Splatoon Raiders, released for Nintendo Switch 2 on 23 July, is positioned as a single-player offshoot of Nintendo’s Turf War–style Splatoon franchise, but it is designed to work best with other players. Reviewers describe it as an inky, paint-themed action game that shifts away from competitive multiplayer toward cooperative mission play. The game casts players against fishlike enemies using a variety of weapons and gadgets, with sessions beginning on a hideout ship where players can upgrade equipment and adjust their approach before taking on short, repeatable missions.
Polygon characterizes the gameplay as a deeper action RPG-like experience that goes beyond expectations, while The Guardian says the single-player experience can feel run-of-the-mill despite the franchise’s usual personality and creativity. The New York Times highlights the emphasis on fighting enemies rather than competitive multiplayer. A separate developer discussion reports the game originally took shape as a base-defense concept before evolving into a faster spin-off with a strong sense of action.
