Unlocking and Accessing Salmon Run in Splatoon 3: The Complete Guide

One of the most popular and fun modes in the Splatoon series is Salmon Run. A group of four Inklings fight hordes of angry Salmonids in this co-op PvE mode. To finish waves, you and your friends must beat bosses, collect Power Eggs, and put Golden Eggs in the basket. It’s crazy, splattery fun, but you have to unlock Salmon Run first.

In this complete guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to access and start playing Salmon Run in Splatoon 3.

When Does Salmon Run Unlock?

Here is the first thing you need to know – Salmon Run does not open up right away when you start playing Splatoon 3 Unlike the standard multiplayer Turf War battles, Salmon Run remains locked until you reach a specific level

So when exactly does Salmon Run become available? You must reach Level 4 in the online multiplayer first. This requires playing Turf War battles and gaining experience points to increase your level.

Once your Inkling reaches Level 4, Salmon Run will unlock and you can begin taking jobs from the mysterious Mr. Grizz.

How to Unlock Salmon Run at Level 4

When you reach Level 4 in multiplayer, follow these steps to get Salmon Run:

Enter the Splatsville hub world.
Go to the alley on the right side of the lobby.
Enter the sewer grate near the wall. This will take you to Grizzco Industries.
Speak with Mr. Grizz inside to unlock Salmon Run. He will have you complete training to learn the mode basics.

And that’s it! Mr. Grizz will now offer you Salmon Run jobs which rotate every few hours. Make sure to check in regularly so you don’t miss it!

Why is Salmon Run Locked at First?

You may be wondering, why must you reach Level 4 before you can play Salmon Run? Why can’t you just jump in right away?

There are a few reasons Salmon Run is locked behind multiplayer progression:

Lets you learn core skills – Turf War teaches you movement, aiming, inking territory, and other fundamentals before taking on Salmonids.
Gives time to unlock weapons – You need to gain access to a variety of weapon types to handle Salmon Run’s random loadouts.
Provides training time for teamwork – Cooperation is key in Salmon Run, and Turf War matches help you learn this.
Limits new account spam – Prevents spam accounts from easily accessing Salmon Run rewards.

So while it may be tempting to rush right into the PvE action, Salmon Run is locked for good reason. The multiplayer helps prepare you with the skills, gear, and knowledge needed to survive the Salmonid onslaught!

How Often is Salmon Run Available?

Once you’ve unlocked Salmon Run, you may be wondering when you can actually play it. Unlike the always accessible Turf War, Salmon Run has a limited schedule. Jobs open up at specific times and then close when the work day ends.

Here is the Salmon Run schedule:

Open every other hour – Jobs open at the top of alternating hours (12 AM, 2 AM, 4 AM etc.)
Stays open for 24 minutes – Each job lasts for 24 minutes total.
Switches stages and weapons – The stage layout and everyone’s loadout changes per job.

So you’ll want to pop in every couple hours if you’re aiming to put in some Salmon Run work. Or just hop in whenever it’s available for a quick splatfest. Check the Grizzco terminal in the alley to see the schedule.

And make sure you finish your shifts once a job starts! Abandoning early too much can result in temporary bans from Salmon Run, so see each wave through to the end. Turf War is always there when Salmon Run is closed.

What Happens In Salmon Run Jobs?

Now that you know how to access Salmon Run, let’s quickly go over what actually happens during these Grizzco jobs:

Jobs have 3 waves – Survive 3 waves of 100 seconds each to complete a shift.
Quota for Golden Eggs – Collect enough Golden Eggs dropped by bosses to fill the quota each wave.
Random weapon loadouts – All players get different weapon types assigned. Make the most of what you get!
Tough boss Salmonids – Big Salmonids yield Golden Eggs when splatted. Work as a team to take them down.
Survive the horde! – Defeat the endless Salmonid hordes each wave without a team wipe. Prioritize reviving teammates.
Rank up for better rewards – Completing shifts increases your Grizzco rank so you can earn bonuses and titles.

Now you’ve got a preview of what the Salmon Run experience entails. Time to get out there and start splatting Salmonids!

Important Salmon Run Tips and Strategies

To help you tackle those early Salmon Run jobs, here are some key tips and strategies for success:

Master Your Random Weapon

You don’t get to pick your weapon in Salmon Run, so quickly learn how to use each one you’re assigned effectively. Learn each weapon’s range, spread, fire rate, and sub weapons.

Revive Teammates ASAP

Having all 4 players active is vital, so revive splatted teammates immediately. Their lifesaver will show their location. Toss a bomb or ink their feet to bring them back into action.

Call Out Boss Salmonids

Constantly call out boss spawns and locations. Your team might not notice a Steel Eel or Scrapper sneaking up! Use “This Way!” to alert your crew.

Ink Escape Routes

Make sure pathways around the egg basket stay inked as an escape route. Getting cornered is certain doom! Ink walls and use Squid Surge to create quick getaways.

Use Specials Wisely

Special weapons are key to winning tough waves. But don’t waste them! Wait for the ideal moment or until multiple teammates are down. Specials like Booyah Bomb can turn a wave around.

Lure Bosses to Shore

Try to draw powerful bosses like Steel Eels and Stingers on shore whenever possible. You have a big advantage fighting them on land vs. in the water.

Don’t Give Up!

Even if you get wiped out, keep fighting until the last second. Toss eggs, revive teammates, and stall the horde. Clutch comebacks happen all the time in Salmon Run!

Stick with your team, keep inking, and watch each other’s backs. Do this and you’ll be splatting Salmonids and ranking up in no time. Now get out there and start earning those Golden Eggs!

How To Track Salmon Run Progress and Stats

As you complete more Salmon Run shifts, you’ll start earning new titles, gaining rank, and unlocking rewards. To track your ongoing progress and stats, there are a couple places you can look:

Grizzco Terminal

Check the terminal in Grizzco alley to see your current Grizzco rank, title, bonuses, weapon usage stats, and total Golden Eggs collected.

SplatNet 3 App

Connect to the SplatNet 3 app to view detailed Salmon Run stats and historical data on shifts, crews, weapon usage, and more.

Equip Title To Show Rank

Equip your hard-earned Grizzco titles in the Equip menu to proudly display your Salmon Run rank and abilities in multiplayer battles.

So check your stats regularly to see how you’re stacking up and find areas to improve. Are you an Egg Master? Weapons Expert? All-Around Performer? The stats don’t lie!

Playing Salmon Run with Friends

Running the Salmonid gauntlet with random players online can be hit or miss. For a better experience, you can team up and take on Salmon Run jobs with friends:

Private Room

When Salmon Run is available, create a Private Room from the main menu to play with up to 3 friends on your Friend List. Fill the empty spots with bots.

League Battle

For the full team coordination experience, League Battle allows you to form a team of 4 friends or players and compete for ranks in Salmon Run against other pre-made teams.

Local Play

You can play Salmon Run locally as well with multiple Switch systems. Just have each player download the Local Play app from the eShop.

Grab some fellow squid kid companions and get ready for dedicated reviving, efficient boss splatting, and all around better teamwork. The Salmonids won’t know what hit ’em!

Earning Rewards in Salmon Run

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to keep returning to Salmon Run beyond just the satisfying splat-action. You can also unlock some exclusive rewards:

Salmon Run Gear

As you increase in rank, you gain access to special Gri

how to get to salmon run in splatoon 3

How Salmon Run Works and How You Work for Mr. Grizz

You and your team have been hired by the mysterious Mr. Grizz to work for his company Grizzco. During your shift, you have to get Golden Eggs and fight off three waves of fish enemies called Salmonids, each lasting 100 seconds. When you beat Regular Salmonids, you get Power Eggs, which only add points at the end of each job. Bigger, more difficult, enemies called Boss Salmonids, drop Golden Eggs when defeated.

In order to play Salmon Run, you must first reach level 4 in the multiplayer. Once at level 4, you can speak to Mr. Grizz and hell provide you with training. The training gives you a brief rundown of the main Salmon Run mechanics. Get the required number of golden eggs needed to meet the quota for each wave. You lose if your team doesn’t meet its goal before the time runs out or if all of its members die.

Every time a wave is completed, everyone on the team automatically super-jumps to the spawn, and any players who are still down get revived. You have ten seconds before the next wave starts, so make sure you mark a lot of ground, especially around the basket, so it’s easy to move. Between waves, a lot of things can change, including the weapons you are given, the types of enemies that appear, where they attack, and how much water surrounds the stage (tide). There are even special enemies that only show up at night! You have to survive all three waves and meet the quota to finish your shift. Keep finishing shifts to earn bonuses.

Don’t Let the Ground Be Your Enemy

Like every mode in Splatoon, theres a need for inking the ground. It might look like killing Salmonids is more important, but marking territory can be just as important, depending on the weapon you’re using. You’ll need to make sure there’s always a clear path of ink to get to and from Golden Eggs and the Egg Basket quickly and easily. This can also include inking walls to create climbable paths. This is especially important when dealing with Salmonids like Drizzlers and Flyfish that will start to cover up the ground with their own ink. Be especially sure between waves to quickly ink the top floors back to your teams color.

33 Salmon Run Tips You MUST Know

How do you unlock salmon run in Splatoon 3?

Here’s how to unlock it, use Golden Eggs and get Fish Scales. Salmon Run, Splatoon 2’s limited event co-op mode, has found a permanent home in Splatoon 3. Here’s how to unlock it, use Golden Eggs and get Fish Scales. One of the highlights of Splatoon 2 was the cooperative, wave-based mode Salmon Run.

What is salmon run in Splatoon?

Salmon Run is Splatoon’s take on a horde mode. Four plucky entrepreneurs are employed by the mysterious MR. Grizz for hunt Salmonids and earn Golden Eggs! This page will take you through the most important points about Salmon Run and provides links to our other Salmon Run guides!

Can I play salmon run if I’m a Splatoon 3 owner?

Though unlikely, if you’re playing Splatoon 3 locally with other Switch owners and none of you have reached Level 4, you can still play Salmon Run. You’ll need to have at least made it to Splatsville. From there, go to The Shoal, and you can host and join local games of Salmon Run from here.

Can you get fish scales in Splatoon 3?

In Splatoon 3, bronze, silver, and gold Fish Scales can be used to purchase premium collectibles and cosmetic items. You aren’t guaranteed to earn them every run, though. To get Fish Scales in Splatoon 3, you have to be lucky enough to get an Xtrawave after the regular final (3rd) wave of Salmon Run.