Splatoon 3 surprises fans when the start of the month reveals a pattern of references to Back to the Future 2, the iconic time travel film.

Eagle-eyed fans of Splatoon 3 have discovered what certainly seems to be a reference to the film Back to the Future 2. The movie, which takes viewers to the past and the future, seems to have inspired the development team.

The Splatoon series has been full of pop culture references from the start. Prior examples include things like replicas of Nintendo consoles appearing in story mode or Marina and Pearl's Octo Expansion gear resembling outfits worn by Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G., respectively, and now the series is showing some love for a classic sci-fi film.

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In Splatoon 3, players have the option of playing Salmon Run, a PvE mode that pits four players against an onslaught of Salmonoid enemies. Completing runs rewards players with points that are exchanged for things like food tickets, ability chunks, or brand new gear that's exclusive to Grizzco. This is where the references originate from. In the first month of Splatoon 3's launch, a holographic baseball cap was available via Salmon Run, strongly resembling the one Marty wears in Back to the Future 2. However, it's this month's reward that made it clear it was a reference.

For October, the Salmon Run Grizzco equipment award is the Lo-Vis Visor, a pair of 80s retro-futuristic silver sunglasses. They look just like those that Doc Brown wears in the same film, but it's the way that they're worn that nails the reference: the Inklings and Octolings wear it above their eyes, resting against the forehead, just as Doc frequently did in the movie.

There's no telling why the development team honed in on this particular film as inspiration, but it's a charming tribute to the popular movie. While time travel hasn't played a role in the Splatoon series, there is a lot to learn about the history of the Inklings and how it intersects with human history in the games' story modes. Chances are that this is far from the last reference to pop culture to be seen in the latest Splatoon game.

Players in Splatoon 3 have the opportunity learn more about the founder of Grizzco in the game's story mode. The mysterious figure has been around since Salmon Run's introduction in Splatoon 2, but not much has been known about him other than his voracious desire for golden salmon eggs. Those who want the new shades should drop in on Salmon Run before the end of October. However, for anyone who misses it, Splatoon 2 would occasionally reward players with older items, so there's a good chance players will get another shot at it at some point after October.

Splatoon 3 is available now for Nintendo Switch.

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Sarah is an old-school gamer, and has been an editor and contributor for Game Rant since 2015. Sarah was introduced to the world of gaming via the Atari and original Game Boy. After meeting her first Chocobo in Final Fantasy Adventure, she never looked back. Sarah majored in game design in college and utilizes that knowledge to analyze games for her written content for the site.