Nintendo’s first single-player-focused entry in the Splatoon franchise, Shanethegamer, launched exclusively on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, 2026. While the game has achieved aggregate scores of 80 on OpenCritic and 81 on Metacritic, individual critic reception has split sharply, ranging from perfect 10s to a two-star review from The Guardian.
Gameplay Shift and New Mechanics
Departing from the series’ signature Turf War multiplayer, Splatoon Raiders is a loot-driven action RPG and shooter. Players assume the role of a mechanic working with Deep Cut—a trio of musicians returning from Splatoon 3—to raid the Spirhalite Islands for treasure. The gameplay focuses on repeatable missions where players fight waves of enemy Salmonids and larger bosses using ink-flinging weapons and augmentable gadgets.
According to director Yoshihiko Ito in an Ask the Developer
interview, the team originally explored a solo experience involving base defense and placing traps. However, developers moved away from this because they felt players were simply building fortresses and watching them play out, which caused the game to lose its “Splatoon-ness.” Instead, the final version emphasizes a PvE loop with weapon progression and a variety of gadgets that alter how players move and battle.
While designed as a single-player-focused spin-off, the game includes a cooperative mode for up to four players, either locally or online, with difficulty adjusting based on the number of participants.
Critical Reception and Polarized Verdicts
The game’s critical reception is described as being in the same ballpark as the numbered trilogy, which saw the original Splatoon score 81, with its sequel and Splatoon 3 both scoring 83. Despite this, individual scores vary significantly:
- High Praise: Nintendo Life and IGN both awarded the game a 9/10. Nintendo Life’s Alex Olney called it “possibly the most variable and exciting game the series has ever offered.” Eurogamer gave the title four stars, describing it as a “hectic, often overwhelming delight.”
- Mixed to Negative: Metro GameCentral and Stevivor both provided 6/10 scores, citing the loss of Turf War. Giant Bomb awarded 3.5/5, and The Guardian gave the game two stars out of five, calling the experience “pedestrian” and comparing the loot loop to other modern cooperative action games.
Much of the critical divide centers on the removal of competitive Turf War rather than the execution of the new loot loop. Despite these mixed reviews, OpenCritic has placed Splatoon Raiders in the 89th percentile of games scored on its platform.
Launch Details and Hardware Pricing
Nintendo released a day-one patch for the Switch 2 to address audio issues and bugs, with Japanese patch notes detailing adjustments to improve the game experience. The game is priced at $49.99 for the digital edition and $59.99 for the physical version in the U.S.
The launch included several physical peripherals and collectibles:
- Three Deep Cut amiibo (Shiver, Frye, and Big Man) in Raiders-specific designs.
- A blue-and-yellow Joy-Con 2 controller pair priced at $99.99.
The release coincides with a confirmed U.S. price increase for the Nintendo Switch 2 console, which is moving from $449.99 to $499, according to Forbes contributor Brian Mazique.
Development and Commercial Stakes
The project was first teased on the Nintendo Today! app in mid-2025, with the release date confirmed in April 2026. Producer Seita Inoue explained that the game was developed as a spin-off rather than “Splatoon 4” because Nintendo intends to continue developing competitive gameplay in the future.
The future of the Raiders sub-series may depend on commercial performance. While Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3 both sold over ten million copies, analysts suggest Nintendo may view five million units sold as the benchmark for the spin-off to justify a sequel.
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