This franchise is one of the most consistent platformers I've seen. Every single game is quality top notch gold plated goodness. Pirate's Curse is beloved amongs fans because of the new Pirate Power Ups but Don't Skip out on the other games in the franchise that play a bit differently than this one. The music inspires the type of adventure you can only get in a Shantae game, Jake Kaufman is a master of his craft, this is GOAT status soundtracks. I highly recommend Half Genie Hero which is out on Switch and has a version of the game with all the DLC for 30 bucks. Seriously, if you are looking for a hidden gem, that is the one. Thanks Ben for a much needed spotlight at the Shantae franchise #ShantaeforSmash
Love this series, and this one's definitely my favourite. They're so much fun, and Shantae herself is so cute and bubbly it's impossible not to love her.
Great pick Ben. I decided to give this game a chance a few years back on Wii U (cause I had nothing else to play on it ;_;) and was pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out to be. Loved the presentation and the vibes and the difficulty felt just right... challenging enough to keep you engaged but never frustrating, perfect for a light-hearted chill out game like this.
Best game in the series I'm still kicking myself for thinking the original game was shovelware and ignoring it back in the day! Now that game is worth stupid money
Tim H naw, first time I saw Shatae was in her first trailer. I just immediately rushed over to Rule34 as soon as I saw it and haven't bothered since... I see now that that was a sin.
These games are so much fun the style is great and the designs of the main cast are incredibly well done. PS ~ Blood or Ben if you are lurking have you guys said what you will be doing during the charity live stream?
Thanks to the 3DS Virtual Console, I was FINALLY able to experience (and finish) the original GBC Shantae a couple of years ago. It was a fun time, but not necessarily my favorite in the genre. Definitely felt like enough for a while, but at some point I'll probably be interested in more Shantae and Pirate's Curse seems like a better re-entry point than Risky's Revenge.
Way head of you on this. I got into the series back during the days of the late great Gametrailers. There was an article there about the Half Genie Hero kickstarter. I like platformers and was looking for more games to play on my Vita. As a result, I decided to look into the series with the original game, and I was in for the new game after that. Backed HGH for enough to get all of the game content, played the other games and got the Risky Beats physical edition to boot. Needless to say, I didn't skip this one.
This game even overshadows its sequel, Half Genie Hero, which wasn't much of a great Metroidvania. Pirate's Curse is not only the peak of the series, but one of my favorite games!
Playing it right now (gamepass ftw) and it is very charming. Normally i don´t play plattformers but titels like Celeste and Shantae are surprisingly funny. Thanks for the recommendations Ben.
If I was misinformed or didn't know any better, I'd assume this game is only available on Nintendo platforms. Wonder why this video was framed this way?
I loved this game so much but could never complete it, it wasn’t the pirate boss himself but just getting to him which was so hard when she had to climb up the palace, tried many times but just got annoying 😔
I bought it as my first Shantae game, and I think it's an excellent entry point. It may not show you what Shantae is really about, but it makes you a fan. The only downside is not knowing who anyone is or how they met each other, but for a casual playthrough, it's an awesome first game.
I actually geniunely believe it's the best one. As much as I love the other games and the transformations, the pirate powers in this have got to be some of the most fun things in a platformer I've played. They are definitely better here... Minus the final challenge if you are one of the peeps who don't enjoy it.
Boots aside, I don't hate the pirate weapons, but they felt too standard. The transformation are a fun and more unique approach to enhancements, especially in the first game were they were a part of the boss fights and a bit more interactive to activate. The final challenge in the game does highlight an issue wayforward does seem to have from PC onward. They can seem to gradually increase the difficulty. The final dungeon in PC is a problem because it a huge spike and requires stuff the previous levels didn't properly prepare you for.
To be fair, HGH had more transformations that PC had pirate items and even then I don't recall the the scimitar stab being all that helpful and the pistol aren't that great either. Additionally, "key to locks" devalues one of the most important elements of a game like this. Exploration and discovery. The ability to go to new places and get things you could before is the life blood of Metroidvania and similar games. That is the "normal gameplay" of the series so I don't follow you when you say that only two transformation are use in normal gameplay. The transformations do offer movement enhancements, The monkey can jump/climb, the bat and harpy offer fly options and crab and mermaid offer water movement. The combat applications of the Pirate items aren't as good as the whip and magic items IMO, so it's no lost to me from that angle. All in all, I think they utilized the transformations well, HGH specifically needs to be a larger game and a build around the transformations more, like the original Shantae were you get them in the middle of a dungeon and they were a part of the boss fight.
Best game in the series. Best story, art, and characterization. Left me disappointed with the next game in the series, despite that one being good too.
I do not feel uncomfortable with WayForward's young, super thin, big-breasted women. I just find it tasteless, and I will try to explain why I feel like that. I watch many theater plays, movies and play games, that goes much further with their sexual expressions than WayForward games does. But the difference is just that the "sexual" is an important part of the stories and character development, and not just unrealistic "eye candy". I have played some of their games, and found them to be quite well made, but found this illustration of women stupid, and it takes me out of the experience. One of the reasons I find it stupid is, that it is only the women that are super sexual. If they had sexualized the men in their games in the same way they do the women, it would have been a more complete expression. It would have created a more fun and interesting expression I think. For me it just feels like they are stuck in 90's game designs. They become that grandparent that I really like, that sometimes say something really racist, that I wish they never would say or think.
Why would I pay for this when I already have half genie hero's...when I read the tile I tough you would really focus on games that desevered more spotlight kinda like for honor
These are a waist of time, there are too many games to play anyways and nobody needs this participation reward, noones ever going to play a game because it got a dont skip.
Striking while the iron is frozen solid.
But as a Shantae fanboy, i definitely approve.
lol nice one
A Shantae review with no mention of the god-tier soundtrack? Blasphemy!
This franchise is one of the most consistent platformers I've seen. Every single game is quality top notch gold plated goodness. Pirate's Curse is beloved amongs fans because of the new Pirate Power Ups but Don't Skip out on the other games in the franchise that play a bit differently than this one.
The music inspires the type of adventure you can only get in a Shantae game, Jake Kaufman is a master of his craft, this is GOAT status soundtracks. I highly recommend Half Genie Hero which is out on Switch and has a version of the game with all the DLC for 30 bucks. Seriously, if you are looking for a hidden gem, that is the one.
Thanks Ben for a much needed spotlight at the Shantae franchise #ShantaeforSmash
Come on say more ;). I was thinking it's more beloved because of I don't know.........
Fanservice!
Love this series, and this one's definitely my favourite. They're so much fun, and Shantae herself is so cute and bubbly it's impossible not to love her.
Love this game. The best Shantae one so far.
still true today?
@@Alpha_beef Better than Half Genie Hero for sure. I haven't played Seven Sirens yet.
@Perplexum Thanks 👍 Im looking for a shantae game to play and I think Im gonna play this one first
@@Perplexum Seven Sirens is awesome.
Shantae for Smash.
Also, showers for Smash fans.
Wait a minute. That's... one of the best things ever written on the internet.
I wonder if we can have another retrospective style series someday
Would love one of Shantae
ImmaLittlePip theyve done a few already, its not like they stopped making them.
Great pick Ben. I decided to give this game a chance a few years back on Wii U (cause I had nothing else to play on it ;_;) and was pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out to be. Loved the presentation and the vibes and the difficulty felt just right... challenging enough to keep you engaged but never frustrating, perfect for a light-hearted chill out game like this.
I love the don't skip series. Thank you very much for shining a light on lesser known titles.
This is great timing! Just downloaded this earlier today on Gamepass.
I love Don't Skip. Keep up this series!
I recommend picking this up on 3DS, the 3D looks awesome and it's the only physical version out there.
Yes Ben! Shantae is awesome. Half Genie Hero is great too and has a great soundtrack.
Best game in the series
I'm still kicking myself for thinking the original game was shovelware and ignoring it back in the day! Now that game is worth stupid money
Literally JUST finished this! One of the best platforms I've played in quite some time!
It's time to know Shantae past the hentai!
The hentai was AFTER lol
I assume that he means that he was introduced to Shantae through hentai rather than the games she stars in.
Tim H naw, first time I saw Shatae was in her first trailer. I just immediately rushed over to Rule34 as soon as I saw it and haven't bothered since...
I see now that that was a sin.
These games are so much fun the style is great and the designs of the main cast are incredibly well done.
PS ~ Blood or Ben if you are lurking have you guys said what you will be doing during the charity live stream?
Thanks to the 3DS Virtual Console, I was FINALLY able to experience (and finish) the original GBC Shantae a couple of years ago. It was a fun time, but not necessarily my favorite in the genre. Definitely felt like enough for a while, but at some point I'll probably be interested in more Shantae and Pirate's Curse seems like a better re-entry point than Risky's Revenge.
No worries I already bought myself Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse for my 3DS awhile ago as in saying years ago!
Heck yeah! I've been hyping this game for years. It's my all-time favorite platformer.
Best in the series, then again all the games are great. And that MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!
I actually recently played my first Shantae game and intend to get this one soon too.
Fantastic game! Good to be reminded of it here. :)
Way head of you on this. I got into the series back during the days of the late great Gametrailers. There was an article there about the Half Genie Hero kickstarter. I like platformers and was looking for more games to play on my Vita. As a result, I decided to look into the series with the original game, and I was in for the new game after that. Backed HGH for enough to get all of the game content, played the other games and got the Risky Beats physical edition to boot.
Needless to say, I didn't skip this one.
They're all quite good these games. Music's catchy
Don't skip any Shantae game, they're all great!
GREAT GAME! GREAT SERIES! GREAT BEN!
Man this game looks awesome ,definitely want to play it now
Sainted Whisper I really recommend the Shantae games, they're really fun and humorous!
I second this! Shantae is a lot of fun.
Love this game, even have the Platinum.
This game even overshadows its sequel, Half Genie Hero, which wasn't much of a great Metroidvania. Pirate's Curse is not only the peak of the series, but one of my favorite games!
Really good game casually but the speedrun in the pirate mode is extremely fun.
@Ben and the don't skip crew - what about Behemoth's Pit People? That game really flew under the radar.
We didn’t skip it.
Did you skip it? How have you not played it yet?
Might pick this up now
mrrehino I really recommend it, the Shantae games are really fun and humorous!
Playing it right now (gamepass ftw) and it is very charming. Normally i don´t play plattformers but titels like Celeste and Shantae are surprisingly funny. Thanks for the recommendations Ben.
If I was misinformed or didn't know any better, I'd assume this game is only available on Nintendo platforms. Wonder why this video was framed this way?
100% Agreed 👍
it is also available on PS4
I loved this game so much but could never complete it, it wasn’t the pirate boss himself but just getting to him which was so hard when she had to climb up the palace, tried many times but just got annoying 😔
Love the character designs in this game, wish they weren't changed for half-genie hero!
Is there an easy mode?
Need that Damiani morality check before i decide wether to purchase this or not
get over it
Salt much
You don't need the approval of a guy that would cheat on a speedrun of this game
Considering that one of the levels has 4 of the female characters wearing almost nothing I'd say it probably won't pass
Don't let him dismay you from a great franchise just cause of a little skin.
Why "SHANTAE" and "HENTAI" kinda rhyme
Its because I'm a pervert, that's why, sorry
So much better then half genie hero, how yo mess up that bad in level design after a pirate curse
Did you just try to sell us that game without even talking about the awesome soundtrack ?
Played it for free on xbox gold, deleted it within 5 minutes. The controls SUCK. I expect to jump when I press the button.
These females show a lot of skin. I dont know if Damiani approves. I dont want to be a bad person by playing this!
FreeDoM87 You're really not letting this go are ya?
trignite wow I had no idea! Nintendo owns Microsoft Sony AND Amazon!?
trignite 0:10
FreeDoM87
Do like Elsa.
is this referring to a specific video/podcast episode? I'd love to hear the main source lul
Bizarre video. I love the shell out this game, butt wow is this a weird choice for a Don't Skip. Looking forward to the Crystalis Don't Skip!!
I don’t see how this game is rated E but okay
No, pirate's curse isn't a good entrypoint, as it has completely different mechanics from all the rest of the series
It is, it’s way more fun than all the other games so far
I bought it as my first Shantae game, and I think it's an excellent entry point. It may not show you what Shantae is really about, but it makes you a fan. The only downside is not knowing who anyone is or how they met each other, but for a casual playthrough, it's an awesome first game.
People missed this because months before it released the devs asked for funding for half genie hero and showed off a completely different game.
Is it better than half genie hero ? Definitely.
The DLC Pirate Queen is fine but not great.
Honestly, I think it isn't. I feel that PC, while good, is a bit overrated among the fan base.
I actually geniunely believe it's the best one. As much as I love the other games and the transformations, the pirate powers in this have got to be some of the most fun things in a platformer I've played.
They are definitely better here... Minus the final challenge if you are one of the peeps who don't enjoy it.
Yeah, I think Half Genie Hero took a step backwards from Pirate's Curse.
Still a great game, but Pirate's Curse is just a delight.
Boots aside, I don't hate the pirate weapons, but they felt too standard. The transformation are a fun and more unique approach to enhancements, especially in the first game were they were a part of the boss fights and a bit more interactive to activate.
The final challenge in the game does highlight an issue wayforward does seem to have from PC onward. They can seem to gradually increase the difficulty. The final dungeon in PC is a problem because it a huge spike and requires stuff the previous levels didn't properly prepare you for.
To be fair, HGH had more transformations that PC had pirate items and even then I don't recall the the scimitar stab being all that helpful and the pistol aren't that great either.
Additionally, "key to locks" devalues one of the most important elements of a game like this. Exploration and discovery. The ability to go to new places and get things you could before is the life blood of Metroidvania and similar games. That is the "normal gameplay" of the series so I don't follow you when you say that only two transformation are use in normal gameplay.
The transformations do offer movement enhancements, The monkey can jump/climb, the bat and harpy offer fly options and crab and mermaid offer water movement.
The combat applications of the Pirate items aren't as good as the whip and magic items IMO, so it's no lost to me from that angle.
All in all, I think they utilized the transformations well, HGH specifically needs to be a larger game and a build around the transformations more, like the original Shantae were you get them in the middle of a dungeon and they were a part of the boss fight.
You guys shld check out my hero academia!! If possible read the manga! Dope! Mirio!!!!
FIRST
Best game in the series. Best story, art, and characterization. Left me disappointed with the next game in the series, despite that one being good too.
I fell off this game at the stealth section unfortunately. It'd probably be tough to go back!
I think WayForward is a skilled developer, but their overuse of young super thin big-breasted women has turned off
my desire to play their games.
You're not the only one.
Being so uncomfortable with your own sexuality that you can't even look at a pair of drawn boobs is SUPER gay.
It's turned ON my desire to.... well you get the idea...
An excellent joke. :)
I do not feel uncomfortable with WayForward's young, super thin, big-breasted women. I just find it tasteless, and I will try to explain why I feel like that.
I watch many theater plays, movies and play games, that goes much further with their sexual expressions than WayForward games does. But the difference is just that the "sexual" is an important part of the stories and character development, and not just unrealistic "eye candy".
I have played some of their games, and found them to be quite well made, but found this illustration of women stupid, and it takes me out of the experience. One of the reasons I find it stupid is, that it is only the women that are super sexual. If they had sexualized the men in their games in the same way they do the women, it would have been a more complete expression. It would have created a more fun and interesting expression I think.
For me it just feels like they are stuck in 90's game designs. They become that grandparent that I really like, that sometimes say something really racist, that I wish they never would say or think.
Can't say I agree. There are tons of metroidvania-style games I'd recommend before Shantae. The series is mediocre.
ACTUALLY I have to skip this or else Damiani will think I'm a bad person since this game has the female form wearing less clothes than a muslim woman.
Why would I pay for this when I already have half genie hero's...when I read the tile I tough you would really focus on games that desevered more spotlight kinda like for honor
Cuz it's the best one. Also, no transformations if you were never a fan of that.
These are a waist of time, there are too many games to play anyways and nobody needs this participation reward, noones ever going to play a game because it got a dont skip.
This is a great game, I’ve had to have played it over 10 times it’s short but really enjoyable