Splatoon Raiders trades the series’ 4v4 turf wars for a single-player campaign set across the Spirhalite Islands, where you play a mechanic with a hidden past alongside the Deep Cut trio. Because it is built as a proper story mode rather than a tutorial for multiplayer, it runs far longer than any previous Splatoon campaign, and your exact playtime hinges on how much side content you chase and which difficulty you pick.
Quick answer: Reaching the credits takes roughly 10 to 20 hours depending on difficulty and how many optional levels you clear, while a full 100 percent run that includes the post-game pushes past 40 hours.
Splatoon Raiders playtime by goal
Estimates cluster into two clear bands. The main story lands in the low-to-mid teens for most players, and total completion roughly doubles or triples that figure once the endgame is factored in.
| Goal | Approximate time |
|---|---|
| Main story, minimal side content | Around 10–15 hours |
| Main story plus moderate side content | Around 15–20 hours |
| 100 percent, including post-game | 40+ hours (up to 50+ for full collection) |
Main story length
A typical run to the first set of credits covers the opening tutorial, the required story raids, and a handful of optional dungeons and challenge levels. Players who complete only the minimum number of levels can wrap the story in a little under 10 hours, while those who tackle most levels as they unlock will be closer to the 15-hour mark. Play deeper, tinker heavily with builds, or lean into side objectives and the campaign stretches toward 18 to 20 hours.
None of the side content blocks the credits. You can head straight through the required raids without touching most dungeons, collectibles, or co-op sessions, which is why the fastest runs finish so much quicker than the completionist ones.
How difficulty changes the clock
Splatoon Raiders offers three difficulty settings, and they are the single biggest swing on your total time. Higher difficulties make enemies hit harder and clears slower, but the loot pool is identical across all three. That means difficulty changes how long fights take, not what they drop.
| Difficulty | Feel | Rough story time |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist | Easy, best for learning or farming | Around 15 hours |
| Raider | Medium, the intended baseline | Mid-to-high teens |
| Survivalist | Hard, tougher enemies and slower clears | Around 30 hours |
You choose a difficulty at the start, but you are not locked in. Press X on the Hideout ship to open the main menu, tap R twice to reach Options, then scroll to Difficulty and select a new setting at any time. If you are grinding materials, Tourist gives the same rewards for less effort.
100 percent and post-game time
Rolling credits is only the halfway point for anyone chasing full completion. The post-game opens up harder, “spicier” revisions of every stage, new optional challenge and dungeon levels, a Super Spicy Mode, and a Hidden Ruins challenge that leads to the Bottomless Buffet, an endless mode hiding a secret boss. Pushing through all of it comfortably passes 40 hours, and a true full-collection run can reach 50 or more.
Full completion asks you to check off a long list of objectives across the islands. These are the tasks that fill the extra hours:
- Raise all weapon levels and collect every weapon
- Develop all gadgets and gadget parts
- Complete every Relic Power and upgrade all three Tanks
- Finish the Salmonid Research
- Collect all treasure and retrieve every Briny Scroll
- Unlock all non-amiibo outfits and reach the secret ending
Co-op and the endless loop
The campaign is entirely self-paced. There is no timer or deadline forcing you through the story, so you can play solo or bring in others through online co-op and the Call for Help feature. Assisting other players with their raids, farming stronger gear, and running the Bottomless Buffet can add dozens of extra hours on top of a completion run, which is why real playtime keeps climbing for anyone who enjoys the core loop.
If your only goal is the credits, Splatoon Raiders is a manageable single-player game you can finish in a few dedicated sessions. If you want everything the Spirhalite Islands hold, plan for a much longer stay.
