Splatoon Raiders Launches on Switch 2 With 9/10 Scores From Nintendo Life, IGN
Splatoon Raiders, a new single-player spin-off in the Splatoon series, has launched on the Nintendo Switch 2 to positive critical reception. The game shifts focus from the series' traditional competitive multiplayer to a story-driven campaign with cooperative elements.
Why it matters
The successful launch of a major spin-off on new hardware indicates a strategic shift for Nintendo's popular franchise.
Nintendo ’s first-ever single-player Splatoon spin-off is now in players’ hands, and the review verdicts are largely glowing. Splatoon Raiders launched exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026, and has settled into an aggregate score in the low-to-mid 80s on Metacritic and OpenCritic, putting it within a few points of every numbered game in the series.
Nintendo Life’s Alex Olney handed the game a 9/10, writing that “Splatoon Raiders may be missing the series’ iconic Turf War, but what we have here is possibly the most variable and exciting game the series has ever offered.” The review also notes it “looks good, runs fantastically, and you can play practically the whole thing with friends if you wish.”
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