• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse [Wii U & 3DS] |OT| Not the Kick Starter Game

zlCfzS3ssP0d9ftXsP

Jeez, even the statues are scantily clad. Ridiculous.

Let me know when the Wii U version goes on sale, because I refuse to pay $22.39 for this. Of course they had to raise the price in Canada. >_>
 

SerTapTap

Member
Jeez, even the statues are scantily clad. Ridiculous.

Let me know when the Wii U version goes on sale, because I refuse to pay $22.39 for this. Of course they had to raise the price in Canada. >_>

Yeah statues with boobs is really unique to Shantae. If you're wondering, the actual game part is really good, so...
 

Cuburt

Member
I'm about 88% completed right now at 16+ hours in and this game is tons of fun.

I liked Risky's Revenge for what it was (a smaller scope DSiware downloadable title with some cool powers and fun gameplay) but this game bests it in the gameplay aspects like 10 fold imo.

The world is much bigger with lots of Metroidvania-esque maps. Her genie powers are gone in this game but the items she gets are really well integrated into the gameplay so each item usually has more than one use (ie. attacks/puzzling/platforming/discovering hidden rooms/items). Where I'm at now, the game feel is just great. Shantae's hair whip seems a tad faster to from the start, compared to the previous game, but with the added maneuverability as well as attacks, it's a blast to play.

There is some decent enemy variety and the level design is good but not great (although it has some real clever moments mixed in). Bosses are pretty fun and fresh at times. Music is great. Animation is great (but sometimes a little inconsistent compared with Wayforward's usually quality).

The challenge isn't too tough (whether with the combat, the puzzles, or the platforming), but luckily frustration is also kept to a minimum.

All in all really fun game. Definitely recommend it to anyone who liked Risky's Revenge and anyone who liked games like Megaman X or Iga Castlevanias. It plays like a lite version of games like that (in terms of challenge and depth) but definitely enough content to keep me entertained.
 
I have never seen a game ramp up in unnecessary difficulty so quickly.

Pirate Master's Palace was just stupid.

I also beat the last boss by the skin of my teeth (by the health boost from a single Monster Milk)!

94% clear time. Ignored the last four Heart Squids. Fun game, but I can't wait for the animal transformations to come back!
 
I have never seen a game ramp up in unnecessary difficulty so quickly.

Pirate Master's Palace was just stupid.

I also beat the last boss by the skin of my teeth (by the health boost from a single Monster Milk)!

94% clear time. Ignored the last four Heart Squids. Fun game, but I can't wait for the animal transformations to come back!

Yeah, I thought it seemed out of place to ramp up the platforming difficulty like that. I destroyed the last boss, though. Pike Ball + Monster Milk makes everything a joke.
 

ajjow

Member
This game is superb!

The way i see castlevania. The idea of dungeons on 2d world is great.


People should buy this ifbthey wanna something like castlevania!
 
Loving this game. Control is refined, looks great with very appealing art, sense of humor. I already liked the series having played the second one on ios, but this one is a step above (and unsurprisingly plays smoother on 3ds than the touch controls).

Would get it again on Wii-U if I owned one. Probably will double-dip on the second one when it goes on sale again on Steam.
 

Corgi

Banned
fyi. there will be a patch soon to update the controls for new 3ds/circle pad pro.

Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse update includes “New 3DS” features! Game swaps in real time between Original and New controls, adapting to your unique play style!
-Use ZL or ZR to quickly swap between Inventory and Map screens.
-Use the Right Control Stick to “Quick Select” your magic and items.
-Tap the Touch Screen at any time to revert to Original controls.
-Owners of original Nintendo 3DS or 3DS XL can also access these features by connecting the Circle Pad Pro accessory.
-Designed with speed-runners in mind!

This update is currently on its way to Nintendo in North America and Europe, and will be available soon!
*New 3DS and Circle Pad Pro are not required to play the game.
Look forward to this, and more exciting updates to Shantae and the Pirate's Curse coming soon!


quick select is really welcome with how shitty im at the game so I need to heal a bunch :p
 

Ringman

Banned
This game is great. It reminded me of Yoshi's Island with its puzzle platforming.

It's also genuinely funny in parts.

After playing this, I wish I had backed their kickstarter instead of Mighty No 9.
 

Dezzy

Member
I recently finished this on Wii U. 100% with just about 10 hours played. The game is amazing and I loved it. Anyone with even a slight interest should just get it.

Obviously Metroid/Castlevania fans would likely love it, but I'd also compare it to Wonder Boy/Monster World on the Genesis.
 

BY2K

Membero Americo
Finished it 100%.

Was surprised ti see Inte Creates did the character arts.

Boy WayForward loves to do 2D female sprites, though...
 

Sevyne

Member
Played this game to death on 3ds and will continue to do so. Was my game of 2014, but I'm a total sucker for Shantae, Castlevania, and Metroid. This game was basically a well crafted fusion of them all.

And of course, DAT music!
 

AwShucks

Member
I beat this yesterday (true ending) and now am a fan of the series. It was really fun and I liked the progression of unlocks.

Just saw there was a Director's Cut of Risky's Revenge on Steam and I think I'll pick it up sometime in the next few weeks. Looks like they improved the warp system which I have read was a common complaint.
 
Just beat this game at 100%. Having played the previous two games last year, this is definitely the best of them, with the original game in second and Risky's Revenge in last (too short and easy). I remember that one thing that bothered me about the second game was that the character portraits managed to be far worse at showing character expressions than the sprites themselves. In this game, on the other hand, I absolutely loved the character portraits.

The gameplay was a lot of fun, with little of the frustration from the first game. The last dungeon was pretty tricky, but it was nowhere near as annoying as the harpy section of the last dungeon of the first game. And I have to say, it's so nice to have every dungeon actually have a boss and for no bosses to be repeated; and all of them were quite fun at that. It was a bit disappointing that we don't get a rematch with the Ammo Baron, though. The pirate items worked really well, and I feel like it will kind of be a step down to go back to transformations for Half-Genie Hero, unless they are integrated better. In particular, I really liked the dash attack, though I did go a bit crazy looking for breakable walls; maybe making it more clear which walls were breakable would have helped. Also, there should have been a way to tell how many items you collected on an island while you are actually on the island, and in the dungeon too.

The story was much better in this game than the previous one, particularly due to it feeling like a complete story, unlike half of one as the complaint goes for the previous game. The characters were all very likable in this game and were pretty well integrated into the story, with no unresolved betrayals or anything.
 
I got this last week on (New) 3DS and I have to say I'm really super impressed with the "flow" of the level design and how great the platforming feels. A lot of thought went into the design of this game and it shows. I also sure didn't expect a certain sequence on the second island, but boy was it fun.

At first, I was kind of disappointed at how the level design doesn't seem to be a huge, interconnected map like in Risky's Revenge. But I think I'm warming up to it.

One of the issues I had with the previous game is still present, though: Dead ends that don't look like dead ends because they have invisible walls preventing you from exiting the screen. In Risky's Revenge this was a pretty big pain in the rear because it made some places look like you had finally found the path to where you wanted to go, only to realize that there was an invisible wall keeping you from doing it. This was especially bad due to the extremely barebones map and the mazey level desgin. Due to how this game is laid out, this seems to be far less of an issue, though.

Interestingly enough, I might not like the goofy humor and the cheesecake-ish art in another game, but here, it just fits. And, yeah, the game is really pretty too. Even more so when there are some layering/transparency effects around.

All in all, huge thumbs up to WayForward from me. It's great that games like this are still being made.
 

Psxphile

Member
I don't think they ever announced other platforms for Risky's Revenge. I could see it getting ported to mobile though (and Steam... eventually). Are you perhaps thinking of 1/2 Genie Hero, the Kickstarted game? That one's coming to just about every HD platform minus 3DS... but game's still a ways off before completion.
 

Kawika

Member
So Gaf, all things equal which is the better version of this game?

I probably would play both games in my house anyway. Basically is the 3D good enough to bypass the higher resolution Wii U port? Man, I wish these games were cross buy. I am so spoiled now with PS4/Vita.
 

AwShucks

Member
So Gaf, all things equal which is the better version of this game?

I probably would play both games in my house anyway. Basically is the 3D good enough to bypass the higher resolution Wii U port? Man, I wish these games were cross buy. I am so spoiled now with PS4/Vita.

I bought the 3DS one as it was easier for my situation (quick bursts when my kid isn't needing my attention). It was fine for me. I think it really just comes down to "portability" or HD.
 

Sevyne

Member
So Gaf, all things equal which is the better version of this game?

I probably would play both games in my house anyway. Basically is the 3D good enough to bypass the higher resolution Wii U port? Man, I wish these games were cross buy. I am so spoiled now with PS4/Vita.

Both are fine, but it actually looks a bit better on the 3ds, because the Wii U version looks more pixelated. The Wii U version is really just the 3ds game kind of stretched for a bigger screen and HD dialogue art. The only thing that looks better on Wii U is the character art during dialogue, and that could be to a fault because it looks out of place a bit. The 3d is fairly well done too on 3ds.

The differences however really aren't anything major, so it boils down to how you want to play the game.
 

Kawika

Member
Both are fine, but it actually looks a bit better on the 3ds, because the Wii U version looks more pixelated. The Wii U version is really just the 3ds game kind of stretched for a bigger screen and HD dialogue art. The only thing that looks better on Wii U is the character art during dialogue, and that could be to a fault because it looks out of place a bit. The 3d is fairly well done too on 3ds.

The differences however really aren't anything major, so it boils down to how you want to play the game.


Thank you, that is pretty much what I was thinking. I am glad someone confirmed it. Much appreciated.
 

Pila

Member
I'm playing the game these days, it's good and it looks good. I wish it was more about platforming and less about facing enemies but that's just my personal tastes. Music, design and animation are top class, amen to that.

It's my first Shantae game, fanservice is everywhere lol. ^^
 
The internet isn't much help however i do see my question pop up in various forms here and elsewhere.

Ammo Baron! I found out I had to find RottyTops and get that dudes soul and free him from stone but now the Ammo Baron needs his recruits which he says are at The Palace.


I've gone to the Palace on the outset island and also the one in the desert and nothing....any help?
 
The internet isn't much help however i do see my question pop up in various forms here and elsewhere.

Ammo Baron! I found out I had to find RottyTops and get that dudes soul and free him from stone but now the Ammo Baron needs his recruits which he says are at The Palace.


I've gone to the Palace on the outset island and also the one in the desert and nothing....any help?

The palace. Isn't that where you had to go to the library and find the map in the beginning of the game?
 
The palace. Isn't that where you had to go to the library and find the map in the beginning of the game?

Yeah, I actually just figured it out, I found a sword in the desert level on accident then took it back to the palace where the gay cyclops he-man guy is. He transforms and then the girls leave back to the ammo Baron.
 
Yeah, I actually just figured it out, I found a sword in the desert level on accident then took it back to the palace where the gay cyclops he-man guy is. He transforms and then the girls leave back to the ammo Baron.

Guess I was just too late. Ah well.

Speaking of the Ammo Baron girls
Gotta love how they named the girls Twitch and Vinegar
 

SerTapTap

Member
So I stopped playing right at the last dungeon (I'm not on the path for the true ending, but unless it's a really huge deal/unlocks something other than an ending I'm fine with that), how hard is the last dungeon? I made one attempt and got pretty frustrated at the Wily's Castle style super death platforming stuff in the first few rooms. The room with the plants that spit you out was specifically extreme, how much more of there is that? I want to finish this but I don't want to go through too much agony to do it right now.
 

ArjanN

Member
So I stopped playing right at the last dungeon (I'm not on the path for the true ending, but unless it's a really huge deal/unlocks something other than an ending I'm fine with that), how hard is the last dungeon? I made one attempt and got pretty frustrated at the Wily's Castle style super death platforming stuff in the first few rooms. The room with the plants that spit you out was specifically extreme, how much more of there is that? I want to finish this but I don't want to go through too much agony to do it right now.

Having all the dark magic gives you the real final boss fight and a happier ending.

The last dungeon is a long vertical shaft with 6 spokes to the side.
You can actually skip all of it by trick-jumping (which is what you would do in a speedrun) but if you're just looking to beat the game it's not that hard. (although definately a step up from the other areas)

Unless you completely run out of lives, you'll just respawn at the last section, so if you just stock up on health items you get more or less infinite tries.
 

SerTapTap

Member
Having all the dark magic gives you the real final boss fight and a happier ending.

The last dungeon is a long vertical shaft with 6 spokes to the side.
You can actually skip all of it by trick-jumping (which is what you would do in a speedrun) but if you're just looking to beat the game it's not that hard. (although definately a step up from the other areas)

Unless you completely run out of lives, you'll just respawn at the last section, so if you just stock up on health items you get more or less infinite tries.

Yeah the health items really help, though I blew a crazy amount of money on that terrible kick move and I'm not sure I have much left over. If there's a true final boss I guess I should find a guide and go get the magic and stuff then though.
 

ArjanN

Member
Yeah the health items really help, though I blew a crazy amount of money on that terrible kick move and I'm not sure I have much left over. If there's a true final boss I guess I should find a guide and go get the magic and stuff then though.

There's a place in the desert area temple you can get tons of money really quickly, but it's a little tricky to describe.

Alternatively, if you go to the zombie island where the zombies keep spawning out of the ground you can keep bouncing on their heads with the downstrike attack to quickly farm some coins.
 

SerTapTap

Member
There's a place in the desert area temple you can get tons of money really quickly, but it's a little tricky to describe.

Alternatively, if you go to the zombie island where the zombies keep spawning out of the ground you can keep bouncing on their heads with the downstrike attack to quickly farm some coins.

The place with the vases in the stealth section? I think I know that one actually
 

Bladenic

Member
Got it on sale, in the second dungeon on isle 3 and liking it. However, Shantae accidentally turning a man to stone which causes he and his wife to fall and break while all she says is Oopsie.. Dark man, dark.

Hopefully this is the first Shantae game I actually finish.
 
I'm at the ice island now, after about six to seven hours. I've been going back and trying to get as many of the heart squids as I can, though, and have over 50%. I've gotten most of them in each world, but 50% in the game I guess.

How much more do I have left? Are the last two islands long? Does it get much more difficult?

I've been loading save points to get full health in order to save healing potions, but haven't really had to. I've just been doing it to try to conserve.
 
Next time this goes on sale on 3DS eShop, I am going to get it! One of the main reasons I didn't get it yet is because I like linear games better than exploration based "Metroidvanias." But I did enjoy Risky's Revenge a few years ago, which is the only Shantae game I've played so far.

BTW there are two OT's for this game.
 

Nuu

Banned
Just beat this game (PC version).

Way better than the first game. Loved it. I felt backtracking was better done in this game than the previous one as I actually had to go to other islands to progress on a regular basis. Though my memory on Risky's Revenge is a bit fuzzy.

Wayforward really is close to making a legendary 2D action-adventure game that they have always wanted.

That said the game isn't without it's faults. I didn't bother getting the True Ending as I HATE when games require you to find all of the hidden items to get it. I just watched a Youtube video. Sad because the final boss seemed cool. Also it bothered me how sexy the "women" were dressed. Women is in quote because some of the scadly dressed females looked like children.

Can't wait for the next game but I'm sad to see it is not pixel art and even more sad to see that it uses 3D for much of its backgrounds.
 
I just got the sword at Tan Line Island and got the map to the next one. I can't seem to progress... There is a skeleton saying I can't go to where there are Lost souls. What am I missing?
 
Top Bottom