Top 10 Ways to Improve at Splatoon 3 – A Guide by a Pro Player

Improving at Splatoon 3 can be a challenging but deeply rewarding journey. Whether you’re aiming to climb the ranks or just sharpen your performance, it takes more than raw time in the game—it requires intentional focus and a well-rounded approach to training.

Compiled by a veteran pro player with experience competing in Nintendo’s North American Championships and multiple tournament wins, here are ten practical and impactful tips to help elevate your Splatoon game.

1. Practice With Purpose

Improvement starts with deliberate practice. Logging hours without focused effort won’t help much—especially if you’re casually chatting with friends in Turf War. Instead, play with a growth mindset.

Use Ranked Modes to face players close to or slightly above your skill level.
Set micro-goals for each session (e.g. better map awareness, using specials efficiently).
Reflect post-game: what worked, what didn’t?

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2. Always Warm Up

Before jumping into serious matches, get your hands ready. Just like any skill-based activity, your fingers and brain need time to sync.

Spend 5–10 minutes in Training Range doing realistic flicks and movement.
Try a few games of Turf War to loosen up in a low-pressure environment.

This primes your reaction time and improves consistency.

3. Narrow Your Weapon Pool

Trying every weapon is fun early on, but eventually you’ll want to specialize.

Choose a role (e.g. aggressive frontliner, supportive midliner, defensive anchor).
Select 2–3 weapons within that role to focus your practice.
Familiarity breeds muscle memory—spread too thin and your development will slow.

Each role requires different mechanical and strategic skills, so focus breeds mastery.

4. Watch High-Level Players (That Use Your Weapon)

Find top-level players who main your weapon and watch how they:

Position themselves
Use specials and subs
Handle 1v1 engagements or group fights

Even as a seasoned pro, watching others helps identify new tricks or optimized patterns you might not have thought of.

5. Review Your Own Replays

Splatoon 3 offers a built-in replay system—use it.

Watch your deaths: what led to them? Poor position? Missed sub usage?
Look at your special usage and movement.
Identify missed opportunities or bad habits.

Pause, rewind, and analyze your play with fresh eyes. This builds conscious correction and improvement.

6. Learn the Game’s Mechanics and Meta

Understanding the game at a macro level is key:

Know the strengths and weaknesses of weapons—even ones you don’t use.
Learn map layouts, ideal routes, and sniper or flank positions.
Understand how specials interact (e.g., which ones cancel or ignore others).

Knowledge equals smarter decision-making in live matches.

7. Take Breaks (Yes, Really)

If you’re on tilt, losing nonstop, or mentally exhausted—stop.

Overplaying can dull your reaction time, ruin decision-making, and destroy confidence.
Breaks reset your focus, help you reflect, and keep the game fun.

Improvement is a long-term game. You don’t need to grind nonstop to get better.

8. Push Through Plateaus (It’s Normal)

There will be stretches where you feel stuck—like you’re not improving. This is normal and it happens to every player.

Don’t panic. Don’t beat yourself up.
Try looking at your play from a different angle.
Ask others for feedback.

Progress isn’t always linear, but pushing through these plateaus leads to breakthroughs.

9. Optimize Your Gear Sets

Gear choices matter more than you might think:

Don’t stick to one build just because it looks cool.
Look at what top players use for your weapon and ask why.
Be open to modifying your gear—what worked at B-rank might not work at S+.

Try different sets and tailor them per weapon and playstyle. You might discover a perfect fit you didn’t expect.

10. Use the Map—Constantly

Your minimap is your best friend and one of the most underused tools.

Check it at the start of a match and every time you respawn.
See which zones are painted, where teammates and enemies are.
Spot sneak attacks, damaged enemies, and gear loadouts (like Ninja Squid).

If you ever feel lost mid-match, glance at the map to reorient your strategy.

Final Thoughts

Becoming great at Splatoon 3 takes time, experimentation, and reflection. Use these tips as your foundation and stay open to learning every time you play.

Success in Splatoon isn’t just mechanical—it’s also strategic, psychological, and adaptive. Play smart, play often, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

Good luck out there, and we’ll see you in the Splatlands!