Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC rolls out a wacky roguelite dungeon crawler mode with shades of Nier Automata

Splatoon has a way of upping the ante as one of Nintendo's most bizarre and genre-bending series. With Splatoon 3, the Octolings traversed the larger post-apocalyptic world into a full adventure while facing off against new threats in the ever-escalating turf wars, and recent expansions have kept things interesting since the third game's 2022 launch.

In the upcoming Side Order expansion, set for release on Feb. 22, the mysterious Agent 8 returns for a new adventure into a surreal dungeon crawler, which manages to up the Splatoon hijinks in surprising ways. We got a chance to play an hour of the Side Order's opening act and saw first-hand how Splatoon 3's new expansion is a genuine game-changer.

Splatooon goes roguelite

While the Splatoon series is largely about the turf war battles and the online community of the Octolings, the third entry focuses on the single-player storyline of exploring the Splatlands, the barren wastes beyond Splatsville. The Side Order expansion introduces a new story campaign focusing on conquering a procedurally-generated tower filled with new challenges and ways to boost your abilities to new, over-the-top levels not seen in the core game.

Set between Splatoon 2 and 3 events, Side Order focuses on the return of Agent 8 as they explore the Order Sector, which houses the Spire of Order – a mysterious, ever-changing tower filled with new foes and powers to acquire. Last seen in Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion, Agent 8 explores the new realm that has fallen into a bleached-out and abandoned state. Accompanied by Pearl, who assists Agent 8 in the form of a super-powered Drone, and other allies such as Marina and Acht, Agent 8 will climb the Spire of Order to help dispel the corruption in the Order realm.

Side Order is a roguelite dungeon crawler mode, much like in Hades or Dead Cells. Each floor presents a procedurally generated challenge, and completing the challenge – such as clearing out enemies, defending territory, or bringing valuable items to the goal – earns you resources and new upgrades as you progress in the tower. Side Order presents an intriguing hook for a new mode in Splatoon 3. Not just for its keen focus on Splatoon lore, focusing on the events of the online Splatfest battles and the larger story, but how it funnels that into a new experience that is all about gaining power and using some wild, over-the-top powers to take out enemies in quick, stylish fashion.

One point that makes Side Order such a compelling and wild expansion for me is how much it lets you cut loose and build out Agent 8's loadout with some really bizarre buffs and amplifiers. Along with the basic upgrades like speed and more damage, you can also apply poison damage to your ink spills, a momentary shield buff to Agent 8 after dodging and increasing the rate of fire to your weapons. These buffs can also be applied to weapon types, such as turning a Charger-type ink gun into a rapid-fire cannon. The tower buffs can radically alter some of Splatoon's most established weapons, which on its own was a neat surprise to see play out.

It was fun seeing a powered-up Agent 8 and their arsenal just tear through enemies, and the ramping of the difficulty with each floor – which adds bonus challenges such as fighting in near darkness – adds a lot of variety to the flow. In addition to the temporary buffs you can find in the tower, you can also spend resources on permanent upgrades to give you an edge early on. I appreciated just how Splatoon's core gameplay fits well with the roguelite conceit, making the core gameplay feel like a fresh addition.

Embracing the weirdness

While this may seem like an odd pairing for Splatoon's structure and general flow, this blend works out well because it enhances the core slide-and-shoot gameplay, adding a new perspective on the franchise's bizarre setting. Despite the weird premise of Splatoon, focusing on a post-human Earth populated by evolved Octarian beings, it does touch upon some surprisingly heartfelt and humorous themes – which the Side Order expansion leans into quite well. In many ways, Side Order feels like the series dipping its toes into the more surreal and aesthetic aspects of Nier Automata, which has some really lovely parallels.

It's a wonder how much Splatoon 3 has grown since its launch. As the second expansion to the game following Return of the Mammalians along with the increased arsenal and online events, Splatoon 3 is an impressive package, and a new rogue-lite mode really adds something that not only feels like a neat add-on but also a compelling mode that can turn Splatoon's slick gameplay into something more. It's a welcome addition so far, and I'm compelled to see just how much the roguelite mechanics can elevate Splatoon's already fun and slick gameplay even further.

Here are the best shooters pulling the trigger right now