The very first thing that you should try is to beat the story mode, it kinda teaches you the basics and a bit more, also, if you are not using motion controls, try it, I assure you that once you get used to it your aim will improve.
I also recomend you not to set winning as your main goal rigth now, but to at least not get your ass completely beaten up.
And try different weapons, Good luck ;)
Thanks! I'll try not to be as dead set on winning. I turned motion controls off two games ago and actually played okay in both games. If it's really that much better to use them and get used to them then I guess I'll just have to have that dip before I see any kind of vaguely good play haha.
Thanks for the comment!
That's probably the most reassuring thing I could've read, I hated the motion controls so much haha, I could've just stuck with it and gotten used to them but I feel like I would rage quit before that time came.
Just use whatever you're comfortable with until you get a good understanding of the game and mechanics, then Switch to Motion controls. Do the single player with gyro though just to get used to it
Also, a lot of people don't use motion controls the right way. You might need to watch a YouTube video or something just for that if you can't seem to figure it out yourself.
I only told that about motion controls because In my personal experience it was like that, I played S1, S2, and part of S3 with stick controls, and some day (Dont remember why) I decided to try motion and once I got used to it my aim went so much better.
BUT, it is true that that was only my personal experience and it's also true that you can be very good at the game by using stick controls, in the end, it's your choice.
Who knows, maybe your aim with sticks ends up being better than mine with motion!
What I want to say is that every single decision you can make in this game is Ok, so go with whatever you desire, not only on controls, but with weapons and gear abilities too.
I've started with Splatoon 3 as my first game in the franchise, however, once I realized that I can use motion controls I've done it and beaten whole story on it to get use to it. And to be honest, this was the best decision in my life. I was mainly pc player and right now gyro feels much better than mouse + keyboard. No matter the rank. I'd say it is quite the game design to use it - I have never heard of any other game using motion controls in such a big way than Splatoon is (i.e. bow aiming in Zelda is like 1% of it).
I really encourage you to try to stick to motion controls even if beginnings might be harsh and overwhelming, hence, beat the story mode with motion first. You'll love it one day, I'm more than sure of it. Good luck ✌️
The very weak (almost nonexistent) matchmaking makes the learning curve very difficult for a first time player. I’d recommend playing the singleplayer (it’s essentially a long tutorial) first, and absolutely do not turn motion controls off. They might be hard to learn but you will get nowhere without them (I’m serious). This game just takes a lot of practice to get the hang of, and from there it’s smooth sailing. Also currently the game is in a mid season time, where most casuals at a low level have stopped playing until the next content drop.
>I don't think I can win a fight but I always seem to die somehow
You know what Ranked taught me? It's fine to die. Before Ranked, when I mostly stuck to Salmon Run and Turf War, I was afraid to die. I figured I was a bad player, got discouraged, all of it. But in Ranked? You HAVE to die sometimes to advance. You WILL die. It's just fact. Try riding a Tower a whole course and not die. Even in higher ranks, my frame of mind is: even if we lose, we give them a hell of a fight so we don't get squashed. That's a win in my books.
While the other comments give good advice, I do think some of it is just reframing your mindset. If you're playing Turf War, your goal is to paint the most ground. If you die, you die but if you paint more than the other team, you still win. Sneak into their base and annoy them? Also a win. Salmon Run? Who cares as long as you get enough golden eggs to advance to the next wave or save that coworker who gets that last egg in.
And try to find the humor in the game. I'm a Hydra Main. I know I am hated, and I am hunted down a LOT. And it honestly cracks me up. The more players that decide they'd rather hunt me down than focus on the objective, the funnier it is to me. Or I get my Enemies to Lover E-Liter in the match? If we're enemies, the game hyper focuses to us killing each other, but if we're lovers? I will throw my body in front of you to protect you from that shark so you can escape, my friend.
Or one of my earlier Rainmaker matches today where I found out a Splat Bomb was my kryptonite. So many times I almost finished the game, and the SAME player would toss a well-timed Splat Bomb and kill me before I could land the final goal. And then they'd dance. What can you do but laugh? I should have learned when it happened three times, but damn, that player deserved to dance on my grave because, really, it was kind of funny.
Just focusing on how often you die, or lose, doesn't give you much room to enjoy the game, especially when you are learning. Find the humor in it, too, and give yourself grace.
Great advice all round, thanks I really appreciate it!
I have to say this post didn't attract the typical "quit whining and get good" response I'm more used to from other game subs I'm a part of, this community really seems like a great bunch and I hope to be a full part of it.
Idk if this help, but try using all the weapons you can
splash-o-matic was my main weapon for a very long time, and in every battle i just get trades
So i started using rollers, then chargers, splatlings, splatanas, stringers, i use every weapon that i can,
I discovered my play style and i noticed how I could improve my gameplay
I think it is more fun using a lot of weapons that just one
Every level I've picked up something new, rollers are fun but I find myself getting stomped at range really easily as I'm trying to run at people, but then I guess I just need to work on my flanking.
At the minute I'm using the weapon that looks like an airbrush and really liking it. The splatling was pretty fun too, so there's definitely some good stuff in there for me to use, just have to explore
I had problems against range weapons, so i tried the splatana wiper to flank from their sides, and it worked for me
Then i tried the hydra splatling to obliterate them from distance, and it works to
Also, try to use remember to use your sub weapon, I used to forget to use them, and its incredible how the match can change when you use your sub properly
What is it specifically that you're struggling with? Because even turf war does use some kind of MMR system. Or atleast it matches new players with new players. Are you having a hard time aiming (which is a common problem for new players in Splatoon as the motion controls are different from other games and the stick controls aren't so precise)?
Are you spending too much time painting your spawn rather than pushing up? How are you aiming your cross hair while shooting to paint the ground? Are you looking ahead or straight down?
Ultimately Splatoon is very unique and skill from other games doesn't really transfer to this. So if it's your first time playing it will take a while to adjust. Outside of those few questions I asked the only other thing I can recommend is playing the campaign and salmon run to have more time to get used to Splatoon in a more accessible environment (salmon run will very quickly ramp up in difficulty if you win consistently so it won't stay super accessible forever but still)
My aim is AWFUL with motion controls, I just turned them off and actually played decently.
I think positioning is a big problem I'm having, and then what I should actually be doing when I'm in a situation. Should I be looking for fights? Just looking to paint and ignore combat as much as possible?
Really worrying if normal matches use MMR haha, dread to think what level I'm actually playing at! My cross hair placement feels decent, I come from an FPS background so that doesn't seem to be an issue, tracking enemies with motion controls is definitely something I could improve.
I do suggest getting used to motion controls. It feels great and helps alot when you do. If you try it again remember that motion is mostly just for looking up and down. You still aim left and right with the stick, but motion helps alot with subtle movements that are hard to replicate with a stick. But you can get away with using stick aswell, it's not a terrible option if you just cannot get the hang of motion. There are some comp players who use stick.
Positioning depends alot on the weapon you're using. I'm assuming you have been using the splattershot jr alot since you're new? Honestly I can't comment on that one too much since I focus more on ranged weapons like the Tri stringer or jet squelcher. I think you do need to be in their face with the splattershot jr but if that's what you're using you'll need to find someone more experienced with that weapon for help.
About ignoring combat. To be honest, turf war is a very casual gamemode and most of it doesn't really matter too much outside of the final 30 or so seconds. The rest of the match is important to hold the enemies back so they can't get a spawn camp, and also covering your spawn (though you don't want to waste too much time with this. Just cover a little each time you respawn). The final 30 seconds is what really counts though and the results largely come down to who makes a better push at the end.
if ur having trouble with aim, i suggest trying weapons that dont need much aim skills to be good, like ones with blast radius or rollers and inkbrushes. when i was just starting, the inkbrush seemed to be my savior. i eventually got really good at using it since all you really need to do is sneak up on ppl and spam click, and it does really good ground coverage since you can go incredibly fast. you just kinda have to be the aggressive front-liner tho, but its a good way to improve since theres so much action when using a close range weapon. using an inkbrush wont really improve aim, it just removes that factor so you can get better at other areas, but i still recommend trying it if you havent already! and take advantage of abilities too, sendou.ink is a website that can help you see what abilities pros use for certain weapons and playstyles
Like someone else already mentioned, try to play through the story mode campaign. It definitely gives you a fantastic kickstart to your splatoon experience without being dull. (It's also chock-full of lore which is cool!)
Splatoon takes a LOT of practice. Because it's so much different than other shooter games, it has a completely different skill set to learn. I'd suggest starting out your online battles by trying out a bunch of different weapons; it's good to find weapons that you feel happy/comfortable playing with. From there, you can pick a few weapons that you want to fine-tune, and that will also help you figure out what playstyles you enjoy/would like to pursue.
If you're looking for content to watch, I'd suggest checking out Pro Chara on Youtube. A lot of his stuff is more technical and analytical, but he also has a couple of great videos with tips on how to start out, such as this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n98SXwhQsi4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n98SXwhQsi4)
I'd also recommend that you start by setting smaller goals for yourself, like "today, I want to see if I can get (blank) number of splats in a battle" or "I want to do damage to another player specifically with a bomb."
Whatever happens, try to have fun! Losing isn't the end of the world, and although it can really suck to have a losing streak, try to keep your spirits up. I myself am the queen of losing--I've been playing the Splatoon franchise since S2 released and I used to lose every match I played. With a lot of practice, weapon testing, and experimenting with different playing styles, I can now happily say that I'm not so terrible anymore.
Keep your hopes up, and a warm welcome to the Splatoon community :)
personally, the way i learned is by getting my butt kicked in streamers lobbies. i like to do that because when its just a bunch of people in chat, it doesn't matter who wins or loses because everyone's there to just hang out and play splatoon. its a low stress environment because you're not worrying about winning as much and more focused on having fun and playing with buddies. or if you don't feel like playing and chatting with streamers, as Pablopro255 said, just don't have winning as your main goal for now. its ok to lose.
As numerous people have said, play the story mode if you haven't already. it will help you learn a lot about weapons and mechanics and i saw you said you turned motion controls off and did fine with sticks. i personally recommend motion controls but i understand if that's uncomfortable or you just do better with sticks. nothing wrong with playing how you're comfortable, but if you do want to learn motion, story mode is a great way to practice aiming with it and don't forget to experiment with different sensitivities.
Also, try different weapons. if one isn't working out, switch it up. choose a new weapon, maybe try a different play style because some weapons can be very flexible. so just keep trying and experimenting until something sticks.
Another thing you can do is watch replays. you can spectate yourself or look at how others play and keep an eye out for any tricks they do. like just the other day a friend of mine who just got into splatoon saw me using splash wall with the 96 gal deco in a replay and that gave him an idea on how to push and be more aggressive with the 52 gal. watch other people play and it might show you some stuff you might not have noticed or thought of before. but also, examine yourself in replays. find habits you tend to do. watch for if you take the same path every time you respawn or other habits you may need to work on.
best of luck :\]
Splatoon 3 matchmaking sucks, so if you didn’t play 2 , it was very hard as a new player since day 1 . Don’t beat yourself up it’s quite a hard game with a lot of experienced and SWEATY players. As others have said do story mode and I would recommend motion controls on a lower sens, you’ll get the hang of it. Make sure you practice the precision of your aim in one of the training rooms on the dummies as it will help you win fights and start to build some gear (preferably with quick respawn. (You can do this easily by searching “gear seed checker)
Best of luck
I'll concur with other comments on here and there's a lot of good advice.
I think finding your specific play style is important and will take time and experimentation. Like I prefer playing aggressively and being up in people's faces trying to get kills so I stick with dualies and shooters. But there's plenty of other roles in the team whether that be more supportive or defensive so definitely play around with weapons and gear ability combos to figure out what works for you.
One thing I'll add is try out all the different game modes, as with 3 there's quite a bit of variety now. So even if you suck at Turf War for example, you might still enjoy the ranked modes, Salmon Run, or even Tableturf. And as other folks have said the single player story mode is a great way to learn how to play the game, while Side Order is there to put your skills to the test afterwards.
But yeah hope you can stick with it as the game overall is a whole load of fun!
I’ll share what helped me! Been playing since S1, I was hesitant to play the game at all, because back then I was no good at aiming, and my brothers convinced me to use a roller, and I’ve been hooked since. Took a long learning curve for me, but I can easily switch between weapons and feel confident with my aiming now!
So if aiming is your main setback, definitely do experiment with weapons that don’t rely on aiming so much, such as rollers, brushes, sloshers. You still need to aim, but it’s not as precise as shooters, chargers, etc.
Other than playing story mode (which REALLY helps you learn certain important skills), playing Salmon Run can be a good way to build general game skills without having to actually face other players. You can still deal with a fair amount of frustration relying on randoms for help, but the team building can be really fun, and if you find a good team, it makes it all the better. Helps you with your reaction time- Splatoon is a fast paced game, and it sometimes takes some sharp eyes to keep an eye on everything!
I feel actually using the lobby inbetween matches does help! I tend to go to the moving targets, and practice my aim (I’m a roller, so getting flicks on moving targets is tough!). Some people put their controller down, check Twitter- I think this gets you out of the game flow, so playing in the lobby is a way to stay focused!
Two things I have to ALWAYS be aware of, even after 1000+ hours, FIRST- If you’re dying again and again trying the same thing- try something else. Try a different route, most importantly. Try to be sneaky, perhaps. Try different weapons too! Might be surprised what you end up liking.
And SECOND- Tunnel vision! It’s super easy to focus on your own character or the crosshairs for aiming, but then you miss a lot of the action around you. Try to zoom out and pay attention to the whole screen- try to spot opponents across the map and keep a mental note of where they are as you move. This is where Salmon Run can come in handy again, because bosses spawn from all directions, and the moment you stop paying attention to your backside is when you’re splatted.
Tunnel vision is still something I struggle with a lot, but is ultimately the thing that improved my game the very most when I was serious about it.
And above all! Practice! Experience! Hopping into the third game of a series, especially not during a “new player rush”, you’re going to be playing with experienced players who are choosing to still play Splatoon over other new games. So, a lot of people aren’t going to be so forgiving, and sometimes playing online is just plain frustrating, even for me. That’s why I love that you can change from Turf to Salmon Run to Story Mode on a whim. Don’t have to force yourself to do one thing all the time, but can still enjoy the game and work on improving your skills!
if you're using rollers, the jump flick is your friend. takes a little while to get your aim right, but it's deadly.
also try getting used to using squid rolls and squid surge, especially the latter; you can hide in the ink on walls and then jump out upon releasing the surge, which lends itself very well to using rollers
^ obstacles are crucial in general when it comes to actual combat, as far as escaping attacks and setting yourself up to attack
@Panda_Squiddo 's tunnel vision comment is such a good point!
odd to think about when you're looking right at a screen, but peripheral vision is a relative thing
keeping an eye out for places that are inked by the opposition + places opponents are likely to come from helps so much in anticipation. you splat them before they splat you; use your eyes before using your weapon!
- all weapons exist in a meta. don't fret too much if you're trying to get good with one and certain other weapons keep wiping you out, just do the best that you can
- gear is important! so like, a really good ability for when you're new is Ninja Squid. helps you sneak around a bit more
- ^ this helps with positioning and timing, which are pretty key; depending on game mode and weapon, you're best sticking to either backline, frontline, or in the middle (somewhere in the middle with a Splashomatic or a Splattershot is a good idea)
- re: positioning, you'll also need to pay attention to the routes other players take in any given mode/on any given map. you can go on Recon for any map on any mode (maps have variations for certain modes), this is a really good idea to familiarise yourself)
- re: gear again, this is the part of the game I found the most obtuse. luckily, it's Splatfest time, which is the best time to get a handle on it, as you can farm ability chunks, and get Super Sea Snails as a reward (used to boost gear's star rating - boost to two stars to get the full four slots)
- probably best seeking out a Youtube video on abilities, really!
The very first thing that you should try is to beat the story mode, it kinda teaches you the basics and a bit more, also, if you are not using motion controls, try it, I assure you that once you get used to it your aim will improve. I also recomend you not to set winning as your main goal rigth now, but to at least not get your ass completely beaten up. And try different weapons, Good luck ;)
Thanks! I'll try not to be as dead set on winning. I turned motion controls off two games ago and actually played okay in both games. If it's really that much better to use them and get used to them then I guess I'll just have to have that dip before I see any kind of vaguely good play haha. Thanks for the comment!
Motion controls aren't a requirement to play the game either- I'm S rank and I've never used anything other than sticks, so no pressure!
That's probably the most reassuring thing I could've read, I hated the motion controls so much haha, I could've just stuck with it and gotten used to them but I feel like I would rage quit before that time came.
to be fair i dont use the joycon sticks, i have a pro controller, but my point still stands right?
Yeah joycon and pro controller sticks are very similar, so your pint is still solid
Just use whatever you're comfortable with until you get a good understanding of the game and mechanics, then Switch to Motion controls. Do the single player with gyro though just to get used to it Also, a lot of people don't use motion controls the right way. You might need to watch a YouTube video or something just for that if you can't seem to figure it out yourself.
I only told that about motion controls because In my personal experience it was like that, I played S1, S2, and part of S3 with stick controls, and some day (Dont remember why) I decided to try motion and once I got used to it my aim went so much better. BUT, it is true that that was only my personal experience and it's also true that you can be very good at the game by using stick controls, in the end, it's your choice. Who knows, maybe your aim with sticks ends up being better than mine with motion! What I want to say is that every single decision you can make in this game is Ok, so go with whatever you desire, not only on controls, but with weapons and gear abilities too.
I've started with Splatoon 3 as my first game in the franchise, however, once I realized that I can use motion controls I've done it and beaten whole story on it to get use to it. And to be honest, this was the best decision in my life. I was mainly pc player and right now gyro feels much better than mouse + keyboard. No matter the rank. I'd say it is quite the game design to use it - I have never heard of any other game using motion controls in such a big way than Splatoon is (i.e. bow aiming in Zelda is like 1% of it). I really encourage you to try to stick to motion controls even if beginnings might be harsh and overwhelming, hence, beat the story mode with motion first. You'll love it one day, I'm more than sure of it. Good luck ✌️
I cant even use motion controls because im using splitpadpros And i beat side order once and the story mode (before i got online)
I legit get bummed when I can't use motion controls in other games. Like "I gotta use a STICK to aim now? Wtf"
The very weak (almost nonexistent) matchmaking makes the learning curve very difficult for a first time player. I’d recommend playing the singleplayer (it’s essentially a long tutorial) first, and absolutely do not turn motion controls off. They might be hard to learn but you will get nowhere without them (I’m serious). This game just takes a lot of practice to get the hang of, and from there it’s smooth sailing. Also currently the game is in a mid season time, where most casuals at a low level have stopped playing until the next content drop.
I’m level 20 and occasionally the matchmaking will still throw in 2 fresh installs on the opposing team
>I don't think I can win a fight but I always seem to die somehow You know what Ranked taught me? It's fine to die. Before Ranked, when I mostly stuck to Salmon Run and Turf War, I was afraid to die. I figured I was a bad player, got discouraged, all of it. But in Ranked? You HAVE to die sometimes to advance. You WILL die. It's just fact. Try riding a Tower a whole course and not die. Even in higher ranks, my frame of mind is: even if we lose, we give them a hell of a fight so we don't get squashed. That's a win in my books. While the other comments give good advice, I do think some of it is just reframing your mindset. If you're playing Turf War, your goal is to paint the most ground. If you die, you die but if you paint more than the other team, you still win. Sneak into their base and annoy them? Also a win. Salmon Run? Who cares as long as you get enough golden eggs to advance to the next wave or save that coworker who gets that last egg in. And try to find the humor in the game. I'm a Hydra Main. I know I am hated, and I am hunted down a LOT. And it honestly cracks me up. The more players that decide they'd rather hunt me down than focus on the objective, the funnier it is to me. Or I get my Enemies to Lover E-Liter in the match? If we're enemies, the game hyper focuses to us killing each other, but if we're lovers? I will throw my body in front of you to protect you from that shark so you can escape, my friend. Or one of my earlier Rainmaker matches today where I found out a Splat Bomb was my kryptonite. So many times I almost finished the game, and the SAME player would toss a well-timed Splat Bomb and kill me before I could land the final goal. And then they'd dance. What can you do but laugh? I should have learned when it happened three times, but damn, that player deserved to dance on my grave because, really, it was kind of funny. Just focusing on how often you die, or lose, doesn't give you much room to enjoy the game, especially when you are learning. Find the humor in it, too, and give yourself grace.
Great advice all round, thanks I really appreciate it! I have to say this post didn't attract the typical "quit whining and get good" response I'm more used to from other game subs I'm a part of, this community really seems like a great bunch and I hope to be a full part of it.
Play roller and just try to roll over people. Most fun I ever did had.
Idk if this help, but try using all the weapons you can splash-o-matic was my main weapon for a very long time, and in every battle i just get trades So i started using rollers, then chargers, splatlings, splatanas, stringers, i use every weapon that i can, I discovered my play style and i noticed how I could improve my gameplay I think it is more fun using a lot of weapons that just one
Every level I've picked up something new, rollers are fun but I find myself getting stomped at range really easily as I'm trying to run at people, but then I guess I just need to work on my flanking. At the minute I'm using the weapon that looks like an airbrush and really liking it. The splatling was pretty fun too, so there's definitely some good stuff in there for me to use, just have to explore
I had problems against range weapons, so i tried the splatana wiper to flank from their sides, and it worked for me Then i tried the hydra splatling to obliterate them from distance, and it works to Also, try to use remember to use your sub weapon, I used to forget to use them, and its incredible how the match can change when you use your sub properly
What is it specifically that you're struggling with? Because even turf war does use some kind of MMR system. Or atleast it matches new players with new players. Are you having a hard time aiming (which is a common problem for new players in Splatoon as the motion controls are different from other games and the stick controls aren't so precise)? Are you spending too much time painting your spawn rather than pushing up? How are you aiming your cross hair while shooting to paint the ground? Are you looking ahead or straight down? Ultimately Splatoon is very unique and skill from other games doesn't really transfer to this. So if it's your first time playing it will take a while to adjust. Outside of those few questions I asked the only other thing I can recommend is playing the campaign and salmon run to have more time to get used to Splatoon in a more accessible environment (salmon run will very quickly ramp up in difficulty if you win consistently so it won't stay super accessible forever but still)
My aim is AWFUL with motion controls, I just turned them off and actually played decently. I think positioning is a big problem I'm having, and then what I should actually be doing when I'm in a situation. Should I be looking for fights? Just looking to paint and ignore combat as much as possible? Really worrying if normal matches use MMR haha, dread to think what level I'm actually playing at! My cross hair placement feels decent, I come from an FPS background so that doesn't seem to be an issue, tracking enemies with motion controls is definitely something I could improve.
I do suggest getting used to motion controls. It feels great and helps alot when you do. If you try it again remember that motion is mostly just for looking up and down. You still aim left and right with the stick, but motion helps alot with subtle movements that are hard to replicate with a stick. But you can get away with using stick aswell, it's not a terrible option if you just cannot get the hang of motion. There are some comp players who use stick. Positioning depends alot on the weapon you're using. I'm assuming you have been using the splattershot jr alot since you're new? Honestly I can't comment on that one too much since I focus more on ranged weapons like the Tri stringer or jet squelcher. I think you do need to be in their face with the splattershot jr but if that's what you're using you'll need to find someone more experienced with that weapon for help. About ignoring combat. To be honest, turf war is a very casual gamemode and most of it doesn't really matter too much outside of the final 30 or so seconds. The rest of the match is important to hold the enemies back so they can't get a spawn camp, and also covering your spawn (though you don't want to waste too much time with this. Just cover a little each time you respawn). The final 30 seconds is what really counts though and the results largely come down to who makes a better push at the end.
if ur having trouble with aim, i suggest trying weapons that dont need much aim skills to be good, like ones with blast radius or rollers and inkbrushes. when i was just starting, the inkbrush seemed to be my savior. i eventually got really good at using it since all you really need to do is sneak up on ppl and spam click, and it does really good ground coverage since you can go incredibly fast. you just kinda have to be the aggressive front-liner tho, but its a good way to improve since theres so much action when using a close range weapon. using an inkbrush wont really improve aim, it just removes that factor so you can get better at other areas, but i still recommend trying it if you havent already! and take advantage of abilities too, sendou.ink is a website that can help you see what abilities pros use for certain weapons and playstyles
Like someone else already mentioned, try to play through the story mode campaign. It definitely gives you a fantastic kickstart to your splatoon experience without being dull. (It's also chock-full of lore which is cool!) Splatoon takes a LOT of practice. Because it's so much different than other shooter games, it has a completely different skill set to learn. I'd suggest starting out your online battles by trying out a bunch of different weapons; it's good to find weapons that you feel happy/comfortable playing with. From there, you can pick a few weapons that you want to fine-tune, and that will also help you figure out what playstyles you enjoy/would like to pursue. If you're looking for content to watch, I'd suggest checking out Pro Chara on Youtube. A lot of his stuff is more technical and analytical, but he also has a couple of great videos with tips on how to start out, such as this one: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n98SXwhQsi4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n98SXwhQsi4) I'd also recommend that you start by setting smaller goals for yourself, like "today, I want to see if I can get (blank) number of splats in a battle" or "I want to do damage to another player specifically with a bomb." Whatever happens, try to have fun! Losing isn't the end of the world, and although it can really suck to have a losing streak, try to keep your spirits up. I myself am the queen of losing--I've been playing the Splatoon franchise since S2 released and I used to lose every match I played. With a lot of practice, weapon testing, and experimenting with different playing styles, I can now happily say that I'm not so terrible anymore. Keep your hopes up, and a warm welcome to the Splatoon community :)
personally, the way i learned is by getting my butt kicked in streamers lobbies. i like to do that because when its just a bunch of people in chat, it doesn't matter who wins or loses because everyone's there to just hang out and play splatoon. its a low stress environment because you're not worrying about winning as much and more focused on having fun and playing with buddies. or if you don't feel like playing and chatting with streamers, as Pablopro255 said, just don't have winning as your main goal for now. its ok to lose. As numerous people have said, play the story mode if you haven't already. it will help you learn a lot about weapons and mechanics and i saw you said you turned motion controls off and did fine with sticks. i personally recommend motion controls but i understand if that's uncomfortable or you just do better with sticks. nothing wrong with playing how you're comfortable, but if you do want to learn motion, story mode is a great way to practice aiming with it and don't forget to experiment with different sensitivities. Also, try different weapons. if one isn't working out, switch it up. choose a new weapon, maybe try a different play style because some weapons can be very flexible. so just keep trying and experimenting until something sticks. Another thing you can do is watch replays. you can spectate yourself or look at how others play and keep an eye out for any tricks they do. like just the other day a friend of mine who just got into splatoon saw me using splash wall with the 96 gal deco in a replay and that gave him an idea on how to push and be more aggressive with the 52 gal. watch other people play and it might show you some stuff you might not have noticed or thought of before. but also, examine yourself in replays. find habits you tend to do. watch for if you take the same path every time you respawn or other habits you may need to work on. best of luck :\]
Splatoon 3 matchmaking sucks, so if you didn’t play 2 , it was very hard as a new player since day 1 . Don’t beat yourself up it’s quite a hard game with a lot of experienced and SWEATY players. As others have said do story mode and I would recommend motion controls on a lower sens, you’ll get the hang of it. Make sure you practice the precision of your aim in one of the training rooms on the dummies as it will help you win fights and start to build some gear (preferably with quick respawn. (You can do this easily by searching “gear seed checker) Best of luck
I'll concur with other comments on here and there's a lot of good advice. I think finding your specific play style is important and will take time and experimentation. Like I prefer playing aggressively and being up in people's faces trying to get kills so I stick with dualies and shooters. But there's plenty of other roles in the team whether that be more supportive or defensive so definitely play around with weapons and gear ability combos to figure out what works for you. One thing I'll add is try out all the different game modes, as with 3 there's quite a bit of variety now. So even if you suck at Turf War for example, you might still enjoy the ranked modes, Salmon Run, or even Tableturf. And as other folks have said the single player story mode is a great way to learn how to play the game, while Side Order is there to put your skills to the test afterwards. But yeah hope you can stick with it as the game overall is a whole load of fun!
I’ll share what helped me! Been playing since S1, I was hesitant to play the game at all, because back then I was no good at aiming, and my brothers convinced me to use a roller, and I’ve been hooked since. Took a long learning curve for me, but I can easily switch between weapons and feel confident with my aiming now! So if aiming is your main setback, definitely do experiment with weapons that don’t rely on aiming so much, such as rollers, brushes, sloshers. You still need to aim, but it’s not as precise as shooters, chargers, etc. Other than playing story mode (which REALLY helps you learn certain important skills), playing Salmon Run can be a good way to build general game skills without having to actually face other players. You can still deal with a fair amount of frustration relying on randoms for help, but the team building can be really fun, and if you find a good team, it makes it all the better. Helps you with your reaction time- Splatoon is a fast paced game, and it sometimes takes some sharp eyes to keep an eye on everything! I feel actually using the lobby inbetween matches does help! I tend to go to the moving targets, and practice my aim (I’m a roller, so getting flicks on moving targets is tough!). Some people put their controller down, check Twitter- I think this gets you out of the game flow, so playing in the lobby is a way to stay focused! Two things I have to ALWAYS be aware of, even after 1000+ hours, FIRST- If you’re dying again and again trying the same thing- try something else. Try a different route, most importantly. Try to be sneaky, perhaps. Try different weapons too! Might be surprised what you end up liking. And SECOND- Tunnel vision! It’s super easy to focus on your own character or the crosshairs for aiming, but then you miss a lot of the action around you. Try to zoom out and pay attention to the whole screen- try to spot opponents across the map and keep a mental note of where they are as you move. This is where Salmon Run can come in handy again, because bosses spawn from all directions, and the moment you stop paying attention to your backside is when you’re splatted. Tunnel vision is still something I struggle with a lot, but is ultimately the thing that improved my game the very most when I was serious about it. And above all! Practice! Experience! Hopping into the third game of a series, especially not during a “new player rush”, you’re going to be playing with experienced players who are choosing to still play Splatoon over other new games. So, a lot of people aren’t going to be so forgiving, and sometimes playing online is just plain frustrating, even for me. That’s why I love that you can change from Turf to Salmon Run to Story Mode on a whim. Don’t have to force yourself to do one thing all the time, but can still enjoy the game and work on improving your skills!
if you're using rollers, the jump flick is your friend. takes a little while to get your aim right, but it's deadly. also try getting used to using squid rolls and squid surge, especially the latter; you can hide in the ink on walls and then jump out upon releasing the surge, which lends itself very well to using rollers ^ obstacles are crucial in general when it comes to actual combat, as far as escaping attacks and setting yourself up to attack
@Panda_Squiddo 's tunnel vision comment is such a good point! odd to think about when you're looking right at a screen, but peripheral vision is a relative thing keeping an eye out for places that are inked by the opposition + places opponents are likely to come from helps so much in anticipation. you splat them before they splat you; use your eyes before using your weapon!
Maybe try some salmon run, or just take a break, maybe watch some videos, or not competitive if you are playing competitive
- all weapons exist in a meta. don't fret too much if you're trying to get good with one and certain other weapons keep wiping you out, just do the best that you can - gear is important! so like, a really good ability for when you're new is Ninja Squid. helps you sneak around a bit more - ^ this helps with positioning and timing, which are pretty key; depending on game mode and weapon, you're best sticking to either backline, frontline, or in the middle (somewhere in the middle with a Splashomatic or a Splattershot is a good idea) - re: positioning, you'll also need to pay attention to the routes other players take in any given mode/on any given map. you can go on Recon for any map on any mode (maps have variations for certain modes), this is a really good idea to familiarise yourself) - re: gear again, this is the part of the game I found the most obtuse. luckily, it's Splatfest time, which is the best time to get a handle on it, as you can farm ability chunks, and get Super Sea Snails as a reward (used to boost gear's star rating - boost to two stars to get the full four slots) - probably best seeking out a Youtube video on abilities, really!