Splatoon Raiders, the first action RPG spin-off from Nintendo's Splatoon series, has been reviewed by IGN and praised as the strongest campaign the franchise has produced. Unlike the mainline games, it drops competitive multiplayer entirely in favour of a solo-focused loop of building characters, tackling varied stages and collecting loot, which the reviewer found compelling for over 40 hours of play. This matters because it shows Nintendo successfully adapting Splatoon's core mechanics into a new genre, and the game is shaping up to be one of the strongest titles on Switch 2 so far.

The game follows Splatoon 3 characters Shiver, Frye and Big Man as they travel to the Spirhalite Islands to hunt treasure and pay off Splatsville's debt by fighting Salmonid enemies. Players control a customisable Inkling or Octoling called the Mechanic, who crafts scrappy, homemade-looking versions of the series' 11 weapon types. A new addition, "Gadgets", offers separate equipment split into Speed, Power and Tactical classes, adding fresh tactical options such as mobility tools and heavy-damage attacks. The campaign runs around 18 hours and is due for release on 23 July, priced at $59.99.