Key Takeaways

  • Splatoon Raiders is Nintendo’s first real solo focused entry in the series, and the reviews that dropped this week are genuinely strong.
  • It plays like Salmon Run and Side Order had a kid, with smart mission design and a progression loop that reviewers are calling one of the best on Switch 2 right now.
  • It won’t blow your mind as a piece of hardware showcase, but as a game you actually sit down and play, it delivers.

Jump to:

What Splatoon Raiders Actually Is

Splatoon has always been a multiplayer series first. Splatoon Raiders flips that. You play a mechanic, either Inkling or Octoling, teamed up with Deep Cut, and you’re out running missions across the Spirhalite Islands. You splat enemies, dig up treasure, gear up your character, and grind through waves of Salmonids for salvage. It’s built to be played solo, though you can bring up to three friends along online or over local wireless if you want company.

It launched physically on July 23 as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, and it’s already sitting at the top of Google’s trending searches today. That’s not nothing for a spin-off of a series that built its whole identity on ranked multiplayer.

What the Reviews Are Saying

I went through what critics have posted so far and the consensus is better than I expected going in. Nintendo Life called it a wonderful solo reinvention of the series, praising the mission design and how satisfying the progression systems feel. TechRadar went further, calling it a must-play for anyone who already owns a Switch 2, pointing specifically at how the game blends the best parts of Salmon Run and Side Order into something that feels both familiar and new.

The shooting mechanics that made the multiplayer side of Splatoon great carry over just fine here, and reviewers are saying it might be the most flexible entry the series has offered, catering to a wide range of playstyles instead of forcing you into one lane.

Nintendo’s release date trailer for Splatoon Raiders.

It’s not a perfect scorecard. The common knock across reviews is that Raiders doesn’t push the series forward in any big structural way. Levels aren’t noticeably bigger than what you got in previous Splatoon games, and there’s no mouse control support even though the Switch 2 hardware supports it. For a game meant to show off a new console, it plays it a little safe on the technical side.

Is It Worth Your Money

If you already own a Switch 2, yeah, I’d grab this. I’ve been burned before by “solo spin-off” games that feel like a multiplayer mode with the fun stripped out, and this doesn’t sound like that at all. This sounds like Nintendo actually built a real single-player campaign around mechanics people already loved, which is harder to pull off than it sounds.

I already checked and the physical edition is on Amazon and currently discounted down from the usual $60. If you’re the type who likes a real copy on the shelf instead of a download code, now’s a decent time to grab it.

My only real hesitation is the same one the critics have. This isn’t the type of game that makes you go tell your friends the Switch 2 hardware is a monster. It’s just a genuinely well made game that happens to run on it. Some days that’s exactly what I want anyway. Not every release needs to be a tech demo. Some of them just need to be fun for twenty hours, and this one sounds like it clears that bar easily.

If you liked what Nintendo did reworking a classic for this console, it’s worth comparing notes with my Star Fox Switch 2 review from earlier this year. Different series, same pattern of Nintendo taking something people already trust and finding a smart new angle into it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Splatoon Raiders single-player only?

No. It’s built around a solo campaign but supports up to three additional players online or via local wireless if you want to play with friends.

What review scores has Splatoon Raiders gotten?

Early reviews from outlets like Nintendo Life and TechRadar have been strongly positive, praising the mission design and progression systems, with the main criticism being that it plays it safe rather than pushing the series forward.

Is Splatoon Raiders a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive?

Yes, it’s exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.

How much does Splatoon Raiders cost?

The physical edition retails for $60 and the digital version is $50, though the physical copy has been discounted on Amazon.