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[Pot Meet Kettle]

The fifth Shantae game is announced. Details to follow. Wayforward is also promoting the newly announced Apple Arcade pretty prominently in the announcement tweet, maybe they had a hand in making this possible?

Today we're thrilled to announce Shantae 5! You're invited to join Shantae in a brand-new adventure later this year on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC... AND the newly announced Apple Arcade! Stay tuned for more details! Learn more about Apple Arcade at https://www.apple.com/apple-arcade/

Shantae is a series of platformers with metroidvania elements that debuted on the Game Boy Color and had a very chaotic release pattern. The games released so far include:

• Shantae 1 (Game Boy Color, 3DS Virtual Console) - 2001: Developed after a PS1 version was cancelled (the fourth game has a lot of ideas from that lost version), and one of the best games on the platform. A similar engine was also used for a licensed game on GBC around the Wendy cartoon (as Wayforward looked to sustain themselves with licensed games. Their latest is The Mummy Demastered, which is much better than the movie it's based on, so don't miss that before it's delisted).
• Shantae Risky's Revenge (DSi, later on consoles and PC) - 2010: Sadly the most lacking in content out of the first trilogy. After a different full GBA version (circa 2002) was cancelled due to the lack of publisher interest (same fate met a planned console outing on GameCube), Wayforward begun developing this game in full capacity as a full DS release, then downscaled to episodic DSiWare releases, out of which only the first episode (with the bare minimum of edits to look complete) released. It suffers from backtracking and short length, but is still worth playing. Some of the assets from lost episodes were repurposed for the third game.
• Shantae Pirate's Curse (3DS, PC, later ported to other platforms) - 2013: Is a full-feature entry in the franchise and easily the best in the franchise. Do yourself a favor and play it. Has the involvement of IntiCreates, but only for sprite work.
• Shantae Half-Genie Hero (consoles, Vita/WiiU, PC) - 2016: The fourth game, and a reboot of sorts. One of the few notable sucesses of Kickstarter. Uses a very different art direction more similar to the original concept, and even more ambitious than the third game.
• Shantae 5 (TBC) - Scarce on details so far, but the art style looks to be continuing that of the reboot.

It's very cool that this once struggling franchise (that reminds us of the struggles that met "A Boy and His Blob" until the successful Wii release, after many cancellations on GBA, DS...) is finally getting the financial success and support it deserves to fulfill its true potential.
Any other quality games by Wayforward, or in the same budget platformer niche, which you enjoyed? Your thoughts?

 

[Barakov]

Glad it's happening. Looks like it's hitting everything which is a good thing.

 

[iconmaster]

Out of nowhere!

I definitely want more details ASAP.

 

[Ivellios]

Great! Hope its more like The Pirate Curse, I did not enjoy Half Genie excess of transformations that much

 

[Orenji Neko]

Thats a nice surprise, I have enjoyed all of these.

 

[-MD-]

Fuck yeah.

Also PC isn't in the title.

 

[Sqorin Hammerfarf]

It's kind of hard to get excited with just a name - not even a title. Personally, I've never been a Shantae fan. I like the games okay, but they've always felt kind of slight and underbaked, like they got 90% through the multiple choice test and just went "fuck it" and filled in Cs for the rest.

 

[-MD-]

It's kind of hard to get excited with just a name - not even a title. Personally, I've never been a Shantae fan. I like the games okay, but they've always felt kind of slight and underbaked, like they got 90% through the multiple choice test and just went "fuck it" and filled in Cs for the rest.

I could see this opinion for Half Genie but definitely not Pirate's Curse, that game is excellent.

 

[overlordror]

Hope the game leans more toward Pirate's Curse than Half Genie Hero. That said, both of them are great and I can't wait to pick them up on Switch. WayForward create some of the best indie games. If you haven't already check out The Mummy Demastered. Even though it's a cruddy movie tie-in, it's actually a competent and enjoyable Metroidvania and by the same dev team.

 

[Lionel Richie]

You will buy her game, right?

 

[Sqorin Hammerfarf]

I could see this opinion for Half Genie but definitely not Pirate's Curse, that game is excellent.

In all fairness, I didn't play Pirate's Curse. Just the GBC game and the Wii U game.

 

[Mecha Meow]

You will buy her game, right?

Of course, on Switch but will wait for a physical copy to set next to my HGH and PC cases.

 

[-MD-]

In all fairness, I didn't play Pirate's Curse. Just the GBC game and the Wii U game.

Give it a try if you want to see this series at it's best.

 

[SLoWMoTIoN]

Are they gonna fuck me over again with dlc? I hope this game has more variety this time and less backtracking.

 

[mcjmetroid]

Excited for this although I don't wish for the game to be like Half-Genie.

 

[UnusualSether]

I played some of Half-Genie, wasn´t very impressed to be honest, I thought it didn´t do much to seperate it from other platformers. This is big for a lot of people, but I never really understood the love for the series, I´m not a big Platformer fan but I´ve played a decent amount and I didn´t really like Half-Genie.

Also, 5? Never knew this series was so old.

 

[mcjmetroid]

I played some of Half-Genie, wasn´t very impressed to be honest, I thought it didn´t do much to seperate it from other platformers. This is big for a lot of people, but I never really understood the love for the series, I´m not a big Platformer fan but I´ve played a decent amount and I didn´t really like Half-Genie.

Also, 5? Never knew this series was so old.

The last one was ok. It focused less on metroidvania design and more on platforming which was a mistake.

With the transformations it's a lot cheaper but pales in comparison to something like Monster Boy.

 

[Queso de Grande]

Alright! Shantae has fairly recently won a spot in my heart. After playing Half-Genie, I went back and played all the previous games. They are all great.

 

[ResurrectedContrarian]

I'm worried this will be the "HD" 2.5D-ish style instead of their superior pixel work. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse on 3DS looks so good, and needs no improvement; the Half-Genie Hero style put me off from buying it.

 

[stranno]

Some studio should also bring GBA's Lady Sia and GBC's Wendy: Every Witch Way. Two of my favourite platform games from those systems.

 

[iconmaster]

I'm worried this will be the "HD" 2.5D-ish style instead of their superior pixel work. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse on 3DS looks so good, and needs no improvement; the Half-Genie Hero style put me off from buying it.

I can appreciate that, but the animation in Half-Genie was pretty fantastic in its own right.

 

[The Snake]

I played some of Half-Genie, wasn´t very impressed to be honest, I thought it didn´t do much to seperate it from other platformers. This is big for a lot of people, but I never really understood the love for the series, I´m not a big Platformer fan but I´ve played a decent amount and I didn´t really like Half-Genie.

Also, 5? Never knew this series was so old.

A lot of the love comes from both the absolute spectacle/technical achievement the first one was on Gameboy Color (easily the best looking game on the system), as well as the legendary status it gained since it was so hard to come by a legit copy. And it's a pretty good game.

The most recent one is far from the best entry, so I can definitely see why some people wouldn't love it.

 

[Raph64]

I just realized something with her hair.

 

[TheDuskwalker]

Really excited. Love Shantae.

I played some of Half-Genie, wasn´t very impressed to be honest, I thought it didn´t do much to seperate it from other platformers. This is big for a lot of people, but I never really understood the love for the series, I´m not a big Platformer fan but I´ve played a decent amount and I didn´t really like Half-Genie.

Also, 5? Never knew this series was so old.

The last one was ok. It focused less on metroidvania design and more on platforming which was a mistake.

With the transformations it's a lot cheaper but pales in comparison to something like Monster Boy.

To be fair Half-Genie was a kickstarter project (which is why they changed to the more linear, with secrets, level structure), that failed to reach all the goals needed for the full game they wanted. It's really good for what it was even if it wasn't as good as Shantae 3 (Pirate's Curse, which itself was made using assets from the previous game to make something much much better). Hopefully Shantae 5 will take from Shantae 4 to make something much better, just like 3 did with 2, especially now they have more money to work with.

 

[mcjmetroid]

Really excited. Love Shantae.


To be fair Half-Genie was a kickstarter project (which is why they changed to the more linear, with secrets, level structure), that failed to reach all the goals needed for the full game they wanted. It's really good for what it was even if it wasn't as good as Shantae 3 (Pirate's Curse, which itself was made using assets from the previous game to make something much much better). Hopefully Shantae 5 will take from Shantae 4 to make something much better, just like 3 did with 2, especially now they have more money to work with.

That's fair enough. It was still a good game and I had a bit of fun with it but these days there is a lot more competition in that field. It needs to step up its game.
Games like Hallow Knight are provided the value of a full priced game for a fraction of the price.

 

[Potato Chip PRO]

Day One

 

[Wonko_C]

Echoing the sentiments of it hopefully being more like Pirate's Curse. My personal wish is that the dungeons were more like Risky Revenge's dungeons, though. They remind me of the NES/SNES Zelda games where you had to search for keys to open doors and using the item/power you get inside those dungeons to solve light puzzles.

 

[OldGamer]

Shantae is definitely fifty/fifty in terms of quality. Not that the lower half are bad, but are just underwhelming and are less ambitious. To me, the best are 1 and 3, so I hope this keeps the trend of the odd numbered games being the best.

I will also echo that Half Genie Hero being the worst one to date. Some fluidity in the animation was lost in the transition to HD digital animation from the older pixel art but worst is that the worlds and areas seemed very half-baked this time around. As short as Risky's Revenge and with a far less use of animal transformations. The whole game seemed a bit rushed. Granted I did not play the DLC which may have improved some of these aspects, but it. Lastly, the story/lore more or less wasted the build-up and more complex lore of Pirate's Curse.

I understand it was a KIckstarter game, but Pirate's Curse set the bar so high for this series, that I want to see that potential reached and surpassed in the next game.

 

[iconmaster]

I just realized something with her hair.

I completely missed that!

 

[Lord Malachite]

There seems to be a lot of dislike for Half-Genie Hero. I'll raise my hand that Pirate's Curse was better, sure, but 4 was growing pains. It released on every console and handheld across 2 generations plus PC. It also didn't do huge in its Kickstarter--2 entire levels went unfunded.

The game looks and controls wonderfully and I hope 5 continues the artstyle of 4 with the dungeon design of 3

 

[woopWOOP]

Half Genie Hero was a lot of fun, tho it did feel quite short. After blazing through I realized that those stretch goal bonus chapters were just two more stages. Without those it'd be really short.
The different outfits with new abilities are a fun way to switch it up tho and I've yet to play the Hero Mode that they finished up despite not making the stretch goal. Something to do inbetween!

Looking forward to more info on this one. Music and art-wise these games are pretty great

Interesting write up on the previous games btw, I didn't know that about 2 and it explains why it ended up the way it did.