Splatoon Raiders

Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platforms: Switch 2
Release Date: 23rd July, 2026
Price: $49.99 – Available Here

Overview

Splatoon has been out for over a year now and has developed a cult following of loyalists everywhere, becoming one of Nintendo’s most successful multiplayer outings to date. One thing that the franchise has lacked however, is a single-player experience that actually feels unique from the color vs color multiplayer splat action we are used to. Splatoon Raiders attempts to change that with a new take on the same engine. Does this new direction show promise for the squids? Let’s find out.

Story 

The narrative here is interesting enough, even though it may only exist to tie together the main single-player mode. Players are one of four characters that crash into the Spirhalite Islands, a location where you were originally headed to hunt for treasure. The group continue their mission there by building a base, where they then explore and discover the dastardly Salmonids, a species of enemies that blocks our heroes from their standard hunts. You now have the objective of defeating the Salmonids, finding all the loot, and moving through until you make it home in a decently sized adventure. 

Raiders may be different, but the plot here fits right in with the vibes of the first few titles, and the characters are all charming enough to make this title feel like its own property. That said, it isn’t a single-player adventure like Mario or Donkey Kong, instead a looter shooter at heart that feels more like a fun version of Helldivers or even Monster Hunter. I can see this story expanding in a big way in the future, but Raiders still does enough to earn its stripes.

Gameplay

Much like the main multiplayer game, I was a bit curious to see how this gimmick would be pulled off. A looter shooter isn’t normally a genre I seek out actively, but I was pretty happy with how this one works and feels overall. Players take a character out to a raid and must hunt for treasure on the map. The controls are almost identical to Splatoon, with optional motion gimmickry thrown in to make use of the Joy-Cons. You still squid into paint to refill and travel fast, and paint is still at the heart of every weapon, which are all borrowed from the main franchise. 

It feels the same, but the objective is what makes Raiders distinct. Players start out with a small handful of weapons and must collect new parts and weapons by defeating the Salmonids. Salmonids come at you in small hordes and must be defeated in order to move forward. To assist, you have a mech that can assist in battle or exploration, giving the player an extra hop or a combat assist if needed. Each defeated Salmonid also drops eggs that are collected as currency that is used to unlock more gadgets and equipment that can be utilized to make your character stronger.

Splatoon Raiders can be a tough game, and by default that might be a lot for newcomers. That said, the core mechanics of the game are built around this progressing difficulty. You go raid, you gather gadgets and level up by beating enemies, and then you do it again as the difficulty ramps up. It’s an addictive system at play that makes progression feel seamless, as unlocking new brushes and blasters is fun enough, but adding new gadgets with crafting to give you an edge, along with a class system built around tech, power, and speed, allows for specific builds that add in a ton of replayability. Eggs can also lead to a giant summon of sorts, giving a purpose to in-game collection that makes a huge difference when the combat gets chaotic.

To add in an extra bit of flair, there is also up to four-player co-op where you can raid with up to four players in total. The difficulty here is based on the entire squad’s level, so while lower-level folk may find it difficult, higher-level players will have a bit of an edge and act as a responsible party when it comes to assisting the team. It’s fun and crazy at times, but I still think I preferred single player overall, as that spike based on higher-level players in the game can be a bit much if you have the wrong squad mates in tow. I like the concept, and with friends it could be a great time and a good way to play with the Switch 2’s multiplayer features, but results may vary.

Audio

This is Splatoon, so of course the sound is great! The music is a continued delight. While it does keep the same tunes to capture the familiar feel of the franchise, the soundtrack here is varied and ramps up depending on the level and raid. Yes, a bunch of catchy beats to play on the road, but also some really tense tones that build suspense during difficult sections of the experience. The other sound effects do their job fine as well, with the splashes and gulps and drips that give us that high-quality Splatoon ear candy. The voice acting is still about the same, and I for one am glad these characters still speak Inklish instead of seeing a voice actor force a performance that could be quite polarising.

Visuals

Smooth, shiny, and polished. That is what you get here, as the visuals are all crisp and full of popping color. Animation is always fluid, and the character models are as charming as ever. I never had one bit of frame-dropping, as the chaos keeps up with the engine and runs without much issue on the Switch 2. I have always liked the designs in Splatoon, but I did kind of feel like the main enemies within Raiders kind of blend together. Sure, the main protagonists are charming and fine, but I felt a lot of the enemies were just a bit less inspired. Again, a major fan will not care, and this is a small gripe in an amazing game, but still one I feel is needed to reference.

Overall

I loved my time with Splatoon Raiders. These mechanics are addicting and unique, and make good use of the engine we all know and love. This title doesn’t feel like a spin-off as it’s so large and interesting that it truly stands on its own. Sure, it’s Splatoon, but it’s just so different despite the similarities that I could easily see this new portion of the namesake standing toe to toe with the original multiplayer game that still is as relevant as ever. It’s good to be a Splatoon fan, and Raiders is a great way to dive back in for a fun, looting time at sea.