Splatoon 3 Side Order delivers thrilling roguelike action with strategic depth and replay value
Introduction: A Revolutionary Single-Player Adventure
Splatoon 3’s Side Order DLC represents a bold reinvention of Nintendo’s ink-based shooter formula, transforming it into an addictive roguelike experience that might just become your new favorite way to play.
Nintendo’s latest expansion, Splatoon 3: Side Order, masterfully blends elements from acclaimed roguelikes like Hades and Dead Cells to deliver a surprisingly deep solo adventure that stands strong alongside the series’ celebrated multiplayer.
While Splatoon has always excelled as a multiplayer franchise since its Wii U origins, with competitive matches drawing millions of players worldwide, the single-player components have often been viewed as supplementary experiences rather than main attractions.
This perception shifts dramatically with Side Order, which builds upon the excellent foundation of Splatoon 3’s campaign and the challenging Octo Expansion from Splatoon 2 to create what many consider the most engaging and replayable single-player content in the series’ history.
The DLC introduces a compelling progression loop that will keep you climbing the Spire of Order repeatedly, experimenting with different weapon loadouts and color chip combinations to discover powerful synergies and overcome increasingly difficult challenges.
Essential Game Details and Features
- Price: $24.99 / £22.49 (Part of the Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass)
- Release Date: 22 February 2024
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- Gameplay Style: Roguelike single-player campaign
- Estimated Completion Time: 8-12 hours for main content, 20+ hours for full completion
- Replay Value: Extremely high with multiple weapons and difficulty options
The expansion requires the base Splatoon 3 game to play and is included as part of the Expansion Pass, which also contains the Inkopolis Plaza from the original game. For players who haven’t purchased the pass yet, buying it grants immediate access to both Side Order and the previously released content.
Side Order introduces a completely new gameplay structure centered around climbing a 30-floor tower called the Spire of Order. Each run presents randomly generated room layouts with different objectives, enemy types, and boss encounters, ensuring no two attempts feel identical.
Deep Dive: Gameplay Mechanics and Strategy
The core innovation in Side Order is the color chip system, which replaces traditional character leveling with modular power-ups that dramatically alter your capabilities during each run. As you progress through floors, you’ll collect these chips that enhance your ink tank capacity, movement speed, damage output, and special weapon capabilities.
Strategic chip selection is crucial—focusing on synergistic combinations can turn an average run into an overpowered domination fest. For example, combining rapid-fire chips with ink efficiency upgrades creates a nearly endless stream of firepower, while movement speed boosts paired with damage-over-time effects enable hit-and-run tactics that minimize risk.
Weapon variety adds another layer of strategic depth. Starting with just the default loadout, you’ll gradually unlock additional weapons through permanent progression using pearls collected during runs. Each weapon type—shooters, chargers, rollers, sloshers, and dualies—requires completely different approaches to combat and chip prioritization.
The permanent progression system ensures that even failed runs contribute to your overall power. Pearls collected during attempts can be spent between runs to unlock new starting bonuses, additional chip slots, weapon variants, and difficulty modifiers that adjust the challenge level and reward potential.
Advanced Strategies and Common Pitfalls
Avoid These Common Beginner Mistakes:
Many players struggle initially by focusing too heavily on damage upgrades while neglecting mobility and survival chips. Balance is key—being able to dodge attacks and maintain ink efficiency often proves more valuable than raw firepower alone.
Another frequent error involves poor pearl investment. Prioritize unlocking additional color chip slots early, as these provide compounding benefits across all future runs. The extra customization options dramatically increase your strategic flexibility and success rate on higher floors.
Advanced Optimization Techniques:
Master the art of room assessment—quickly identifying enemy types, objective requirements, and environmental hazards allows you to adjust your approach before engaging. Speedrunners often complete floors 20-30% faster through efficient pathing and target prioritization.
For players seeking maximum challenge, experiment with the palette system that modifies difficulty and rewards. Higher risk palettes provide greater pearl multipliers but introduce additional constraints that test your mastery of game mechanics.
Movement optimization separates good players from great ones. Practice advanced techniques like squid surging between platforms, utilizing vertical spaces for evasion, and mastering the timing of dodge rolls with dualies to minimize damage taken during intense encounters.
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