Time to paint the town neon, as Splatoon 3 launches at 30 Rock’s Nintendo NY

Splatoon 3 is set to bring a little colorful arena shooter action to the Switch today. Be ye Inkling or Octoling, we’ve got the highlights of the launch.

SPLAT

This one’s been a long time coming, as Splatoon 3 was first announced about a year back. It’s finally here though, and set to continue the series’ cartoony take on the multiplayer arena shooter.

The title officially launched at Nintendo NY last night, right in the heart of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. The in-person midnight event included the first copies sold in the States. Those looking for some special flair walked away happy too, as the flagship shop was decked out with “vibrant visuals straight out of Splatsville” for the launch. Of course that included a splatterific photo op for fans.

As for the game itself, Nintendo has shared a laundry list of features for Splatoon 3. So if you’re not sold yet, scroll on down and see if these bullets knock you off.

Here are the highlights, from the press release:

• Ink With the Best of ’Em: Use your weapons to splash vivid ink all over the place. Coat your opponents to take them (temporarily) out and change into Swim Form to dive into your own ink color and zoom where you please – this slick move can take you up walls, through fences and will even refill your ink tank. Plus, the newly added Squid Roll and Squid Surge moves will help you get even messier!
• A Colorful Arsenal: All weapon types from previous games are back, along with some new ones. Flatten the competition with rollers, ink up close with the new (and sharp!) Splatana weapon type, stay hydrated with the new Tacticooler or turn the tide with an array of special abilities and more to discover. Get splatting or get splat – the choice is yours!
• Scorching Turf War Battles: Beloved by squiddos everywhere, this online multiplayer* mode pits two teams of four players in a three-minute battle to cover the most ground with their ink color. All-new stages like Eeltail Alley, Scorch Gorge, Mincemeat Metalworks and Undertow Spillway join several returning stages such as Museum d’Alfonsino, Hammerhead Bridge and Mahi-Mahi Resort. Twelve stages await your colorful artistry, with more to come in free post-launch updates. Splat it out to achieve total victory!
• Square Off in Splatfest Events: Cast your vote from one of three sides and then gain clout for your Splatfest team in 4-v-4 Turf War battles and the new, colorfully chaotic Tricolor Turf War – a mode where three teams fight at the same time and the first-place team must defend itself in a unique 4-v-2-v-2 battle.
• Anarchy Battles: This fresh mode will put your skills to the test! Lay your tentacles on the line and engage in wild battles to climb the ranks in objective-based matches to prove you’re the most sea-soned squid around. Wanna take on a challenge solo? Select Anarchy Battle (Series). And if you want to team up with friends, Anarchy Battle (Open) is the way to go.
• Work Together in Salmon Run: Ink together with friends** and fend off waves of dangerous (and now sometimes giant) Salmonid bosses in this freshly updated frantic four-player team mode that’s now always available to play.
• Return of the Mammalians: Want to swim solo and familiarize yourself with the game? Join Agent 3 in a hairy fight against unruly Octarians and discover the secrets of Alterna and the Fuzzy Ooze in this completely new single-player Story Mode. Playing this mode will also prepare you for the chaos of multiplayer!
• An Ocean of Drip: Show off your flashy fashion with new and expanded customization options and up your game by hitting up the shops of Splatsville. Don the latest outfits, celebrate with emotes, decorate your locker and stay current with the seasonal catalog. Look forward to collecting items from the in-game Season 1 catalog now – each season lasts three months, so it won’t be long before something new surfaces. Additional free updates and large-scale paid DLC are also planned for the future!

Don’t forget

Along with the game, there’s also that new Nintendo Switch OLED Edition, carrying case, and Splatoon 3 Pro Controller. So depending on how big a Splatoon fan you are, you can really trick out your gaming experience.

All of the above is available now, depending on if you can still find it all or not. I have a feeling that OLED console in particular is gonna be a tough buy right now. Theoretically it’s available via Nintendo’s online shop, along with all the other Splatoon goodies, though it’s sold out as of this writing.

Still, there are some cool things up for sale, and you can find ’em all here.