TL;DR
Splatoon 3 is the rare "shooter" that parents actually like. Instead of bullets and body counts, it’s about neon ink and territory. It’s fast, frantic, and highly stylized, making it the perfect "bridge" game for kids who want the intensity of Fortnite without the hyper-realistic violence of Call of Duty.
Quick Links:
- The Game: Splatoon 3 (Ages 7+)
- The Alternative: Knockout City (Ages 7+)
- The Competitive Vibe: Rocket League (Ages 6+)
- The Guide: Is Splatoon 3 safe for my 8-year-old?
If you’ve walked past your kid’s Nintendo Switch lately and seen a chaotic explosion of neon pink and turquoise ink, you’ve met Splatoon.
At its core, Splatoon 3 is a third-person shooter, but the objective isn't to rack up a "kill streak." You play as an "Inkling" or an "Octoling"—humanoid kids who can transform into squids or octopuses to swim through ink.
In the main mode, Turf War, two teams of four compete to cover the most ground in their team’s color within three minutes. You can "splat" opponents to send them back to their starting point, but you win by being the best interior decorator, not the best assassin.
In the world of Splatoon, everything is "fresh." The game draws heavily from Japanese street culture, skate aesthetics, and high-energy electronic music. It feels less like a military exercise and more like a high-stakes rave at a skate park.
- Low Barrier to Entry: Even if a kid is bad at aiming (which is most of them), they can still contribute to the team by just painting the floor. It’s one of the few competitive games where "participation" actually helps you win.
- The Fashion: The "drip" in this game is real. Kids spend a significant amount of time earning in-game currency to buy shoes, hats, and shirts that give them specific stat boosts. It’s basically Roblox levels of character customization but with a much higher aesthetic bar.
- Splatfests: These are recurring weekend events where players pick a side in a silly debate (e.g., Cats vs. Dogs, or Bread vs. Rice vs. Pasta) and battle it out. It creates a huge sense of community and "FOMO" (Fear Of Missing Out) that keeps them coming back.
Ask our chatbot about how to manage Splatfest weekend screen time
Parents often ask if Splatoon is a "gateway" to more violent games like Apex Legends or Overwatch 2.
Here’s the no-BS take: Yes, it teaches the mechanics of shooters—spatial awareness, quick reflexes, and team coordination. But the "violence" is so abstracted that it barely registers as such. When a character is "splatted," they simply explode into a puddle of ink and reappear a few seconds later. There are no guns; there are "Splattershots" (water guns), "Rollers" (giant paint rollers), and "Sloshers" (literal buckets of paint).
If your kid is asking for Fortnite but you aren't ready for the "gun" culture, Splatoon 3 is the ultimate middle ground. It satisfies the itch for competitive play without the "Ohio" memes becoming about actual weaponry.
While the ESRB rates it E10+ for Cartoon Violence, many 7 and 8-year-olds handle it just fine. The real "age" factor isn't the content; it's the frustration tolerance.
Online gaming is inherently salty. Losing a match in the final five seconds because the other team "inked" your base can lead to some serious "gamer rage." If your child is still learning how to lose gracefully, you might want to stick to the single-player campaign mode first.
This is a single-player expansion that’s more of a "roguelike" (think Hades but with squids). It’s a great way for kids to play in the Splatoon world without the pressure of live opponents.
Nintendo is notoriously "walled garden" when it comes to social interaction, which is a blessing for digital wellness.
- No Integrated Voice Chat: Unlike Fortnite, there is no way for a stranger to scream at your kid through the TV. To use voice chat, you have to use the Nintendo Switch Online App on a separate smartphone, which is a hurdle most kids don't bother with.
- User-Generated Posts: In the game's central hub, you'll see "hand-drawn" posts floating above other players' heads. Most are cute drawings of squids or memes. Occasionally, you might see something mildly edgy or a "weird" meme (yes, the occasional Skibidi Toilet reference will appear), but Nintendo’s moderation is generally top-tier.
- Friend Requests: Kids can send friend requests to people they’ve played with, but there’s no way to message them directly on the console.
Unlike Roblox or Fortnite, Splatoon is not built on a foundation of "microtransactions."
You buy the game once. You might buy the Side Order DLC once. After that, all the cool clothes and weapons are earned through playing the game, not by spending "real" money. There is a "Catalog" (similar to a Battle Pass), but currently, the premium track is included with the game.
The only "extra" costs are:
- Nintendo Switch Online Subscription: Required for online play (about $20/year for an individual).
- Amiibo: Physical figurines that unlock exclusive gear. These are the real "wallet drainers" if your kid becomes a collector.
If your kid loves the vibe of Splatoon, they might also enjoy these "stylized" and "safe" competitive options:
It’s soccer with rocket-powered cars. Zero violence, high skill ceiling, and very fast-paced. It captures that same "short burst of adrenaline" feeling that Splatoon does.
A free-to-play "bubblegum ninja" game on the Switch. It’s very similar to Splatoon in its colorful, urban aesthetic, though it has more microtransactions to watch out for.
If you want to get them off the screen but keep them in the world, these art books are fantastic. They’re thick, high-quality coffee table books that show the character designs and world-building.
Splatoon 3 is a "Yes" in my book for most families. It’s the digital equivalent of a high-energy game of Tag or Paintball. It encourages teamwork, rewards effort over perfection, and has one of the most creative "worlds" in modern gaming.
As long as you have the Nintendo Switch Parental Controls app set up to manage their time (because "just one more match" is a very real thing here), it’s a win.
- Check the "Post" settings: If you're worried about user-drawn art, you can turn off "Display Posts" in the game options.
- Discuss the "Splatfest" Schedule: These events can lead to late nights. Decide ahead of time how much extra time they get when a Splatfest is happening.
- Play with them: Splatoon is actually fun for adults. Grab a controller, try the Splatoon 3 Turf War, and see if you can out-paint your 10-year-old. (Spoiler: You probably can’t.)
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