Bayonetta 3 is back, and she has a brand-new hairstyle

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Bayonetta winking at the camera in Bayonetta 3
(Image credit: Platinum Games)

It’s been three years, nine months, and 16 days since Bayonetta 3 was announced at The Game Awards 2017. But at long last, we got an official trailer and release window during the September 2021 Nintendo Direct.

The trailer, which began with a clever Astral Chain 2 bait and switch, showed off plenty of trademark Bayonetta-style action, along with a brand-new look for the sadistically seductive witch. The short bob from Bayonetta 2 is gone, as the titular character is now rocking long, beautiful braids, which can of course transform into demonic creatures. 

Speaking of demons, it appears that Bayonetta will now be able to summon and control gigantic creatures during battles, which should mix up the game’s hack and slash formula quite a bit.

We also saw Bayonetta briefly transform into some sort of spectacular butterfly to deliver a devastating combo, which wouldn’t look out of place on a Ru Paul’s Drag Race contestant – the outfit, that is.

The action looks typically stylish, chaotic, and satisfyingly violent as usual, as enemies get slammed into spiked coffins and players can slow down time by performing a perfectly-timed dodge. If you like Bayonetta, then, there’s a strong chance you’ll love Bayonetta 3.

Analysis: absence makes the heart grow fonder 

The Nintendo Switch-exclusive Bayonetta 3 is the third entry in developer Platinum Games’ beloved series, and it’s almost a relief to see the game in action at this point. After teasing nothing but a logo at The Game Awards 2017, the wait for Bayonetta 3 has been drawn out, to say the least. Thankfully, a release window of 2022 was also provided in the game’s trailer.

The game closed out the September 2021 Nintendo Direct presentation, which included the reveal of N64 and Sega Genesis games coming to Nintendo Switch Online, Kirby and the Forgotten Land, and a closer look at Splatoon 3. Overall, it was a pretty strong showing for Nintendo ahead of the Nintendo Switch OLED’s launch on October 8, 2021.

If you're new to the Bayonetta franchise, both the original game and Bayonetta 2 are available to play on Nintendo Switch right now. 

Adam Vjestica
Adam Vjestica

Adam was formerly TRG's Hardware Editor. A law graduate with an exceptional track record in content creation and online engagement, Adam has penned scintillating copy for various technology sites and also established his very own award-nominated video games website. He’s previously worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor and once played Halo 5: Guardians for over 51 hours for charity. He is now an editor at The Shortcut.