Over the past decade, Splatoon established itself as one of Nintendo's most creative new intellectual properties. Its genius lies in paint-splattered turf wars where covering ground is just as valuable as aiming accuracy. Combine that mechanics-driven design with vibrant characters and an unmatched hip aesthetic, and you have a modern classic.
Image Credit: NintendoHowever, Splatoon Raiders—the franchise's first dedicated spinoff for the Nintendo Switch 2—struggles to live up to that reputation. Positioned as a single-player focused entry, this new title trades innovation for familiar cooperative shooter mechanics, leaving gamers with a surprisingly pedestrian adventure.
Gameplay Mechanics and Co-Op Design
While marketed as a solo campaign, Splatoon Raiders is built primarily for four-player cooperative play. Players launch into action from a central hideout ship, tweaking playstyles, upgrading gear, and setting off on repeatable, bite-sized missions. Whether you team up with close friends or jump in with strangers, the core goal is crafting your ultimate chaotic squid-kid avatar.
Playing solo quickly reveals the game's structural shortcomings. Levels are straightforwardly designed to keep groups together, lacking the clever spatial puzzles and creative tool mechanics that made mainline entries so rewarding.
Gear Progression and Gadget Synergies
Where the game does manage to shine is in its equipment progression. Splatoon has always featured playful and goofy weaponry, but Raiders expands on this by introducing a suite of augmentable gadgets.
As your options accrete and mission difficulty ramps up, putting together complementary kit loadouts brings the combat loop to life.
Unfortunately, reaching that engaging rhythm requires significant patience. The game takes a long time to demonstrate how dramatically a well-tuned kit changes the experience, forcing players through repetitive mission loops before the gameplay truly clicks.
Story and World-Building Misses
Franchise veterans may also find the narrative lacking. In a series famous for dropping bizarre lore about human-cephalopod evolution and post-climate apocalypse earth, the story here feels oddly muted:
- You play as an unnamed mechanic stranded on a mysterious archipelago.
- You are paired alongside the returning fan-favorite band Deep Cut from Splatoon 3.
The minimal plot lacks emotional investment and fails to leverage the rich world-building the series is known for.
The Verdict: A Uniquely Pedestrian Experience
The Splatoon franchise has always represented Nintendo at its most daring and offbeat. In contrast, Splatoon Raiders feels like a conservative attempt to make a unique property feel more conventional. If you have played modern cooperative action games, the loop will feel instantly familiar:
- Comparing weapon stats and continuously upgrading gear.
- Designing ability synergies to grind through overwhelming enemy hordes.
- Watching difficult challenges become trivial as stats and arsenals expand.
Releasing on 23 July at £41.99, Splatoon Raiders struggles to stand out in a crowded market. While ink-splattering mechanics provide occasional fun, the overall experience ultimately feels too much like watching paint dry.
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