Shantae

Capsule ComputersDustin Spencer

9/10

Shatae finds herself back to her roots in a remarkable Switch port of her first outing. With lots of fan service, love, and that WayForward polish, this gem completes her legacy on the Switch and acts as a valuable history lesson.

Nintendo World ReportZachary Miller

8/10

The original Shantae is a lovely little game that too few people were able to experience, so I’m thrilled that it’s available for mass consumption on the eShop. Franchise fans should, of course, jump on this as soon as humanly possible, but folks curious about the series or who just want some GBC nostalgia will enjoy it too.

Worth PlayingCody Medellin

8/10

Shantae is the classic action-adventure-platformer that introduced players to the fan-favorite half-genie heroine.

GameSpotTim Tracy

7.7/10

Shantae is a fine example of how good a 2D platform game can be on a portable system.

Nintendo LifeMitch Vogel

7/10

Shantae: Risky’s Revenge – Director’s Cut still holds up reasonably well, offering up a mid-length Metroidvania experience with plenty of charming dialogue, secrets to uncover, and enemies to furiously whip with long purple hair. That being said, it’s also beginning to show its age, with a weird map system and more simplistic gameplay keeping it somewhat held back in the past. It's still an easy recommendation if you’re a fan of Shantae or are looking for a cheap entry into the franchise, but we’d also recommend that you first look into one of the other entries on Switch to see which is most r...

GamingTrendElisha Deogracias

70/100

As a $9.99 download, the Switch re-release of Shantae is a great look at the half-genie’s debut for those who want to check her out. It might be dated compared to the rest of the series, but it’s a nice look back at the classic series we know and love.

Video ChumsA.J. Maciejewski

7/10

Shantae has come a long way since her humble Game Boy Color origins so let's revisit her debut adventure and see how it has held up.

I know I’ve said this at least a dozen times now, but I do think Shantae deserves better than the platformer genre. She’s just too good of a character to waste on a genre that doesn’t really do narrative. Give her an RPG or something, WayForward. In the meantime, though, while this might not be the biggest release of the year, it’s certainly a worthwhile celebration of one of the most niche – but loved – platformer heroes out there.

VGChartzIssa Maki

Unscored

Fans of the half-genie can dance, for Shantae is a cause for celebration - just as long as they choreograph their steps. When I found out that Shantae had Capcom affiliations, I looked at my feet in shame for all my years [...]