The Splatoon Raiders Direct delivered a long look at how the Switch 2 spin-off actually plays, digging into its weapons, gear, and treasure hunting ahead of the July 23 launch. You play as a mechanic who teams up with Deep Cut, the Splatoon 3 trio of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man, to raid the Spirhalite Islands for loot while fending off the Salmonids guarding it. It is built as a single-player-focused action-shooter, with a Deep Cut member riding along in an Exploration Bot that can sniff out treasure and lend a hand in other ways.
Combat runs on ink, with more than 100 weapon variations to find and the occasional rare drop that carries special powers. The Salmonids come in escalating flavors, from lesser swarms that overwhelm you in numbers to tougher Boss types, and finally Seasoned Salmonids that, true to the series’ sense of humor, get harder the saltier they are. How you fight is shaped by which of the three tanks you bring: the Speed Tank for fast, evasive hit-and-run play, the Power Tank for wading into swarms head-on, and the Tactical Tank for turrets and trickier setups. Each starts with two swappable gadgets tied to your choice.
Most of the depth comes from tinkering with that loadout between raids. You collect gadget parts in the field and slot them in to boost damage, fire rate, or duration, or to add effects like ink explosions, while Deep Cut runs the workshop side of things, with Shiver crafting gadgets, Frye handling weapons, and Big Man cataloging the details. Progression is forgiving, too. You level up by defeating Salmonids and keep whatever weapons and salvage you grabbed even if a raid goes sideways, then spend it upgrading your tanks at the Mechanic’s Shack for more attack power, more HP, and eventually a third gadget slot.
Beyond the core hunt, the Direct ran through the usual Splatoon grab bag of options. There are three difficulties, from casual Tourist up to the veteran-tier Survivalist, swappable at any time, and the whole thing can be played solo or in co-op with up to three friends online or over local wireless. Solo players can even fire off a Call for Help to summon temporary backup mid-raid. On the cosmetic side, challenges and amiibo unlock outfits, including ones tied to the new Splatoon Raiders amiibo, and Deep Cut is getting its own Joy-Con 2 colors on launch day.
Ahead of all that, a Splatoon Raiders-themed Splatfest hits Splatoon 3 from July 10 to 12, kicking off at 5:00 PM Pacific (8:00 PM Eastern). Splatoon Raiders surfaces on Switch 2 on July 23. The series is one I keep coming back to, so a single-player spin-off this deep into gear and customization has my attention.
