The Nintendo Wii U may not be the most fondly remembered Nintendo console, but it was where Splatoon began. It quickly became a favourite among fans and critics, and as a new IP, it brought a refreshing change unlike anything Nintendo had created before. The next entry followed quickly on the Nintendo Switch and was followed up five years later with Splatoon 3. Its ink-based combat strikes a perfect balance, allowing casual players to enjoy the satisfying, tactile feedback of painting the environment. In contrast, competitive players take advantage of advanced movement techniques, precise sub-weapon placements, and coordinated special attacks to control choke points. The game’s multiplayer scene has always been lively, even to this day. While each instalment offers a solid singleplayer story mode along with some tasty DLC, the new Splatoon title on the Nintendo Switch 2 would focus almost entirely on the singleplayer experience. Suit up, lock in, and get ready to get messy as all hell breaks loose in Splatoon Raiders!
From the outset, it’s clear that this isn’t going to be Splatoon 4, yet it is too big and experimental to be another DLC to Splatoon 3. The story sees Deep Cut return from the third game, but this time they’ve traded their musical roots for a life of treasure hunting. During an expedition to the remote Spirhalite Islands, which were recently brought back to the surface by tectonic shifts, their simple adventure takes a sharp turn into a tale of survival and raiding when they find themselves completely marooned. The gang’s only hope is a lowly helicopter mechanic who leads exploration efforts, fights off Salmonid waves, and collects resources like Spirhalite Shards, Salmonid equipment, and relics.
It’s a Splatoon game, so don’t go in expecting the mechanic actually being a guy face-swapped with a diabolical military warlord or anything like that. The plot serves as a breezy catalyst for the gameplay loop over any kind of intricate narrative with shocking twists or greater themes. There are some deeper mysteries about the Spirahlite Islands, including their connection to the monstrous Salmonids and the source of the strange phenomena and lore implications about a human extinction event that might be happening again but for the Inklings. The story emphasises lighthearted interactions, character development for Deep Cut, and treasure-hunting fun over heavy drama. It builds toward an epic confrontation at the heart of the islands, with a suitably climactic conclusion that ties up the adventure while fleshing out the crew’s personalities and relationships.
It may be a spin-off, but at its core, Splatoon Raiders is still fundamentally a Splatoon game. Players move fluidly in third-person, fire ink from a variety of weapons, swim through their own ink to recharge and gain speed, and use squid forms for evasion and traversal. All the core weapon classes like Dualies, Rollers, Chargers, Blasters, and others return, many as makeshift, scrap-built variants with familiar firing patterns and playstyles. Ink mechanics are still central, covering surfaces, damaging enemies, and enabling mobility. Raiders retains its vibrant, colourful visuals and satisfying ink-splatting action, with gyro aiming and controller options preserved, making it easy for fans of previous entries to jump into the game seamlessly.
The twist in Splatoon Raiders’ gameplay lies in its minutiae and progression. Unlike earlier titles that focused on competitive four-versus-four Turf War, Anarchy Battles, and modes like Salmon Run, alongside a brief single-player campaign, Raiders is the proverbial full-fledged single-player action RPG with optional co-op for up to four players. There’s no versus mode or traditional Turf War; instead, the action centres on repeatable squid-versus-salmon raids and unique stage-specific challenges.
Progression is more RPG-like than ever in Raiders. With tons of outfits to unlock, almost endless weapons to upgrade, and three tanks to specialise in that serve as a unique class system, there’s plenty to keep players engaged. One of the new systems is the gadgets, modular tools assigned to shoulder buttons that grant abilities like aerial manoeuvres, enhanced special attacks, added utility, or improved mobility.
Gadgets are tied to speed, power or tactical ink tanks, and each one can be further customised with mods to foster anybody’s playstyle. Aerial combat and expanded movement options further differentiate it from the grounded battles of Splatoon 2 or 3, and the tactical tank offers almost tower defence-like options. The possibilities are truly endless, and like any proper RPG, expect to spend a lot of time toiling away in menus to experiment in all kinds of builds.
Weapons gain upgrades and power scaling through loot, creating build-crafting and experimentation unlike in any prior entry. A robot piloted by Deep Cut acts as a companion for combat support, mining resources, and special Showstopper attacks, as well as providing an aerial boost when battling salmonids gets hairy. Levels shift from linear story missions or wave-based Salmon Run to explorable island hubs and dungeons with treasure hunting, puzzle-like elements, and crafted challenges. Combat feels more intense and strategic, with stronger enemy variants, boss fights, and the need for build optimisation is a constant looming sword of Damocles.
Gadgets shake up the series’ combat by swapping out traditional sub-weapons and specials for a flexible, cooldown-based ability system that boosts strategy, mobility, and versatility. Unlike main weapons, they don’t use ink, so you can fire them off even when your reserves are low. This change eliminates the worry of running dry in heated battles and promotes bold, ability-focused playstyles.
Other gadgets can create follow-up attacks, placeable traps, homing projectiles, or utility tools. Many have short cooldowns, fostering frequent use and rewarding timing and build synergy. A player might pair a mobility gadget with a ranged weapon for hit-and-run tactics, or stack offensive gadgets for burst damage. This shifts combat away from the more straightforward combat seen in past Splatoon games toward a deeper action-RPG style, where smart gadget selection and combos often matter as much as raw aiming and ink coverage. It makes battles feel faster, flashier, and more tactical, especially against tougher Salmonid waves and bosses.
The fishy foes are back, with familiar faces like Smallfry, Chum, Cohocks, Scrappers, Stingers, Steelheads, Flyfish, Maws, and other boss variants making a triumphant, slightly tweaked return. In Splatoon Raiders, they show up in greater numbers than ever before, creating more dynamic encounters across the islands, all while keeping things smooth at a steady 60fps. The new “Seasoned Salmonids” are beefier (fishier?) upgraded versions of classic bosses with enhanced health, damage, and attacks, making them significantly more dangerous in raid scenarios. They’re as dangerous as they are delicious.
There are, of course, higher-tier threats, including powerful mythic or legendary Salmonids that act as mini-bosses or major raid obstacles. Encounters with one of these bad boys demand careful use of gadgets, weapon synergies, and the Exploration Bot’s support. Battles can quickly go south when arenas get swamped with Salmonid grease and the utter bedlam becomes overwhelming if players lose their cool and focus.
Splatoon Raiders keeps the series’ trademark vibrant, cartoony-anime style, but adds a scrappier, more adventurous flair to match its island survival theme. The characters and weapons still boast bold silhouettes and expressive designs, now enhanced with a rough-and-ready, nautical survival twist. Weapons are haphazardly assembled from junk and duct tape, bottles, and helicopter parts, giving them a resourceful, post-apocalyptic flair that contrasts the polished, toy-like appearance of mainline Splatoon games. Even the oily Salmonids appear wilder and more primal, with rugged details like salt deposits and frayed features that make them feel like they’ve been marooned for weeks.
Graphically, the game runs smoothly at a stable 60fps on Nintendo Switch 2, even when the screen fills with dozens of highly detailed and expressive enemies and heavy ink effects. It takes good advantage of the hardware for dense combat and fluid effects. It’s not a massive leap forward after Splatoon 3; in fact, putting it next to Raiders side by side, most people won’t be able to tell the difference between which game is which. The only clue is the teeming swaths of panicked Salmonids that fill the screen.
The main game loop combines looter-shooting with collect-a-thon elements, and gear to improve the Hideout Ship base, with roguelike mission variety and long-term progression. All the features and modes mesh perfectly, and it begs the question why there hasn’t been anything like this before. This is a beefy game that keeps offering things to do even long after the credits roll. In an era where corporate greed and overreach continue to nickel and dime players while offering worse experiences, Raiders more than delivers enough content that will keep gamers active and raiding together for a surprisingly modest asking price. There are several minigames to break up the constant shooting, and the soothing and pleasant deserted island ambience gives Splatoon Raiders a palpable sense of hangoutability.
