Sophia III is also there

The Kickstarter campaign goals for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero are finally rounding out and at long last, developer WayForward is finished with the game. After all the expansions and neat additions, WayForward has announced one last free DLC pack as a thank you to fans for their support. In the latest update, Shantae is on a mission to?? invite all of her friends to a slumber party. The half-genie trades in all of her hair whipping attacks for pillow fighting to casually smack her foes into submission.

If that sounds a little too comfortable for you, then why not give the Blaster Master Zero mode a shot? For some unexplained reason, Shantae can transform into Sophia III from Blaster Master and drive around as a tank with a human head. I won't even try to ma??ke sense of that, because why ruin the fun? This ability is available in the main game and can be acquired from the "Snake Lady" salesman by trading the "Super Revive Dance" back to her.

This upd?ate should be live on all platforms right now (that includes Wii U, Vita and 360).

Shantae Summer Surprise! [Kickstarter]

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Avast behind!

Hot on the curled slippers of her rival Shantae (and her undead pal Rottytops), Risky Boots, Queen of the Seven Seas, has been selected by fans as the next character to receive a CharaGumin figurine, courtesy of model makers Volks USA.

Risky is the villain of the piece in numerous Shantae titles, though she is forced to side with the pesky half-genie hero in the fantastic Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. Riding her vessel, The Part Omni??-Organic, Partially Titanic, Ocean-Optional?? Tinkerslug - or Poop Toot - and backed by her goofy crew of Tinkerbats, it is Risky's dream to hold fort over Sequin Land as the most? feared villain of all.

Risky was selected by a poll held at the recent Anime Expo 2018. Customers purchasing Shantae products were given a sticker to select the next figurine from a choice of Risky, Shantae's bird-keeping pal Sky, or her doofus buddy Bolo. Risky ju??st pipped Sky at the post, with Bolo coming in third with a sti??ll-respectable amount of votes.

There is currently no date set for Risky Boots' to arrive, but it only took Rottytops six mont??hs ?from announcement to release, so we should be seeing the pirate princess early in 2019.

Risky Boots wins vote to? become next CharaGumin figurine [Twitter]

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Rubbing the lamp isn't gonna help this time

Shantae: Half Genie Hero - Ultimate Day One Edition hit the shelves on PS4 and Nintendo Switch earlier in May and, ??reportedly, is already ghost, having sold ou??t in record time.

The Day One edition of the physical release included the 2016 platformer, complete with all its DLC, extra modes ?and backer features. Also included were a "Risky Beats" soundtrack sampler and a 100-page art book. But apparently the complete run of these sets ??were snapped up in just under a fortnight.

Anyone who is hoping to get their hands on a physical copy of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition should take heart that more copies of just the game itself will be rolled out over the forthcoming weeks. The Day One edition with all the physical extras is now, unfortunately, out of stock at ?the publishers. You might still catch the odd copy out in the wild, so keep hunting!

The post Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Day One Edition sel?ls out in just over a week appeared first on Destructoid.

Goodie set is for Switch only in the U.S.

XSEED Games have officially announced that the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Day One Edition will be available in? North America for Nintendo Switch, at selected retai?lers, on May 8.

The Day One set, which we reported on last week, contains the Switch edition of the game, along with all the DLC expansions to date, as well as new costumes which have their own respectiv??e modes. Packaged with the game is a Risky Beats soundtrack CD and a 100-page artbook. This set will retail for around $40.

In North America, the set listed above is exclusively for Nintendo Switch. The only way to get the PS4 edition of the game, as well as the CD and the artbook, is to order the Day One Ultimate Edition from Europe, which is published by PQube and goes on sale April 27. Are you keeping up with all of this? The game will also be available in all territories as a digital download, without any of the additio??nal items.

A new trailer ha?s appeared to celebrate the upcoming release. You can check it out below!

The post Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Day One Edition hits Swi??tch in North America May 8 appeared first on Destructoid.

Pre-orders are Ret-2-Go

Wayforward have released details and confirmed release dates on the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition, which launches on PS4 and Ninten?do Switch at the? end of April.

The Ultimate Edition features the great 2016 adventure, along with expansions Pirate Queen's Quest and Friends to the End, as well as the game's tougher "Hardcore Mode" option. Also included are a selection of different character costumes and palette-swaps - including previous Kickstarter backer-exclusives - and an all-new cute bathing suit for the cheerful genie g??al. The new costumes, Ninja, Beach and Officer, each unlock a mini-adventure in and of themselv??es, befitting of the garb our gal is rockin'

The "Day One" edition comes packaged with a Risky Beats soundtrack CD, featuring a sel??ection of the game's backing tracks, and a 100-page artbook filled with unseen concept sketches of th??e whole crew.

The Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition for PS4 and Switch can now be pre-ordered from various retailers. T??he game will release on April 27 in Europe and May 8 in North America.

The post Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition lan?ds on PS4 and ?Switch next month appeared first on Destructoid.

Thank you gifts are Ret-2-Go

A tweet posted by Shantae co-creator Matt Bozon announced that backers of cutesy-platformer Shantae: Half-Genie Hero are to receive a free Steam code for the upcoming GOTY-style Ultimate Edition.

Following the tweet through to the game's Kickstarter page, developers WayForward confirm that the codes will be sent out to all backers as a thank-you ??for the support the game received throughout its development, with the colourful sequel ultimately launching in September of 2016.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Ultimate Edition will include the original game along with expansion adventures Pirate Queen's Quest and Friends to the End. Also included are the games Hard ??Core Mode and a selection of the alternate colour palettes and characte?r costumes, which were previously backer-exclusives.

My love of the Shantae series is no secret, and its very cool to see WayForward thank the fanbase with a free copy of the game. Sure, many backers will already have all the content that is available in the Ultimate Edition, but this will provide console players with acces?s ??to the game on another format, or the code can be gifted to a good buddy. Either way, it's a nice gesture.

Friends! We are giving every Shantae HGH Backer a copy of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Ultimate Edition for Steam :) //t.co/G1eASqSN0a pic.twitter.com/JSGAGY6HTS

— Matt Bozon (@MrBozon) January 30, 2018

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Undead cutie next in line

Rottytops has been selected as next Half-Genie Hero character to get the CharaGumin figure treatment, h?aving been chosen by fans to receive her very own ?resin model.

Rottytops, the goofy, zombified gal-pal of Shantae, won a poll on held Twitter to decide which character would be next to be immortalised (no pun intended) in the Volks range. Rotty beat out pirate queen Risky Boots by a mere 2%??. Damn, there's gonna be some Tinkerbats getting screamed at tonight.

The poll pushed for European and Japanese fans to vote too, which is a bit rich considering they made the last figurine completely unavailable for shipping outside of the U.S. and Canada. This left many fans, such a??s myself, pret??ty bummed. Hopefully that won't be the case in regards to distribution this time around, but I'd personally rather have all of these figurines, or none at all.

There is no further info about Rotty's release, but we'll keep you up to date as new details surface.

Rottytops wins CharaGumin figurine vote [Twitter]

Wow! Rottytops beat Risky Boots by a sliver! Thank you all so much for participating!! Wow!! :) Results will go to @volks_hobbydept !! pic.twitter.com/9H7TVMdCSm

— Matt Bozon (@MrBozon) December 16, 2017

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Rotty and pals are ret-2-go

[UPDATE: More details have since been revealed on the Ultimate Day One Edition. It is currently announced for the Switch in North America, and the Switch and PS4 in Europe. Scheduled for Spring 2018, the release will include a soundtrack CD, a new art-book and the Pirate's Quest and Friends to the End DLC. It is expected to retail around $40.]

Those of you wishing to jump back into the charming world of Shantae: Half Genie Hero won't have much longer to wait, as it has been anno??unced by WayForward Games that the game's piece ?of adventure DLC will go live next week.

Friends to the End is a side-story taking place during that moment in the main narrative where Nega-Shantae briefly shows up. Players will control the loyal Sky, the lovable Ro?ttytops and the doofus Bolo as the trio of buddies work together to bring our favourite genie gal back to life, back to reality.

Also briefly mentioned in the press release was the existence of an "Ultimate Edition" of Half-Genie Hero, which is to be released sometime in 2018.

Friends to the End launches December 12 on PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox One, PS Vita?? and Steam.. It will be a free download for Kickstarter backers and will cost around $8 for everyone else.

The post (Update) Shantae’s ‘Friends to the End’ DLC lands next week, Ultimate Edition coming 2018 for Switch and PS4 appeared first on Destructoid.

It should be out fairly soon

Sky, Bolo, and everyone's favorite Rottytops are stepping up for Friends to the End, the "final piece" of the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero storyline. On-the-fly character switching for the trio sounded fun when details for this DLC first ca?me to light, and in practice, the whole concept looks fantastic.

Sky creates plat??forms, Bolo grapple-hooks, and Rotty straight up chucks her head. I also like the leveling system. Characters power up as they collect gems and drop back down when they're hurt.

Friends to the End is set during the main Half-Genie Hero quest, so we're getting a mix of previously-unseen story?? bits along with "altered memories (revamped versions of existing levels)."

The DLC is finished but still awaiting approval from the various platform holders. WayForward anticipates launching "??in time for the holidays" and if you're a backer, this will be a free download.

Friends to the End! [Kickstarter]

The post Shantae’s Friends to the End DLC looks like a blast appeared first on Destructoid.

'Friends for eternity, loyalty, honesty...'

It has been announced by WayForward that there is a new DLC mini-adventure coming to Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, one that will see players take control of the adorable protagonist's pals Bolo, Sky and Rottytop?s.

The DLC, titled Friends to the End, is considered canon, and takes place during the small moment in the main game which features "Nega-Shantae". The side-adventure will see the trio ??of chums venture into Shantae's head, in order to cast out the dark magic that is taking her over.

The player will switch between the friends on the fly, utilising each character's very particular set of skills to ove?rcome Shantae's twisted memories (essentially a darker take on the main game's stages) in or??der to help the half-genie find her true, fun-loving self once again. How cute!

The content has already finished development and has been submitted to Sony, Microsoft, et al for approval. WayForward expects Friends to the End to release in time for the Holidays, where it will be made free to Shantae backers and available as paid DLC for everyone else. Be sure to? check out the gallery for some screens as well as some fun concept drawings.

Friends to the End DLC adventure [Kickstarter]

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Sexy time!

Gaming's official belly dancer, Shantae, has made quite the name for herself over the last decade. Beginning as a late era Game Boy Color title, the series has spawned several sequels on various platforms and garnered a cult following. The latest game in the series, Half-Genie Hero, actually wound up seeing a physical relea?se on the Wii U, of all consoles, so it comes as no surprise that the Switch would be receiving the same thing.

If you've held out, then your time has come. XSEED Games has announced that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition will be heading to retail outlets soon. Included with this package will be the expansion, Pirate Queen's Quest, and a couple of extras in the form of "Costume Mode" and "Friend's Mode." While those last two seem like superfluous extras, bonus go?odies is always appreciated.

There isn't any pricing mentioned, but I can't see it being more tha??n $30. You can nab the download for $20 from the eShop and I doubt the Switch tax will account for a dramatic increase ??in price.

XSEED Games [Twitter]

The post Soon you can get physica??l with? Shantae (Half-Genie Hero) on Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

No International shipping breaks hearts

Charagumin's Shantae f?igurine, th??at was previously available as an Anime Expo exclusive, is now, unsurprisingly, available for pre-order.

The colour-resin figure, which you click together before giving pride of place on your shelf, can be reserved over at the VolksUSA online store. The delivery date is as soon as August 18 of this year. The figurine, which stands at roughly six inches, is priced at $75. Thirty randomly selected orders will have the packaging signed by Shantae's voice-actor Christina Vee.

I want one of these like you wouldn't believe, but not only can I not afford it, but also Volks is not shipping outside of the U.S, Canada or Mexico. So for now, this is one wish that'll stay firmly in the lamp. For any other Shantae fans, you can pre-order the figurine at the link below to get yours reserved. Note that pre-orders close ??August 14.

Shantae figurine pre-order page [Volks USA]

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A review where you choose the score

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, the first ??game in the series designed for HD displays, was also the first game in the series to remain unreleased on a Nintendo portable console. That changes today, as the game is out now on the Nintendo Switch.

If you're new to the Shantae games, Half-Genie hero is a great place to start. No prior experience is necessary to understand or enjoy the story, as Half-Genie Hero works as both a prequel and a soft reboot for the series. As for new content on Switch, there isn't much to talk about. The main addition is HD Rumble, with over 100 unique HD Rumble events added across the game from start to finish. I haven't seen and felt them all yet, but as a minor league HD Rumble fan, I can tell you that so far, they are... OK! That said, my real hope is that the Switc??h-themed outfit Shantae is wearing in the art above is in the game somewhere, but so far so bad. 

So should you buy Shantae: Half-Genie Hero? Like with our Disgaea 5 quiz, definitely read the review before making that decision, but if you're still on the fence, take the test below and see what you th?ink. ?Remember, there are no right or wrong answers here, at least for you. The only one who has anything to lose here are the folks at WayForward, who are surely nervous as heck about your test results. Let's hope for your sake and theirs that you score big! 

1) Do you already have Shantae: Half-Genie Hero?

YES ~ 0  ??;            NO ~ 0 & Go to question 5

2) Do you want to play it again on a portable?

YES ~ ?+50 ?         NO ~ -50

3) Do you love HD Rumble?

YES ~ +25      ??;    ;NO ~ 0

4) No, I'm serious. Are you literally in love with HD Rumble?

YES ~ +25  ?;         NO ~ GROSS

6) Do like cartoons that fit somewhere in between the styles of Disney's Aladdin and Cartoon Network's Teen Titans Go?

YES ~ +?50             NO ~ -50

7) Do you like the music of Jake 'Virt' Kaufman, composer of Shovel Knight and just about every other WayForward game?

YES ~ +50 &n?bsp;       &?nbsp;   NO ~ -50

8) Do care about HD Rumble? 

YES ~ +25    ??        NO ??~ -0

9) Do you care about new Switch-exclusive features and content that aren't HD Rumble?

YES ~ -25      ??;    ??     NO ~ -0

The post Should you get Shant??ae: Half-Genie Hero on Switch? Take this quiz and find out appeared first on Destructoid.

No more summertime sadness

WayForward isn't done with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, and that's fine by me. The latest developm?ent? A Nintendo Switch version! It's in the works for?? a summer release, with "full details coming soon."

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is coming to Nintendo Switch this summer! Feel the beat with all new HD Rumble! Full details coming soon!! pic.twitter.com/WNTSGxYiSg

— WayForward (@WayForward) May 11, 2017

Love that color palette.

Unlike so many other Wii U games that were shelved in favor of a Switch version, in Half-Genie Hero's case, you could theoretically own ??the game on both systems. I imagine so?me of you will.

WayForward [Twitter]

The post Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is?? headed to Nintendo Switch appeared first on Destructoid.

Also look out for newfound PlayStation TV support

With the latest update for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero due out on March 6, WayForward is tidying up some bugs, adding? PlayStation TV support, and introducing a free new "tough-as-nails" Hard Core Mode.

Th??e mode isn't solely about making enemy attacks more punishing and giving you less margin for error, though that is part of the "charm." These bullet points paint a fuller, more pain-filled picture:

• Pain and suffering!
• Harder hitting enemies!
• Faster enemy patterns!
• Faster scroll speeds!
• Remixed enemy locations, and more of 'em!
• New Boss patterns, attacks, and stats!
• Healing Items capped at six!
• Re-balanced magic items!
• Poor Shantae!

So it'll be harder, yes, but in ways that'll make the game feel fresh. Looking ahead, Risky Boots Mode is still in production -- "we're creating custom level content for her, and we expect to be working on this mode through Spring" -- and there's this intriguing note: "The team over h??ere is excited for Switch, and WayForward is a Switch developer. And yet, we haven't announced… anything at all? It makes you think we're up to something. It's all so suspicious! Don't worry - we'll have more info for you soon."

Update 1.01 is Ready! Hard Core Mode and More! [Kickstarter]

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I whip my hair back and forth

WayForward may be one of the most underrated developers in the games industry. The studio mostly does contract work, frequently laboring on licensed projects like Adventure Time, though it's also worked on sequels and remakes like Contra 4, Double Dragon Neon, and Ducktales: Remastered. While all of these are extremely solid games, I suspect that WayForward does this contract work mostly to pay the bills for the games they really want to make, including the Mighty series and Shantae.

Shantae has starred in four platformers now, starting on the Game Boy Color way back in 2002. It's been her misfortune to close down multiple systems, and since her games always seem to come at the tail end of a system's life, they tend to be overlooked by the public at large. It's a damn shame because they're consistently entertaining, and the artwork and designs are top notch. Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero is the first game in the series not designed for a handheld system, and the first to go with HD graphics rather than pixel art for the characters and backgrounds. It's hard to overstate how unbelievably gorgeous this game looks, but like yo??ur mom told you, looks aren't ever??ything.

Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero (Wii U [Reviewed], Steam, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One)
Developer:  WayForward Technologies
Publisher: WayForward Technologies, XSEED.
MSRP: $29.99
Released: December 20, 2016

Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero is either a sequel, a remake of the original GameBoy Color game, or a soft reboot; it's hard to tell, but it doesn't really matter. All Shantae games tell pretty much the same story anyway. Shantae is the guardian of Scuttle town and is always on call in case the town is attacked by pirates or ot??her dark forces. She is a half-genie, and though she's n??ever seen either of her parents, she knows that her mother lives in the Genie Realm, which is also the source of Shantae's powers.

She can damage enemies with her whiplike ponytail, and can belly dance to transform into a variety of different creatures. The transformations all??ow her to explore new parts of the world, and she can find various upgrades for each form that help unlock more secrets. It's easy to use these transformations, and a lot of thought went into their animation -- even when Shantae turns into a hideous spider, it is a CUTE hideous spider.

There are five huge levels to explore, plus a hub world and a final boss leve?l. Each of the five main stages is jam packed with secrets and unlockables to reveal. You'll retu??rn to each level multiple times after gaining a new ability or transformation, and fortunately the game lets you know how many secrets you have left to discover on the world map before diving in.

Each of the stages has a vastly different theme, and the level design is informed by the story. For example, in the water level, you see that young girls are passing from foreground to background while moving through complicated machinery intended to transform them into counterfeit mermaids. Later on there's a stage that begins with a ma??gic carpet race and leads to a series of pirate airships. It's safe to say that there's going to be something here you haven't seen before. Beating the bosses can vastly change the?? look and feel of these levels, so it's not such a chore to backtrack. Once you've beaten a level you can use the optional Warp Dance to move between different sections so you don't have to play the whole thing every time you want to go exploring.

I'm glad this is an optio?n, because unfortunately there are some sections that you probably won't want to replay. WayForward frequently combines old-school design with modern technology, but in this case they may have gone a little too far. I ran into several sections where progression was blocked until I memorized a sequence of obstacles, and the checkpoints in these sequences felt like they were just slightly too far apart.

An early example has Shantae sliding down an autoscrolling ramp while avoiding pits and dodging enemies and barrels. Dying or falling here forces a restart, and since it's very early on you won't have much of a life bar.  It reminded me of the Turbo Tunnel in Battletoads, where your only hope of survival is rote memorization of the layout. I probably restarted this area a dozen times before realizing that the fruit I was collecting on the way down could be used from my inventory to restore some health.There are more sections like this, and others that reminded me of the disappearing block challenges from early Mega Man games. These show you where the next blocks will appear so they aren't unfair, but they aren't particularly fun, eit??her.

Still another section tasks Shantae with climbing a long tunnel as an enormous sandworm devours it from the bottom up, and if you mess up more than once, you have to start over from the? beginning. Since this is the first time you'll be navigating this area, you probably won't make it the first few times you try. A final frustration involved a long maze that has to be navigated with the mouse form, and is far too easy to fall out? of.

When you fall out, (Surprise!) you have to climb back up and start the maze from the beginning. I don't have a problem with hard games, but these sections felt like they were wasting my time. After finishing each of them once I tried to avoid going back until I could return with some other tool that made repeating them unnec??essary.

Fortunately, the game's art and charm are more than enough to counteract the frustration.There's plenty of humor, and the characters are all self-aware and likable. When I first started playing I thought the animation looked like something from a Flash game, but after looking a little more closely I realized that all of the characters were actually hand drawn vector art moving against 2.5D foregrounds and backgrounds. Bosses in particular are awe-inspiring, and creatures like the Mermaid Queen seen in the header image each have hundreds of moving parts that make them feel alive. Seeing 1/2 Genie Hero&??nbsp;in motion on a nice TV is stunning, and the opening stage kicks things off right by featuring a theme song for Shantae, sung in-character by her voice actress, Cristina Vee.

The soundtrack is worth calling out. Jake Kaufman's score is predictably excellent, with tunes that call back to the theme song frequently. Each stage has multiple tracks devoted to it, and these maintain a mild Middle-Eastern feel. They range in tone from synth-heavy to disco, and a later stage has music that you could drop right into a Castlevania game. The voiceovers aren't quite as good as the music. The Kickstarter didn?'t raise enough to cover full voice work, so most in?teractions are handled through text boxes. Infrequently, however, Shantae will speak the same line that shows up on screen. It's just inconsistent enough to be slightly jarring when it happens.

I played the Wii U version for this review, and I suspect that 1/2 Genie Hero may well be one of the l?ast releases on the platform. Unfortunately, none of the system's features were put to particular use. The game displays on the GamePad and the TV simultaneously, but none of the GamePad's touch functions work, so everything must be done with the buttons. What's more, there's no way to turn off the GamePad screen, so even if you'?re playing with a Wii U Pro controller, the second screen is always on.

This is a step back from the Wii U version of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, which allowed the player to use items and check the map using the touch screen on the GamePad. That's another thing -- despite the clear influences from Metroid and Castlevania, there's no map function in 1/2 Genie Hero, so you'd better hav??e a good memory. I'd have also appreciated the ability to remap the buttons; the lay??out was fine, but using B to confirm things just felt weird.

It's worth mentioning that there's free DLC on the way that will include the ability to play as Shantae's antagonist, Risky Boots. At the time of the review, this option was not available, although a new game+ mode did open up once I completed the story. My playthrough took a little over 7 hours to collect 100% of the items, though doing this isn't neces??sary and a speedrun could probably be completed in a few hours.

Despite all my nitpicks, I enjoyed my time with Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero. There's no denying it's one of the most beautiful 2D games I've ever seen, and it might have taken the title easily if Owlboy hadn't come out just a couple of months ago. It ran flawlessly on the Wii U, so I have no doubt it'll look just as breathtaking on more modern consoles and PCs. There's a lot to like here, and I hope WayForward gets to keep making Shantae games. As long as they do, I'll keep pla??ying them.

_{[This review is based on a retail build o?f the game provided by the publisher.??]}

The post Review: Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero appeared first on Destructoid.

Physical copies hit PS4 and Vita on Dec. 20, Wii U on Dec. 27

Following up on that digital release date news for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, publisher XSEED has finalized the game's physical launch on PlayStation 4, PS Vita, and Wii U in No??rth America. The Kickstarted platformer will cost $30 at retail and come with a 30-track CD, as pictured above.

Just like the multi-platform digital launch for Shantae, the ??PS4 and Vita retail editions will drop on December 20, 2016. On Wii U, it's going to take an extra week at retail, so that v??ersion will be out on December 27 (though the $20 Wii U eShop release will be right on time on Dec. 20). Got all of that?

I know WayForward has issued loads of backer updates, but now's the time to pay attention to those emails if you put any money into this project. Half-Genie Hero codes are in, although some of the platforms are time-stamped and you won't be able to redeem just yet (find pertinent details here).

"This is our biggest launch ever, and we've got our hands full! Our support lines will be very busy over the next few weeks, so when possible please make use of the WayForums, as your answer may already be there! Thanks for your patience, and for making ??this dream game a reality!!"

The post XSEED’s retail edition of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero looks nice appeared first on Destructoid.

It's so close!

And with that, the wait is almost over. After recently giving the heads up that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero was finished and awaiting certification from platform holders, WayForward has settled on a December 20, 2016 digital release for its Kickstarter-funded pl?atformer. What a packed year for games.

The laun??ch list for that ex??act date, as it stands, is:

• Steam for Window PC - worldwide
• Xbox One - worldwide
• PS4 & Vita - North America & Europe
• Wii U - North America & Europe (awaiting final confirmation)

Backers can expect to receive their Half-Genie Hero codes i?n the next week or so. As for the specific timing of the various physical versions, "look to Xseed for an announcement shortly."

Shantae is Ret-2-Go! [Kickstarter]

The post Cap o??ff the year with Shantae:?? Half-Genie Hero on Dec. 20 appeared first on Destructoid.

It just needs to go through certification

WayForward is nearing the end of its "very long development cycle" for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, a game that first graced Kickstarter in September 2013, and I think some celebratory hair whips are in order. Shantae is "done" as of this week and ??awaiting approval from pl??atform holders.

The game doesn't have an exact release date yet -- WayForward is waiting for that?? all-clear from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Steam, and intends to do ??a global release -- but we likely aren't far off.

If you can't quite picture it, this is what it looks like. It can be pretty darn easy to mix up the Shantae games based on their names alone, but this should look familiar. And maybe just watch the trailer again even if you are deeply familiar with the s??eries, because oh my goodness that song. That song! (Ignore the platform and release info. This is coming to PC, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, and Wii U.)

Some of you backed Half-Genie Hero, an?d if you've neglected to pick your platform or just want to change it, you need to do that by Novembe??r 29, 2016. In the the former case, you'll need to contact WayForward's support line (support@wayforward.com), and if you don't make a decision by the deadline, your Kickstarter reward will be set to Steam by default. Get in there.

Tinkerbackers and Shantaerians, we did it! [Kickstarter]

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Pushed back by about six weeks

September has lost another one. In an update posted today on the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Kickstarter page, developer Wayforward announced the gorgeous looking game has been pushed back? by about six weeks. A new release date isn't expected to be announced until after it has been given the green light by the console manufacturers.

Speaking of consoles, if you were looking forward to getting this game on the Xbox 360 or PS3, there is more bad news. Both versions have been canned due t?o just 1% of backers choosing the last-gen platforms. The game is still scheduled to launch o??n the PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Vita, and Steam.

So yeah, we're going to have to wait a little longer, but it's not all bad news. According to the post, the game is "content complete," meaning all the work being done on the core game now is just squashing bugs and quality-assurance. As for the backer funded DLC, it looks like Half-Genie Hero will follow a path similar to Shovel Knight: launch a completed base game with two stretch goal-funded bonus chapters and add character DLC over time. Unlike Shovel Knight, it looks like the character DLC will only be free to backers. No word on how much?? it will co??st the rest of us.

MEGA UPDATE! [Kickstarter]

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Stunning animation quality

As an intermittently-invested Shantae fan, jumping in and out of the series once every couple of years, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is undeniably the most beautiful entry in the series. From gorgeously fluid animations to the crisp clean artwork, it was a pl?easure to behold on the big screen.

While the gameplay was rock solid,?? the graphical style did struggle considerably with the small display on the Wii U GamePad.

The E3 demo for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero started in Scuttle Town, under attack once again to the surprise of nobody who has previously played an entry in the series. Once again series vi??llain Risky Boots is responsible for the attack, and it's up to Shantae to save the day by whipping her hair back and forth.

For the purpo??ses of showcasing the game at E3, a number of transformation abilities were opened up during this level that players in the final game will have to earn, then backtrack in order to use. These transformations included a spider which could double jump in order to fire a web upwards and either pass onto the top if a platform was thin, or climb on the underside if thick, as well as a monkey who could cling onto and climb vertical walls.

These transformations were initially a little fiddly to pull off, and were unable to attack unless they found in world upgrade items, but they provided a nice amount of variety to the platforming chall?enges on offer. Most of the areas they allowed me to reach contained additional treasure rather than any kind of optional path through the level, but it still felt rewarding to work out how to traverse seemingly unreachable points.

Throwing out the previous entries sprite based art style, Half-Genie Hero instead opts for an art style far more akin to DuckTales Remastered. While you as the player and enemies are crisp sharp 2D animated characters, backgrounds and environmental elements are all 3D rendered. It was always easy to tell from art style alone what elements of the world could be interacted with in which ways, the only probl??em being that this art style was clearly designed ??for a large HD TV.

The Wii U version of Half-Genie Hero mirrors gameplay to the GamePad screen and,?? while technically playable, the art lost a great deal of detail and sharpness. It was not only more difficult to play, but I was constantly aware of how beautiful the game could look ?if I returned to the TV.

While the platforming and combat with standard enemies was just as rewarding as past Shantae games, the boss battle which ended the demo felt a little unsatisfactory. While the visual design of the encounter was memorable and the intended method of stunning the boss well thought out, the boss seemed to spend far too long on the floor each time he was stunned. I felt like I was able to whip it with my hair far more times per stun than I should be able to, which somewhat diminished the pacing of the battle. I hope this is sorted before the? game releases.

When all is said and done, Half-Genie Hero played just as solidly as you would expect a Shantae game to play, and looked gorgeous when played on a nice TV. It's a beautiful reimagining of the franchise, and one I hop??e sticks around.

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Here's an E3 trailer

WayForward doesn't really have anything to reveal at E3, but they're still hard at work on Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, and have sh??ared the la?test trailer by way of their official YouTube channel.

Here w?e get a look at the wide variety of transformations Shantae will have at her disposal, and some new footage to boot beyond the demo levels we've already played. It's been a long time coming but this one looks pr??etty special, and the art style lives up to the promises the studio made in the Kickstarter.

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Brace yourselves, E3 is coming

XSEED Games revealed its spicy E3 lineup today, and it includes some things we already knew about ??and some things we figured XSEED was working on but couldn't yet say for sure.

Among the new confirmations are Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star, a PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita action game based on Type-Moon's Fate series of visual novels (and everything else, really). Should everything go to plan, that will be released on ??wester?n shores sometime this winter.

Also coming in the cold months (or hot ones, if you live Down Under) is Akiba's Beat, PS4 and Vita action role-playing game from Tenchu-maker Acquire, that looks like a mashup of Persona 3 and Akiba's Trip.

Finally, the new Bokujō Monogatari (the series formerly known as Harvest Moon) is a-comin' west as Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns for Nintendo 3DS in the year of our Lord 2017.

Those will join previo??usly-announced XSEED?? titles like The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II, which is slated to arrive on PS3 and Vita this fall, this summer's Nintendo 3DS port of Corpse Party, and the trio of indie games XSEED announced last week (Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity, and Exile's End) at the publisher's E3 boo??th in Los Angeles next week.

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Also, Exile's End

XSEED Games just announced plans to publish a trio of indie games (Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity, physical editions of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero on select platforms, and Exile's End). 

Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity is a fan-made action role-playing game based on Team Shanghai Alice's popular doujin bullet hell series that draws inspiration from Nihon Falcom's Ys games. It was initially released at Comiket 86 in August 2014 before coming to PlayStation 4 ??earlier t??his year. XSEED is targeting a fall release via the PlayStation Store.

Meanwhile, XSEED is lending its distribution experience to WayForward with the developer's crowdfunded platformer, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. Boxed versions of the game for PlayStation 4, Wii ?U, and PlayStation Vita will be available ??at retail this fall for $30 with a bonus 20-song soundtrack.

Half-Genie Hero will also be available digitally for Xbox One, Windows PC,? PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.

Finally, Exile's End, a futuristic metroidvania featuring a soundtrack from Ninja Gaiden composer Keiji Yamagishi,?? is coming to? PlayStation 4, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita later this summer.

XSEED's parent company Marvelous released Exile's End on PC via Steam last August, 

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Game still in development

Recently, developer WayForward held a small community poll for the rival design in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. They settled in on three finalists, and as of last night, the final one was chosen, which you? can view in the gallery below. I had my money on the first choice!

In other Shantae news the game is still in development after closing out its Kickstarter in October of 2013, and WayForwar?d is currently seeking out retail partners.&n?bsp;Funded stretch goals include a two new transformations, a playable Risky Boots, and new costumes (that have extra abilities).

Rival Genie Vote is In [Kickstarter]

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Date is still TBA

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero concluded its funding in October of 2013, and it's still i?n production. WayForward has been giving out a decent amount of upd?ates, but we're still no closer to getting a real release window.

In the meantime, the publisher notes that things are going well, and that the process has started to pick a design for the rival Genie (you can access the backer-only vote here). Also, "top tier publisher negotiations" have started to actually get those copies out in stores and it's going physic?al! Given WayForward's old school approach, I'm sure fans appreciate the option.

Promo Art, Voting, & Retail Partners [Kickstarters]

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Three levels in Early Access

Back in 2013, WayForward crowdfunded a new project by way of Kickstarter called Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, the fourth game in the storied Shantae series. It managed to raise almost a million dollars in ?funding, which landed it on the PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox 360, and Xbox One platforms.

While I don't really think WayForward has as sterling of a reputation as it once did, there's nothing to worry about in regards to Half-Genie, at least ba?sed ??on experience with the Early Access build.

The first ever playable build of the game that's been released to the public features three levels -- a water ruins location, a desert, and an action sequence that takes place on a conveyor belt. The first two heavily feature transformations, which thankfully have returned after their absence in Pirate's Curse. For the first stage you'll have the opportunity to change into Shantae's classic monkey form, which can climb up walls a?nd jump with ease, and on t?he second, she sports a crab transformation with heavy defensive capabilities. As always, her new forms are downright adorable.

Unlike Mighty No. 9, which doesn't match its great gameplay with a similarly impressive visual style (it still looks a little bland), Half-Genie Hero is gorgeously hand-drawn. In other words, it looks almost exactly like the concept art: a rarity these days. It also plays great, as the simplistic three-button system (jump, attack, and dance for transformations) works perfectly even in this early build. I dig the bright settings,? platforming design, and art direction.

Get a look at two of the stages above yourself -- you'll have plenty of time to decide on whether or not to pull the trigger, as WayForward has made it clear that there is still no solid release window for Half-Genie Hero.

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Back in all her hair-whipping glory

Half-Genie Hero, the newest entry in the Shantae series, was funded on Kickstarter back in 2013. Today, WayForward released the E3 2015 trail??er for the game, and it looks to be coming along quite nicely!

The trailer shows off Half-Genie Hero's beautiful hand-drawn animation, as Shantae belly dances, whips enemies with her hair, and transforms into various animals. The final product will also feature multiple game modes, allowing players to take control of several characters from the Shantae universe, including Rottytops? the zombie, Sky the bird trainer, Bolo the warrior, and Risky Boots the nefarious pirate.

A?? release date is pending, but ??the game is still set to launch on a variety of platforms, including PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PC.

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$811,962 raised

Following Mighty No. 9's successful Kickstarter comes more good news, as Shantae: Half-Genie Hero's Kickstarter drive ends with more than double their original request raised. From Kickstarter th?e?? team received $776,084, plus another $35,878 from PayPal. The grand total is $811,962.

Not all the stretch goals were meet, but WayForward will leave the PayPal funding open and any addit?ional money will go to?wards other reward tiers that weren't met.

Expect Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Oc??tober 2014 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, Xbo??x One, Wii U, and PC.

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And $1.3 million for animated cutscenes!? Not gonna happen...

It's been slow goings ever since the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Kickstarter met its base goal last week, but no need to lose hope just yet! The $500K Risky Mode has been funded! As the sexy pirate villainess Risky Bo?ots, you'll be able to play an alternate storyline, effectively doubling the length of the game.

There are four days left until the c??ampaign ends, so unless there is a sudden surge, we won't be hitting any of those other tantalizing stretch goals, which include bonus chapters, new playable characters, and even voice acting! And to kick us in the nuts even harder, WayForward has also pulled the?? curtain back on the final stretch goal: fully animated cutscenes at the $1.3 million mark! Why isn't the money just raining down!? Damnit!

There's a silver lining, at least. WayForward is accepting PayPal donations, which ??will remain open after the Kickstarter ends. So ?even if we don't hit many more goals in the next few days, we'll be good as long as that PayPal button stays up.

Shant?ae: Half-Genie Hero - Risky Mode funded, Final Stretch Goal revealed! [Kickstarter]

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