Modes

Mode selction screen

Modes (Japanese: モード Mōdo / Modes) in Splatoon, Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3 are different types of gameplay that can be accessed by players at different levels.

Hero Mode

Hero Mode

Hero Mode is available to players of all levels, and can be played offline.

• Hero Mode: A single player story mode with puzzle and platforming elements. It stars an Inkling in the Hero Suit fighting the Octarians in Octo Valley.
  • Amiibo Challenges: A single player mode only unlocked through Splatoon Amiibos which has you revisiting many levels from Octo Valley with a different twists to them. Completing these challenges gives you exclusive rewards.
• Hero Mode (Splatoon 2): A single player story mode with puzzle and platforming elements. It stars an Inkling in the Hero Suit fighting the Octarians in Octo Canyon.
• Octo Expansion (Splatoon 2): A single player story mode with puzzle and platforming elements. It stars an Octoling exploring the Deepsea Metro while fighting against Sanitized Octarians.
• Return of the Mammalians (Splatoon 3): A single player story mode with puzzle and platforming elements. It stars either an Inkling or an Octoling first exploring The Crater before falling into, and becoming tasked with mapping out, the land of Alterna while fighting against Fuzzy Octarians.

Regular Battle

Turf War

Regular Battle is available to players of all levels.

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• Turf War: A mode consisting of two teams of 4 players each. The team with the highest ink coverage after three minutes wins the match.

Private Battle

Private Battle

Private Battle is a mode where you can create and secure the lobby for yourselves, and invite your friends to join the battle.

• Turf War: A mode consisting of two teams of 4 players each. The team with the highest ink coverage after three minutes wins the match.
• Splat Zones: A mode where two teams fight over a section of the map and try to cover it in their color ink. Whichever team holds on to the section the longest or deducts all of their opponent's time wins.
• Tower Control: A mode where two teams race to the center where they can find a tower. When they stand on top of it, the tower slowly moves toward enemy territory. Whoever pushes the tower farthest of to their team's goal wins.
• Rainmaker: A mode where two teams race to get a hold of the Rainmaker, a weapon capable of firing ink tornadoes. The goal is to take the Rainmaker and make your way to the goal pillar at your enemy's base. Whoever pushes places the Rainmaker upon the goal or gets closest wins.
• Clam Blitz (Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3): A mode where two teams try to collect as many Clams as possible, with the goal being to create Power Clams and use them to breach the opposing team's clam basket so that clams can be deposited in it for points. Whoever gets the most points or are the first to score 100 points wins.

Squad Battle

Squad Battle

Squad Battle is a mode in Splatoon, where players can participate in Ranked Battle rule sets with friends, rather than being teamed up with other players through a random selection.

• Twin Squad Battle: You can recruit a friend to form a team of two. Friends will always play on the same team with another (random) two player team, battling other squads.
• Quad Squad Battle: You can recruit three friends to form a team of four. Friends will always play on the same team, battling against another squad.
• Tri Squad Battle: This mode allows three player teams to battle against four player squads at random.  It is recommended for skilled players.

Ranked Battle

Ranked Battle (Also known as Anarchy Battle in Splatoon 3) is unlocked once the player has reached level 10, or if transferring a save file from Splatoon 2 that already had Ranked Battle unlocked into Splatoon 3. The ranked battle modes require a higher level of strategy compared to turf war, and wins and losses will be counted toward players' ranks. Players begin with a 'C-' rating, but are able to improve and regress their ranks based on how well they perform.

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Splat Zones

• Splat Zones: A mode in which two teams try to cover a boxed area of the map in their ink.  Holding all zones reduces your team's timer, with a penalty for losing all zones to your opponents.  First to zero or the lowest timer at five minutes wins.
• Tower Control: A mode where two teams race to a central tower. When they stand on top of it, the tower slowly moves toward enemy territory.  The team that pushes the tower farthest to their goal wins.
• Rainmaker: A mode where two teams race to get ahold of the Rainmaker, a weapon capable of firing ink tornadoes (think unlimited, chargeable Inkzooka). The goal is to take the Rainmaker to the goal pillar at your enemy's base. Whoever pushes places the Rainmaker upon the goal or gets closest in five minutes wins.
• Clam Blitz: First debuting in Splatoon 2, this is a mode where two teams try to collect as many Clams as possible, with the goal being to create Power Clams and use them to breach the opposing team's clam basket so that clams can be deposited in it for points. Whoever gets the most points or are the first to score 100 points wins.

Battle Dojo

Battle Dojo

• Battle Dojo: A Splatoon local 2-player mode, with one player using the Gamepad and its screen and the other using a Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Classic Controller, or Wii Classic Controller Pro and the TV screen. Both players must attempt to pop balloons to reach 30 points. If the timer runs out before one player has reached 30 points, whoever has the most wins.

League Battle

League Battle is a mode that you can unlock by reaching rank B- in any Ranked Battle mode (Rainmaker, Splat Zones, Tower Control, Clam Blitz). After that, you can team up with four or two people to take on the league, where you either join someone, or start a room. You still have the same modes (Rainmaker, Clam Blitz, etc.).

Salmon Run

• Salmon Run: A 2 to 4-player mode, debuted in Splatoon 2.
• Salmon Run Next Wave: A new Salmon Run version for Splatoon 3, with several improvements and new features.

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