Splatoon 3’s latest update makes the Tacticooler a new favorite in Japan

Splatoon 3’s latest Ver. 2.1.0 update brought some balance adjustments to the Tacticooler special weapon. Now, a build consisting of the N-ZAP ’85 equipped with the Tacticooler and Respawn Punisher gear ability has been gaining popularity in Japan. This build has been dubbed the “ペナアップZAP (Penaappu ZAP)” in Japan, with “ペナアップ” being an abbreviation of the Japanese name for the Respawn Punisher.

The Tacticooler is a special weapon where players can place a cooler containing 4 drinks in a spot of their choosing. Teammates that grab a drink can receive a variety of temporary bonus effects. Among them are Quick Respawn and Special Saver which reduce the risks that come with being splatted.

The following adjustment was made to the Tacticooler in Ver. 2.1.0:

Tacticooler’s Quick Respawn and Special Saver will no longer be negated by gear abilities Respawn Punisher and Haunt.

The Respawn Punisher is a gear ability that increases the respawn time and lowers the special gauge of both the user and the players they splat. You could say its a double-edged sword since it poses a risk to both the player and their opponent.

Haunt is a gear ability that lets players track those who splatted them upon respawn. When an opponent inflicted with Haunt is splatted, they receive the same punishment as the Respawn Punisher with a decreased special gauge and increased respawn time.

Before the update, the effects of Respawn Punisher and Haunt would negate the effects of the Tacticooler’s Quick Respawn and Special Saver. But now that the Tacticooler has been buffed, there’s no need to worry about its bonuses being negated.

Additionally, the Tacticooler can now negate the penalty of Respawn Punisher on yourself, meaning players can avoid the risk of using Respawn Punisher while using it against opponents.

As for why players are using the N-ZAP ’85, that’s likely because it’s a relatively easy weapon to use among those with the Tacticooler special weapon. Of course, other weapons that use the Tacticooler are still viable as well.

Since Ver. 2.1.0 has only just released, we’ll likely see players devising even more builds going forward. For the best results, you may want to jump in and try these adjusted weapons for yourself to see what works best for you.

Written by. Nick Mosier based on the original Japanese article (original article’s publication date: 2023-01-18 17:35 JST)