Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

It’s probably no surprise I’m a fan of genies. After all, I’ve reviewed pretty much all of the recent Shantae titles, most noteworthy being the various DLC for Half-Genie Hero. I was also a backer of that one, so I took a lot of joy trying out all the content as it hit. Well, not everybody was a backer, and it can be expensive to get all the DLC, so WayForward has a great solution. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is getting an Ultimate Day One Edition this May 8th. The Ultimate Day One Edition comes packed with all the goodies for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, including all the DLC, a bonus art book and more. But what’s most exciting is that this version of the game is coming to the Nintendo Switch! I don’t have anything against Shantae releasing on other consoles, but I do think the series is a natural fit on Nintendo consoles. To read more details, just check the full press release below.


Shantae: Half-Genie Hero “Ultimate Day One Edition” Sashays onto Nintendo Switch in North America on May 8

Preorder the ‘Definitive’ Version of Crowdfunded Indie Darling with All Post-Launch DLC, Bonus Art Book, and More!

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Day One Edition

Torrance, Calif. — April 2, 2018 — XSEED Games, the independent-minded publishing brand of Marvelous USA, Inc., today announced that the hit crowdfunded action platformer developed by WayForward, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, will receive a limited “Ultimate Day One Edition” physical release for Nintendo Switch on May 8, available at select retailers throughout North America at an MSRP of $39.99. The Nintendo Switch exclusive “Ultimate Day One Edition” physical release includes the game’s groovy 30-song ‘Risky Beats’ soundtrack on CD, a gorgeous new 100-page art book (96 interior pages + 4 page cover), and plenty of company for Shantae with the ‘Pirate Queen’s Quest’, ‘Costume Mode’, and ‘Friends Mode’ DLC all included right on the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition game card packed in the box.

Don a fancy hat, trade magic for good old-fashioned weapons and tools, and play the role of the bodacious (and ambiguously evil) buccaneer Risky Boots with the Pirate Queen’s Quest DLC. Having successfully stolen the powerful Dynamo from Shantae’s uncle, Risky Boots must now traverse the game to uncover the five mysterious components needed to upgrade the machine and bend Sequin Land to her will in this all-new adventure!

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero | Pirate Queen's Quest

The “Ultimate Edition” also includes the Costume Mode and Friends Mode DLC, because no dance party is complete without friends and costumes! Friends Mode takes Shantae’s pals Sky, Bolo, and Rottytops into her nightmare where they must find and save her from certain doom. Shantae’s wardrobe gets expanded with the Costume Mode DLC, which provides three new arcade-style adventures for her to shimmy her way through in style. Stick to the shadows as Ninja Shantae, soak in the sun as Beach Shantae, or lay down the law as the Mighty Switch Force-inspired Officer Shantae in these arresting new arcade adventures!

Shantae: Half-Genie | Costume DLC

About Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
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 style. The magical world of Sequin Land is more vibrant than ever with true 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 from the pirate captain and self-proclaimed Queen of the Seven Seas, Risky Boots, who 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 alike 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 new abilities Shantae has gained in later areas.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero | Friends to the End

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is developed by WayForward for Xbox One, PC, PS4™, “PS Vita”, Wii U™, and Nintendo Switch. XSEED Games has previously published the “Risky Beats” physical editions, each packaged with the ‘Risky Beats’ soundtrack CD, as well as the digital “PS Vita” release. The Shantae: Half-Genie Hero “Ultimate Day One Edition” retail release for Nintendo Switch will come packaged with the same ‘Risky Beats’ CD soundtrack and a new 96-page art book together with the “Ultimate Edition” of the game containing all DLC, and will release on May 8 at an MSRP of $39.99. Digital versions of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition will be published by WayForward, and will be available for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam for Windows PC. Priced at $29.99 USD, these versions feature the same in-game content, but do not include the ‘Risky Beats’ CD soundtrack or art book.

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.