Splatoon Raiders Review

Splatoon is one of the highly praised shooter series from Nintendo for its playful and stylish take on the whole shooter genre, while providing competitive depth. Players compete against each other with ink-based weapons, coloring to take control of territories. The fast-paced multiplayer matches and the fun mechanics made it one of the best shooter series on Switch. Fast-forwarding to 2026, Splatoon is back, but this time with a spin-off. The new installment to the franchise is Splatoon Raiders, a single-player-focused adventure with the same ink-based weapons, driving players for a compelling PVE experience. This is our review of Splatoon Raiders, developed and published by Nintendo, exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2.

NOTE: The review copy of Splatoon Raiders was provided by the publishers.

Story and Atmosphere

You play as the Mechanic, an inkling who is stranded on the Spirhalite Islands. The Mechanic is not alone, accompanied by Deep Cut, including Frye, Shiver, and Big Man. You and your crew take the role of treasure hunters, scouting the islands for secrets and treasure. However, your main goal is to return home with everyone. The Spirhalite Islands pose a threat of Salmonids, as these creatures guard the treasures and resources.

The atmosphere of Splatoon Raiders is unique to its predecessors, but the whole inking and combat mechanics make it par. You can find the shipwrecks and storm-torn ruins on the islands, giving a unique look to the Splatoon series. The overall tone of this makes it feel like a survival and adventure game. 

Gameplay

Splatoon Raiders is a third-person shooter RPG, offering a single-player campaign with online and local co-op modes for up to four players. Unlike the original Splatoon series, there is no PVP content in Splatoon Raiders. You and your party members can initiate a raid at a location to battle against hordes of Salmonids. Although the game offers a generic loop of Raid > Upgrade > Repeat, it still keeps things fresh with the random drops mechanics.

In every encounter, you have to clear out an island with Salmonids to gather the materials for upgrades to the weapons and gadgets. There are over 100 weapons in Splatoon Raiders. Various weapons are locked behind certain milestones, requiring you to repeat the raids to test out the powerful weapons. Moreover, the gadgets help you in tougher crowds and navigation among the small island patches. Upgrades play a crucial role in strengthening the Mechanic. As there are a variety of weapons and gadgets, there is a big build variety that you can experiment with, and it is even more fun with friends.

The game does an incredible job of offering an authentic Splatoon experience. The ink-based weapons and ink maneuvers stay pivotal, providing a fast-paced combat experience. However, as the game solely relies on PVE raids on the islands, it can become repetitive whether for upgrades or unlocking new weapons.

Audio and Visual Design

The sound design in Splatoon Raiders is very satisfying, as the Devs have created Damage-based audio cues. These sound cues make the combat feel more immersive. Moreover, the alert sound cues are nice to detect attacks from behind. The music and effects are also nicely tuned to the point that they greatly complement the gameplay. The visual design in Splatoon Raiders is also great, offering a gritter and salvaged aesthetic rather than an urban one, like in the original Splatoon series. Although the visuals complement the new setting well, it can still feel underwhelming not to see any turf-war vibe in a Splatoon game. With the new aesthetics, the animations for ink effects and gadgets feel lethal. Overall, the playful color palette has a darker, machinery-like tone, which heightens the sense of survival and exploration.

Verdict – Score 9/10

Splatoon Raiders is an amazing game at its core, providing a brand-new single-player adventure with PVE experience. Although it does not offer any turf-war PVP content, the co-op mode makes it more fun to enjoy the adventure with your friends. The Splatoon’s signature inking charm and looter-shooter structure are blended well, making it one of the best spin-off titles. Another great factor of this game is the performance. It runs at 60 FPS both in handheld and docked modes, providing a smooth experience at all times. If you are someone who is a fan of the Splatoon series, then Splatoon Raiders is a must-try.

Splatoon Raiders is now available exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2.