Splatoon 3 is introducing a new collectible card game spinoff of its popular Turf War game mode.

Tableturf Battle will allow you to collect cards from across the game to use in a one-on-one competitive battle, where the goal is to try and cover the board.

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Announced in the Splatoon 3 Nintendo Direct presentation, Tableturf Battle combines Splatoon’s usual Turf War mode, which has teams try and coat more of the level in your team’s ink thank your opponents, with the block-based puzzling of Tetris in a simultaneous turn-based ‘duel’.

Tableturf Battle 1

Each of the game’s 150 cards are based on popular Splatoon weapons, like the Splatterscope, Bapple Dualies, and the Classic Squiffer. Each of these features different patterns of ink and blocks – ink to spread your influence and hopefully out-coat your opponent, and solid blocks that prevent your opponent from dropping their own cards down.

An interesting thing to note is that, unlike many card games, players will take their turns simultaneously, instead of one after the other. This could mean you and your opponent will both try and put ink into the same area on the same turn, with only the highest-rated card getting the spot. This means your deck can’t just run as many small-cost cards as possible, as your opponent could merely out-muscle you for control of the board.

Turftop Battle 2

To start you out, every Splatoon 3 player will be gifted with a starter deck, with more cards available to unlock across the game. While it wasn’t confirmed exactly how further cards will be unlocked, it’s likely to be through competing in the “Tableturf Battle Dojo”, found in the hub world. Considering the game is not going to feature any microtransactions, we’re likely safe from the usual booster packs and gems we find in more dedicated CCGs like Magic: The Gathering Arena and Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel.

Further information on Tableturf Duel is said to be coming at a later date. For now, we’ll have to sit safe with the knowledge that Splatoon 3 will not just have 12 stages of its usual shooter-based gameplay available at launch, but also every weapon from the previous games to do the inking with.

Splatoon 3 launches on September 9, 2022.

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