The game received generally favorable reviews, with praise for its additional maps, single player campaign, customization options, and gameplay mechanics, but criticism for its matchmaking and disconnection issues and lack of new content.

special weapons require the player to cover the ground with a varying amount of ink in order to charge up their gauge to deploy a powerful effect.

[9] In Turf War, two teams of four players compete to cover the most amount of the map's area in their respective ink color for three minutes.

When walked on, the opposing team's ink slows movement, gradually deals damage and prevents the use of the player's swim form.

Players defend Splatsville by fighting invading Salmonids on an online competitive map, instead of the unique stages typically used for Salmon Run.

[27][28] There is also another Salmon Run event called "Eggstra Work", where teams compete to get the most golden eggs in a predetermined shift consisting of 5 waves.

[36] The story mode of Splatoon 3, titled Return of the Mammalians, is set in a new location called Alterna, a large, snowy area littered with incomplete structures and hazardous Fuzzy Ooze, an ink-like substance mostly covered in brown fur, with a rocket at its center.

They fight Octarian enemies mutated with fur, which Cuttlefish believes are responsible for once again stealing the Great Zapfish that powers Splatsville.

The ground breaks open, and Cuttlefish and Agent 3 fall into the remains of the underground city Alterna, which the fuzzy Octarians have turned into a base.

In Alterna, Agent 3 meets Callie and Marie of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, as well as the Captain, the player protagonist of the first game, and realizes that Cuttlefish has gone missing.

Aided by an artificial intelligence named O.R.C.A., they explore the city in search of Cuttlefish, but are repeatedly led to signals from the members of Deep Cut and forced to fight them over the "treasure", which appears to be junk.

It is revealed that Mr. Grizz, CEO of Grizzco and organizer of Salmon Run, has kidnapped Cuttlefish and is responsible for taking the Great Zapfish and Octarian army, proving Octavio's innocence.

The Captain rehydrates Cuttlefish with their tears as Mr. Grizz launches the rocket into space, and Deep Cut provides Agent 3 a lift onto it using their tamed eels and shark.

Agent 3, with help from DJ Octavio and Smallfry, who transforms into a "Hugefry" form (resembling a giant coho salmon), defeats Mr. Grizz and destroys the rocket.

[2][3][4] The game makes use of NLPN, Nintendo's in-house server system, which supports expanded lobby features and better matchmaking.

[44][36] In a Splatoon 3 Direct on 10 August 2022, Nintendo confirmed that the game would receive two years worth of updates releasing every three months using a seasonal approach, which would feature the addition of more stages and weapons, as well as large-scale paid downloadable content (DLC).

[50] On 22 April, Nintendo uploaded a video to its YouTube channel showing gameplay of the "Turf War" game mode, as well as providing an exact release date of 9 September 2022.

[54] Nintendo announced that the game would have amiibo support, with several new figurines that can be used to take photos with the characters in-game and receive special gear items, similar to past Splatoon titles.

[56] Also announced in the Nintendo Direct, the game is set to receive both large-scale paid DLC and two years of support via free updates.

[58] The pre-launch Splatfest World Premiere event was held on 27 and 28 August 2022 with a rock-paper-scissors theme,[59] which Team Rock won in all regions.

[66] On 16 September 2024, Nintendo announced that the game would no longer receive regular content updates, although patches and seasonal events would continue.

[68] IGN reviewer Brendan Graeber called the third installment's multiplayer "more than just a simple upgrade", citing its additional maps, weapons, bosses, and customization, as well as its revamped lobby system.

[72] Reviewing the game's single-player mode, he appreciated the new take on the series' hub world, as well as the returning ideas from Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion.

[18] Martin Robinson of Eurogamer criticized the lack of significant new content, saying that even the largest new additions are not something "that can be applauded too enthusiastically", and other features "basic [ones] you'd expect of a contemporary online multiplayer game".

[9] Wired's Reid McCarter praised the game's original, cartoony characters, as opposed to brand crossovers and realistic graphics.