Splatoon Raiders tips and advices for the harder time-trial levels

Splatoon Raiders is a new take on the Splatoon franchise for Nintendo Switch 2 that takes the Salmon Run game mode into a full-length campaign, with "raids" you can take solo or with up to four people. There is a nice variety of levels, some require you to find treasures at the end and kill the enemies in your path, but by far the most fun levels are the time-trial levels, that put you in a small arena and you have to collect as many Power Eggs (dropped by fallen enemies) as possible before the time limit.

It is in those levels when Splatoon Raiders reveal its full potential: chaotic, frantic battles that push you to the limits and require you to be very well prepared, learn the enemy patterns and think as efficiently as possible to collect all eggs on time.

As those are the most challenging levels in Splatoon Raiders, especially in the latter parts of the story and post-game, in this Splatoon Raiders guide we will give you a few tips and advices to confront these levels, although these are valid for all types of Splatoon Raiders levels.

Splatoon Raiders tips for the timed levels

Gadgets are the key to the entire game

Gadgets replace the traditional secondary weapons, like bombs. While initially the game seems easy enough, in the latter levels and the post-game, you will find that the key to mastering the game and survive the hordes of enemies is to use the gadgets cleverly, having them fully geared up with parts that suit your style and strategy. They may be even more important than your weapon!

Gadgets will become more than just secondary weapons: they are also the key to get out of dangerous situations. A typical raid will play like this: shoot as many salmonids as you can until you are run out of ink and/or get completely surrounded while waiting for the Gadget to cooldown, then use it to defeat a lot of enemies in a stroke, or jump your way out of danger so you can heal, recharge ink, find a safer location and begin the process again. As such, gadgets are not just a weapon, but a defensive tool to survive longer!

Bear in mind that while initially you can only carry one gadget, you can unlock up to three slots to equip them (L, R and A) as you get more and more power eggs and upgrade your tanks (twice each).

Stick with your preferred weapon, but switch tanks often

You don't like rollers, paintbrush, chargers or the umbrellas? Fine, it is okay if you stick with the same main weapon all the time, as they don't progress the same way as the tanks, which are upgraded the more you use them (weapons can be upgraded one at a time if you have the resources). And, like we said, the gadgets are the key to the game, therefore the tanks, which dictate which gadgets you can equip, are also very important.

The first half of the game is generally quite easy, and you will frequently feel overpowered a lot. Use these levels to try out as many different gadgets and tank (Power, Speed and Tactical) as possible. Take it as an experimentation phase, where you can try different gadgets and see which one you like more.

But there is a bigger importance in changing your tank, and therefore your gadgets and playstyle, often: many levels require you to finish them at least one with all three tanks, including levels after the credits, so if you want to unlock everything the game has to offer, it is best if you try to use all three tanks often so that you have them upgraded (with all three slots for gadgets) available when you reach the post-game. Remember, tanks are upgraded the more power eggs you earn with them, and each tank can only be upgraded twice.

Your buddies also evolve

The same thing happens with your buddies from Deep Cut (Shiver, Frye and Big Man): the more you take them with you on the bot, the bigger bond you make with them. We are not sure how many times you have to take them with them to increase your bond, but we felt it was a similar pace as the tanks.

Each buddy can by "upgraded" three times: each time you get a new, funny scroll, and the third time they "upgrade" (you get the maximum bond with them), their special move, or "Showstopper", will greatly improve too.

Search for secret levels

Many levels have hidden compasses that allow you to find hidden levels in the map. That is one of the fastest ways to level up, as every time you finish one of those levels, you get an Skill tome, with an authomatic skill point ready to use!

Call your exploration bot to jump to safety

During the first levels, you learn how to call the Exploration Bot with X and use it to jump higher. While this initially seems useful only in some platforming sections, it can be a life saver in the toughest battles. Don't forget you can use it! Call it with X, it will do some damage when it lands, and then use it to jump away from danger when you see yourself surrounded before it's too late.

Auto Trigger on Hit: You can activate gadgets automatically

You can upgrade your gadgets with parts you find in the levels or that you buy in your base (in Shiver's Gadget Workshop). Most revolve around increasing damage, range, reducing cooldown... but many have one in particular you can only acquire in Shiver's Workshop, and that is Auto Trigger on Hit.

This means that, whenever you hit an enemy, the gadget will authomatically trigger. This can be interesting for gadgets similar to bombs (like the Booyarang, the Spinwheel or most from the Tactical tank) that don't really matter when you trigger them, as they will make a big damage as long as there are enemies nearby, and that way you make sure you use it as much as possible.

And, as they are the only part that don't take any space in your gadget's slots, it completely optional, your choice if you use them or not. In my experience, I tended to equip it to the gadget I assigned to the A button, to basically don't ever having to press that button (in a game where every half second matters, freeing the face buttons helps).

Save one special move ready for the boss

The special movements from your buddies are often the difference between failure and success. They are charged as you get more power eggs, so you need to try to trigger them at least once in every phase.

My advice is that, in the second phase (in the levels with three phases) charge the special move but don't waste it, instead save it to for the final phase, to use it right at the start against the mini-boss and deal a huge damage right at the start, as well as freeing space to recharge it again in the fight.

Move in circles

To finish the time trials, it doesn't matter how many enemies you defeat: you need to collect the power eggs. You will be in many situations when you defeat an enemy, who drops the power eggs, but can't really get them because they are surrounded by enemies or in a very dangerous zone.

The good thing is they don't disappear, so there is not too much hurry to collect them as long as you organize your head. This is when the game becomes surprisingly strategic: it's not just about shooring and killing but about how you move, when you use the gadgets, and the best way to do it is always be on the move, never stay too much in the same position. So, don't worry too much if you don't collect the eggs, you can alway come later. Just not too late...

Don't collect power eggs during a special move!

Finally, something I observed is that, when you use the special move of your buddy, the charge bar of the move slowly depletes. Naturally, you will want to recharge it as soon as possible to get another special move by collecting power eggs, but if you do it while the move is triggering, the power eggs you collect will be wasted. Wait until the bar is completely empty, and then get those eggs!

Have any other doubt, tip or suggestion for Splatoon Raiders? Let us know in the comments!