Splatoon Raiders Is the Best Splatoon Campaign Yet

Splatoon Finally Gets a Spin-Off — and It Sticks the Landing

After a decade of turf wars, Splatoon has done something it has never done before: gone off the beaten path with a spin-off. Splatoon Raiders splashed onto Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026, and the reviews landed like a well-aimed ink strike. This is a campaign- and co-op-focused adventure rather than a competitive shooter, and critics are calling it possibly the best single-player experience the series has ever offered. If you picked up a Switch 2 and have been waiting for a marquee reason to fire it up, this is a strong one.

• Splatoon Raiders is the series' first-ever spin-off, developed and published by Nintendo
• It's a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, released July 23, 2026, at $59.99 ($49.99 on the eShop)
• Playable solo or with up to four players in online co-op
• Reviews were glowing: IGN 9/10, Nintendo Life 9/10, TechRadar 5/5, for a Metacritic average around 80

What Makes the Gameplay Loop Click?

Every great co-op game lives or dies on its loop, and Raiders apparently nails it. IGN praised an "expertly executed loop" with "fantastic new powers," calling it the best Splatoon campaign yet — high praise for a franchise whose single-player modes have always been the charming appetizer to the multiplayer main course. Reviewers repeatedly highlighted deep weapon and loadout customization plus a progression system that keeps the dopamine flowing, the same one-more-run hook that makes the best cooperative games so hard to put down.

Is It Worth Grabbing on Switch 2?

For Switch 2 owners, the value proposition is clear: a polished, first-party Nintendo adventure that plays solo or with friends, from a series with a spotless reputation for feel and style. The digital eShop price of $49.99 shaves ten dollars off the physical edition, and four-player online co-op means it doubles as a hangout game. Not every outlet was over the moon — scores ranged from perfect tens down to the occasional lukewarm take — but the critical consensus sits comfortably in "very good," and the praise clusters right where it counts: the moment-to-moment play.

A Bright Spot in a Stacked Summer

Raiders arrives in a summer that keeps giving fans reasons to smile, from Halo's day-one Game Pass campaign to a wave of beloved remasters. What makes this one special is that it's a genuine creative risk — Nintendo taking a competitive-multiplayer darling and proving the world, the weapons, and the vibe are strong enough to carry a full co-op adventure. Spoiler: they are. For more of what's landing this season, our gaming section has the rundown.

The Verdict

Splatoon Raiders is the rare spin-off that expands a franchise instead of diluting it — a fresh, colorful, endlessly replayable co-op romp that gives Switch 2 owners exactly the kind of first-party showcase the hardware deserves. Grab three friends, load up your favorite loadout, and go make a mess.

Sources: Nintendo Life — July 21, 2026; The Gamer — July 2026; Game Rant — July 2026.