Splatoon Raiders takes Nintendo’s colourful competitive-shooter formula and builds a much larger single-player adventure around it. Rather than treating its campaign as a supporting mode, this Nintendo Switch 2 release makes mission-based action the main event.
The result is a fast, inventive and consistently enjoyable shooter. Its story and visual variety do not always match the quality of its mechanics, but the movement, weapons, enemies and customisation make it remarkably easy to keep playing.
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A colourful adventure with a strange premise
The game follows three treasure hunters who also perform as a band, accompanied by a pilot who has taken on mechanical duties. Their search for valuable loot leads them across a chain of deserted islands occupied by Salmonids, intelligent creatures from the same world as Inklings and Octolings.
That setup creates an uncomfortable contradiction. The Salmonids have a recognisable culture, complete with art, music and society, yet they are generally treated as monsters to be defeated with ink weapons. The game remains playful and deliberately silly, but its explanation for this conflict is not especially satisfying.
The central story is otherwise pleasant rather than substantial. Shiver, Frye and Big Man are entertaining companions with huge personalities, even if their characterisation remains fairly shallow. Their energy helps the finale land effectively, despite the plot not offering much depth along the way.
Hidden collectible scrolls provide plenty of material for fans interested in the wider Splatoon universe. The connections between those discoveries may be difficult to follow, but lore-focused players should find plenty to investigate.
Familiar locations, limited variety
The islands are divided into roughly 50 stages, but their environments draw from a fairly short list of themes: sandy beaches, a glacier, a volcano, a cave and a temple. Those visual styles return repeatedly, making the world feel more like a sequence of themed arenas than a fully lived-in place.
Fashion and music are also weaker than expected for a series where both have traditionally been central. There are not enough clothing options, while the soundtrack leans heavily into deliberately unconventional percussion. The explanation for the pots-and-pans approach is clever, but much of the music does not leave a strong impression. The final boss theme is a notable exception.
Mission design keeps the campaign moving
The strongest part of Splatoon Raiders is playing it. The obstacle-course stages familiar from earlier single-player content return, including some genuinely demanding challenges, but they now sit alongside a much broader selection of missions.
- Objective-driven expeditions
- Timed battles against enemy waves
- Open areas where defeating enemies fills a progress meter
- Small and large boss encounters
- Stages built around escalating combinations of familiar enemies
Enemy placement is particularly effective. Some encounters are designed to make you immediately reassess the battlefield, especially when pot-lid snipers begin taking aim from elevated positions. Those threats become priorities because ignoring them can quickly turn a manageable fight into chaos.
The game’s visual humour is equally strong. Weapons and armour are assembled from discarded human objects, giving every loadout a wonderfully improvised quality. A dish-soap bottle functioning as an ink gun is exactly the kind of strange, tactile detail that makes the world memorable.
Designed for movement, not cover
Traditional shooters often encourage players to shelter behind cover and fire from safety. Splatoon Raiders largely rejects that approach. Most arenas are flat or gently sloped, and enemy groups push directly into your space.
Spraying ink can technically create routes and surfaces for movement, but it does not make you safe. Enemies can still track and hit you while you swim, and certain snipers can fire through walls. The design repeatedly encourages you to stay mobile and confront danger instead of waiting behind protection.
That aggressive structure may not suit every build. Chargers and other long-range weapons can support a more defensive approach, while the tactical ink tank appears designed for players who prefer distance over raw power or speed. In practice, the limited cover makes constant movement feel like the natural solution.
Upgrades reinforce that momentum. One late-game setup allowed attacks to ignite anything touched while swimming, while another defensive gadget surrounded the player with several swirling rings of damage. These additions can turn close-range danger into an opportunity to clear space rapidly.
Build customisation adds real variety
Weapons, gadgets and parts can be combined in a wide range of builds. The system leaves enough room for experimentation that players are likely to discover unusual tricks and powerful combinations long after finishing the main campaign.
The core controls are the real star. Swimming, jumping and shooting all feel immediate, while ink spreads across floors, walls and enemies with satisfying visual and audio feedback. When several gadgets are activated before unleashing heavy firepower, the resulting burst of destruction is especially rewarding.
The campaign also includes a surprisingly strong co-operative mode. Almost the entire story can be completed with friends, making the game appealing whether you prefer a solo run or a shared adventure.
Small frustrations in an otherwise strong package
A handful of design choices prevent the campaign from feeling completely polished:
- Stages would benefit from a retry button.
- Companions never learn the player character’s name.
- Rollers can feel underpowered.
- Slow swimming in ink cannot be used as a stealth option.
- More stages should allow backtracking for missed collectibles.
- Relationship conversations with the main trio lack meaningful substance.
The visual repetition, limited fashion range and uneven music are more noticeable over time, but they rarely interrupt the fun. The campaign runs for approximately 15 to 20 hours, and a playthrough that completes the story and most side missions still leaves substantial post-game content.
Splatoon Raiders review verdict
Splatoon Raiders launched for Nintendo Switch 2 on 23 July 2026. It is a third-person shooter developed by Nintendo, and the campaign took roughly 20 hours to complete alongside most side missions.
Back-of-the-box quote: “You’re tellin me a squid fried this rice?!”
The story’s treatment of the Salmonids is awkward, and the environments could use more variety. Fashion options and music also fall short of the series’ usual standards. Yet those shortcomings fade beside the speed, precision and sheer satisfaction of the action.
This is a shooter that feels excellent from the first movement through to the most hectic late-game encounters. It works alone, it works in co-op, and its customisation system should give players plenty to explore after the campaign ends.
Anyone considering an arcade setup for fast action games can also explore the Upright Arcades range, browse compact bartop cabinets, or use the Arcade Machine Buying Guide before choosing a machine.
Verdict: A joyful, energetic single-player expansion of the Splatoon formula that prioritises superb movement and combat over story depth or environmental variety.
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