{"id":71885,"date":"2026-07-26T23:07:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T15:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=71885"},"modified":"2026-07-26T23:07:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T15:07:02","slug":"splatoon-raiders-endgame-turns-it-into-nintendos-vampire-survivors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sgbuzz.com\/?p=71885","title":{"rendered":"Splatoon Raiders endgame turns it into Nintendo\u2019s Vampire Survivors"},"content":{"rendered":"


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It\u2019s not often that I feel compelled to keep playing a game after I\u2019ve finished it, but Splatoon Raiders<\/em> is a big exception. Nintendo\u2019s new looter shooter got its hooks into me during my playtime, and I have yet to pull them out. I\u2019ve spent well over 30 hours tinkering with my loadout and trying to push my Inkling\u2019s power levels as far as I can. I don\u2019t see myself stopping anytime soon, either.<\/p>\n

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While Splatoon Raiders <\/em>can take time to find its momentum, the shooter pays off big time in its post-game. That\u2019s where the challenge ramps up, throwing you into ultra-tough missions that will put your gadgets to the test. It\u2019s where the shooter really comes to life, almost transforming into a different game entirely depending on how creative you get with your gadgets.<\/p>\n

Splatoon Raiders<\/em>\u2019 core story takes around 15 hours to beat if you\u2019re doing every mission. You\u2019ll get your Inkling to around level 40 by the last boss, but you\u2019ll have some Spicy versions of missions to complete that will require you to be closer to 50, the \u201cmax\u201d level. Once you beat the final boss, though, the action really heats up. For one, you\u2019ll unlock Super Spicy difficulty, which brings mission levels as high as 80 and locks you to Survivalist difficulty. You\u2019ll also unlock the Bottomless Buffet, a series of escalating arena challenges that get even harder. I\u2019m currently on floor 85, which hits mission level 92 in terms of challenge.<\/p>\n

Those late-game missions have hands. And tentacles. And frying pans. Suddenly, you\u2019ll find arenas filled to the brim with Salmonids that surround you from all sides. There\u2019s little relief, as you always need to be moving and shooting to stay alive. Even the Lesser Salmonids hit unexpectedly hard, let alone the beefy Seasoned Salmonids. It\u2019s a test of skill and endurance on par with the hardest challenges in Splatoon 3<\/em>\u2019s PvE Salmon Run mode.<\/p>\n

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\"An\n <\/picture>Image: Nintendo via Polygon<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

More importantly, it\u2019s a test of your ingenuity. The whole hook of Splatoon Raiders <\/em>is its deep customization layers. Beyond hunting for five-star weapons and treasure that levels up your passive buffs, every gadget can be loaded up with perks that completely change how they work. I\u2019ve spent a good deal of the game using the Shot Pot as my go-to tool. At first, it\u2019s your standard auto-firing turret that helps deal some extra damage on enemies. The base version doesn\u2019t do much in Super Spicy levels, but it can be a menace depending on how you build it. Currently, I can spawn two at once with maxed out fire rates, range, and duration. They have been modified to shoot in two directions and fire explosive shots, and each is equipped with a sprinkler that spreads some extra ink around. I still have another free perk slot, too, which I could use to bump down the cooldown timer, add an explosive effect on deployment, or add a scent that attracts Salmonids.<\/p>\n

The quest to craft the perfect gadget is the real endgame in Splatoon Raiders<\/em>; the escalating challenges are just there to dare you to make another tweak. I\u2019m still messing with my gear routinely after each mission cleared, occasionally making one small change that makes me feel unsplattable for a spell. Now pair that with an overleveling system, which allows you to push both your character and weapons above level 50 with small stat boosts. That\u2019s enough to give you a grind worth chasing until you\u2019re satisfied with your power.<\/p>\n

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\"An\n <\/picture>Image: Nintendo via Polygon<\/small><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

In my review, I compared Splatoon Raiders<\/em>\u2019 late-game to Vampire Survivors<\/em>. The more I play, the more that holds up. With the right tweaks, you hardly need to fire a shot at all to survive; your overpowered gadgets can take care of business, just as a maxed-out garlic clove can in Vampire Survivors<\/em>. Toss some auto-triggers on your gadgets, and you can mostly focus on ducking and dodging. (I finally did this in a recent run, and it was an absolute game-changer for my already powerful build.) All the while, the images on screen get more hectic as dozens of Salmonids explode around you in inky splashes. My favorite moments are when I can barely process what\u2019s happening on screen at all, achieving that Dynasty Warriors-esque chaos that\u2019s all about keeping your cool in a crowd.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re finding Splatoon Raiders<\/em>\u2019 early missions a little boring, but you enjoy it on a mechanical level, consider sticking with it to the point where you can start overleveling your character. That\u2019s where it really builds into a furious flurry of ink and Salmonids that puts your tinkering and reaction time to the test. I\u2019ll meet you 100 floors down in the Bottomless Buffet.<\/p>\n