Splatoon 3

More of the same but refined to borderline mechanical perfection, with countless quality-of-life improvements: a slicker lobby, 24/7 Salmon Run with egg-throwing, a much stronger single-player campaign, and the clever Tableturf card game. It runs at a rock-solid 60fps with fast load times and looks gorgeous. The one disappointment is the lack of a single big new idea after five years, but it stands as the pinnacle of the series and of shooters on Switch.

The single-player campaign is the standout, offering roughly eight hours of witty, inventive, and increasingly challenging levels that creatively repurpose the series' ink mechanics and new weapons like the tri-stringer, with memorable boss fights worth experiencing firsthand. The campaign is welcoming to newcomers yet provides a genuine workout for veterans in its later stages. Levels can feel like abstract whitebox sketches that never fully realize their potential, but they remain a joy to play, and new lobbies and lockers add polish to the multiplayer.

A fast-paced, addictive continuation that remains as fresh as ever, anchored by the excellent Turf War design, a wide and varied weapon arsenal, and a familiar-but-expanded single-player campaign that doubles as a strong introduction to its mechanics. Salmon Run co-op and superb audiovisual presentation are highlights. The main drawbacks are that it follows its predecessor's formula a bit too closely and that Splat Fests, particularly the new Tricolor Turf Wars, suffer from frustrating matchmaking issues.