Splatoon Raiders is officially out in the world, and we're all eagerly diving into the single-player adventure. Raiders is a bit different from the mainline games, in that it takes the Salmon Run formula and makes a game out of it. Plus, this time, it's mainly for solo squids instead of team-based turf wars.
The game welcomes players new and old, but if you're not sure what the world of Splatoon is about, we're here to help with some tips, as there are a lot of new systems that we've not seen in Splatsville.
Test your tanks
There are three tank types you can choose from as part of your build. Each of them has different Splatoon Raiders gadgets you can equip, which change your abilities in combat - so, test out all three to see which fits your style.
If you want more weaponry circling you to take out salmonids, the tactical tank is for you - but if you want to run away fast, or be able to hop into the air and away from chaos, choose the speed tank.
Work through the weapons
Our second tip is to try all the Splatoon Raiders weapons! Whether you're new to the franchise or a seasoned veteran, you might find a new type of main here. The buckets are back, and plenty of fun, or you can try a splatana to make some waves. Maybe you'll stick with a simple shooter to get enemies away from you instead.
What we do recommend is to hold off on upgrading your chosen weapon until after the first few dungeons, as you'll probably pick up another, higher-level version pretty soon. Early on, it's not worth spending the Spirhalite on when there are other upgrades and gadgets to create.
Call in reinforcements!
Raiders can be overwhelming, especially if you choose the higher difficulties. So, if at first you don't succeed… that's fine; you can try again and again. If a level defeats you, you can go back and redo previous missions to get more XP and gems to upgrade your kit. Then, you can try that tricky raid with more power under your belt.
Or, you can call upon other players to come to your aid. You can invite friends to play to tackle different levels together, or you can ask for random teammates to join you. You can also offer help to others if you're feeling charitable.
Upgrade your Hideout Ship
Speaking of upgrades, your base - the Hideout Ship - can be upgraded a couple of times, and you can add new sections. There's a training area where you can test out your gadgets and weapons on dummies, and add more bits and pieces to bash.
While upgrading, you can unlock the ability to scrap weapons, develop gadget parts, and eventually swap abilities around, too.
You can directly attack more bosses now!
This one's for the Salmon Run veterans. Remember how annoying the Flyfish was to defeat, as you had to throw bombs into its open compartments (and teammates would often end up targeting the same one)? Now, you can just shoot the soft bit in the middle to defeat it.
Maws has also had a revamp to match the lack of bombs in Raiders. Simply shoot it from the back, and it'll go down easy. Basically, just shoot everything or set your Bot Buddy on it.
Go back and find all the loot
When you complete certain levels, you may notice a couple of symbols on the name card of each stage. These show a Splatoon Raiders scroll and a compass - sometimes two of one or the other.
Make sure to look around for different colored crates that contain these, as the compasses unlock levels you can gain skill points from, and the scrolls unlock little bits of lore for you to soak up.
If you're wondering whether to pick up the game, you can read our shrimply glowing Splatoon Raiders review to sway your opinion. Then, why not grab the new Splatoon Raiders amiibo to decorate your shelves? Or, shell-ves…