Splatoon 3 has a bunch of great modes and maps to play on. It has everything from a compelling single-player campaign, to a cooperative Horde mode, to casual bouts of Turf War. It’s a lot of fun just messing around in a lightly competitive environment and just enjoying the act of inking and splatting.

Related: Splatoon 3 - Complete Combat Guide

If you want to go deeper into the Splatoon 3 experience, then you absolutely have to check out Anarchy Battles. Anarchy, like Turf War, comes with its own set of maps and modes that cycle on the regular, essentially tripling the number of modes and playspaces you have access to at any one time. There’s much more to it than that though.

What Are Anarchy Battles?

Anarchy Battles are, in short, Splatoon 3’s ranked modes. This is where you will work to climb the ladder, gain Rank Points, get promoted, and play hyper-competitive game modes. Turf War is a lot of fun, but it is inherently casual. Anarchy requires a tight team, practice, and knowledge over modes that play nothing like Turf War.

Anarchy Battles come in two formats, and these are Anarchy Battle (Series) and Anarchy Battle (Single), and each Anarchy format comes with its own set of maps and its own game mode.

The Difference Between Anarchy Battle (Series) and Anarchy Battle (Open)

Anarchy Battle (Series)

Whilst they are very similar since they crossover their modes and maps during rotations, Series and Open battles are very different experiences. Series battles are a string of five (or more) competitive matches. If you win all five, you are heavily rewarded. If you lose three matches during your Series, however, you’re out. You will gain Rank Points based on your performance, medals, and victories regardless of whether you successfully completed your Series.

Whilst you are locked into your Series, you are not forced to play all of your games back-to-back, nor are you required to run with the same team. Like a regular game of Turf War, you can drop out or keep playing. You can even turn off Splatoon 3 entirely and come back another time to finish your Series.

To enter a Series, you will need to cover the Entry Fee with Rank Points.

Anarchy Battle (Single)

Singles on the other hand are very much like a regular drop-in, drop-out game of Splatoon 3. You hop in for a single game, and you get Rank Points based on your performance after that single game. This mode is ideal if you don’t want the tension of a Series game, or if you simply prefer the modes and maps on offer in this format at the time.

Different Game Modes

Turf War is Splatoon 3’s default game mode - and it's one heck of a great mode at that. However, Anarchy Battles do not have Turf War in their rotation at all. Instead, they have four unique modes that require a totally unique approach if you want to win. They are:

• Splat Zones - There are four Splat Zones on the map. Keep more Zones in your colour than your opponent to drain their Timer. The first team to run out of Timer loses.
• Tower Control - Take control of the central Tower and make your way towards the enemy base to claim victory
• Rainmaker - Claim the Rainmaker and carry it towards the enemy base to win. Be careful, if you hold onto it for too long, you are Splatted!
• Clam Blitz - Quickly gather clams to create a mighty Power Clam to open your team's basket. Dunk as many Clams into your exposed basket before it closes again. The team to score the most Clams wins.

As you can see, none of these modes requires Turfing to win, and victory is much more reliant on a team effort. Unfortunately, Splatoon 3 does not have a tutorial on how to play any of these modes (although the game does provide an overview of the rules). These modes are far more complex than any other mode in Splatoon 3, so practice will make perfect.

Rewards For Anarchy Battle

The main reward for playing through Anarchy Battle is to gain Rank Points towards your next Rank. Once you have gathered enough Rank Points, you can enter a special Rank-Up series of matches. Win three matches, and you are promoted. Lose three, and you lose your series and will have to apply again.

Next: Splatoon 3: How To Upgrade Gear