Splatoon Raiders Review Round-up: A Fresh Solo Spin That Still Plays It Safe
Critics liked the ink-driven action, gadgets, and eerie island style, while noting that Raiders is not a radical reinvention.
- Developer
- Nintendo EPD
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Release Date
- July 23, 2026
egg.network has not played Splatoon Raiders. This review round-up is built from published critic reviews and official details, linked at the end. The score is the critics' aggregate, not our own.
Critical consensus
Splatoon Raiders arrives as the first spinoff in the Splatoon series, and critics broadly treated it as a successful side step rather than a full shake-up. With a Metacritic aggregate of 82/100, the response sits firmly in generally positive territory: reviewers praised the familiar ink-based action, the new gadget system, and the moodier art direction of the Spirhalite Islands, while also pointing to a lack of innovation as the main ceiling on the game.
The big critical takeaway is that Raiders works because it understands what already makes Splatoon distinct. Critics continued to respond well to ink as both ammunition and movement tool, with combat and navigation tied together through the same core system. The shift toward a primarily single-player, story-focused structure was viewed as the defining difference from the multiplayer-centric mainline games, giving Nintendo room to reshape the series around exploration, dungeon layouts, enemy drops, and Deep Cut’s role in the adventure.
At the same time, reviews did not frame Raiders as a total reinvention. The looter-shooter elements, random weapon drops, returning weapon classes, Salmonid encounters, and dungeon categories gave critics plenty to discuss, but the common criticism was that the game builds on known Splatoon ideas more than it pushes the series somewhere completely unexpected.
What critics say works
Critics were most positive about the moment-to-moment gameplay. Raiders keeps the series’ ink economy intact: ink functions as ammunition, a way to replenish resources, and a movement system that lets players swim through their own colour while enemy ink slows them down. That loop, according to the overall reception, remains the game’s strongest foundation.
The gadget system was another major point of praise. Reviews highlighted how gadgets replace the sub-weapon structure from previous games and give the player more specialised movement and combat options. The three ink tanks create different playstyles: Speed Tank for mobility, Power Tank for aggression, and Tactical Tank for more strategic fighting. Critics singled out this system as one of the clearest ways Raiders differentiates itself within the series.
The wider combat structure also gave critics a lot to like. The game features more than 100 weapons across eleven returning classes, with weapons obtained randomly from defeated enemies. Reviews described this looter-shooter influence as a meaningful change for a series usually defined by competitive multiplayer loadouts. The presence of Lesser Salmonids, Boss Salmonids, and stronger Seasoned Salmonids helped frame the game around repeated combat encounters and reward chasing.
Art direction also landed strongly. Critics praised the look and tone of the Spirhalite Islands, which were developed away from a simple tropical resort feel into something more derelict and unsettling. That darker island atmosphere appears to be one of Raiders’ biggest identity wins, especially because it supports the treasure-hunting setup and the more mysterious Salmonid civilisation material found across the story.
Deep Cut’s expanded role was another positive angle. Shiver, Frye, and Big Man accompany the player’s mechanic character, pilot the Exploration Bot, assist in combat, provide powerful special abilities, and help drive the story. Critics saw Raiders as a chance for these characters to receive more focus than they had in Splatoon 3’s single-player campaign.
What critics say does not work
The main criticism is straightforward: reviewers found Raiders short on innovation. Even with the spinoff structure, gadget loadouts, randomised weapon rewards, and single-player focus, critics did not treat it as a bold break from Splatoon’s established identity.
That criticism matters because Raiders clearly borrows from multiple familiar directions. Its foundation still comes from Splatoon’s ink shooting and swimming. Its enemy focus grows out of Salmon Run. Its looter-shooter elements rely on random weapon rewards from defeated enemies. Its experimental streak follows the design philosophy associated with Octo Expansion and Side Order. Critics generally appreciated that combination, but the consensus suggests the blend feels evolutionary rather than revolutionary.
The dungeon variety also sounds more functional than shocking. Raiders includes linear objective stages, open-ended island areas built around collecting power eggs, timed multi-floor dungeons, contained Salmonid arenas, and gadget tutorial gauntlets. Reviews treated this structure as part of a solid package, though not enough to fully escape the broader criticism that the game lacks a stronger sense of surprise.
Story and structure
Critics described Raiders as a story-focused spinoff set on the remote Spirhalite Islands. The player takes the role of a mechanic travelling with Deep Cut in search of treasure after Splatsville accumulates a massive debt and reports emerge of the islands resurfacing. The group crash-lands after being pulled toward a golden glow and a spiralling storm, then builds a base called the Hideout Ship.
From there, the adventure moves through Salmonid-controlled areas, ancient relics, scattered documents from a previous explorer, and mysteries surrounding the islands’ gold, Salmonid civilisation, and the Salmonarch. Critics’ positive response to the art direction fits this setup: Raiders seems most distinctive when it leans into the eerie distance of the Spirhalite Islands and the strange local variety of Salmonids that worship the Salmonarch.
What matters for Malaysian and SEA players
For Malaysian and SEA players, the practical headline is simple: Splatoon Raiders is listed for Switch and released on July 23, 2026. It is primarily single-player and story-focused, unlike the multiplayer-centric mainline entries, but it also includes cooperative play for up to four players locally or online, with difficulty adjusted based on player count.
That makes the critical consensus especially relevant for players who usually associate Splatoon with multiplayer. Critics found the solo-first approach successful enough to recommend attention, while the co-op option keeps some shared-play appeal intact.
Who it is for
Critics’ verdict points to Raiders being best suited for Splatoon fans who want a story-led detour, players who enjoy ink-based traversal and combat, and newcomers looking for a more approachable entry point into the series. The gadget system and Exploration Bot support a more flexible style of play, while the weapon drops and dungeon formats give the campaign a broader action-RPG rhythm.
Players looking for a radical reinvention may come away less impressed. Reviews liked Raiders, but the consensus is clear: this is a polished, confident spinoff with smart systems and strong style, not the game that completely rewrites what Splatoon can be.
Sources
Pros
- Critics praised the core ink-based shooting and movement loop
- The gadget system was widely seen as the standout twist
- Reviews responded well to the derelict Spirhalite Islands art direction
Cons
- Critics criticised the lack of innovation
- The looter-shooter structure was framed as familiar rather than transformative
- Some of its strongest ideas build on established Splatoon concepts
Final Verdict
With an 82/100 Metacritic aggregate, Splatoon Raiders landed as a generally positive spinoff. Critics found its single-player focus, gadget-driven combat, and unsettling island atmosphere effective, even if the overall package was not seen as a major reinvention.