Raiding has never felt this fresh
By Paul Hunter
Splatoon has always understood that a shooter can take itself seriously without looking serious. Nintendo built the series around bright ink, strange fashion, catchy music, and matches that focus just as much on fast, fluid movement as they do accurate aim.
Splatoon Raiders, developed and published by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch 2, moves us beyond competitive multiplayer into a full PvE campaign against computer-controlled threats, either solo or online with up to threee buddies. Instead of treating campaign action as a break between competitive sessions, Nintendo has given us a full-blown story spanning dozens of missions across multiple island regions.
Has Splatoon found its next big catch? Let’s find out!
You play as The Mechanic, the helicopter pilot taking Deep Cut to the archipelago. A violent storm brings the aircraft down before the group reaches its destination, leaving everyone stranded far from home with no immediate way to leave.
Deep Cut responds by building a floating hideout from the wreckage. The base gives the crew somewhere to recover, compare clues, and plan the next part of its search. Exploration Bot, a small robot assisting the expedition, also joins the group as it follows the loot trail across the islands.
Salmonids, the fish-like enemies previously encountered throughout the Splatoon series, control much of the islands' territory. Salmonids both big and small are the threat standing between Deep Cut and the centre of the archipelago, where the mystery behind the Legendary Loot is being held.
I loved how much time the campaign gives Deep Cut through cutscenes and dialogue moments. Their conversations let the band trio react to each discovery in their own comedic way, and it's fun to see The Mechanic gradually become part of their group. Even with everyone stranded, their friendship keeps the treasure hunt lighthearted and playful.
One Deep Cut member, called a Bot Buddy, supports you during solo raids from the Exploration Bot, a small walker that fires at nearby enemies. It can also launch The Mechanic upwards, providing access to higher platforms or an escape when Salmonids surround the ground below. Your Bot can drill crystal chucks as well, breaking them into smaller collectible pieces you'll use as currency on the island.
Each Raid is a self-contained mission built around different objectives, such as following a direct path towards an endpoint, or requiring Power Eggs, resources Salmondis drop during battle, to operate the Exploration Bot’s drill. Timed stages demand require proper planning and strategies, while smaller dungeons often teach you how to use Gadgets through a focused challenge.
This time there are different coloured Ink Tanks (Speed, Power, Tactical) you can equip that determines which Gadgets you can equip and bring into raids. These rechargeable tools support combat or movement, like deploying a portable turret to splat enemies or a jump bomb to leap with explosive force. Since each Gadget has a cooldown, using it at the right moment matters.
You'll gain levels as you progress, which increases your weapon damage and max HP. Gadget Parts that you acquire one raids can improve a tool’s statistics or change how it behaves (example by extending its range or duration), while Relics attach to the Ink Tank and provide additional bonuses. Completing Raids supplies the XP, materials, equipment, and parts needed to take on tougher missions.
Three difficulty choices support different skill levels, while Spicy difficulty (which unlocks later) remixes completed stages with revised enemy groups and better rewards. Online co-op supports up to four players across Raids, and completing a mission advances it in each person’s campaign while preserving their individual difficulty choice. Call for Help also lets you request temporary one-time online assistance for a specifically challenging raid.
It's just as fun to ink up all the raid levels as it is during Turf Wars in the previous games. Inking up sand, stone, metals, and machinery become is fun when everything turns your colour, plus your painted routes remain easy to spot when several Salmonids crowd the area and you need a strategic retreat.
Stronger Salmonids visibly show thicker layers of salt across their bodies, which is a bit funny but also quite useful as they're easy to spot. I also appreciated the tremendous amount of detail that went into the many Salmonid bosses you'll battle on your way to acquiring the Legendary Loot.
The soundtrack draws from the catchy percussion and unusual vocals associated with Salmon Run, the cooperative mode that first placed Salmonids at the centre of the action. Victory music also changes according to the Deep Cut member operating the Exploration Bot, giving each successful Raid a unique character-specific finish.
Splatoon Raiders targets 60 frames per second in handheld and TV play and it runs super smooth. You'll see higher resolution in docked (dynamic 1440p), whereas handheld mode is native 1080p and still looks fantastic.
All in all, the varied island environments, expressive character animation, distinctive music, and stable performance give Raiders a solid presentation that supports the expedition.
Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
By Paul Hunter
Splatoon has always understood that a shooter can take itself seriously without looking serious. Nintendo built the series around bright ink, strange fashion, catchy music, and matches that focus just as much on fast, fluid movement as they do accurate aim.
Splatoon Raiders, developed and published by Nintendo for Nintendo Switch 2, moves us beyond competitive multiplayer into a full PvE campaign against computer-controlled threats, either solo or online with up to threee buddies. Instead of treating campaign action as a break between competitive sessions, Nintendo has given us a full-blown story spanning dozens of missions across multiple island regions.
Has Splatoon found its next big catch? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
The campaign centres on Deep Cut, the musical trio of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man introduced in Splatoon 3. Rumours of Legendary Loot draw the group towards the remote Spirhalite Islands to begin their latest treasure hunt.You play as The Mechanic, the helicopter pilot taking Deep Cut to the archipelago. A violent storm brings the aircraft down before the group reaches its destination, leaving everyone stranded far from home with no immediate way to leave.
Deep Cut responds by building a floating hideout from the wreckage. The base gives the crew somewhere to recover, compare clues, and plan the next part of its search. Exploration Bot, a small robot assisting the expedition, also joins the group as it follows the loot trail across the islands.
Salmonids, the fish-like enemies previously encountered throughout the Splatoon series, control much of the islands' territory. Salmonids both big and small are the threat standing between Deep Cut and the centre of the archipelago, where the mystery behind the Legendary Loot is being held.
I loved how much time the campaign gives Deep Cut through cutscenes and dialogue moments. Their conversations let the band trio react to each discovery in their own comedic way, and it's fun to see The Mechanic gradually become part of their group. Even with everyone stranded, their friendship keeps the treasure hunt lighthearted and playful.
Gameplay and Mechanics
As The Mechanic, much like in the previous Splatoon games you'll use a main weapon and sub-weapon (now called Gadgets) to cover Salmonids and nearby surfaces with ink. Transforming into squid form lets you swim quickly through your ink, refilling your weapon at the same time, and you can once again use ink to climb painted walls.One Deep Cut member, called a Bot Buddy, supports you during solo raids from the Exploration Bot, a small walker that fires at nearby enemies. It can also launch The Mechanic upwards, providing access to higher platforms or an escape when Salmonids surround the ground below. Your Bot can drill crystal chucks as well, breaking them into smaller collectible pieces you'll use as currency on the island.
Each Raid is a self-contained mission built around different objectives, such as following a direct path towards an endpoint, or requiring Power Eggs, resources Salmondis drop during battle, to operate the Exploration Bot’s drill. Timed stages demand require proper planning and strategies, while smaller dungeons often teach you how to use Gadgets through a focused challenge.
This time there are different coloured Ink Tanks (Speed, Power, Tactical) you can equip that determines which Gadgets you can equip and bring into raids. These rechargeable tools support combat or movement, like deploying a portable turret to splat enemies or a jump bomb to leap with explosive force. Since each Gadget has a cooldown, using it at the right moment matters.
You'll gain levels as you progress, which increases your weapon damage and max HP. Gadget Parts that you acquire one raids can improve a tool’s statistics or change how it behaves (example by extending its range or duration), while Relics attach to the Ink Tank and provide additional bonuses. Completing Raids supplies the XP, materials, equipment, and parts needed to take on tougher missions.
Three difficulty choices support different skill levels, while Spicy difficulty (which unlocks later) remixes completed stages with revised enemy groups and better rewards. Online co-op supports up to four players across Raids, and completing a mission advances it in each person’s campaign while preserving their individual difficulty choice. Call for Help also lets you request temporary one-time online assistance for a specifically challenging raid.
Presentation and Audio
The Spirhalite Islands mix tropical coastlines and underground caverns with ancient ruins, abandoned industrial machinery, and unexpected food-inspired details like kitchenware and utensils. Weapons built from salvaged ocean materials looks just a funny as they are dangerous, like a shrimp paint roller or sippy-cup dualies.It's just as fun to ink up all the raid levels as it is during Turf Wars in the previous games. Inking up sand, stone, metals, and machinery become is fun when everything turns your colour, plus your painted routes remain easy to spot when several Salmonids crowd the area and you need a strategic retreat.
Stronger Salmonids visibly show thicker layers of salt across their bodies, which is a bit funny but also quite useful as they're easy to spot. I also appreciated the tremendous amount of detail that went into the many Salmonid bosses you'll battle on your way to acquiring the Legendary Loot.
The soundtrack draws from the catchy percussion and unusual vocals associated with Salmon Run, the cooperative mode that first placed Salmonids at the centre of the action. Victory music also changes according to the Deep Cut member operating the Exploration Bot, giving each successful Raid a unique character-specific finish.
Splatoon Raiders targets 60 frames per second in handheld and TV play and it runs super smooth. You'll see higher resolution in docked (dynamic 1440p), whereas handheld mode is native 1080p and still looks fantastic.
All in all, the varied island environments, expressive character animation, distinctive music, and stable performance give Raiders a solid presentation that supports the expedition.
The Verdict
Splatoon Raiders places Deep Cut at the centre of a fantastic adventure and gives the series’ ink combat a rewarding campaign structure that can be played solo or cooperative multiplayer. I loved following the group across the Spirhalite Islands, improving my ink arsenal, and taking on increasingly-challenging Raids with higher stats and better loadouts. The colourful setting and energetic soundtrack exude Splatoon’s personality, and it's one of the best presentations yet for a Nintendo Switch 2 game. Splatoon Raiders is easily on par with Donkey Kong Bananza as my favourite release yet on Nintendo's new console, with plenty to offer longtime fans and newcomers alike.Final Score: 9/10 - Amazing
Splatoon Raiders details
Platform: Nintendo Switch 2Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Third-Person Shooter, Action Role-Playing
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer