Shantae: Risky’s Revenge is a director’s cut of a Gameboy color game around 5 years old, re-released to iOS, Steam and PS4. I was immediately ready to write off this platformer featuring a cartoonishly stacked Persian chick as simple bullshit aimed at kids around the “birds and the bees” age. But by about the 20 minute mark, I was surprised at how much fun I was having. With the mechanics and combat of Castlevania, the world, health and magic systems of Legend of Zelda and the aesthetic of Capcom’s ’93 hit Disney’s Aladdin, WayForward Technologies have developed a pretty damn good game.
You play the titular hero, a half-genie belly dancer charged with protecting the coastal city of Scuttle Town from monsters, zombies and pirates. Your arsenal consists of your ponytail, a magical time stopping dance and a few spells (fireball, shield, etc.) that you buy and upgrade throughout the game. On the day of the Relic Hunter Expo, your uncle showcases an oil lamp he recovered from a ruin somewhere across Sequin Land. All hell proceeds to breaks loose when Risky Boots, the equally stacked pirate (and villain of the first game, hence the “revenge”) bursts through the building and makes off with your uncle’s new found treasure. He then reveals that the lamp is a magical artifact, capable of devastating destruction. Luckily, it can only be activated by 3 magic seals that happen to be scattered across the world. Shantae is called to action once again.
After a brief boss battle with Risky’s flying ship, you’re left to explore the rest of Scuttle Town and the surrounding areas in search of clues leading to the seals. I got through the dungeon and defeated the boss holding the first seal in about 2 hours, so I imagine the game is around 8-10 hours total. Maaaybe 12 if you’re a stickler for hidden areas and goodies. Somewhere in the dungeon was an old man that bestowed the power to transform into a monkey, of course through the magic of the belly dance. In that state you jump a little higher and can climb most walls, allowing access to previously unreachable areas.
Over time there will be more spells, more transformations, and hopefully a few more interesting characters. Shantae’s uncle implying that he used his own shit for the Indiana Jones pressure plate trick was one of the more memorable video game moments I’ve had this year. This game is a reminder not to judge anything by its cover. It’s not too difficult; aside from falling in pits, I only died once in that 2 hours. It’s nothing groundbreaking or mind-blowing, but Shantae: Risky’s Revenge is interesting and fun. I’ll definitely go back to finish it. $9.99 seems pretty fair for what you’re getting, and if you’re in the mood for a platformer with a healthy dose of nostalgia, this one is worth checking out.
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