Solo runs only get you so far in Splatoon Raiders. Once you hit the third treasure chest and want backup for the harder fights ahead, the game hides its multiplayer unlock behind a progress gate that isn’t explained anywhere in the tutorial. This guide covers exactly what you need to finish first, then walks through creating a room — password-locked for friends or keyword-open for randoms — so you’re not stuck guessing why the multiplayer machine won’t show up.
Prerequisites
You can’t touch multiplayer until you’ve beaten the single-player campaign up through the third treasure chest. That milestone is what unlocks the island where the co-op machine physically spawns.
Skip this step and you’re wasting time looking for a machine that doesn’t exist yet. If you’re rushing toward co-op, focus on clearing that third chest before worrying about anything else in this guide.
Steps to Play with Friends Online
Once the island is unlocked, here’s the actual sequence:
- Find the machine on the island — this is your hub for creating or joining rooms.
- Playing with specific friends? Set a password on your room. Only people with that exact password get in.
- Want to play with strangers worldwide? Set a keyword instead — something like “MKH” works fine as an example.
- After locking in your password or keyword, hit Create Room to start hosting.
- Recruit your players, then leave the room whenever you’re ready to kick off the fight.
That’s the whole flow. No hidden menus, no extra confirmation screens — just password or keyword, then create.
Tips & Troubleshooting
The most common issue: one player has the prerequisite done and the other hasn’t. Both sides need to have beaten the game up to the third treasure chest, or joining each other’s rooms just won’t work.
If you’re using a keyword, share it exactly as typed. Case and spacing matter more than you’d expect, so don’t paraphrase “MKH” as “mkh” and assume it’ll connect.
No machine showing up on the island? Don’t waste time restarting the game — go back and check your single-player progress. The machine only appears after the island itself unlocks, so if it’s missing, you haven’t actually cleared the requirement yet.
