Shantae is an interesting game series. Originally released on the Game Boy Advanced, it sold poorly due to coming in near the end of the platform’s life cycle. Despite that, it managed to maintain a solid fanbase and earn two more sequels. Back in 2013, a Kickstarter campaign for a fourth mainstream Shantae game, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, was launched. It did very well, earning just shy of $800,000 dollars. After nearly three years, it is finally being released on all platforms, including the Wii U. Come December 20th, it will be available for purchase.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is the first full HD entry in the series, something proudly toted by the Kickstarter. WayForward, the developers, aim to have the graphics be sharper than ever, while still retaining the charm of the old games. The game brings players back to Sequin Land and the titular hero’s home of Scuttle Town. Recurring villain of the game, Risky Boots, is once again threatening the town, seeking to steal a source of infinite power. Shantae will have eight different forms to transform into to help her on her way. Sequin Land will also be fully explorable, complete with stages that can be replayed to find hidden secrets.
The base price for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will be $19.99 across the board. The lone exception for this is the limited “Risky Beats” retail edition. The Risky Beats edition will come with a full soundtrack for the game, and will go for $29.99. What is more, while digital versions of the game will all be available on December 20th, there will be some delays regarding the retail versions. The Wii U port will receive a minor delay, not being available in stores until December 27th. Apart from that, all versions of the game will be available on December 20th, as mentioned above.