We’ve tried all of this new content and below we rate what it brings to the table.
New game modes – Big Run and X Battles
Starting with the meatiest additions to the game, the Chill 2022 season has brought with it of them new game modes, both of which promise to build on the standardized rules we had before.
Kicking things off is Big Run, a twist on the classic Salmon Run mode, which sees you splashing around pesky salmonids of varying sizes while trying to collect mighty eggs in your little string basket.
We’ve all had fun with Salmon Run over the past three months, and Big Run is looking to keep it going. There is an added element of risk this time – salmonids descend on our home rather than jet off to a remote island – and the mode will be played as a Splatfest-style event instead of the continuous games we’ve seen so far, guaranteed to bring a bonus sense of racing against the clock .
While we will have to wait December 10 before the start of the first Big Run event, the addition promises to add a bit more variety to the game and encourages us to come back for specific events.
The other mode joining Splatoon 3 is X Battles. If you think you might remember an event with the same name in Splatoon 2, you’re right. X Battles are now in Splatoon 3 and add a sense of competition for the best of the best.
It’s actually an Anarchy Battle layout with the added twist that only those who are S+0 rank and above can enter – the eel-itis splashes, if you will. Despite his best efforts, this writer falls far short of the royal rank of those capable of entering this game mode. definite boost in our book), though our own abilities neatly keep us away from inking with the big squids for now.
New stages – Brinewater Springs, Flounder Heights and Marooner’s Bay
Next are the brand new stages that entered Turf War, Anarchy Battles, and Salmon Run with the introduction of the season.
First we have Salt water springs, a brand new course full of varied levels and devious back passages. Having taken this stage for a spin in a number of different abilities (Turf War, Rainmaker, and Splat Zones), we have to say that it currently ranks among the best in the game.
The different tiers allow for wildly varied playstyles of all weapon classes (a well-aimed loader is dynamite on this one) and we’re having fun getting to grips with the best routes to take and secret areas to splat. . It feels like we’re back at launch to play Scorch Gorge again for the first time, and that’s a big bonus.
The same can honestly apply to the second new stage of the update: Plaice Heights. It’s another throwback after its first appearance in Splatoon, which might not live up to the heights of Brinewater Springs, but is a nice blast from the past nonetheless. There are plenty of inked walls in this one to propel you into the throes of the battle above and, again, a good level (pun intended) of elevated terrain to make weapon choice all the more important. Keep looking at the sky.
Salmon Run has also been treated to a new stage as part of the update in the form of Splatoon 2 Chestnut Bay. This back course is one of the trickiest places for a salmonid invasion with some areas submerged in water and a reliance on lifts to take you from area to area. Bringing an area from the previous Splatoon game back to Switch doesn’t bring back quite the same level of nostalgia as Flounder Heights; however, with only three locations to its name prior to the update, Marooner’s Bay is nonetheless a welcome addition to the game mode.
New weapons
Next, on weapons. Chill Season 2022 managed to shake up our favorites in no time with three completely new main weapons and ten variants of previously released ones with an all new Sub and Special combo.
Starting with the new arrivals, the update adds the nova splatter, Big Swig Rollerand Sniper Writer 5H – three new networks that we have learned to tame. Finding a new favorite weapon takes a bit of time and while these three don’t have it enough introduced into our main rotation at the moment, they add a good level of variation to the game and we’re having fun figuring out their intricacies.
This is especially the case for the Snipewriter 5H which loses a bit of the Charger’s usual hitting abilities but adds the ability to take up to five hits on a single charge, making it ideal for the slightly more active opponent there. -down. Seriously, in a turf war, this thing is scary.
Then there are the ten new combos for some of the existing weapons in the game. We’ve added each of these changes to the table below but, again, we’re thrilled that there’s now an extra level of variation in the game that we just didn’t have before.
Take, for example, the new More slippery decoration. This twist on the classic Slosher replaces the usual Splat Bomb and Triple Inkstrike add-ons with Angle Shooter and Zipcaster for an even closer and more personal style of play.
New items
The above additions are all great, but one of Splatoon’s main draws for us has always been its sleekness. Chill Season 2022 continues with an all-new catalog (containing new gear, titles, Splashtags, decorations, stickers, and emotes) and approximately 50 new items added to stores in Splatsville. There were also 13 new Tableturf battle maps added as part of the update, expanding the puzzle side of the game even further.
Do we wish there was a some others items added as part of the new collection? Most likely. But the additions we’ve received are fun nonetheless and still rely on the game’s keen eye to look good as you blast your way through stages.
Other improvements
Along with the usual bug fixes and tweaks, there have been a number of quality of life improvements with the addition of Chill Season 2022 that we think deserved a moment in the spotlight.
Following our thoughts on the new items, the update brings the ability to view the Season Catalog in its entirety right from the start. By simply opening the main menu with ‘X’, navigating to the Status tab and selecting Catalog, there is now the ‘See more’ option, showing what will be unlocked with each catalog tier.
It’s a small change, yes, but the addition serves to let us know what we’re aiming for with each update right from the start. If, for example, you were looking for new banners, going up a catalog level used to be a process where the price seemed random. Now you can get an idea of how far to unlock the next banner, giving you another reason to come back for more.
Another small change worth noting is the new ability to save and replay Salmon Run work scenarios. By heading to the Grizzco terminal in the practice area and looking at “recent jobs” you can save particular courses (weapons, spawning salmonids, etc.) to play in a private room later, a nice addition for those who have completed a mission in the past and wanted their friends to take it on with them.
There are a slew of other changes that have been brought to the game with the new update, including the ability to reset your Season Rank, temporarily change your name, take photos in Recon Mode, and – the biggest change of all – to fold your clothes before putting them in your locker. While these might seem inconsequential in the update’s grand scheme, they each help to make the game a bit friendlier and add some fun additions in terms of customization.
So, where is Splatoon 3 after its update?
Chill Season 2022 may not represent the big leap that some were clamoring for when the game initially released, but for the amount of new content it added in one go, it certainly keeps the game going with a whole bunch of welcome tweaks and additions.
New stages and weapons recreate the experimental feel of the game’s launch, with new abilities to master and optimal routes to discover. Combine that with the new game modes and events and you can see there are now even more reasons to keep playing the game in preparation for the following big thing.
Splatoon 3 is still Splatoon 3 after this update – as you’d expect – but for a free add-on that gives us all more to do than ever before (and more reasons to come back to the game as we slide into the season parties) beginners and experienced players alike will undoubtedly find a fun new challenge to take on. A move in the right direction, indeed.
What do you think of Splatoon 3 with all the changes under Chill Season 2022? Swim to the comments and let us know!
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