In addition to Turf War and Anarchy Battles, one of the core attractions in Splatoon 3 is Salmon Run, a cooperative mode that pits you and three teammates against three waves of crazed Salmonid enemies. While the mode plays largely the same as it did in Splatoon 2, Nintendo has added a few new wrinkles to it for this outing, including a periodic superboss called Cohozuna.
Unlike other bosses in Salmon Run, you can’t take down Cohozuna just by blasting it with your weapons, so here are some tips to help you conquer this colossal Salmonid.
When does Cohozuna appear?
Nintendo
While each Salmon Run shift typically consists of three waves, you will periodically be thrown into a fourth “xtra wave,” featuring Cohozuna. The game offers some indication of when the superboss will appear with the Cohozuna-shaped Salmometer that’s displayed while you’re waiting in the lobby. This meter will gradually rise as you play Salmon Run, and once it’s full, you’ll encounter the King Salmonid the next time you successfully clear all three main waves.
How to defeat Cohozuna
Once Cohozuna appears, it’ll slowly lumber around the map, occasionally leaping and creating shockwaves when it lands. While you can deal some damage to the boss by hitting it with your weapon and special, the best way to take it down is with Golden Eggs.
Cohozuna will sustain the most damage when it’s hit with Golden Eggs, so you’ll need to defeat the other bosses that spawn alongside it and lob the Golden Eggs they drop. To throw a Golden Egg, simply aim at Cohozuna and press the A button. However, you’ll only be able to chuck the egg if you have enough ink in your tank; if you’re running low, dive into the ink for a few moments until you’ve refilled.
Since Cohozuna has much more health than a standard boss, you and your teammates will all need to work together and hurl as many Golden Eggs at it as you can if you want to drive it back. Repeat until you’ve successfully repelled the giant Salmonid.
What do you get for beating Cohozuna?
While other Salmon Run bosses drop Golden Eggs, Cohozuna drops something much more valuable: fish scales.
These scales come in three varieties — bronze, silver and gold — and function as a type of currency. You can exchange them in the Grizzco lobby for exclusive vanity items, including Grizzco-themed Splashtag backgrounds, stickers and locker decorations.
Even if you don’t defeat Cohozuna, you’ll still be able to get a few scales just for facing it. However, you’ll take home many more if you do drive Cohozuna back, so keep the above tips in mind when facing off against it.
Splatoon 3 is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch. Returning players are able to transfer some data from Splatoon 2, but you can do so only when first starting up the game. Nintendo Switch Online subscribers can also grab a slick free Splashtag for the game.
