Video games news, releases, esports and culture — all the biggest gaming stories in one place.
Round Up: “Incredibly Compelling” – The Splatoon Raiders Reviews Are In
Splatoon Raiders, Nintendo's new single-player-focused spin-off with multiplayer options for Switch 2, launches on 23rd July, and review outlets have published their verdicts ahead of release. The reception has been strongly positive across the board, with critics praising the PvE loot-shooter format for successfully reworking the series' signature ink-based combat into a fresh, replayable structure. This bodes well for the game's commercial and critical prospects as Nintendo continues to expand the Switch 2 library with spin-offs of established franchises.
Nintendo Life's own review, by Alex Olney, awarded the game 9/10, praising its variety, accessibility and value for money despite lacking the series' iconic Turf War mode. Other outlets have been similarly complimentary: Pocket Tactics gave a perfect 10/10, IGN scored it 9/10 and called it "the best Splatoon campaign yet", while Tech Radar Gaming (5/5) and Games Radar+ (4/5) both highlighted the strength of its single-player PvE take on the formula. Slightly more measured but still highly positive scores came from Game Informer (8.75/10) and Destructoid (8.5/10), with reviewers consistently citing satisfying progression systems, build variety and a compelling gameplay loop as standout features.
In short
- Splatoon Raiders reviews are overwhelmingly positive ahead of 23rd July launch
- Nintendo Life scored it 9/10; IGN also gave 9/10
- Pocket Tactics awarded a perfect 10/10; praise for loot-shooter PvE format
Explained simply
Splatoon is a Nintendo game series built around teams of colourful characters who use ink in fast-paced battles. Its best-known mode, Turf War, has players compete to cover the most ground in their team’s colour.
Nintendo is expanding the series with Splatoon Raiders, a spin-off designed mainly for solo play, with multiplayer options. It adapts the ink-based combat into a format where players take on computer-controlled opponents, collect loot and improve their equipment.
The game is part of Nintendo’s growing line-up for Switch 2, and shows how the company is developing established series in new directions. Its focus on a campaign gives players an alternative to the team battles that have defined Splatoon.