Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC review: An excellent ink-fueled roguelite, with the classic Splatoon charm

Splatoon 3 Side Order is something I was lowkey excited about when it was first announced. Being someone who got into the world of Spaltoon quite recently with the latest entry, I was craving for more ink-fueled action, albeit not on the multiplayer side of things. Instead, I was looking for something that I can enjoy solo and in short bursts.

Honestly, the Side Order DLC delivers more or less my expectations while adding a neat little twist to the classic Splatoon gameplay formula. You see, Spaltoon 3 Side Order is a roguelite, a genre that's very near and dear to me and something that I never expected to see in a mainline Splatoon game.

I spent nearly 15 hours with the Side Order DLC, and all-in-all, I really enjoyed my time with the expansion. However, that's not to say it's perfect; it's far from it, to be honest. While I was impressed by how creatively Nintendo EPD mixed a roguelite mode with classic Splatoon gameplay, the DLC suffers from the same pitfalls as the base game itself.

Spaltoon 3 Side Order: An excellent mix of roguelite and classic Spaltoon gameplay

Visuals and presentation

If there's one thing that Nintendo almost always gets right, it has to be the presentation and art style. Say what you will about Nintendo's games, be it the flagship first-party titles, i.e., Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, or third-party exclusives like Bayonetta, Astral Chain, and Fire Emblem, they all never fail to deliver a stellar visual presentation.

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The same stands true for both Splatoon 3 and the Side Order DLC. Back when I played and reviewed Spaltoon 3, I was genuinely impressed with its art style, as well as its soundtrack. And while I was coming back to the game after not having touched it for more than a year, it still left a similar impression on me.

Suffice it to say, if you're someone like me who adored the base game's art style and presentation, you're going to like how Spaltoon 3 Side Order looks, despite the differences in level design and gameplay. This also holds true for the DLC's soundtrack, which fits perfectly with Side Order's roguelite-themed gameplay and level design.

The roguelite progression

While the Splatoon series is best known among fans for its multiplayer game modes, I always found myself gravitating more toward the single-player aspect of these titles. During my time with Splatoon 3, while I did give the multiplayer modes a fair shake, I ended up spending most of my time with the game's single-player mode.

Some boss fights can be quite challenging in Splatoon 3 Side Order. (Image via Nintendo)

As such, the prospect of getting a single-player-focused DLC for Splatoon 3 had me genuinely excited. Apart from being a single-player-only DLC, Splatoon 3 Side Order also introduces a fresh spin on Splatoon 3's level design and progression via the roguelite elements, which I found quite intriguing, to say the least.

The general premise of the game is that you're set off on a series of random levels, which you must complete in a given order to progress. While the basic progression through these levels remains identical to the base game, the consequences of making mistakes do not.

Similar to the base game, you have a set amount of lives in each run. However, in traditional roguelite fashion, while going through the randomized levels, if you end up exhausting all your lives, you won't respawn at the nearest checkpoint. You will be sent back at the start to start a completely fresh run.

Although the base game's levels weren't a breeze, they weren't particularly challenging either. However, the same cannot be said about Splatoon 3 Side Order's levels, which, in my opinion, can end up being quite tough, admittedly, due to the added stress of the roguelite aspect.

Despite its chaotic nature, going through levels in Splatoon 3 Side Order can be quite a lot of fun. (Image via Nintendo)

Fortunately, in between runs, you can unlock boons and bonuses that help combat the challenge, albeit you still will need to be careful how you tackle each level. While yes, Side Order's levels can be challenging, it ain't nearly as difficult as some of the other roguelite or roguelike games out there, such as Dead Cells, Returnal, etc.

Level design and difficulty

As I mentioned, the level in Splatoon 3 Side Order echoes that of the base game, with the only major difference being their randomized nature as well as the roguelite progression. You begin each new run after carefully selecting a layout, i.e., Palettes, and your final objective will be to climb to the top of the tower, where you get to fight a boss.

The floor selection menu. (Image via Nintendo)

The basic progression will feel quite similar if you have any experience playing similar roguelite titles. Coming fresh off of the heels of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return and God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla expansion, I felt right at home with how Splatoon 3 Side Order is structured.

As you progress through each level, you will gain a small boost to your stats, increasing your base attack power, defense, and even speed. However, these stat upgrades are temporary and are lost once you either complete a run or die midway through it or if you quit the game during a run for some reason.

Fortunately, there are permanent upgrades, i.e., Marina's permanent upgrades, which you get access to before embarking on a fresh run. These upgrades are basically what you will be working towards, at least on your first few runs. However, unlocking these permanent upgrades will take quite a bit of time.

Once you do get a few of these upgrades under your belt, you will be able to consistently reach the top of the tower and even defeat the boss at the end of each run. The boss fights in Splatoon 3 Side Order are nothing too fancy, but they can be quite tough, demanding a good amount of shooting and traversal skill on your part.

Levels close to the top can get quite chaotic and challenging in Side Order DLC. (Image via Nintendo)

Splatoon 3 Side Order is quite challenging, I won't lie. In my honest opinion, a DLC should strive for a higher skill and difficulty ceiling, especially if it's a DLC for an arcade shooter like Splatoon. In terms of difficulty, I think I found Side Order to be on the same scale as Doom Eternal's The Ancient Gods DLCs, minus the roguelite part, of course.

Few shortcomings

While I enjoyed my time playing Splatoon 3 Side Order, I have to admit, it's not without its fair share of issues, which does become quite apparent if you contrast it against other roguelite games out there. A roguelike or roguelite experience is defined not only by its level design but also by the amount of variety it presents.

Much like the base game, Splatoon 3 Side Order features a mesmerizing art style. (Image via Nintendo)

Roguelites like Housemarque's sci-fi shooter, Returnal, or even God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla DLC are perfect examples of roguelites that get everything—from difficulty balancing to encounter variety—just right. And while Side Order does offer a fair and balanced difficulty, it fumbles when it comes to variety.

While the levels here are randomized and will feel different from one another in each new run, they are filled with the same enemy types, which can feel repetitive, especially for a game that encourages replayability of levels. Additionally, the DLC has a dearth of boss variety, cycling between the same three randomized bosses.

Lastly, I need to touch up on the game's performance. Much like the base game, Splatoon 3 Side Order targets a solid 60fps and, for the most part, maintains it too. However, I did notice a couple of levels, especially the ones close to the top and the boss levels, struggle a bit to maintain that steady framerate, even in the Docked mode.

In conclusion

Splatoon 3 Side Order is an excellent expansion that not only introduces a completely new way of enjoying Splatoon but also adds replayability to the game's single-player aspect, something the base game sorely lacks. The DLC mixes roguelite progression system with the classic Splatoon gameplay in a way that feels perfectly natural.

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While the roguelite elements do leave a lot to be desired in terms of variety, it does deliver a challenging yet fun experience, one that's engaging enough to get you hooked for hours on end. If you're someone who's looking for more single-player Splatoon action, you just can't go wrong with the Splatoon 3 Side Order.