Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

Shantae: Half Genie Hero blends quality with quirk for an unforgettable platforming experience.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a beautifully made, wonderfully crafted, and totally fun adventure. It’s got great characters, fun gameplay that’ll keep you entertained throughout, epic bosses that’ll keep you on your toes, and plenty of collectables that’ll have you going back through the levels multiple times.

If you’re planning to look at the title just to play through the story, the price tag may hold you up a bit (running at $20 for the Steam version, outside of the currently active winter sale). However, this isn’t a game that’s just intended to be run straight through – the focus is on exploring and finding secrets, and aiming for 100% completion will definitely take some time.

You could likely beat Shantae: Half-Genie Hero in a couple of sittings, but the platforming action is so varied, and the levels so explorable, it’s worth playing well beyond that. While it's neither innovative nor high-concept, its hand-drawn look and toe-tapping music successfully channel a joy and enthusiasm that has become far too rare in modern video games.

Old-school gamers and newcomers alike will find a lot to like in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. It's unique blend of humor, detailed art style, creativity, and platforming will appeal to most any type of gamer.

After nearly three years of anticipation following the success of it's Kickstarter, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero shows us why it was worth the wait.

Wayforward's heroine has come a long way from her GameBoy beginnings, and she's still got some great adventures in her yet. The gameplay is on point, and the visuals are top notch. The experience is a little on the short side, but fun throughout.

Everyone's favourite purple-haired half-genie is back for yet another wacky adventure. This time around, she has more transformations than you can shake a magic lamp at. The question is: are you up for a shape-shifting good time?

The Shantae series is an odd one, isn't it? It's been around for quite some time, but never made a huge impact. The Metroidvania style gameplay and quirky writing are adored by fans, but despite being quietly very good, the games remain ignored by most. Funnily enough, you can play three of the four titles right now on PlayStation 4, an interesting case of waiting for a bus only for three to turn ...

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has an amazing presentation and precise platforming that will make gamers of all ages smile. If only the game stuck to its guns instead of devolving into a tedious collectathon that shatters the game's pacing.

It’s clear to see WayForward put their Kickstarter funding to good use. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero features some of the best platforming of recent years, and it’s easy to recommend to anyone that’s a fan of platformers or Metroidvania style games, though a couple more levels to combat the game’s repetition would have been perfect. Wayforward will have to settle for almost reaching that mark instead.