Splatoon Raiders is a spiffy singleplayer Switch 2 win

Splatoon Raiders is a spiffy singleplayer makeover for Nintendo's ink-slinging series: a Switch 2 exclusive that ditches ranked multiplayer for breezy story missions, explosive tank-and-gadget build-crafting, and smartly balanced co-op loot runs, earning a 4.1 from Mashable and ranking among the platform's most purely fun moment-to-moment games. For fans priced out of competitive lobbies since the Wii U era, that shift is the whole point.

Key Takeaways

• Splatoon Raiders is the first single-player-focused entry in the decade-old series and a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.
• It blends story-mode stages, Salmon Run–style combat intensity, and Side Order–like customization into one campaign.
• Build-crafting with tanks and gadgets is the star; fashion and music land weaker than mainline Splatoon.
• Almost every level supports up to four-player co-op with dynamic difficulty and personal loot.
• Mashable scored it 4.1, praising moment-to-moment fun while noting a relatively short campaign.

What is Splatoon Raiders, and why does it matter now?

Since Splatoon debuted on Wii U in 2015, the franchise has lived or died on competitive turf wars. Mashable's Alex Perry admits that jumping back into Splatoon 3 still means facing lobbies full of players who are simply too good for casual fun.

That is why Splatoon Raiders matters for anyone following Nintendo's nostalgia then-and-now arc: it keeps the series' squid-kid fantasy while removing the ranked pressure that shut many players out. You still spread ink, swim in your color to refill ammo and health, and aim with the same best-in-class gyro controls as prior games.

What changes is the mission. Competitive multiplayer is gone. In its place is a hand-crafted progression of levels that feel, in Perry's words, like overgrown DLC that somehow became a full game—and one of the most purely fun Switch 2 experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.

For the full critical breakdown, see Mashable's Splatoon Raiders review.

How does the single-player campaign actually play?

Raiders synthesizes the best non-competitive side modes from earlier titles. Level design and boss fights echo classic story campaigns. Combat flow borrows the intensity of Salmon Run from Splatoon 2 and 3. Variable character customization nods to Splatoon 3's Side Order DLC.

Some missions are linear blends of 3D platforming and shooting. Others open up around collecting money and loot. Most stages take little more than five minutes, which helps when you need to replay for upgrades. Perry spent about 15 hours without getting bored or itching for a new loop.

There is a story, mostly an excuse to hang out with series regulars Shiver, Frye, and The Big Man. Lore fans may chew on it; Perry did not find it especially engrossing. The draw is the gameplay rhythm, not the cutscenes.

Mashable's scorecard backs that vibe: Vibes/Charm 4, Gameplay 4, Performance 5, Bang for the Buck 3.5. Pros include breezy, replayable levels, versatile upgrades, freer weapon experimentation than ranked Splatoon, and tightly balanced co-op. Cons include a relatively short campaign, a soundtrack that is not Perry's series favorite, and fashion that feels weak by Splatoon standards.

Why is customization the real hook in Splatoon Raiders?

Aesthetic dress-up is basic—a smattering of unlockable outfits that lean greaseball-mechanic rather than streetwise snapback chic. Gameplay customization is where Raiders wins players over.

Your protagonist steadily gains health and damage. You equip one of three tanks—Tactical, Speed, or Power—each with cooldown gadgets. The Tactical Tank, for example, can place an automatic turret, with further gadgets locked to that tank type.

Later, gadget customization lets several tools fire the moment you hit an enemy. By the last third of the story, Perry described multiple turrets popping out on hit until the avatar became a walking death machine with little shooting required.

That endgame power fantasy felt roughly like finishing Hades or Risk of Rain 2, except with persistent progression instead of roguelike resets. Because stakes are solo, you can try an exploding grappling hook and ink katana without fretting about letting a ranked team down—exactly the spiffy singleplayer freedom the keyphrase promises.

Can you still play Splatoon Raiders with friends?

Nintendo markets Raiders as a single-player experience, and it works that way. Almost every level also supports up to three other players in co-op.

Difficulty balancing is the standout design call. In one session, a level-42 story-complete character dropped in with a level-10 partner; the game dynamically adjusted numbers so combat felt right for everyone without arbitrarily buffing or nerfing anyone. Each player also receives level-appropriate loot, so sessions stay productive as well as fun.

A Call For Help option on the level-select screen can matchmake with players who flagged themselves available to assist—similar to Monster Hunter co-op. Perry did not personally test that feature during the review window but praised the co-op design decisions seen in a demo with other reviewers.

Music and fashion remain the clearest misses versus mainline Splatoon: stranger, less hummable audio direction, and fewer fresh fits. Even so, Perry groups Raiders with other 2026 Switch 2 surprises like Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and Pokémon Pokopia—experimental franchise spins worth playing while fans wait on the next big Mario or Zelda.

Bottom line: if you want bright ink chaos, meters filling, and upgrades after every short stage without ranked sweat, Splatoon Raiders is built for you.