! For the 1st Wave, relive a functional version of Inkopolis from the original Splatoon game!

And for Wave 2, get ready for Side Order, an all-new single player campaign! #NintendoDirect pic.twitter.com/llFFVO4Wae

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) February 8, 2023

The second expansion is called Side Order and features a new single-player campaign mode. “Enjoy a brand new story set in Inkopolis Square from Splatoon 2 on Nintendo Switch,” reads the description. Side Order will release before December 31, 2023.

Players purchasing the expansion pass will also receive 123,000 cash, three double XP food tickets and one of each drink ticket instantly.

In a pre-release roadmap, Nintendo confirmed Splatoon 3 players will receive new catalogs and weapons every three months for the next two years, alongside x battle and league battle modes alongside a “large-scale paid DLC”.

Splatoon 3 was released last September. In a four-star review, NME wrote: “Shooting in third-person blaster Splatoon 3 feels incredible, whether you hit anything or not. That’s because with every shot you take in Nintendo‘s latest splat-’em-up shooter, you’re guaranteed to paint something – a floor, wall or enemy – in brightly coloured ink. And damn, is it satisfying.”

“Messy and marvellous, Splatoon 3 is an excellent addition to one of Nintendo’s most creative series,” it continued. “An entertaining campaign delivers fun for all ages, assuming you can pull yourself away from Turf War for five minutes, while the world of Splatsville is a vibrant and immersive treat.”

Elsewhere during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct, the company surprise-released a remastered version of Metroid Prime, shared a new gameplay trailer for The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom and gave Advanced Wars 1+2 a new release date.

Nintendo also confirmed a number of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles would be available on the Switch, via its expansion pack subscription service, alongside a new steampunk-inspired Professor Layton game.