The iron gates have closed beneath the beach. You are a crab trying to make it back to shore alive. Let the shark fit you with fresh gear, raise your claws, and face whoever waits on the other side.
Two claws. Your way to fight.
Control each claw independently, mixing quick strikes, charged blows and ranged throws. Send projectiles back with a parry, or knock an enemy crab's attacking claw clean off. When one of your own claws goes flying, rush in and pick it back up.
Turn every shell into a stronger build.
Buy equipment and learn techniques between fights. Each of the 29 base equipment pieces has a Rainbow version; collect three identical originals to fuse an upgrade. Equip up to three of 15 techniques and unleash them through sequences of attacks.
The deep always has another face.
Face Mrs Farron's tentacles, the swelling fury of Count Echo, and the Bone Market Expert's nine independently vulnerable heads. Read the warnings, avoid dangerous ground, and prepare for bosses to change form as the fight unfolds.
Escape the cage. Brave the darker path.
Learn the basics in three separate lessons, then fight through a 21-stage Standard campaign. Clear it to unlock Brutal difficulty, extending the campaign to 24 stages with fiercer enemies and double shell rewards. A lost campaign fight ends your run, while permanent unlocks remain for your next attempt.
Test yourself against another crab's build.
Unlock the asynchronous ladder at the pearl talent tree upstairs in the lobby: purchase Fresh Shell, then Cage Challenger, for four pearls in total. Challenge snapshots of other players' uploaded equipment and broad combat preferences, controlled by the game AI rather than a live player. The campaign is playable offline; ladder matchmaking requires an internet connection. Unranked practice is available when no suitable opponent is waiting.