Splatfests in Splatoon 3 have the unique opportunity to cross over with a variety of popular Nintendo franchises thanks in-part to the addition of a third team, which opens the door to more options for themes. The Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Splatfest that had Splatoon 3 players choose between Grass, Water, or Fire types perfectly highlights what kinds of crossovers are possible. With the success of that Splatfest, it's time for Nintendo to include more of its popular series in future Splatoon 3 events.
The Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Splatfest coincided nicely with the release of the games, with far more production value than other Splatfests by offering players merchandise themed specifically around the crossover. This isn't the first time the Splatoon series has had a Pokemon crossover, as the series' first entry on Wii U featured a Pokemon Red and Blue Splatfest. Splatoon 2 similarly saw a special Mario-themed Splatfest. Beyond those franchises, Nintendo hasn't really utilized its catalog of iconic games for Splatfest themes, which seems like a huge missed opportunity.
Fire Emblem Seems Perfect for a Splatoon Crossover
Since Nintendo likes to tie Splatfest crossovers with game releases, the upcoming Fire Emblem Engage seems like the perfect excuse for a Fire Emblem-themed Splatfest. Since January's Splatfest already had the theme of Spicy vs Sweet vs Sour, this crossover would have to wait until at least February. However, this is still close enough to Fire Emblem Engage's launch date of January 20 that it would be possible to see something occur early in the month.
Fire Emblem offers a variety of themes for teams to choose from, with the most obvious being Swords vs Axes vs Lances. Like Pokemon, having this rock-paper-scissors mechanic makes for an easy three-way choice to anchor a Splatfest. With the return of the weapon triangle in Fire Emblem Engage, now seems like an appropriate time to introduce this crossover. Aside from the weapon triangle, a Fire Emblem Splatfest could be themed around specific characters, such as Marth vs Celica vs Roy as a way to highlight the legacy characters returning in Fire Emblem Engage.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Warrants its Own Splatfest
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is on track to be one of Nintendo's biggest releases in years. It would make a lot of sense if this highly anticipated title received a crossover event with Splatoon 3 in May. With The Legend of Zelda being one of Nintendo's most popular franchises, the fact that it hasn't featured prominently in a Splatfest yet is surprising. All the hype surrounding this new release means there has never been a better time for the two franchises to finally collide.
Like Pokemon and Fire Emblem, The Legend of Zelda series also features a triangle that would be perfect for Splatoon 3's three-team Splatfest design. The three aspects of the Triforce, Courage vs Wisdom vs Power, would make the most sense as a theme for this legendary Splatoon 3 crossover. The Triforce is an iconic part of most games in The Legend of Zelda franchise, and would be recognizable enough for most Splatoon 3 players to understand its significance. While it is unknown if the Triforce will play a significant role in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, the three Goddesses of Hyrule - Din, Nayru, and Farore - could also be the focus of the Splatfest. However, they may be too obscure unless they are featured prominently in the upcoming game.
Splatoon 3 is available now for Nintendo Switch.