So, you're bored of the bottomless buffet, or maybe you just want to expand your skills into non-paintball-related activities? Welcome to the Splatoon Raiders arcade games, which are as challenging as they are fun. We didn't imagine that minigames would ever come to Splatoon in such a punishing way - is this a Soulslike after all?
That was a joke, before you get mad at me. Anyway, make sure you check out our Splatoon Raiders tips for helpful pointers in other areas of the game, and if you're wondering what the Splatoon Raiders amiibo are for, we can help there, too.
Here's everything in our Splatoon Raiders arcade games guide:
What are the Splatoon Raiders arcade games?
The arcade games can be found at the arcade machine, which is an unlockable upgrade to the training grounds. There are four in total - two to start off with, with additional games available to purchase when you complete the Splatoon Raiders Hideout Ship upgrades.
Mining
In this one, you start with 40 seconds to dig as far down as you can. Hold ZR to accelerate, but be careful - you'll stop if you hit the sides or a boulder, and the faster you go, the harder it is to maneuver. Getting Spirhalite shards and occasional power eggs increases the amount of time you have on the clock, and points rack up as you go, meaning if you can keep up at a high speed and collect your gems, you should be able to ace it. You'll need 6k points to score A rank.
Hopping
Hopping works similarly to mining in that it's a time-based game. You'll start with 60 seconds, and the aim is to keep a squid in the air using the bot buddy. You can get extra time by landing the squid (or yourself) on top of the Salmonids that are both on the ground and in the air. Bouncing once gives 0.1 seconds, twice is 0.2, and three times is 0.5 seconds. You can also lose time - ten seconds if you drop your squid pal and 7.5 if you hit a salmonid. You'll need 5.5k points to get A rank.
Juggling
Points work differently in juggling, as there's no time limit. Instead, the numbers on the screen indicate points. It's simple - keep all the Salmonids in the air at the same time. Drop one, and lose a heart. Lose five, and it's game over. Spirhalites shards will also rain down on you, offering bonus points, but if you haven't caught the Salmonids, this won't help you all that much. This one's fun and easy to play with someone else locally, with each of you controlling one joystick. You can get to A rank with 7k points.
Landing
Landing sees you scoring points across ten stages by getting the buddy bot from one side of the screen to another. Use LZ and RZ to control movements, but, as this is a tricky game, be careful not to hold anything down for too long. You'll be scored on clearing the level, how long it took you, if you picked up any Spirhalite shards, and if you managed to land softly and upright.
How do I unlock the Splatoon Raiders arcade games?
You can get the first two Splatoon Raiders arcade games when you unlock the Hideout Ship construction. Simply head to the Test Range section of the shop and purchase the Arcade Cabinet's first two games for 2,015 shards.
When you upgrade the ship to level two, the third game becomes available to buy for 2,017 shards. Finally, upon ship level three, all four games are available - pick up the last one for 2,022 shards. The eager-eyed Splatoon fans among you might have noticed that each game's price corresponds to the year that the other Splatoon entries came out - cute!
What are the Splatoon Raiders arcade game rewards?
Alas, your efforts in these games won't be in vain, as you can pick up the Speedster Bot Pro Splatoon Raiders outfit if you successfully master all four games by reaching rank A. You're like the Avatar of Splatoon at that point, so go wear your new fit with pride.