The Splatoon North America Twitter account revealed Fresh Season on Feb. 16, teasing two new maps, a new catalog to complete, and the Kraken Royale, a returning special weapon from the original game. The update would include another special that changes the status quo, however, one that is brand new to the series.
Additional tweets on Feb. 17 revealed more items to collect and weapon kits to try out in multiplayer. Two of the upcoming twelve loadouts feature the new gear, which capitalizes on the Super Jump, a mechanic unique to the Splatoon series.
The Super Chump is a versatile area-denial special that fires multiple decoys in a designated area, exploding after a short time or when an enemy destroys them. While falling, the decoys create the same warning circle when a player is Super Jumping, with no way to differentiate until the decoy hits the ground.
The Super Chump can be used to fool opposing players or deny key areas of the map, allowing a team to push forward safely.
The fanbase’s reaction to the Super Chump was positive, with content creators, casual players, and the competitive crowd praising the unique niche it fills. Tenta Missiles, a map-wide airstrike that can target all four players of the enemy team, continues to be one of the most popular special weapons, facing no competition for how much utility it provides. With past patches nerfing Tenta Missiles, Super Chump may become the most popular and dominant special weapon for Splatoon 3.
The Super Chump is featured on two of the upcoming weapon kits coming to Fresh Season. The N-ZAP ‘89 is a reference to the classic NES Zapper, sporting the Autobomb as the sub-weapon. The Super Chump is also included with the Clash Blaster Neo, which uses Curling Bombs as its sub.
Included in Fresh Season is additional gear arriving at all shops, including Hotlantis for updating player lockers. To accommodate for the rising number of collectible items, all shops will now offer nine items at once, three more than previously. Shops will continue to refresh their stock at 7pm CT, and will all offer the same items, no matter if the player chooses to shop at Splatsville or Inkopolis Square.
The Super Chump and the Kraken Royale enter as the two new specials in Fresh Season, available when the update drops on March 1. Players who bought the Splatoon 3 expansion pass will also have access to Wave One’s content, including Inkopolis Square, and the alternate shops at Booyah Base, a day before Fresh Season starts on Feb. 28.
