Splatoon 3 is a third-person shooter, just like its Splatoon series predecessors. The player character that they select is either an Octoling or an Inkling. They each hold weapons that are loaded with colored ink. Weapons vary widely in their capabilities and symbolism; the most are similar to everyday items. For instance, rollers are big paint rollers that are often only used for close-quarters fighting but can cover a significant area with ink. Chargers, on the other hand, are long-range weapons that may be used to snipe opponents but are less successful at painting the ground. They resemble sniper rifles in this regard. This is enhanced in Splatoon 3 with the addition of additional main, sub, and special weapons. The player can select the primary weapon, sub weapons are paired with primary weapons and function as secondary weapons that consume more ink, and special weapons are paired with particular primary weapons and need the player to cover the ground with varying amounts of ink to charge. Octolings and Inklings can change into octopus or squid forms, respectively. More quickly than the humanoid forms can walk, this form—known as the "swim form"—can be utilized to swim through ink or scale walls coated in it. Weapons have a limited supply of ink ammo, which is replenished more quickly in swim form than in humanoid form by immersing it in ink. In Splatoon 3, every fundamental weapon from the previous Splatoon games is back.
