On Jun. 10, 2025, Nintendo announced that the paintball shooter franchise Splatoon would have its first-ever spin-off title. Splatoon Raiders was hinted to be a Splatoon 3 expansion story. The player, referred to as The Mechanic, crashed onto an island with the music idol trio, Deep Cut.
After the fanbase waited for 9 months, Nintendo released the gameplay trailer on Apr. 21. The game is heavily inspired by the series’ horde mode, Salmon Run, now taking on a new life as a shooter RPG. Splatoon Raiders features a refreshing environment away from the cities and into the tropical wilds. What’s in store for this thrilling survival tale?
Welcome to the Spirhalite Islands
In the announcement trailer, Splatoon Raiders’ commentator revealed the name of the location where Deep Cut and The Mechanic have landed. Spirhalite Islands hold a mysterious power that signals a beam of golden light, summoning a cyclone. The music trio and their new friend are left stranded and must adapt to survive with what they have.
The Apr. 21 trailer features more information about Spirhalite Islands, especially its scale of exploration. The official game map shows that The Mechanic and Deep Cut will travel between islands for the main campaign and side missions.
Only five islands were introduced, but they provide enough information on what each area will have. Each one contains a different environment to explore, from the beach jungle to the dry rocky desert. The Mechanic will find these strange gemstone pillars to drill for Deep Cut, who wants to return home with treasure booty. They also need crafting materials for the player’s arsenal and to improve the Hideout.
Beware of the Salmonids
The Salmonids returned in Splatoon Raiders as the main enemies. Unlike their Salmon Run counterpart, these fishy fiends appear to have dominated Spirhalite’s ecosystem. There are the tribal civilians, the flying fish, the land waddlers, and the totem poles. More enemy varieties are being held off for the full game.
The Salmonids’ attack patterns for the island inhabitants preserve the original frying pan slingers from Splatoon 2 and 3. Other variants are shown to follow after their Salmon evolution or their intellect. Some can even handle machines that were revived by their fins, such as the diving mechs.
Island RPG Gameplay Attracts Fans to Splatoon Raiders
The most exciting aspect of the Apr. 21 trailer is the gameplay. Splatoon Raiders keeps the franchise’s core elements, such as attacking enemies and marking territory with paint. Now focusing on the single-player experience, it’s time to test players outside of Splatsville and Inkopolis.
As The Mechanic, players must search for materials to defend against the Salmonids. Splatoon Raiders introduces a special utility Ink Tank that can carry Gadgets. They can be swapped for equipment that suits the player’s combat style or be strengthened with upgrades. The Mechanic has a choice between range and melee weapons as their main attack, while the Gadgets are used for special abilities.
Deep Cut will also assist The Mechanic during missions if they choose to have an ally by their side. Shiver, Frye, and Big Man have an unorthodox ninja skillset that is useful against larger Salmonid hordes. Shiver can summon a shark, and Big Man will let you ride his back while swimming in your ink trail for faster movement. Frye’s abilities have not been shown yet, but the three yellow eels in her scene transitions could be a hint.
Don’t Need To Tackle Spirhalite Alone
Because of the single-player focus, Splatoon players feared that Nintendo would erase the multiplayer aspect. Fear not! Nintendo’s UK branch has confirmed that Splatoon Raiders will let you choose to invite up to three other friends for the adventure.
The European headquarters shared two screenshots on their official X (then Twitter) account. Players can connect through Nintendo Online or using Local Play. Together, you can tackle Salmonids, explore the islands, and cooperate to help Deep Cut escape Spirhalite. Splatoon Raiders is set to release on Jun. 23 this summer for the Nintendo Switch 2!
