Splatoonâs single-player modes have always harbored some interesting ideas, but theyâve all either felt like drawn-out tutorials or been relegated to brief paid DLCs. Thatâs why Splatoon Raiders, the seriesâ first single-player spin-off, is a big dealâNintendo has a chance to finally give players the full-length, fleshed-out mission weâve been waiting for.
Previous trailers have taught us that the player (after selecting a hairstyle from possibly the coolest list of options in a Splatoon game yet) will take on the role of a scrappy little mechanic who has to fend off salmonids. Big Man, Shiver, and Frye are returning, and one of them helps you out via a really stubby-looking mech that’s probably way too small for poor Big Man’s big stingray arms.
Until recently, however, we didn’t have any real idea about what the game actually is. A roguelite like Side Order? A wave-based challenge mode like Salmon Run? Or a string of fairly linear missions that build on the tutorial-style levels of the previous campaigns?
Finally, during the June 9 Nintendo Direct and the Treehouse presentation that followed, the Switch 2 maker cleared up a bunch of things about the upcoming spin-off. Thereâs also a dedicated Splatoon Raiders Direct arriving on June 30th, but for now, here’s what we’ve learned about the third-person shooter coming out July 23.
Less Linear Raids
Most single-player Splatoon modes have been fairly simple, save for Splatoon 3âs hub world, which offered some really neat exploration that fans adored. Raiders is apparently taking notes from that hub world and offering a bit more of an open-ended sandbox experience. As you fight salmonids in raids, youâll have to search around for treasure, weapons, and a key resource called Spirhalite Shards. You can also surf between islands!
Meet The Hideout Ship
In between these raids, youâll hang out on a very sketchy-looking ship with the members of Deep Cut. This ship serves as your teamâs headquarters, so itâs where youâll go to tinker with gear, purchase upgrades, plan out future raids, and test out new weapons. Youâll also apparently have the ability to build new parts for the ship, but this hasnât been shown off at all yet. It finally has a name, too: the Hideout Ship, which is just very cute.
Gadgets Galore
As a mechanic, youâll build a bunch of gadgets to help you out on your journey. Unlike the seriesâ sub weapons, these arenât tied to your main weapons, meaning youâre free to equip whichever ones youâd like. Thereâs the Shot Pot (which fires ink over and over again), the enemy-slicing Splatchet, and the ink-spinning Splattelites. We also got peeks at some unnamed gadgets that seem to mirror mechanics from previous Splatoon games, like an automatic-targeting version of those little spinning tops from Side Order. Speaking of Side Order, there are plenty of customizable upgrades you can make to your tank, weapon, and companion. Thereâs also a mysterious tab for something called Relic Powers, which Iâd guess are powers found during exploration.
Treasure Hunting Is Key
During the Nintendo Treehouse that followed the Direct, the hosts happened upon some treasure and thenâŠproceeded to cut off the stream before opening the chest in order to avoid showing us what was inside. Thatâs pretty funny considering the fact that an earlier trailer showed a shot of one of these chests being opened to reveal a little statue of a salmonid whoâs seriously squared up. The statue seems to unlock a new ability, too. We had obviously seen this treasure before, but the Treehouse presentation emphasized that treasure hunting is your ultimate goal on these islands. (Iâm also convinced that these treasures might be displayable on the ship much like Splatoon 3âs locker trinkets.)Â
Itâs Hard (If You Want It To Be)
The trailer during the Direct seemed to suggest that Splatoon Raiders won’t be afraid to be challenging, which is pretty exciting news when it comes to single-player content for the franchise. The gameplay seems to rival some of the most unforgiving multiplayer Salmon Run waves in which salmonids surround you from every angle and leave you genuinely overwhelmed. Raiders brings a handful of new salmonids with new abilities, too, which should keep things interesting. However, upgrades along the way make things easier. The presenters during the Treehouse also mentioned that the game has difficulty settings, so if youâre more of a laidback squid, donât sweat it.
