Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

It’s an exciting day, my fellow Tinkerbackers! Our favorite belly dancing genie with kick ass hair officially has a release date for her latest swashbuckling adventure! Yes, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is coming to most consoles December 20th. I say most cause the Wii U, as usual, gets the short end of the stick, and their release date is a week later on December 27th. Which is a bit unfortunate for Wii U owners like me, but it’s still incredibly exciting to have a firm release date for the latest Shantae!

Half-Genie Hero | Pirates

Equally exciting is the retail physical “Risky Beats” edition of the game, which will come packaged with a musical CD featuring 30 songs. This version will be available for PS4, Vita and Wii U. Though speaking as a backer, I’m just patiently waiting for my backer code…

Half-Genie Hero | Combat

If you want to see the full details for this exciting announcement, check out the full details below! And stay tuned to oprainfall for a review of Half-Genie Hero!


Torrance, Calif. — December 9, 2016 — XSEED Games, the independent-minded console publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that their retail edition of the crowd-funded action game developed by WayForward, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, will launch for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system on December 20. To celebrate the popular indie series’ first full HD release, a limited “Risky Beats” retail edition will be packaged with a musical selections CD containing 30 songs from the game’s soundtrack for PS4™ and “PSVita” systems as well as for Wii U™ system in North America for a suggested retail price of $29.99. The retail release date for Wii U will be one week later on December 27. WayForward will launch the PS4™ system and Wii U versions digitally on December 20 from PlayStation®Store and Nintendo eShop, respectively, for $19.99. XSEED Games will handle publishing duties for the digital “PSVita” system release from PS Store, also scheduled for December 20, for $19.99.

Following three highly successful releases with Shantae, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge, and Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero reacquaints players with the cast of Shantae in full HD. The magical world of Sequin Land is more vibrant than ever with high-definition graphics that retain the charm of the original 2D hand-drawn sprites the series is known for. Shantae, the spirited young half-genie, must once again defend Scuttle Town as the pirate captain and self-proclaimed Queen of the Seven Seas, Risky Boots, plots to steal a newly discovered limitless source of power.

Shantae has previously protected her hometown from all forms of evil including steam-powered pirates, undead evildoers, and militaristic madmen, and is ready to take on Risky Boots with her trademark Hair Whip attack and Belly Dance moves which give her the power to transform into eight different creatures. Non-stop action with immersive 2.5D environments and a new relic system give novice and expert players a uniquely tailored platforming experience. All of Sequin Land becomes a fully explorable world— after conquering massive bosses, the Arcade-style action stages can be revisited to discover new items and secrets based on experience gained.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is developed by WayForward for PS4™, “PSVita” and Wii U. XSEED Games will be publishing the “Risky Beats” physical editions, which will each be available packaged with a musical selections CD, for $29.99. The PS4™ and “PSVita” retail releases will be available December 20, while the Wii U retail release will be available December 27. This title has been rated “T for Teen” by the ESRB with the descriptors of Cartoon Violence and Suggestive Themes.

Josh Speer
Josh is a passionate gamer, finding time to clock in around 30-40 hours of gaming a week. He discovered Operation Rainfall while avidly following the localization of the Big 3 Wii RPGs. He enjoys SHMUPS, Platformers, RPGs, Roguelikes and the occasional Fighter. He’s also an unashamedly giant Mega Man fan, having played the series since he was eight. As Head Editor and Review Manager, he spends far too much time editing reviews and random articles. In his limited spare time he devours indies whole and anticipates the release of quirky, unpredictable and innovative games.