I’m enjoying Splatoon Raiders so much that I lost my growing anti-consumerism resolve and reluctantly decided to buy the three new amiibo, which of course, are now completely sold out on the Nintendo Store US website. And they seem to be gone everywhere else, or selling for scalper prices, at least. Just my luck.
I’ve had the pleasure of jumping into Nintendo’s ink-tastic franchise recently via Splatoon 3, the single player campaign of which I recently completed, and it’s been really interesting moving into the series’ latest looter shooter iteration in parallel to its predecessor. I actually enjoy experiencing IPs in this certain way, like binge-watching a TV show from the early episodes. I’ve been doing this with the Arkham games, for example.
Splatoon 3 contains both a one-player mode—wherein you make your way through the frozen Alterna, a series of interconnected islands that need liberating from purple fuzzy ooze by way of individual challenge missions—and a competitive PvP mode, which is arguably the bulk of the game. This latter part is set in a bustling city hub that’s complete with upgrade shops and a matchmaking lobby, and it pits you against the world of surprisingly hardcore Splatoon players. There’s also the PvE Salmon Run, and it’s this mode that the spinoff Splatoon Raiders is largely based on.
Raiders has a single-player focus, though you can invite strangers or friends to your party, if that’s to your liking. The game’s premise is straightforward: You play as the everyman Mechanic character, and you are tasked with raiding various tropical islands for treasure in order to pay off Splatsville’s burgeoning debt. Deep Cut, the ragtag band from previous Splatoon titles, has cobbled together a shantytown at sea, which serves as homebase. Here, you’ll sift through all the skill points, trinkets, weapons and currency you find during raids, as well as endlessly customize your base and character.
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Splatoon Raiders is really enjoyable, hands-down, and as the developers have put it, full of ‘pleasant busyness’. It’s to-the-point design screams Nintendo; simplicity both in its presentation and addictive gameplay loop are reminders of what the fun-first company does best. Raiders isn’t perfect, mind you. The environments, especially when compared to those in Splatoon 3, come across as somewhat drab and are lacking in signature Splatoon flare. Plus, as good as the reward loop is, it can start to feel almost casino-like in nature at times. Endless grinding, but your mileage may vary with this sort of thing, obviously.
A recent op-ed over at IGN has brought up some compelling arguments about the Switch 2 and Nintendo’s possible lack of inspiration during this generation, and while the writer makes some good points, I do think first-party titles like Splatoon Raiders stand in direct opposition.
Yes, the Switch 2 has seen its fair share of rehashed IP, like the recently released Star Fox remake (which despite solid reviews, hasn’t set the industry on fire) and plenty of 4K/60fps paid upgrades to Switch 1 titles, such as the Xenoblade Chronicles games and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Another remake, the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, is due later this year. And, I think we can all say that, as a Switch 2 launch title, Mario Kart World was rather underwhelming.
Still, I totally loved Donkey Kong Bananza, and while I haven’t played it yet, Switch 2 owners are apparently really into Tomodatchi Life: Living the Dream, which has sold almost 8 million copies to date. So while there’s plenty to criticize about Nintendo’s approach to the Switch 2, they’re undoubtedly doing something right, even if the Switch 2 isn’t the bastion of innovation we’ve seen from Nintendo consoles in the past. Perhaps the Switch 2 is Nintendo’s holding pattern amidst an industry in peril.
Regardless, I’m having a blast with Splatoon Raiders, and its rising sales seem to reflect the game’s quality. I’m only around 10 hours in and I hope to have more impressions as I make my way through this quietly dependable and budget-priced Nintendo adventure. Maybe flashy is ultimately overrated, especially when you consider all the trouble PlayStation and Xbox have been experiencing as of late.