Use your favourite features in-game with our Desktop AppSplatoon Raiders is Nintendo's very own upcoming "looter shooter". It's the next evolution of the Salmon Run game mode from Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3, bringing us a fresh experience with much deeper mechanics to explore.
While it was originally revealed back in June 2025, one year later, we now have a more detailed look into how its gameplay loop works. Let's dive in!
Splatoon Raiders releases exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23rd 2026.
In Splatoon Raiders, you'll traverse the Spirhalite Islands and embark on raids in search of treasure. Each location is packed full of Salmonids—silly fish-like monsters of various sizes.
Defeating these enemies will grant you XP to progressively level-up your character, but best of all, you'll be able to find exciting loot such as Weapons, Gadget Parts, materials, and Spirhalite Shards.
Spirhalite Shards are the main currency in the game and will be used alongside various enemy parts to upgrade and craft your gear.
As you explore and conquer foes you'll also be collecting Power Eggs. This fuels your Exploration Bot, which allows you to dig up treasure, and even delve deeper underground.
Boss Salmonids drop Mega Power Eggs, which are the equivalent of 100 regular Power Eggs. Defeating them will definitely be key to progressing further, and who knows, you may even uncover a Seasoned Salmonid lurking below!
Splatoon Raiders offers plenty of customization options to liven up each experience. This extends well beyond the Weapons, so you'll have a lot to work with throughout your adventure.
The Hideout Ship is the main hub for managing your gear between raids. This includes Weapons, Ink Tanks, Gadgets, Relic Powers, and your Bot Buddy (plus your outfit/cosmetics).
Here you can upgrade your Weapons using Spirhalite Shards, or scrap any unwanted ones for more materials. You're also able to craft Gadgets using enemy parts you've acquired throughout your raids.
There are over 100 Weapons that exist in the game, each with different levels and rarities. Some of these also come equipped with passive abilities that further increase their power.
One of the most defining features for customization is your Ink Tank. There are three to choose from, including the Speed Tank, Power Tank, and Tactical Tank.
The Ink Tank you select determines which Gadgets are available, and the more you use one, the stronger it gets. From what we could see, after collecting a large amount of Power Eggs with the same Tank, you will unlock a new ability.
After selecting your Ink Tank, you can equip unique Gadgets which grant you active (Cooldown) abilities. Each Gadget is specific to the Tank and can be enhanced further via Gadget Parts.
Early on, up to two different Gadgets may be equipped at a time. However, it was stated in the Direct that you will eventually be able to equip a third.
In addition to the splashy effects that Gadgets already provide, players will have the ability to modify them with various enhancements. This includes simple damage buffs, along with more interesting aspects like AoE range, stop duration, and throw quantity.
Every Gadget Part has an equip cost, known as "Slots", noted in (or next to) their icon. You can attach as many parts as you'd like, so long as the total doesn't exceed your max Gadget Part Slots.
Salmonid Relics are one of the key types of treasure you'll be looking to hunt down during raids. These function as equippable passive powers, providing unique effects that can spice up your gameplay.
While many Relic Powers are generic, some are exclusive to a particular Ink Tank. Initially, it looks like we can equip two at a time, but we should be able to unlock up to five slots later on.
Salmonid Relics you collect also contribute towards your total "Relic Value". Each one has its own worth, which ultimately acts as another form of XP to progress your title rank.
For example, the "Treasure Hunter" title grants 40% additional Spirhalite Shard Yield. We could see the previous title grants 30%, but perhaps more varied bonuses are available at higher ranks.
The final customization is our choice of Bot Buddy. Choose one of the characters (Frye or Shiver) to come along for the raid, during which they will provide a powerful Showstopper ability.
This is essentially an ultimate ability that can be used after charging it up (appears to happen over time while slaying Salmonids).
Leveling up during a raid increases your damage and max HP, along with granting you a skill point. These can be spent to upgrade your tanks, providing a choice between HP, Weapon Damage, Gadget Damage, and Gadget Part Slots.
Notably, this applies to ALL types of Ink Tanks (Speed, Power, Tactical), so you don't have to worry about upgrading each one separately.
While Splatoon Raiders is generally designed as a single-player experience, players will have the option to link up with friends via online and local co-op. You can either invite friends directly, or create a room and set up a password.
Additionally, there is a feature that allows you to "call for help" during single-player raids. A friend can hop in and assist you on the spot, providing an extra opportunity to turn the tide. After requesting help, you'll have to wait a while before you can do so again.
If you join someone else's raid, there's a few differences to keep in mind.
There are three difficulty settings in the game: Tourist (Easy), Raider (Medium), and Survivalist (Hard). Whatever you choose only affects the enemies' strength, but not their loot. So feel free to choose the most enjoyable option for your experience—there's no reward penalty either way.
