Wikipedia
Shantae is a platform video game developed by WayForward Technologies and published by Capcom for the Game Boy Color in 2002. It is the first title in the Shantae series, and would later be followed by two sequels, Shantae: Risky's Revenge, which was released in 2010, and Shantae and the Pirate's Curse in 2014. A fourth entry, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, is being developed.
The game follows the adventures of the eponymous half-genie Shantae, who must travel across Sequin Land, the setting of the series, to foil the domination plans of the evil lady pirate Risky Boots. During her quest, she learns various dances and acquires items which make her progressively stronger as well as unlocking new abilities and locations, leading her to ultimately face off against Risky in her hideout.
The game became obscure due to its release coming a year after that of the Game Boy Advance. However, it received favourable reviews and has garnered recognition since its release, being included on multiple lists of best games on the platform, and being called a " cult classic" by some reviewers. The game was re-released via the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console on July 18, 2013.
Shantae is a series of platform video games developed by WayForward Technologies, with the first title having originally been distributed by Capcom. The main character of the series, a half-genie named Shantae, was created by Erin Bozon, while the games themselves were created from this character by her husband Matt Bozon. The series currently consists of three games: Shantae (2002), Shantae: Risky's Revenge (2010) and Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (2014). A future Shantae game, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, was announced in September 2013 with plans to be released winter 2016.
Set in the fictional world of Sequin Land, the series follows Shantae as she tries to protect her hometown Scuttle Town, and more generally Sequin Land as a whole, from various threats, which generally involve to some extent her nemesis, the lady pirate Risky Boots. The setting, despite various fantasy, dark fantasy and steampunk elements, mostly displays oriental-inspired esthetics. All games involve collecting new powers and items, which vary from game to game, to strengthen Shantae and unlock access to new areas.
Although releasing to strong reviews, the first game sunk into obscurity, its poor sales generally being attributed to its late release on the Game Boy Color, which at the time had already been replaced by the Game Boy Advance. After several years in the vault, the series resurfaced in 2010 with Risky's Revenge, and has since enjoyed more commercial success and a growth in popularity. The entire series has always met with constant critical support, and is considered the flagship series of WayForward Technologies and sometimes the American indie video gaming scene as a whole.