Why I Love the Shantae Series! (And You Should Too!) - A Series Retrospective
Вставка
- Опубліковано 8 жов 2024
- It's time to cover my favorite video game franchise of all time! The #shantae franchise is a powerhouse in the platforming scene, with 5 (soon to be 6) behemoth games under their belt, and today we're turning back the clock and looking at each and every one!
#wayforward
Join the discord server here! - / discord
Follow my Twitter here! - / astral_kat_
Follow my Bluesky here! - bsky.app/profi... - Ігри
Thanks so much for watching everyone! Do you like the shantae games? Which game is your favourite?
Join the discord server here! - discord.gg/NCD44sMRD8
HGH. It just has so much to offer. Plus I love it's artstyle.
Shantae and Patricia wagon be Allies / Partners / Lovers of Ash Williams 20 years old (Army of darkness), Ash and Cheryl have more equivalents from others dimensions in wayfoward multiverse
You know that bolo tought shantae to fight in the first place
This franchise deserves more love and popularity.
It exists in this paradoxical state where it's both well-know and obscure at the same time. People know this series, they've played and enjoyed the games. Yet nobody seems to ever give the series a fair shake when it comes to anything else beyond the gameplay. E.G. the level of passion people has, and the way that passion makes it into discussion (this video is the very rare exception) and fan-art. :(
"Atleast Shantae didn't get fired this time."
The mayor just drives by on a speedboat, holds up a banner that says "Shantae you're fired!" And flips her the double bird as he leaves and she gives him a death stare.
Honestly doing something like that would have made me laugh so hard it might have made me forgive that stupid trope lmao
Part of me kinda wishes that Ammo Baron had kept Scuttle Town.
He's still a villain and all but let's Shantae keep her job and treats her like a valued subordinate in his army.
They'll still have to fight sometimes but as long as she's doing her job protecting the town it's just business.
The major would make a big firework
*ONLY*
to tell shantae that she's fired
Now I want to give this series a try, this games look fun as hell
ONE OF US!
ONE OF US!
ONE OF US!
ONE OF US!
51:13 OMG I never knew that! That's such a good secret! Can't wait for Revolution to come out!
i want studio trigger to make a full on shantae anime
Thank you so much for getting me into this series! Honestly I didn't pay it much attention... until I saw the god-tier writing, that pulled me in and the adorable character designs and solid gameplay kept me there. This is an incredible video that really shows the work you put into it, chronicalling the journey of an amazing game series! thanks so much for making this!
the devs went on record saying Half-Genie Hero was meant to be a "get to know" kind of game where they bring back all major characters and elements from the previous games and bundle it into a more simple to understand kind of game. so the reason they toned things back into a more traditional platformer for most of the game is so things were more simple and it was more of a sampling of what Shantae had to offer
that being hair whipping, belly dancing, transformations and facing the barons and risky boots
I don't see it as a step back but a different type of Shantae flavor
I love playing it since it's a great helping of what shantae is capable of, which is her hair whipping and magic using prowess (which I'm glad they boosted some abilities to do that, I was so sparkly eyed when I saw what they did with Tier 3 Pike Balls and Tier 3 Electric in this game, I was so happy)
if anything I see it as a way of showing that Shantae's gameplay works not just in Metroidvania flavor but also Mega Man-esque flavor as well
like how Pikmin 2 shows the Pikmin gameplay works in a dungeon crawler as well as the resource strategy game despite the previous game being a more strategic "raise your army and find your ship parts before the days run out" kind of game
just cause it did something different doesn't mean it's "Unbearable"
Pirates curse is a perfect get to know game for the series, if it wasnt, it wouldnt be widely regarded as the peak of the franchise, nor would it be the one everyone says to start with, and the reason everyone says its the one to start with is because its the most important game in the franchise AND it's also the easiest to get into compared to the rest. If they wanted HGH to be that, then why is it so different? It's a pretty fuckin awful get to know the series game when the game is barely in the same fucking genre as the rest of the series, at least pikmin 2 kept the core ideas even if it got rid of the thing that made pikmin an enticing franchise, Half Genie hero is so half baked even it doesnt know what it wants to be.
@@AstralKatPirate's Curse is a good starting point gameplay wise, but newcomers to the franchise might be lost in terms of the story. Also, in regards to Half-Genie Hero feeling mixed-up, it's possible that because of the stretch goals that were met, the writers didn't know just how to tie everything together with what they already had planned.
Well done! I too love the Shantae series. I was just able to get a the Limited Run physical copy of the original Shantae to play on my Analogue Pocket and I will definitely be ordering Shantae Advance. I have been a fan since Risky's Revenge and even backed their transition into HD with Half Genie Hero. Shantae in 3D on the 3DS was definitely something special.
It is very rare for a Western developer to just nail the look, feel, gameplay and sound in an original IP that captures all the goodness of old school Japanese developed games of old and still do something new with it. There is a reason why Wayforward is the best in the business and it all started with Shantae. I am still amazed at what they were able to achieve on the Game Boy Color hardware. All their games just ooze with passion and they effortlessly made the transition from beautiful pixel art to HD without their games having that cheap mobile phone look. This was also a great way to introduce my teenage daughter into 2-D platforming games. Again well done and thanks.
Easily one of my favorite vids of yours to date! Absolutely amazing job going over what makes each game unique, where they succeed and fall short, and their overall role and impact in the series! Your passion for these games, as always, carries through so well and you make it really clear how much these games mean to you! I honestly can’t think of any other creator on the platform who does that as good as you do. It’s a big reason I love your content and keep coming back for every new video, even when the topic isn’t something I really know much about! Since I’ve only played Pirate’s Curse, having this vid show how the series’s grew and changed over time was really cool to see, and I can tell you put a ton of work into this! Thank you so much for bringing us these videos, they’re always a highlight of my week!
Risky finally put an end to the
"Boss when you fight vs boss when you unlock it as a playable character"
Aww thanks Snackcakes, I'm glad to know I'm your favorite! (Then again we all know I'm the best girl, right?)
BTW if you're confused about the whole coffee thing, apparently the effect coffee has on zombies is like a magical elixir that keeps the civilized zombies (like me and my brothers) mentally stable and prevents us from turning into those mindless savage zombies. Also while it was never officially stated, I think it also somehow prevents our bodies from further decaying and keeps us solid (well, except for when I need to change body parts occasionally)
Thanks so much for getting me into this series. I downloaded all 5 games and am making my way through completion. Shantae gives heavy Mega Man vibes, which is great since MM is my favorite series of all time...
Didn't need to watch it all the way, liked for the title alone. This series is so much fun, I'm always ready to show support to my favorite half genie.
Shantae is easily my 2nd most favourite game series of all time (my 1st being Skylanders), and for the most part I agree with just about everything here! Honestly I think this might be the best retrospective on the Shantae franchise I've ever seen!
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!!!
@@AstralKat You’re welcome, I’m definitely looking forward to Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution as well! (In fact I preordered the GBA collectors edition from LRG)
This game needs more popularity it’s so amazing.
I wish this series got more attention so the developers could get more funding. I really hope they do a full 3D Shantae game at some point since there's a lot of potential there.
Also, yes, Shantae got COMPLETELY overlooked for Smash Bros. Just like Midna, Krystal and Bomberman. Such a crime.
I honestly dont think a 3D shantae would work as well as the 2D games personally, I dont disagree that there is a lot of potential with it, because there is, I just feel as though with the type of game that Shantae is, it lends itself significantly better to 2D as opposed to 3D
Always nice to see the series getting some love. Great video, it was really nice hearing your thoughts on each game and on the series overall, though I'm surprised you didn't talk about the visuals and soundtracks (unless you actually did and I completely zoned out, and if so, my bad lol).
I've been a fan of this series since I played Pirate's Curse on the 3DS back in 2016, which immediately hooked me and made me fall in love with the whole franchise. And thanks to my passion for this series, I am now making my own Shantae fan game, and it's been a ton of fun working on this project ^^
Also, I'm really looking forward to Risky Revolution, I think it has the potential to be one of the best in the series, but only time will tell.
This Franchise was Amazing! I’ll Have to Find These Games for Nintendo Switch in Stores or Online.
you can get them all on the switch E-shop!
@@AstralKat Oh, Okay!
my friend showed me Shantae months ago and except the og Shantae I have 100% in all the other ones and I love this series so much
Thank you for the video! It's good to get the memories refreshed. Though I am not watching the last bit through as I have not completed Seven Sirens yet🙂
The main reason Risky's Revenge was so short was because it was released as a digital download only, for the Nintendo DSi. It had to be small enough for the DSi.
I just want to say that your video motivated me to give Shantae franchise a chance this summer. I'm currently running through Half-Genie Hero after beating the first thee entries of the series and I'm having a blast! Pirate's Curse is easily the best of the bunch to me so far, but Half-Genie Hero is also a lot of fun so far. Can't wait to get to Seven Sirens!
The soundtrack is just breathtaking, even in the original GBC.
Great video man! Really happy to see people who give the Shantae Series the love it deserves :)
Great retrospective. I really enjoyed it and appreciate your perspectives. I love the Shantae series but it also represents one of my great gaming regrets. Back in the early 2000's when the first game came out, I was in the video game section of my local Toys R Us, trying to decide on a game to pick up. One of the games I took a look at was the original Shantae. As I looked at the box I thought "This looks interesting. Shantae and all the characters on the back of the box are cute. A transforming genie girl seems like an original idea. Published by Capcom? Could this be similar to Megaman, with genie transformations instead of robot master powers?" I was breath away from buying the game but for a stupid reason decided to pass on it. The reason is that I recently got a GBA and it seemed silly to pick up a Gameboy Color game. I should buy a game for my new system, not some outdated game. Of course I would come to regret that decision, as Shantae became a series I adore and I could have owned a copy of that rare original game. Later, in order to somewhat make amends, I did get Limited Run's reprint of the cartridge. Still, I'd much rather have that original print. I had it in my hand! I was so dumb. Going forward I will always secure physical copies. I've probably double dipped on Shantae more than any other series.
This might be a nitpick, but I'm a little bit bummed that you didn't go into a little more detail on Officer Mode in HGH (even though it seemed like you were going to after talking about Jammies Mode), nor even briefly mentioned the fact that it was a tribute to Mighty Switch Force, another banger game series from WayForward! (If you haven't played any of the Mighty Switch Force games, I definitely recommend giving it a try. Might not be as good as Shantae of course, but still a fun experience with a charm of its own.)
Other than that, this was a very nice retrospective... BTW did you hear about that 3D Shantae 2007 Prototype that got leaked? Apparently before Risky's Revenge came out they were gonna make a fully 3D Shantae game for the Nintendo DS, but they scrapped it, and all that's left was a very basic prototype, which is actually playable if you download the leaked game file and load it onto a DS emulator. It's not much, but it gives a very good idea of what a 3D Shantae game would've been like back then, or what one could potentially be like in the future.
I was going to but I had to cut some sections due to time constraints (I keep a strict upload schedule) and my brother fell really ill at the time of making this video, so I chose to cut some segments to save time so I could take care of him
@@AstralKat Oh yikes!... I'm sorry to hear that. I hope he's okay.
he's doing much better now, thanks!
amazing video! i havent played any of these games yet but now im most definitely intrigued!
such an awesome video, as a massive fan of the series i'm so glad i found someone as enthusiastic for shantae as i am lmao, you definitely deserve more subs
32:42
I dont know why this part made me laugh so hard. Your anger towards the Mayor seems geniune and personal.
And justified tbh he is is a bit of a jerk xd
Its honestly my least favourite aspects of these games and is such a contrived plot point. I hate it and I hate the mayor so much lol
Honestly I'm getting sick and tired of seeing idiots who blindly label all Shantae fans as "just a bunch of horny loser coomer virgin men who only play the games cause of the sexy girls and nothing else" and other stupid nonsense like that. Clearly whoever said shot like that has never actually played the games. Just the fact alone that this video was made and narrated by a woman (who is a 100% genuine Shantae fan who truly appreciates everything that this series has to offer) is enough to debunk any of those dumb hateful claims. Not to mention she literally never mentioned anything even remotely related to the games' fanservicey designs/elements even once throughout this entire nearly hour long retrospective (which honestly I'm both surprised and impressed by! XD)
I've never really cared to talk about fanservicey elements, mostly because Shantae really doesn't have all too many of them, and as a game designer I prefer to look at the games story/characters and other significantly more important elements that make this series so beloved. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Newcomer in the series,loving it since playing The Seven Sirens
Shantae and Patricia wagon be Allies / Partners / Lovers of Ash Williams 20 years old (Army of darkness), Ash and Cheryl have more equivalents from others dimensions in wayfoward multiverse
Enjoying the video ^^
And just like to say I always read it that the friends are a bit weaker in the first game, simply because that was there introduction, as in the first time Shantae herself had really met them / worked with them at least. But May be wrong in that lol
Shantae and the pirate curse music hits different
Played 7 Sirens 1st & loved it. Working on Risky's Revenge now and then will go onto Pirate's Curse 👍🏾
I wanted the first Shantae game so badly way back in 2001 primarily because I was going through puberty back then, so she was my first video game girl crush, but unfortunately Shantae was one of those rare games you see in Nintendo Power magazines but hardly ever in your local Wal-Mart.
Honestly, the concept of Nega-Shantae being a main antagonist is one I'd be interested in them doing in the future. (Especially the idea of her potential being a bigger threat than the pirate master). Both for what would they do with it and how they'd do it.
The initial idea that i can think on it is that for an early part of the game, she returns as a sort if negative voice in her head tormenting her and trying to effect Shantae's actions in another attempt to take control of her body. It all eventually reaches a boiling point until something happens which results in the two of them splitting from each other.
And this couid either result in Shantae at a loss of powers again (I don't know if they'd want to repeat that plot though), her just being depleted of some of her magic or her still having all her magic, but Nega-Shantae proves to be much more powerful and more dangerous, espeically now no longer teathered to shantae.
The rest of the game goes about tracking her down and on the way we see just how much of a threat and different of a character she is as she continues to somehow get more powerful until the final confrontation in the story.
I don't have much furher details, but its all i currently have in mind on how i think they could make her a main villain for a future game.
Shantae is the only metroidvania I actually like, I've only got only the first game down but I really wanna try out Pirate's curse and Half Genie Hero
I need to get into this series some time. Hopefully the metroidvania aspect isn't too difficult for me and this seems really fun
The series is incredible, and you don't have to worry about the metroidvania aspects! It's more of a Metroidvania lite than anything else, Seven Sirens is probably the only one where I'd say you might be a bit confused, but if you play Pirates curse first you'll be used to the kinds of things these games ask you to do, at worst you have to backtrack to characters in specific areas and it's very obvious where they are, and even then Seven Sirens has a fast travel system to make things even easier!
That's nice to know and I'll try starting with Pirate's Curse first to get a feel. Maybe going through the Shantae series will get me into metroidvania
I hope you enjoy the series as much as I do!
Found out about it by chance and I tried the first one. After that, I played Risky's Revenge and Pirate's Curse in like 3 or 4 days. Now I have only the last 2 to play before waiting for Risky's Revolution
Right I actually finished the video and it was really good. Here is my experience with each Shantae entry summarized:
Shantae OG: Never played. Only game in the series I couldt play since there is no release on Steam of it...maybe someday or via a remaster/remake since these are all the rage these days.
Risky’s Revenge: Decent game, with charm, if a little short/barebones/lack of challenge. But good introduction to the series and I even have a bit of nostalgia towards it.
Pirate’s Curse: Yeah, by far objectively the best Shantae game bar none, like it’s not even a debate. Just a great experience all around. As you pointed out, I always found it ironic that game wise Shantae was at her very best when she did *not* have the usual powers that she is known for. On a small note, I always liked how there was a button to make her dance during the Pirate Master final phase once she recovered her powers; such a small but cool and cute nod.
Half Genie Hero: I liked it well enough, especially towards the end. In retrospect your review opened my eyes and yeah, I suppose the early game was kinda lackluster, looking back. It has some flaws certainly but I still firmly believe is a good game. DLC is neat and extends the lifespan of the game quite well, also adds some well needed challenge.
Seven Sirens: This one is.. tricky. I liked it a lot, feels equal to HGH, but I think this deserves the point despite being basically equal, for bringing the series closer to its metroidvania roots (Nothing wrong aganist HGH but it was a bit lacking exploring wise). Also the challenge/hard mode was actually quite difficult for most the early/mid game. After that, it is easy, aside from the countdown section near the end which may as well be the hardest thing in the entire Shantae series thus far IMO its pretty ridiculous lmao. Final boss is OK but kinda pales compared to Nega Shantae from HGH and OBVIOUSLY is just lame when compared to Pirate Master from Pirate’s Curse.
All in all. Another good point you brought in your review is how each game tries to be it’s own thing, and has their own personality, which in retrospect I should have realized myself.
That is admirable in the current age of cookie cutter samey formulatic sequels, even if it doesnt always hit- Shantae at least tries and has fun doing it.
Final Ranking:
1)Pirate’s Curse
2)Seven Sirens
3)Half Genie Hero (VERY close to 2nd place!- maybe with a stronger early game you could be 2nd...)
4)Risky’s Revenge
Shantae OG = ???
I’m surprised they haven’t just released the original on Steam. They released an emulated version on modern consoles recently as well as a Limited Run Physical GameBoy release I don’t see why they can’t just do the same for a Steam release. I suppose it is easily emulated on PC if you’re okay acquiring the ROM illegally but it would be nice to have an official means to play as well as have the entire series in your Steam library. Hope they release Shantae Advance on Steam too as soon as it comes out.
@@plows2940 Well, aside from the morality some may feel about emulating, there is also the fact the OG Shantae seems a bit... rough around the edges. Which is why I rather play a remastered version of it.
I think Half-Genie Hero is really good. I don't think it being different from the other games detracts from that.
I enjoy the DLCs but the main game is too far drawn from the gameplay of the other entires in the series for me to enjoy it, the level by level format just doesnt work nearly as well as the metroidvanias that the series is known for
I'm not a huge fan of HHG either.
In the other games, it always felt like you were traversing a world to reach a destination.
In HHG, many of the stages felt like Mario Maker levels. You ran left to right, platforming for sake of platforming. They didn't feel like they were really a part of the world.
I have other complaints too, but that's a big one for me.
I think Sky acting out in the 7 Sirens makes sense because they were supposed to be on vacation
That isnt a reason for being mostly out of character for the entire game outside of a couple instances, she wouldnt be the type of person to not help shantae or just dismiss her, she literally was Shantaes biggest supporter in the first game, being on vacation isnt an excuse to be a jerk to your best friend and defacto younger sister
I got all 5 of them on the switch digitally. It is fun😊
Take a shot every time you hear the word genuinely
you had me at shantae
😏Still like two song themes from half hero. The The main opening intro song with Shatae's voice actress singing the part. And the final robot boss battle music. Also interesting Sailor Mars voice actress is Shantae. Except in Risky Boots Revenge.
Only just got around to playing the other games (Shantae 1 and Risky's Revenge).
No clue if its the order I played them but, Pirates Curse and Half Genie Hero are probably my favorites. (Obviously pirates curse is number 1)
Haven't played seven sirens yet, it came out when I started college... and I just dropped videogames entirely then.... and then just kept forgetting it existed.
Half genie hero is saved by the music and dlc. But honestly shantae 1 is fun enough that I feel like its close to being second.... if only I didnt abuse save states for gems and the final boss (no way am I doing the entire level over)
I also like how you have to do a basic rhythm game for the transformations rather than just waiting like in the other games.
I do agree that the transformations are overshadowed... but by Tinkerbat, not Harpy (being monkey, elephant, and spider combined, and able to attack without needed a relic).
In my opinion harpy is annoying to control due to its momentum/slipperyness so I would prefer the originals.
Can't wait to see Shantae Collabs with Blue Archive
Yeah. She cute.
I only played Risky Revenge and 1/2.
Hyped for the advanced one coming soon.
I honestly had a fun time with each Shantae game, even with base Half-Genie Hero's slow start. Though the best part of the games are the characters; if I had to suggest main ideas for the next non-revival game in the series, I'd suggest a Sonic Advance trilogy style of handling the playable cast to at least avoid how Sky regressed in Seven Sirens. I'd also love some expansion on the more minor characters like the Half-Genie allies or Twitch and Vinegar. Also, Lobster Siren and Ammo Baron weren't bosses in their debut games. Also also, if those god-forsaken Bonelegs b****es from Half-Genie Hero never appear in another Shantae game again, it'll be too soon.
I got half-genie hero a few days ago on sale so thiis video is a welccome surprise on my home page
Well I hope you enjoy the rest of the series if you ever play it!
@@AstralKat enjoying my time with it so far so i might as well get more into it. Perhaps Pirates Curse or 7 Sirens
Yes! A great vid!! I only just recently introduced myself to the Shantae series, and I was kind of looking for a guide. Should I play them all from the beginning? Play the best ones first? After I had done some research, the consensus seemed to be 1/2 Genie Hero was the best, so I got that, and also the very first one. I was hoping they were more Metroidvania-y, but am liking them all the same
Half Genie hero is actually widely regarded amongst the fanbase as the worst of the modern trilogy, so whoever told you it was the best probably hasnt actually played what the Shanate fandom almost unanimously agrees is the best one, Pirate's Curse.
As for playing them in order, you dont need to play the first game at all, I'd recommend playing Pirate's Curse first because its the best one in the series and also it's the one where the overarching story really starts to set in. If you want a metroidvania one then play Pirate's Curse or Seven Sirens
@@AstralKat awww man 🤦🏻♂️. Nobody told me, I just did a search for the top 5 games, and that one was near the top. Of course now I’m doing another search and Pirate’s Curse is coming up #1. Suppose I’ll get that one then. Thanks a lot!
@@AstralKathi AstralKat, I found myself in love with the characters and went and got the WHOLE series lol.
I think the mayor being a dumbass is kinda funny. But I agree with you that Seven Sirens is amazing. It seems to get a lot of hate because it launched as an Apple Arcade title, but that's actually how I found the series, through a free trial of Apple Arcade. I fell in love with the game so fast, and I was thrilled to find out it was (at the time) the fifth in a series. Shantae is now my favorite character of all time!
I love Seven Sirens, Half-Genie Hero was okay, I hope the 6th one will still have hand drawn sprites(keep her Seven Sirens character art) but get some RPG elements as well as still being a metroidvania. Though I would love a full on turn based RPG spinoff with multiple playable characters.
Shantae is the best Indie Game series of all time!! I've been her fan since I rented her first game in July of 2002!
Sadly I remember getting bullied and was told to game end myself because I wanted her as a fighter in Smash Bros. I was the one who was talking about adding Shantae to Smash before Smash Bros Brawl was even a thing! And I was even falsely accused of being a pedo because of the lie of her being 16 when her creator Matt Bozon made a statement that she is an adult and the whole her being 16 then was made up be an ex social intern. So I went through a lot because I love Shantae so much!
I've been wanting Shantae in smash bros for ages too! You're definitely not alone haha, I do plan to make a smash bros video talking about some potential future fighters (including Shantae) sometime in the hopefully near future! So be sure to keep an eye out for it! Thanks for taking the time to watch the video!
How old are you tho? I read "was bullied" and thought you were in school when that shit happened, but then they wouldn't be calling you a pedo, so now I'm lost
I still like HGH I just think it did a good job of getting people interested in the series. It's easier sure but still fun
YOOOO I LOVE THE SHANTAE GAMES!!! Did not know they were making a new one either! Def gonna play it on my GBA lol that sounds so sweet. Good video as well, argh I wish I could like Half Genie Hero but it’s just so forgettable. Even ignoring the gameplay problems I think that after Pirate’s Curse the story of HGH was just so basic. Final boss of the main story was also kinda ass imo.
How does this only have 149 views in a day again?
Just the nature of the YT algorithm sadly, it is what it is. Nothing I can do about it TBH
I loved the series, I own all 5 games on the switch lol. Also have 4 of the 5 on the ps5.
Loves the Shantae series ✅️ Rotty Tops is best girl ✅️ As a woman, doesn't bring up anything about the womens' outfits or body proportions ✅️ Uses vulgar language✅️
I dig your style and personality, Kat 😎 Definitely subscribing 🙂
Awww, thank you!!
I wish UA-cam would let people curse instead of babying us
@@simone5760 they havent hit me with anything for it yet so im gonna keep cursing because I cant be bothered censoring myself, and sometimes I cant help it even if I tried lol
@@AstralKat You should never censore yourself. UA-cam is just unreasonable
i already love Shantae :D
I concur.
Do you upload your plays of the Shantae games on another channel?
I gotta be honest, Shantae GBC to me, is like a time capsule of a bygone era when compared to later games.
Can't wait for Shantae Advance to come out, since it has much of the classic Mr. Bozon pixel art style that Risky's Revenge and Pirate's Curse don't have, but with an SNES/Genesis style facelift, but I have one nitpick, the character illustrations don't have the classic Mr. Bozon art style, especially Shantae herself, which to me, is just modern Shantae's head pasted onto Classic Shantae's body. It's not necessarily a bad redesign, but it's used in the wrong context, considering that most of Shantae Advance's ingame pixel art retain the classic Mr. Bozon art/design style.
Big disagree on the mouse transformation, my jaw dropped when I realized all those patterns were mouse holes.
It's an interesting gimmick but it feels kind of wasted because its used about a total of 5 or 6 times and what it's used for could have been solved by ANY other transformation or a key
Half Genie Hero will always be brought down cause of it's kickstarter origins. Most kickstarter games kinda suffer that way.
not always, a lot of kickstarter games are great! Half Genie Hero isnt great because its a shantae game that doesnt feel like a shantae game, it feels like a fan tried to make a shantae game without understanding what made shantae great
My only problem with Pirate's Curse is the difficulty, it was harder than the first game, those rooms where you are locked with op enemies are a nightmare and the amount of damage taken is too much when you can recover so little health, and i came across so many frame perfect moments that made my life miserable. But i had an emulator and it was so fun so...i am fine.
i honestly hope that the next game will take a direction similar to Prince of Persia and make it so Shantae needs to accept her dark self and become one with it, essentially putting it under control and taming it and learning to use it's power without being mentally corrupted by it
Judging by the trailer, I doubt it they're going to do that.
@@NoNameNoWhere ah, i was talking about like-some future game, if they're gonna make another one; not the sequel to the original-
@@chronred8190 That's fair. I think it would be a pretty neat idea to play with. Even if not that idea explicitly, I'd love to see more evil Shantae in some form.
Squid baron is also my favorite
Character
Because she's tanned AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU should be the real answear to this.
her world is based on the Middle East and it's full of desert and tropical islands so of course she's tanned
y'know my brother and i found an old fanfic of ours for this game series, and we wrote Sky like a total asshole, and forgot why. now i know it's because of HGH & SS 😅
emulation has nothing to do with these games being brought back,
because nobody was really playing these games.
you'd really have to look and see who is, but no the truth is, these games just didn't sell all that well in the west. if you had a Gameboy Colour you might've played it,
but this game fell under the radar back then.
so it was mainly the developer, it's why it took so long before a sequel was made.
the rest of the series mostly stayed in Japan.
but after the Switch hit the market and blew up, that's when the original publisher went back and looked at these games.
yes it fell under the radar and a sequel was only picked up because people began emulating the first game and realizing how good it was, thats literally what has been said about this series for years, this is very common knowledge
i cant believe i watched a 50 minutes video
I have a lot more on my channel if you enjoy long form analysis!
I never understand why she diden`t show up in Smash. The Games were always True to Nintendo Consoles. ( except that apple liason $$$ ). Specially with that shit they pulled up for the Smash Pass. I don´t play Smash, but I feel robbed of a Shantae Amiibo.
30:58 they are gilrfr, girlf, gil. girlfreinds
they are lesbians with each other
I kinda dislike half genie hero's portrait artstyle. I also think the overworld sprites for the human characters should be redone for the next game
You're not alone with your opinion on Half Hero Genie. It's a very solid game, but it ranks as my least favorite within the series. I genuinely don't underatand how it ranks 2 or even 1 for most of the fanbase. Though, my reasons for not enjoying the game as much as the others differs.
From least impactful to most, here are the issues I have with the game.
1. Some tranformations are plain stupid. Turning into an invincible tree or invincible vase? It seems too corny, even for a Shantae game. The tank and fish are outright dumb. Thankfully, they are optional, but they do detract from the game's charm some.
2. The story is severely lacking. Most of the game has you running erands or solving problems, with no real link to the main story. You don't really feel like you're working your way towards Risky until you're near the end of the game. Up to that point, it's just daily tasks.
3. The side quest characters. They are horrendous. I'm 85% certain they were designed by high level backers. The androgonous looking NPC looks like someone's self-insert, Steven Universe inspired, fanart. The Doctor doesn't seem like he belongs in the universe. The tiny headed knight just feels off as well.
I am certain they were designed by high level backers. If that's true, then it proves my point that they don't belong.
Some enemies, as well as the Naga Saleswoman, were designed by fans. I didn't even notice! That's how colaborations should work!
Not to mention, the NPC quest givers have horrendous dialogue! Especially the knight! The primary cast's dialogue was good though, just not the side quest NPCs.
4. Half the stages are boring. They're just platformers where you go from left to right, in what feels more like Mario Maker levels than an environment you're trying to explore and traverse.
In the other games, I always felt like I was traversing an actual world.
I did enjoy the inclusion of other game modes, and loves unlocking all the art work. So, there's that.
As for my own personal ranking:
5. Half Hero Genie
4. Shantae
3. Risky's Revenge
2. Seven Sirens
1. Pirate's Curse
Shantae 1 I got on 3DS, Switch, and PS4/5 now... And I still haven't beaten it cause I find it to limiting thanks to the hardware it was released on... Specifically the dancing and the fact you have to attack first before you can run when every other game just has you run by default instead of doing a casual walk...