Image: Nintendo via HGG
Drew has been a fan of games since he could hold a GameCube controller. Nowadays, he plays everything from mobile and PC games, to PS5 and Switch.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
The world of Splatoon 3 is filled with an eclectic cast of colorful characters. These residents of Splatsville make up the roster of merchants, musicians, and other helpful personalities players will encounter. All of these characters have unique, quirky designs, but some are more popular with fans than others.
With all the different roles these characters play, their helpfulness to the player varies as well. That’s why today, we’re breaking down the best characters in Splatoon 3 based on the popularity of the character as well as their usefulness in-game.
Best Characters in Splatoon 3, Ranked from Cool to Charismatic
Let’s dive right into our list of the best characters in Splatoon 3!
10/10
Mr. Coco
The proprietor of Crush Station, players should visit Mr. Coco for all of their footwear needs. Despite his intimidating, coconut crab appearance, Mr. Coco is a very friendly and kind-hearted crab. His role in Splatoon 3 does not extend too far beyond selling shoes. However, his importance as a vendor of gear means players will get to know him during their time in Splatsville.
9/10
Jel la Fleur
Another vendor in Splatsville, Jel la Fleur is a jellyfish of culture. He runs the clothing shop Man-o’-Wardrobe, where players can purchase the latest fashion items Splatsville has to offer. Jel la Fleur is a bit of a fashion snob, however, and often judges the player for their fashion choices. He is also a potential opponent for Tableturf Battle, so players looking to knock him down a peg can take him on there.
8/10
Gnarly Eddy
Gnarly Eddy runs the headgear shop in Splatsville — Naut Couture — along with his boss, Nails. Eddy is a laid-back nautilus with a head for fashion and good vibes. His shell tops his head and makes for a fitting headpiece to accent his dread-like tentacles. Check out his selection of hats and helmets when you’re looking to freshen up your wardrobe. Of all the shop owners in Splatsville, Gnarly Eddy is sure to help you feel welcome in the sea of Splatoon 3 characters.
7/10
Harmony
The low-key sea anemone Harmony runs Splatsville’s general store, Hotlantis. In previous entries in the Splatoon series, she was the unnamed singer of the band Chirpy Chirps. In Splatoon 3, she sells players items to decorate their locker with, as well as rewards them for upgrading their catalog. She doesn’t actually run Hotlantis, but her boss, Barry C., seems to be missing quite often, making her the de facto manager of the general store. Pay a visit to Harmony at Hotlantis to check out the daily selection of items for sale to spruce up your locker before hitting the turf.
6/10
Sheldon
Sheldon is a series staple at this point. This horseshoe crab runs Ammo Knights, the weapon supplier for inklings and octolings heading out into the Splatlands. As a purveyor of the weapons necessary for climbing the ranks in online PVP, Sheldon provides one of the most useful services in the game. In Splatoon 3, players can bring Sheldon Licenses to him in order to obtain new weapons.
With his large, binocular-like glasses, Sheldon spends his nights tinkering with new weapons. His poor eyesight was the reason he was rejected from the military. Despite this setback, Sheldon is still as enthusiastic as ever about weaponry. He’s so enthusiastic, in fact, that he tends to ramble on when telling players about newly available weapons. As a longtime member of Splatoon’s roster, Sheldon is a friendly face for both new and returning players.
5/10
New Squidbeak Splatoon
Fans of the series will be glad to see that the New Squidbeak Splatoon returns in Splatoon 3’s single-player campaign. Made up of four members, the New Squidbeak Splatoon features Callie and Marie — the idols from the original Splatoon — along with Agent 3, who is the player character from the first game. Led by the intrepid Cap’n Cuttlefish, the new Squidbeak Splatoon seeks to battle the Octarians and return the Great Zapfish to its rightful home in Splatsville.
Each member of the Squidbeak Splatoon has their own personality and could earn a dedicated spot on this list. However, Splatoon 3 sees them functioning more as a group than solo. Cap’n Cuttlefish plays a lesser role in this game, as he is kidnapped early on into the player’s arrival in Alterna. Callie and Marie — also known as Agent 1 and Agent 2 — are the main force driving the New Squidbeak Splatoon, as they comment on your actions as you play through Alterna’s many stages.
4/10
Murch
Murch is another character returning from the series’ past. He is a sea urchin that helps players with all-things gear and ability related. It’s because of this function that he is such an important character in the world of Splatoon 3. Murch offers players the opportunity to re-roll abilities, scrub slots for ability chunks, boost a piece of gear’s star power, and even order items from SplatNet by connecting the Nintendo Switch Online’s companion app. With all of the important roles he plays, Murch is a character players should get very familiar with.
Murch received a huge glow-up between Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3. In the previous game, he was a small, shrimpy sea urchin with a child-like appearance. In Splatoon 3, Murch had grown up and now has a more refined, mature look. The huge difference in appearance makes Murch the returning character that has probably changed the most between games.
3/10
Mr. Grizz
As the owner and CEO of Grizzco, Mr. Grizz is the character players will want to talk to if they’d like to play Salmon Run. However, Mr. Grizz is never directly spoken to, prefering to communicate via a telephone in the lobby of Grizzco. Whether or not these are pre-recorded voice overs is unknown.
As his name implies, he is a grizzly bear — one of the few remaining mammals in this post-apocalyptic world of sea creatures. In Splatoon 3, he takes on the role of antagonist during the “Return of the Mammalians” single-player campaign. This campaign sees Mr. Grizz attempting to cover the planet in fuzzy ooze, turning all sea life into mammals so that mammals may once again rule the world. This is the first time players actually get to see him in person, as the final boss battle has players facing off against him atop a rocketship headed into space.
2/10
Judd and Li’l Judd
Aside from Mr. Grizz, the only other mammals to appear in Splatoon 3 are Judd and Li’l Judd. This pair of felines act as the judges for Turf War and Anarchy Battles between groups of inklings and octolings. As such, players will become quite familiar with them as they dive into online PVP modes. You can find Judd hanging out in the Lobby, where he offers tips for improving your gameplay. Li’l Judd, on the other hand, seems nowhere to be found.
From a lore perspective, these two are the most mysterious characters in the game. Thanks to some info found in the game’s Sunken Scroll collectibles, we know that Li’l Judd is a clone of Judd. He believes himself to be superior to the original and plans to eliminate him during something called “Operation: Li’l Judd’s Judgy Judgment!” In addition to this scheme, there is also evidence to suggest Li’l Judd may actually be the one running Grizzco. With all of these unanswered questions surrounding this adorable cat, it’s likely future content will involve Li’l Judd as an antagonist in some way.
1/10
Deep Cut
The best characters in Splatoon 3 are the game’s idols — Shiver, Frye, and Big Man — known collectively as Deep Cut. These three are the first characters new players will see when launching the game, as they host the opening news show that details all the goings-on in Splatsville. From announcing stage rotation, available jobs at Grizzco, and informing players of new updates, Deep Cut plays a vital role to the Splatoon 3 experience. During Splatfests, they take center stage as they perform their hit song, “Anarchy Rainbow,” while riding on a parade of floats representing each team.
Deep Cut also plays an important role in the single-player campaign as well. They serve as minor antagonists and bosses across several of the worlds in Alterna. Each of their boss fights features a unique mechanic based on their respective designs. Shiver, an octoling, rides a giant shark named Master Mega (in reference to a “shiver” being the term for a group of sharks). Frye, an inkling, can summon large eels to attack for her (in reference to a ”frye” being a term for a group of eels).
Big Man has the most unique boss fight of them all. He is a manta ray and, as such, his boss fight references an iconic fight from Super Mario Sunshine wherein a giant shadowy manta covers the battlefield with ink as it moves. Despite being bandits looking for Alterna’s treasure, Deep Cut ends up helping the New Squidbeak Splatoon recover Cap’n Cuttlefish and defeat Mr. Grizz in the campaign’s climactic conclusion. As essentially the faces of the game, Deep Cut deserves the top spot among Splatoon 3’s best characters.
Join the High Ground
Do you agree with our rankings of the best characters in Splatoon 3? Who is your favorite character from the game? Let us know in the comments down below. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter so you don’t miss any upcoming Splatoon 3 content and more of the latest gaming news, guides, and articles!
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