Splatoon 4 Feature Wish List

Splatoon’s vibrant ink-splatting battles and punk-inspired style have cemented it as one of Nintendo’s most inventive franchises. As rumors swirl about Splatoon 4 for next-gen hardware, the community has discussed several dream features that could reinvigorate the experience without sacrificing the series’ trademark chaos. By drawing on player feedback and esports insights, Nintendo has more than a handful of options availabe to propel Splatoon 4 to new heights.

While Splatoon 4 will undoubtedly retain the franchise's core ink-and-charm formula, addressing these community-driven wishes could elevate the series to the next level. As Nintendo prepares to move into the next generation, these features will hopefully be kept in mind, as an eventual Splatoon 4 can be an unforgettable celebration of color, camaraderie, and ink-splattered adventures if it makes a few key improvements.

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By Jervon Perkins

Splatoon 4 Could Use Some Revolutionary Features

Expanded Character Customization: Legwear and Full-Body Gear

While Splatoon 3 introduced more headgear and shoes in the interest of costume variety, there's still a glaring absence of pants, leggings, dresses, or overalls as equippable items. Allowing players to mix lower-body apparel with existing jackets, shirts, and shoes could add more depth to the fashion game and could unlock new ability slots or gameplay tweaks.

Adjustable eyebrow shapes, colored hair tips, heterochromia eye options, and facial markings such as freckles or scars have been top of fan requests for quite some time now. More hair options– especially for Octolings– along with interchangeable tattoos, piercings, or makeup stencils could transform lobbies into runways. Additional facial customization could also include subtle eyeshadows or eyeliner shapes, so every Inkling feels unique. Additionally, letting players choose their default ink color in hubs (without altering team colors in matches) and offering a broader palette of base skin tones could further self-expression.

Salmon Run Overhaul

In terms of gameplay, new boss Salmonids with unique mechanics might freshen things up in Splatoon 4. A Boss Rush variant where teams face successive powerful bosses with escalating difficulty could reward coordination in ways the previous game didn't explore. Naturally, such a mechanic would require customizable difficulty sliders to allow both casual and hardcore squads to select a desirable challenge level.

Open-World Inkopolis

Instead of a traditional linear campaign, an open-world Inkopolis could offer side missions, hidden collectibles, and non-combat interactions. The freedom of traversing city rooftops in squid form, and solving timed platforming challenges while collecting narrative fragments about Splatlands’ history, would help the series avoid getting too formulaic, giving fixed map rotations a rest and encouraging exploration.

Expanded Storytelling and Inclusive Worldbuilding

A campaign that delves into the ecological impact of ink wars and examines how constant inking affects sea life or coastal ecosystems could add weight to Splatoon’s world. Introducing morally complex villains, such as rogue factions of Salmonids or corrupted heroes, could prompt players to question who the true antagonist is.

In terms of inclusion, the series has frequently spotlighted female-centric idol performances, but there is tangible interest in male or mixed-gender idol ensembles to promote inclusivity. Expanding idol roles beyond music could enrich worldbuilding and offer previously unexplored narrative angles for a fresh outlook.

Quality-of-Life and Accessibility Upgrades

One of the biggest areas of improvement for the Splatoon series is quality-of-life, with the following adjustments being just some of the steps forward Nintendo could take with a sequel:

A unified gear menu allowing favorites, ability-based sorting, and a gear history tab could simplify loadout swaps and support creative expression. Such a mechanism could be effective for showcasing past looks and even further accessibility if players are allowed to filter gear by favored abilities or aesthetic themes.
Expanding emotes (“Booyah!” And “This Way!”, for example) into context-sensitive prompts could reduce miscommunication in matches. Adding a post-match quick-chat wheel, like other competitive titles, could allow rapid praise or strategic feedback without requiring voice chat.
Colorblind modes, adjustable HUD elements, customizable motion-control sensitivity, and button remapping for squid surges or squid rolls could ensure Splatoon 4 is welcoming to all players. These options would help families and competitive gamers alike to tailor the experience to suit their personal needs.

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