First Raid
Splatoon Raiders Beginner Guide
Prepare for your first raid with the confirmed gameplay loop, movement rules, Tank choices, difficulty settings, loot retention, upgrades, and multiplayer requirements.
Quick Facts
The basic game loop
- Choose a raid destination from the island map.
- Select a Tank and compatible gadgets.
- Explore above-ground or underground environments.
- Ink terrain, swim through your color and use wind currents to soar.
- Fight Lesser, Boss and Seasoned Salmonids.
- Collect weapons, salvage, crystals, gadget parts and possible relics.
- Return to the Hideout Ship to craft and upgrade.
- Repeat with stronger gear and access to new areas.
What to know before the first raid
1. You can change the difficulty
Tourist, Raider and Survivalist can be changed at any time on the Hideout Ship. Nintendo says the setting affects combat but not the loot available. Starting on Tourist therefore does not lock you out of a higher-quality loot pool based on the current official description.
2. Solo failure does not erase everything you collected
Nintendo says you keep solo-raid pickups regardless of the outcome, and its Direct summary specifically confirms that weapons and salvage remain with you after defeat. This reduces the need to abandon exploration at the first sign of risk.
3. Your Tank determines your gadget family
- Speed: mobility and evasion.
- Power: direct pressure and fighting swarms.
- Tactical: deployable tools and battlefield control.
You can swap Tanks between missions. There is no reason to declare a permanent main Tank before testing all three.
4. Ink is movement, defense and offense
Weapons spread ink across the environment. Swim Form lets the Mechanic move quickly through friendly ink, refill the ink tank, climb inked walls and pass through certain barriers. Wind currents can launch the player across gaps or provide elevation.
5. A Deep Cut Bot Buddy joins the raid
One member of Deep Cut accompanies the Mechanic in an Exploration Bot. The Bot helps in battle, drills for treasure, can be used as a platform for gaining height and contributes to Showstopper attacks.
6. Six Power Eggs enable a Showstopper
Nintendo's US product page states that collecting all six Power Eggs enables a Showstopper. The three named attacks are:
| Deep Cut member | Showstopper | Confirmed effect |
|---|---|---|
| Shiver | Shark Bite | Summons Master Mega to charge forward |
| Frye | Moray Storm | Sends a wide-area wave of Moray Eels |
| Big Man | Manta Dance | Lets the player ride an invincible Big Man while firing ink |
7. Boss Salmonids are not the top category
Lesser Salmonids attack in groups. Boss Salmonids present distinct mechanics and drop a Mega Power Egg. Seasoned Salmonids are described as even tougher, salt-covered forms encountered deeper into the islands.
First-Tank selection
| Your preferred approach | Tank to test first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Move quickly and escape danger | Speed | Blast Boot and Dash Bomb emphasize repositioning |
| Push into groups and break defenses | Power | Splatchet can break shields; other tools pressure crowds |
| Build a controlled setup | Tactical | Shot Pot, Bombloons and Tether Wail support planned engagements |
This is a play-style mapping, not a power ranking. The actual best choice may change by stage, weapon drop and available parts.
Early upgrade priorities
Nintendo's public pages do not list full costs or skill trees, so no exact leveling route can be guaranteed from official online material alone. A conservative early-game approach is:
- Test all three Tanks before spending rare materials.
- Prefer upgrades that solve a real failure point, such as survivability or insufficient damage.
- Keep at least one flexible weapon from each useful range until the full type system is understood.
- Read gadget-part effects rather than equipping only by rarity.
- Build Hideout facilities that unlock or improve an equipment system you actively use.
Items 1–5 are editorial recommendations based on the confirmed progression design, not Nintendo's official optimal route.
Solo or multiplayer first?
The complete game can be enjoyed solo. Co-op supports 2–4 players online or through local wireless and can progress the story. Player power scales automatically, which should make it easier for players at different progression levels to group together.
Same-console split-screen is not supported according to the official one-player single-system specification. Local wireless requires one console and one game copy per player.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Do not assume Survivalist gives better loot; Nintendo says the loot is the same.
- Do not label the nine announced gadgets as the final total.
- Do not spend based on an unofficial “best Tank” tier list.
- Do not copy Splatoon 3 weapon statistics into Raiders.
- Do not assume a failed solo raid deletes all pickups.
- Do not describe local wireless as couch co-op on one system.
FAQ
Is Splatoon Raiders a roguelike?
Nintendo has not formally labeled it a roguelike. It has raid-based exploration, loot and persistent upgrades, but genre labels beyond Nintendo's “action” and “shooter” categories should be used carefully.
Can I play entirely solo?
Yes. Nintendo calls it single-player-focused and says it can be fully enjoyed solo.
Do difficulty levels change rewards?
No. Nintendo says they change combat difficulty, not the loot available.
Do I lose everything when defeated?
Not on solo raids. Nintendo says you keep collected pickups, including confirmed weapons and salvage.
Is it on the original Nintendo Switch?
No. Splatoon Raiders is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.
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