Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

I recently activated my subscription to Xbox Game Pass. I had it sitting on my shelf for about a year since I "won" my Xbox One X Prize package from Doritos. I say "won" because I wound up buying a bunch of Doritos in order to get it, so did I really win? Or did I just bury my family room in chips? Regardless, I sat on that Game Pass for a year because I just didn't know what to do with it. I have capped bandwidth because there isn't enough internet service competition around here, thanks to a government-sponsored monopoly, so I can't just download a crapload of games each month. But I decided I had better use it or lose it, so I redeemed the code for one year of service.

This brings me to Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, which is available on the Xbox Game Pass service, along with its direct sequel. I had heard so many good things about the Shantae game released circa 2002 for GameBoy Color, so I decided to try it because it was free for me to play. I am so happy that I did! The game is a treat from beginning to end and I've been recommending it to anyone that will listen ever since playing it.

You play as Shantae, a half-genie who is tasked with being the guardian of Scuttle Town. A cast of recurring characters each with their own unique personality and dialogue play supporting roles by offering hints, advancing the storyline, and sending Shantae on missions. the gameplay is best described as an action-platformer, much akin to Metroid and the later Castlevania games. As Shantae, the player will explore eight or so islands collecting items that allow progress. The player will also spend a good deal of time re-visiting locations to explore areas that were previously inaccessible without the items collected later on in the game.

The controls respond exactly as expected and work perfectly for the game. There are no moments of frustration where the controls feel like they are inhibiting the gameplay. The graphics and animation look like something out of a Sega Saturn or Neo Geo game. This is welcoming in sharp contrast to many modern games that attempt to look "retro", but instead look lazy and cheap. These graphics took time to create and achieve a look that isn't often seen in modern gaming. Additionally, the music is some of the best I've heard in years. It sounds like something out of a Sonic the Hedgehog game, if the game were on a CD-based game system. I love it. I love it so much that I fully intend on purchasing the soundtrack from the artist on Bandcamp.

Listen to my favorite song from the game on YouTube.

One of the best parts of this game is the witty dialogue and banter from the characters. Shantae herself cracks me up! At one point in the game she says that she isn't a good example because of her temper and outlandish outfits. I laughed for several minutes over that one line of text because it was so self-aware. Shantae has a cute personality that remains distinct from the other characters in her world. Each layer of personality that each character exudes makes the game that much more immersive, and intrigues the player to play previous installments of the series, along with sequels.

The game is not without its challenge, however, as there are plenty of puzzles, precise platforming, and challenging action segments to be conquered. Don't let the bright colors and smiling characters fool you - this isn't some simple game. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse should offer challenges to even experienced players. If you're like me, you'll wind up looking up some item locations for the sake of completing the game 100%. And then you'll play it again, trying to do it faster or without health upgrades for the sake of the challenge. Though I don't know how I would ever be able to beat the final level without all the health upgrades.

If you have the capability and are looking for a new game to play, especially if you're a fan of the genre, then I highly recommend playing Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. If you're on PC, then you can buy the games from Good Old Games DRM free! You can also buy from Steam. The Shantae series is also available on Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo platforms.