Shantae

About Shantae

Shantae (2002) is WayForward's late Game Boy Color platform-adventure in which a half-genie whips foes with her hair and dances into animal forms to stop the pirate Risky Boots.

Shantae in Depth

Sequin Land was once protected by Guardian Genies, whose children with humans became half-genies with limited powers; when the genies vanished, their children took their place. One of them, Shantae, guards the fishing village of Scuttle Town, though its mayor does not realise she is not a full genie. When the self-proclaimed "Queen of the Seven Seas", Risky Boots, and her Tinkerbat crew raid the town and steal a prototype steam engine from Shantae's adoptive uncle Mimic, he warns that four elemental stones could turn it into an unstoppable weapon, and Shantae sets off across Sequin Land.

Shantae attacks by whipping her hair, and gems from defeated enemies buy potions, items and new combat moves. Five towns are linked by areas full of enemies and obstacles, and characters open up dungeons, each with a guardian genie who teaches a new dance. Dances transform her into a monkey that climbs walls, an elephant that smashes boulders and stumps, a spider that crawls across webs and a harpy that flies, opening new areas and hidden items. A day and night cycle makes enemies stronger at night, when hidden fireflies can be collected; Warp Squids found in dungeons can be given to mother squids for instant travel to towns, and heart vessels raise her maximum health.

Making Shantae

WayForward developed it and Capcom published it for the Game Boy Color in 2002. It received favourable reviews but struggled to find an audience so late in the console's life; it has since been recognised as a cult classic, often listed among the best Game Boy Color games, and spawned a successful series of sequels.