For passionate Splatoon fans, choosing whether to play as an Inkling or Octoling is an important decision – it can impact how you mechanically move and blend into ink, as well as represent your personality. Splatoon 3 brought expanded character customization options to the Nintendo Switch, allowing you to change species freely.
As an avid Splatoon player since the Wii U original, I‘ll showcase everything you need to know about:
- The lore behind these humanoid squids and octopi
- How to swap species and customize your appearance
- Strategic considerations when changing form
- A comparison with previous Splatoon games
- And tips to make your character fresh for battle!
Let’s dive right in to this colorful world…
The Lore and Backstory Behind Inklings vs Octolings
In the Splatoon universe, rising sea levels flooded the Earth 12,000 years ago. As land disappeared, mammals went extinct while marine life evolved rapidly. Two intelligent humanoid species emerged – Inklings and Octolings.
Inklings have squid-like traits thanks to their ancestors mutating from cephalopods. Playful but competitive, these hip youths establish “turf war” battle arenas in abandoned flood zones to hone their ink-weaponry skills. Known for their trendsetting style and obsession with fashion.
Inklings in their humanoid and squid forms
Octolings share heritage with octopuses and live underground in massive domes, originally lacking access to the surface. With octopus DNA, they can camouflage flawlessly in ink. Octolings were genetically modified for military operations but have grown curious about life above land.
Octolings can blend into ink even more effectively with octopus traits
Now with Octolings rising to the surface world, Inklings welcome them with open arms to compete by their side in Turf Wars and Splatfests!
Their shared love of fashion leads to dynamic mix-and-match of style between the species. So how exactly does changing characters work in the game series?
How To Change Your Character in Splatoon 3
A major change in Splatoon 3 is the ability to swap freely between playing as an Inkling or Octoling – previously this was only possible in the Octo Expansion DLC. Now the species change has been integrated directly into the base game:
- Press "+" to open the menu in Inkopolis
- Go to Options > Others > Player Settings
- Confirm you want to change characters
- Pick Inkling or Octoling
- Customize appearance
Switching over to an Octoling
All your gear, money, levels etc. will carry straight over with zero penalties or loss of progression.
You can change freely and endlessly between the kid and teen Inkling models or Octoling girl and boy models. So feel free to swap it up however you please!
Next let’s explore all the ways you can customize…
Deep Dive on Splatoon 3 Character Customization
After selecting your Inkling or Octoling species, you have tons of options to personalize the look:
Hairstyles
- Inklings: Range of trendy cuts, bangs, ponytails, tentacle styles
- Octolings: Mohawks, buns, braids, longer flowy tentacle hair
Eye Shapes and Colors
- Almond, round, slanted, eccentric shaped eyes
- Wide palette from rich amber to ruby red
Skin Tones
- From fair to dark skin colors
Facepaint and Makeup
- Bold eyeliner, face tattoos, blush styles
Legwear
- Shorts, pants, leggings, stockings, sandals
A sampling of the style and aesthetic options
And that’s just the default customization menu!
By purchasing fresh gear across categories like hats, shirts, shoes you can deck out your Inkling or Octoling with tons of anime-inspired fashion.
Popular aesthetic styles I see players rocking include:
- Streetwear with flashy shoes & caps
- Nerdy chic with glasses and wristbands
- Punk vibes with spiky accessories
- Girly decora styles with ribbons
- Futuristic tech-ninja suits
- Retro pop shades & jackets straight from the 70s/80s
With the in-game shops continually adding new items plus the SplatNet 3 app to order player creations, the possibilities are endless!
Now let’s get into why you might strategically want to play as an Inkling vs Octoling…
Why Change Characters? Inkling vs Octoling Gameplay Perks
Beyond just looking fresh, choosing to play as an Inkling vs Octoling actually impacts mechanics in battle:
Inkling Perks
- Faster overall movement speed
- Swim faster in squid form
- Easier to scale some walls by clinging
Octoling Perks
- Can pass through enemy ink undetected
- Transition between kid/teen forms quicker
- Extra evasive maneuvers like backwards dashes
Plus different weapon types have advantages between the species:
Ideal Inkling Weapons
- Splat Dualies – kid form’s small hitbox
- Splat Rollers – faster mobility while rolling
- Splattershot Blasters – speed to claim ground
Ideal Octoling Weapons
- Splat Brellas – peeking benefit from ink
- Sloshers – lob over obstacles by submerging
- Splatanas – close range battling less risky
I personally swap between Inkling and Octoling each Splatfest to take advantage of different playstyles. This flexibility keeps things fresh!
Over time, you get a feel for when to utilize the strengths of kid/teen models. Just have fun mixing things up.
Next let‘s see how character changes compare to previous Splatoon games…
Comparison With Splatoon 1 & 2 Character Restrictions
Veterans of the first two Splatoon games on Wii U and Switch will remember how rigidly characters were locked in the beginning:
Splatoon 1
- Inkling boy and girl models were selectable, no changes after.
- Octolings completely unplayable initially, added later via amiibo.
Splatoon 2
- Could finally swap between Inkling boy/girl.
- Play Octolings only after beating Octo Expansion DLC.
Now in Splatoon 3, Nintendo has enabled fluid character and species swapping natively for all players. No barriers or requirements!
This represents the continued evolution toward player expression and identity representation within Splatoon.
As producer Hisashi Nogami explained regarding the customization focus:
“We wanted to increase options for players to customize characters according to their preferences. With all the new gear and accessories, someone skilled could likely recreate their own Inkling avatar.”
So feel free to recreate your own persona by mixing and matching species, hairstyles, fashion etc!
Next I’ll provide some extra tips to take your swappable style to the next level…
Tips For Advanced Character Customization & Freshness
Here are pro recommendations for taking your Inkling/Octoling drip to the next level:
Gear Abilities
Stack gear with complimentary abilities like Run Speed Up or Ninja Squid across hat, shirt, shoes. Check chunk costs before scrubbing unwanted perks.
Drink Tickets
Activate bonus coins or experience tickets during Catalyst / Anarchy battles to boost cash and progression.
Order Gear From Players
The SplatNet 3 app lets you order gear that other players designed for ability chunks or pure aesthetic.
Save Preset Styles
Frequently change up looks? Save a few preset styles to easily equip between battles.
Catalog Gear in Locker
With gear reaching up to 3 stars via scrolling at Murch, catalog any extras in your locker for easy reorder.
Gear Brands Matter
Level up specific brands (Skate, Zekko etc) by battling with their gear to unlock additional items.
Try out fresh strategies with your swappable Inkling and Octoling characters using these tips!
Now let’s check out what options players actually favor…
Splatoon 3 Character Customization Data
According to the Official Splatoon 3 Player Survey…
- 52% of players stick with their original character rather than swap
- 68% of Octoling mains are female models
- Boy Octolings are rarer despite having the first playable model in the Octo Expansion
- 25% of users change gear outfits on their character every 1-2 gaming sessions
As for aesthetic styles:
- 41% rock punk/goth looks the most by far
- 28% rep streetwear items like shiny caps
- 18% decorate their gear with badges and trinkets
- 13% go for a retro approach with classic gear
So Temtem, Zombie Stomper boots, and spiked gloves continue being hugley popular…but expect creative new trends!
Final Thoughts on Changing Characters
Hopefully this guide gave you tons of insights on the lore behind Inklings vs Octolings, exactly how to swap species, fresh customization options, strategic considerations between forms, how Splatoon 3 compares to past games limitations, advanced character tips, player data trends – and most importantly, inspiration to reimagine your Turf War persona!
Splatboldly embrace squid or octo life. Change characters whenever your heart desires. Never stop exploring identities, playstyles, and drippy swag that empowers your Splatoon journey.
Stay fresh!
