Splatoon Raiders arrives exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on Thursday, July 23, with reviews from media outlets across the globe sharing a positive response for the most part. Splatoon Raiders is the first official spin-off of the Splatoon franchise, as players assume the role of a Mechanic and assist the Deep Cut trio from Splatoon 3 on a new adventure.
The upcoming launch of Splatoon Raiders will come nearly four years after the arrival of Splatoon 3. Splatoon Raiders was first revealed via the Nintendo Today app in June 2025, just days after the Switch 2 hit store shelves. Unlike the numbered entries in the Splatoon series so far, Splatoon Raiders is primarily a single-player experience. A set of new Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 controllers based on Shiver and Frye from Deep Cut will also arrive on July 23.
Splatoon Raiders Delivers Fun Gameplay For What It Offers
Two days ahead of Splatoon Raiders‘ launch on Switch 2, the review embargo has been lifted. As of this writing, Metacritic scores for Splatoon Raiders have trended positively based on 65 critic reviews posted so far. Splatoon Raiders holds a “Generally Favorable” score of 80 on Metacritic, with OpenCritic posting a Strong overall score of 81 along with a 71% critic recommendation rating. The highest reviews so far have come from media outlets such as Pocket Tactics and TechRadar Gaming, who stated that Splatoon Raiders was a thrilling and welcome addition to the Switch 2’s growing lineup of exclusive first-party titles.
What’s That Weapon?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)
Pocket Tactics (Holly Alice) – Score: 10/10
Splatoon Raiders of-fish-ally earns our seal of approval as a fantastic game in the franchise. Whether you go it alone or get help from other players, searching for loot and mining ore has never been so fun, thanks to the amount of weapons and gadgets you can equip to blast enemies out of existence. Plus, you get to hang out with Deep Cut, which is always a fun time.
TechRadar Gaming (Dashiell Wood) – Score: 10/10
Splatoon Raiders is a wonderful solo reinvention of the popular multiplayer series filled with smartly designed missions and endlessly engaging progression systems. Underpinned by the franchise’s fantastic shooting mechanics, it’s a fresh and exciting adventure that should be in every Nintendo Switch 2 owner’s library.
Game Informer (Brian Shea) – Score: 8.75/10
Though Splatoon’s single-player content has always been underappreciated, Splatoon Raiders makes it impossible to ignore, shining a bright light on the series’ oft-slept-on side.
Destructoid (Scott Duwe) – Score: 8.5/10
Splatoon Raiders is a looter shooter wrapped in Nintendo’s kid-friendly world, but it’s not to be slept on. While not as deep or complex as some other games in the genre, its charm, loot chase, and satisfying gameplay loop make it one of my favorite games of 2026 so far.
Eurogamer (Christian Donlan) – Score: 8/10
This series offshoot is a hectic, often overwhelming delight.
Despite the positive reception, Splatoon Raiders also receive sharp criticism from a few reviews. The Guardian gave Splatoon Raiders a 4/10 rating and stated that the game was a “run-of-the-mill” experience. Giant Bomb’s review stated that, while Splatoon Raiders offers plenty of content for players to dive into, some of the boss fights felt more like damage sponges rather than puzzles to figure out. Overall, the common points of praise for Splatoon Raiders focused on gameplay, weapon load outs, and visual appeal. While Splatoon Raiders will go live at midnight Eastern on July 23, players in the Pacific time zone will be able to access the game at 9:00 PM on July 22.
By comparison, Splatoon Raiders‘ review scores were not far off from what was given to Star Fox in July. Star Fox currently holds a Metacritic score of 81, just one point ahead of Splatoon Raiders. Like Star Fox before it, Splatoon Raiders is currently priced at $50 on the Nintendo eShop, with physical copies priced at $60. Since the Switch 2 also includes expensive $80 titles like Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave and Mario Kart World, the $50 price point is a solid entry point for players looking to get into the Splatoon franchise.
Splatoon Raiders will arrive on one of the busiest launch dates for the Switch 2 so far. July 23 will also see games such as Final Fantasy 10/10-2 HD Remaster, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, and Disgaea Mayhem arrive on Nintendo’s current-gen system. It remains to be seen how Splatoon Raiders will fare compared to other titles arriving on the Switch 2 throughout the year.
- Released
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July 23, 2026
- ESRB
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Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence
- Developer(s)
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Nintendo EPD
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo
