How to Beat DJ Octavio in Splatoon 3 Hero Mode

In the Hero Modes of the first two Splatoon games, DJ Octavio, the supreme leader of the Octarian army, was the final boss. With a combination of advanced tech and spicy beats, he menaced Inkling society from the shadows. In Splatoon 3, though, we’re getting our fight with Octavio in right away. Here’s how to defeat DJ Octavio in Splatoon 3 Hero Mode.

How to Beat DJ Octavio in Splatoon 3 Hero Mode

At the bottom of The Crater, Octavio will confront you in his Octobot King L3.Gs, a paired-down, desert-appropriate version of his signature mech. If you played the previous Splatoon games, his playbook will feel familiar, albeit with a couple of twists.

For the first phase, Octavio will launch his signature flying punch attack. Just shoot at the flying fists with your Hero Shot to bounce them back at his face. After a couple of those, he’ll begin mixing in drill attacks by pointing his mech’s fingers outwards and spinning them. You can’t shoot these out of the air, so just dodge to the side. When they’re embedded in the ground, then you can coat them in ink to launch them into Octavio. After a few reflects, Octavio will be launched out of his mech, leaving him open to splatting.

Related: What Do You Get for Completing Hero Mode in Splatoon 3?

For the second phase, Octavio will deploy a giant Ink Vac from his mech. This vacuum will suck up any ink you shoot, preventing you from reflecting his punches. To stop the suction, launch Smallfry at Octavio while the vacuum is on to plug it up. While the Ink Vac is plugged, keep reflecting his punches and launching his drills until he gets knocked out again.

For the final phase, Octavio will begin mixing in slap attacks, telegraphed by him holding up his mech’s open hand. These can’t be shot out of the air, and when they hit the ground, they’ll send out a radial shockwave you’ll need to jump over. It’s basically the same as the drill attack, but with an extra wrinkle at the end. Beyond that, just plug up the Ink Vac with Smallfry again and keep bouncing back Octavio’s shots until he’s knocked out, then deliver one final splatting.

That’s Octavio dealt with, but as it turns out, he’s not the main baddie this time. He’s just a cameo in the face of a much larger, more dastardly plot…