Is Splatoon Raiders worth $49.99 in 2026?

Yes, if you own a Nintendo Switch 2 and like the Splatoon series. Metacritic 81, IGN and Nintendo Life both 9/10. The single-player loop (raid an island, fight waves of Salmonids, extract treasure, upgrade) is well-reviewed. The 1-4 player co-op is the second-biggest selling point. The three Deep Cut amiibo are sold separately as collectibles — they unlock outfit options for the Mechanic but are not required for progression. If you like Splatoon 3 and Salmon Run, Splatoon Raiders is a strong follow-up.

Can I play Splatoon Raiders without Nintendo Switch Online?

For single-player: no NSO required. For local wireless co-op (2-4 players, same room): no NSO required. For online co-op (different rooms / networks): NSO is required (and you need a separate NSO membership per player). Splatoon Raiders is the first Splatoon game to support local wireless co-op, so even players without NSO can play with friends in the same room.

Which tank should I pick as a beginner?

Power tank. It is the most forgiving — defensive bash, heavy frontal slam, charged melee with extended reach. Speed is high DPS but you have to learn the wave patterns before it pays off. Tactical is the most complex (teleport and trap skills). Power tank + Tourist difficulty is the easiest first-three-hours combo. You can swap tanks between runs without losing progress.

Do the three Deep Cut amiibo unlock anything significant?

Each Deep Cut amiibo (Shiver, Frye, Big Man) scans in to unlock a themed outfit option for the Mechanic. The amiibo themselves are $19.99 each at the Nintendo eShop. They are collectibles and are not required for progression — every outfit option can be earned through gameplay over time. If you play Splatoon Raiders a lot, the amiibo are a fun cosmetic unlock; if you only want the game, skip the amiibo.

What is the difference between Tourist, Raider, and Survivalist difficulty?

Tourist is the lowest setting — slower waves, lower spawn density, fewer elite encounters per island. Raider is the default / recommended setting — the wave density and elite frequency the developer team balanced the game around. Survivalist is the highest setting — faster wave timing, maximum spawn density, the boss encounters are tougher, and the loot drops are higher-tier. Survivalist unlocks after you complete the Raider difficulty for the first time. Most players will play 80%+ of their time on Raider.

Is there a Deluxe or Collector's Edition for Splatoon Raiders?

No. Splatoon Raiders ships in two versions — digital ($49.99) and physical ($59.99). Notably, no Deluxe edition, no Collector's Edition, and no Season Pass — unusual for a 2026 first-party release. The three Deep Cut amiibo are sold separately. The game itself is complete at launch without any paid DLC.

Does Splatoon Raiders support cross-progression with Splatoon 3?

No. Splatoon Raiders is a standalone product with its own Mechanic character, its own gear tree, and its own save file. Splatoon 3 gear and outfits do not transfer to Splatoon Raiders — the two games share the Splatoon universe (Inklings, Octolings, Deep Cut) but their gear systems are completely independent.

Splatoon Raiders Beginner's Guide: Pick a Tank, Kit Your Mechanic, Survive the Spirhalite Islands

TL;DR

Splatoon Raiders launched July 23, 2026 exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2 at $49.99 (digital) / $59.99 (physical).

Metacritic 81. IGN and Nintendo Life both 9/10. Nintendo EPD developed. Splatoon series’ first single-player-focused spin-off.

Three tanks (Speed, Power, Tactical), three difficulties (Tourist / Raider / Survivalist), 1-4 player co-op online + local wireless.

Deep Cut companion bot (Shiver / Frye / Big Man) joins each run; three Deep Cut amiibo launched on the same day.

No Deluxe edition, no Season Pass, no DLC at launch — unusual for a 2026 first-party release.

No cross-progression with Splatoon 3 — separate Mechanic character + gear system.

What Splatoon Raiders actually is

Splatoon Raiders is Nintendo EPD’s first single-player-focused spin-off in the Splatoon series — and it is the first Splatoon game built for Switch 2 hardware with the Pro Controller 2 and Joy-Con 2 mouse-mode controls in mind. The game is set on the Spirhalite Islands — a remote archipelago where Splatsville’s debt is so deep ($60 billion, per the in-game lore) that Shiver, Frye, and Big Man hire a Mechanic to fly out, raid the islands for treasure, and pay off the city’s tab. Your job: equip, raid, survive, extract.

The game is single-player at its core but supports 1-4 player co-op for online (NSO required) and 2-4 player co-op for local wireless (no NSO required). Local wireless co-op is the Splatoon series’ first, by the way — it was never supported in Splatoon 3 or earlier. Even if you do not pay for NSO, you can raid islands with friends in the same room.

Splatoon Raiders is also the first Splatoon game with a non-Turf-War core loop. Splatoon 1, 2, and 3 are competitive multiplayer arena shooters; Splatoon Raiders is a looter-shooter / extraction game with treasure-hunting objectives and Salmonid wave combat. The new direction is what enables the single-player focus — the game builds its own difficulty curves rather than relying on matchmaking against human opponents.

Picking a tank

There are three tank classes, and you can swap between them on the Stage Selection screen before each run:

Tank	Best for	Trade-off
Speed	High DPS, evasion, solo Path of Glory-style play	Lowest defensive utility
Power	Anchoring a defensive position, frontline combat	Slowest mobility
Tactical	Teleport, traps, cross-gap repositioning, mid-run partner drop-in	Most complex tank to learn

Tank-specific gear and progression are saved separately — swapping tanks between runs does not reset your progress. The Mechanic has a base level and base weapons that are tank-agnostic, plus tank-specific augment slots (filled with drops).

For the first three hours, Power tank + Tourist difficulty is the safest combo. Power lets you absorb the early mistakes; Tourist gives you the room to learn the wave patterns.

For the middle game (3-10 hours), switch to Speed tank + Raider difficulty. Speed’s higher DPS lets you clear the harder waves; Raider’s wave density trains you for Survivalist.

For the late game / Survivalist unlocks, Tactical tank + Survivalist difficulty is the highest-skill combo. Tactical’s teleport lets you cross the wider Survivalist-island maps; Survivalist rewards fast, decisive waves.

Picking your difficulty

The three difficulty settings are visual toggles — there is no independent XP track per difficulty, and the loot drops scale with difficulty. Pick the difficulty that matches your skill level:

Difficulty	Wave timing	Elite frequency	First unlocks at	Loot tier
Tourist	Slow	Low (1 elite per island)	Available from the start	Tier 1 common + occasional tier 2
Raider	Default	Default (2 elites per island)	Available from the start	Tier 1 + tier 2 + occasional tier 3
Survivalist	Fast	Maximum (3 elites + boss on the final wave)	Unlocks after first Raider completion	Tier 2 + tier 3 + guaranteed boss drop

Practical tip: most players will spend 80%+ of their time on Raider. Survivalist is for when you have a fully upgraded Power or Speed tank and you’re chasing the highest-tier drops for the crafting tree.

Picking your Deep Cut companion bot

Each raid, one of Shiver, Frye, or Big Man joins your run as your companion bot. The companion is yours to direct with limited commands (Attack / Follow / Wait). For trio co-op, the companions serve as your “fourth teammate” that fills role gaps.

Deep Cut member	Specialty	Best for	How to direct
Shiver	Long-range attacks + scouting	Trio co-op where friends are scattered	Set to Follow and let her auto-attack; tap Attack when you want her to focus a high-priority target
Frye	Close-range speed + flanking	Solo aggressive raids	Set to Attack and let her chase Salmonids; manage her target priority manually when bosses spawn
Big Man	Heavy frontal pressure + area control	Solo play where you want a second tank	Set to Wait at a chokepoint and use him as the wave-tank while you range from behind

If you have the Deep Cut amiibo (Shiver / Frye / Big Man), scanning them in will unlock themed outfit options for the Mechanic. The amiibo are $19.99 each at the Nintendo eShop and are not required for progression.

The first three hours — a purchase-order guide

The game ships with a substantial starting loadout and a small currency reserve. Here’s how to spend efficiently in the first three hours:

Buy weapon upgrades first — the upgrade tree is more efficient than waiting for higher-tier weapon drops.
Skip cosmetics until you’ve cleared at least five islands. Cosmetics are largely decorative until you’re chasing the high-tier paint jobs.
Hoard one Chum full as emergency crafting currency for high-tier drops.
Don’t repeat runs in the first three hours — the Spirhalite Islands each have unique layouts, and seeing them all is part of the experience.

After the first three hours, switch to the upgrade-tree approach:

Clear 5 islands on Raider difficulty to unlock the cosmetic shop.
Build your tank-specific augment slots — Speed wants mobility augments, Power wants damage reduction, Tactical wants teleport cooldown augments.
Run Survivalist once you’ve fully upgraded a tank. Survivalist’s first clear is the fastest way to guarantee one tier-3 drop.

Online vs local wireless — when to use each

Splatoon Raiders supports online co-op (1-4 players via Nintendo Switch Online) and local wireless co-op (2-4 players, no NSO required). The choice depends on your situation:

Same room with friends: local wireless. Faster setup, no lobby wait, no invite codes.
Different rooms / networks: online. Requires NSO membership for each player.
Solo: just play single-player. The game is balanced around solo first.

Difficulty scaling is the same for both modes: the game adjusts wave density based on player count. Two-player co-op is roughly the same difficulty as solo; four-player co-op is harder (more elites per island, faster wave timing).

What Splatoon Raiders is not

Splatoon Raiders is not:

Splatoon 4. The Splatoon series mainline continues with Splatoon 3 updates. This is a spin-off.
A Splatoon battle royale. There is no PvP mode. PvP stays in Splatoon 3.
A DLC for Splatoon 3. Splatoon Raiders is a separate SKU, a separate game, a separate save file.
Cross-progression with Splatoon 3. Your Splatoon 3 gear does not transfer. Your Splatoon Raiders Mechanic is independent.

If you are a Splatoon 3 fan looking for a single-player companion piece to the multiplayer, Splatoon Raiders is exactly that. If you are looking for the next Splatoon competitive multiplayer game, wait — Splatoon 3 is still active, and a hypothetical Splatoon 4 has not been announced.

Splatoon Raiders is the Switch 2’s first major looter-shooter / extraction single-player game, and it succeeds at the Splatoon DNA — the inking mechanics, the Deep Cut charm, and the Salmonid combat all translate cleanly to the new setting. At $49.99 digital / $59.99 physical, it is one of the stronger Switch 2 exclusives for solo players. The lack of a Deluxe edition and Season Pass is refreshing, and the local wireless co-op makes it easy to raid with friends without NSO. Three difficulty settings, three tanks, and three companion bots give it enough variety to keep 30+ hours of play fresh.

What to expect from the September 2026 major content update

Nintendo has officially confirmed the first major post-launch content update for Splatoon Raiders, arriving in September 2026. This is the first content drop since launch on July 23, and the Splatoon team’s pattern with Splatoon 3 (which received free seasonal updates for two years straight) suggests Splatoon Raiders will follow a similar cadence. Here is what to expect, what is confirmed, and what is still speculative.

Confirmed additions

Two new treasure-hunting stages — Nintendo has not yet revealed the stage names or themes, but the team has confirmed “additional Spirhalite Islands” with hand-crafted layouts, new hidden treasure rooms, and new Salmonid variant placements. Stage layout will follow the same pattern as the launch islands: 3-5 minute raid, 3-5 wave structure, boss on the final wave.
One new boss character — Confirmed by name in the official Nintendo of America store page (“Additional Boss Character — To Be Revealed”). The boss will appear in both new stages and will be added to the rotation in existing islands’ Survivalist difficulty.
Additional cosmetic items — Confirmed cosmetic expansion including new Mechanic outfit pieces, new tank paint jobs, and at least one new companion-bot skin. The cosmetics appear to be unlockable through gameplay (not paid DLC), matching the Splatoon 3 model.

What is likely but not confirmed

A second weapon tier above tier 3 — Splatoon 3 introduced tier-4 weapons via free updates. The Splatoon Raiders crafting system currently tops out at tier 3; a tier-4 tier has been rumored but not confirmed.
A new tank class or tank variant — No concrete evidence; the existing Speed / Power / Tactical trio remains the core system.
Splatoon 3 cross-game event — Nintendo has hinted at cross-promotion events, similar to Splatoon 3’s recurring Splatfests, but nothing is locked in for Splatoon Raiders specifically.

Patch context — Ver 1.1.1 (August 7, 2026)

While waiting for the September content drop, the latest patch Ver 1.1.1 shipped on August 7, 2026. Key fixes:

Tank limiters can now be released without holding the A Button (accessibility fix for Switch 2 Joy-Con 2 mouse-mode users).
Showstopper Gauge and other UI elements now hide correctly after inactivity in the Hideout Ship or dungeons.
Emergency Damage Up effect now applies to explosion damage added by the Splatchet’s Explosive Steps.
Squid Roll into Splatchet movement glitch fixed (no more being unable to move after a wall-jump-into-Splatchet chain).
Soyu Cliffs Fish Stick — fixed the rare case where the Fish Stick enemy would embed itself in the terrain and become impossible to defeat.
HOPPING arcade game — fixed the Exploration Bot occasionally stopping to attack Salmonids.
Fog swirl screen crash — fixed the rare crash that could occur if you tapped the Switch 2 touchscreen on the swirling fog screen after launching the game.

How to prepare for the September update

For your first raid after the September content update lands:

Clear your upgrade tree — finish all tier-3 upgrades on at least one tank before the patch so the new content unlocks cleanly. The patch will not reset progress.
Stockpile Chum — the new stages will likely drop new weapon variants; having 500+ Chum saved up lets you craft the new items immediately.
Check your NSO friend list — new stages are a great excuse for a 4-player online co-op session. The two new stages will be 1-4 player compatible from day one.
Watch for the Nintendo Direct — Nintendo typically announces Splatoon content updates two weeks ahead via the Nintendo Today! app. Expect a Splatoon Raiders Direct mini-segment in early September.

For the full stage / boss preview, see the dedicated page: Splatoon Raiders September 2026 Major Content Update — Full Preview.

Cross-reference

For broader Switch 2 multiplayer game setup, see the companion guide: Nintendo Switch 2 Getting Started. For the Switch 2 price increase context and what to buy during the September 1 MSRP shift, see Nintendo Switch 2 September 1 Price Increase Buyer's Guide.

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