Splatoon Raiders marks a significant departure for the popular franchise, pivoting from its signature team-based multiplayer chaos to a dedicated campaign adventure. This new direction sees players embarking on a quest across mysterious islands, seeking treasure and a way back home.
With the removal of competitive multiplayer modes, Splatoon Raiders allows players to engage with its objectives at their own pace. The campaign can be tackled solo or with others via online co-op. For players primarily interested in completing the main story, an average playthrough is estimated to take between 15 to 18 hours. This timeframe includes engaging with a moderate amount of optional content, such as collecting additional outfits, experimenting with various weapon modifications, and hunting for hidden Salmonid Relics.
The game offers three difficulty settings that will influence completion time: Tourist (Easy), Raider (Medium), and Survivalist (Hard). Those aiming for full completion, which involves collecting every weapon, gadget, outfit, and Salmonid Relic, will find the playtime considerably extended. After finishing the main campaign, a challenging endgame awaits. This post-game content requires players to consistently upgrade their gear and prepare thoroughly for each raid, easily pushing the total playtime past the 40-hour mark.
Beyond the structured content, a core appeal of Splatoon Raiders lies in its cooperative elements. Players can assist others with their powerful gear, taking on increasingly difficult challenges together. This social aspect, combined with the pursuit of new loot and stronger equipment, offers the potential for dozens of additional hours of gameplay for those who enjoy the core loop.
Splatoon Raiders is available exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2.