It’s really stunning that Splatoon 3 is still receiving gameplay balance updates into 2026 despite being four years old. We already saw a rather significant update for Switch 2 players, and now with version 11.0.0, Nintendo is adding some quality-of-life tweaks to make matches feel better. The biggest of these is something called “Flow Aura,” which gives players who are on a splat streak a temporary buff. Think of it like Call of Duty’s killstreaks, though it’s a single bonus for everyone.
As the Nintendo UK website describes, Flow Aura happens when you splat multiple opponents in quick succession. A burst of ink will cover the surrounding ground, and for 30 seconds, you’ll receive a boost to run speed, swim speed, ink resistance, and intensify action… which I think means your ultimate attack. During Flow Aura, if you continue to splat opponents, you can extend how long the effect lasts.
The Flow Aura state will stay active for a while, but its duration will be increased if you get additional splats, or assist your allies in getting more splats.
We've found that continuing to win dramatically decreases the chances of losing! pic.twitter.com/H5O7mRUG53
— Splatoon North America (@SplatoonNA) January 27, 2026
Concerning quality-of-life tweaks, one big one is the reduction of hit box sizes. I wouldn’t have said that Splatoon’s hit boxes felt unfair, but the games have always been more geared toward casual play with how big your character’s hit box is. For those unfamiliar with the term, the hit box is the space around your character where they’ll receive damage if an attack connects. In version 11.0.0, they have been decreased somewhat, especially when you’re in squid form. To compensate for some of that reduction, the hit boxes for shots have been tweaked too. Short range guns now hit with a bigger radius while long-range ones have only been tweaked slightly. It’s still much harder to hit players in squid form, which should be the most significant balance change here.
Further aiding that is the “Stealth Jump.” When using gear with the “Stealth Jump” ability, players can now jump to their teammates after being splatted without opponents seeing where they’ll land. The website is a little coy with the information by making it sound like there is still some indicator, but it won’t appear a full six seconds before you land like it does now. If you’re using the super jump ability during a match, then the travel time will also increase depending on distance.
Lastly, you can now see an opponent’s remaining health while you’re attacking them. This was never a feature in any past Splatoon game, but I guess it makes sense. It can be a little difficult to figure out how much damage you’ve dealt to an opponent, so now you won’t need to guess. If an opponent gets marked with a point sensor or wave breaker, you can even see their health through walls.
Update 11.0.0 will be available on January 29, 2026, for Splatoon 3. There’s no mention of any other enhancements for Switch 2 players, though there’s really no need for anything else.
Check out more Splatoon content
Guide – How to unlock the Splatoon items in the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Switch 2 Edition
PEGI listing might indicate Splatoon 3 is headed to Switch 2 soon
Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 – How to Unlock Zelda and Splatoon Villagers with amiibo
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
