Released:


December 20, 2016 (Steam - Digital Only - PS4, Vita, Wii U, Xbox One - Digital and Physical.)


Shantae Half-Genie Hero Kickstarter









Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will be the fourth title in WayForward’s original Shantae series and the first to arrive on several different video game consoles. Half-Genie Hero will mark a shift in the series from the original handheld trilogy into a subsequent new storyline taking place after the conclusion of the third game, Pirate’s Curse.

This eagerly-anticipated HD entry in the expanding Shantae catalog will offer plenty of 2D action and platforming in the mold of prior titles Shantae and Risky’s Revenge. Our heroine will be able to traverse Sequin Land with her usual cadre of talents, including whipping her hair to smash foes and solve puzzles as well as belly-dancing to transform into a range of animal forms that supply an arsenal of agile or destructive maneuvers to expand her explorations. The game aims to deliver a larger Shantae adventure crafted with a familiar approach toward smart level design and enjoyable chatter with the quirky folks Shantae's bound to meet (or meet again!).

 

 

On the 4th of September, 2013, WayForward launched a Kickstarter campaign for their first HD entry in the Shantae series, Half-Genie Hero. Far from being a routine handheld exclusive, HGH was angling to debut on several different platforms if funded: Steam (PC), PlayStation 3 and 4, Xbox 360 and One, Wii U, and finally PlayStation Vita and Vita TV. Alongside a pre-production overview for the title, WayForward constructed a rewards hierarchy for the project’s backers ranging from a $15 download of the title to a $10,000 extravaganza replete with in-game cameos and physical goodies – including an astronomically rare sealed copy of the original Shantae for Game Boy Color. The WayForward team expounded upon their passion project in daily updates and communicated with their fans and backers at a near-unprecedented volume during this span of time, interacting across the Internet through major social media venues all the way down to enlightening interviews for smaller video game blogs. Once the kickstarter succeeded to meet its initial goal of $400,000 two-thirds of the way into the 30-day campaign, focus shifted toward the potential reaching of stretch goals, beginning with the funding of a playable Risky Boots mode at half a million dollars. WayForward also opened the project up to PayPal donations at this time, further increasing the likelihood of raising enough funding to implement additional stretch goals into the final product, which has been tentatively set to release in Q4 2014.

PayPal rewards

Although the 30-day kickstarter period had concluded, interested gamers could still donate via PayPal to the project and, consequently, will receive the exact same rewards as the Kickstarter backers would at identical tiers. First and foremost, all PayPal pledges of at least $15 will receive, just as the Kickstarter backers would receive, three exclusive in-game rewards: an alternate blue outfit for Shantae in her main story campaign, an alternate classic-style outfit for Risky Boots in her separate campaign, and (also for Risky's campaign) a weapon called the Drifter Blade from the upcoming indie title Hyper Light Drifter. Beyond that, most reward tiers stack cumulatively. Below was a list of those selectable tiers:

$5 – Desktop wallpapers

$15 – Download of Half-Genie hero for your choice of platform [includes $5 tier]

$25 – Digital soundtrack w/ exclusive bonus tracks [includes $15 tier]

$35 – Digital art book w/ concepts, sketches, and bios [includes $25 tier]

$45 – Early access to HGH (Steam version only) [includes $35 tier]

$55 – Backer-exclusive Tinkerbat transformation [includes $45 tier]

$60 – Contributor credit and voting privileges [includes $55 tier]

$75 – Soundtrack CD w/ exclusive cover art and song [includes $60 tier]

$90 – Commemorative Shantae + Risky coin [includes $75 tier]

$110 – Shantae T-shirt [includes $90 tier]

$150 – 3D Lenticular wall poster [includes $110 tier]

$200 – Hardcover art + flip book [includes $150 tier]

Below are a selection of Tiers that were limited to the Kickstarter Period Only.

$350 – Submit WayForward fanart to be featured in-game [includes $200 tier]

$500 – Personalized sketch by Shantae creator Matt Bozon [includes $200 tier]

$1,000 – Design an enemy for the game [includes $200 tier]

$2,500 – Submit facial photo to ‘become’ an NPC [includes $200 tier]

$5,000 – Invitation to WayFoward HGH wrap party [includes $200 tier]

$10,000 – Sealed copy of Shantae GBC [includes ALL prior tiers]


Shantae and Mighty No. 9

Fortunately, Shantae did not tread her Kickstarter path alone! Joining her in her quest to receive funding for a stylish new HD game was Beck, the star of Comcept's upcoming title Mighty No. 9, Keiji Inafune's spiritual successor to his beloved Mega Man series. The Mighty No. 9 kickstarter launched a mere three days before Shantae's own kickstarter for Half-Genie Hero, and it came to light during the progression of both that Mega Man Zero studio Inti Creates would be supplying artwork for both Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and its predecessor, the nearly-completed 3DS title Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. Both WayForward and Comcept promoted each other throughout their campaigns, and several thousand fans gladly chose to support both projects.


Shantae and Hyper Light Drifter

WayFoward and Heart Machine also teamed up for their respective Kickstaters to overlap a Crossover with Risky Boots and the Drifter from the game, Hyper Light Drifter. Both games will contain exclusive cross-over content. In Half Genie Hero, during Risky Boot's campaign, she will meet the Drifter and be able to take on a quest to receive a special sword, "The Drifter Sword" and in Hyper Light Drifter, a costume change for the main Drifter character made to look like Risky Boots is available as an in-game bonus quest!






Awakened at her lighthouse one misty night, the half-genie Shantae ventures out into the city she guards, Scuttle Town, only to stumble across a trapdoor leading to a vast, cavernous expanse below the ground. Upon reaching a mystical fountain deep within the cavern, she finds herself whisked away to the realm of the genies themselves, where she becomes aware of a malevolent force struggling to break out into the world at large. A roar tears through the chamber; Shantae whites out in shock! – only to bolt upright, safely back in her bed at home and unsure about the events she dreamed…or, perhaps, foresaw…









Our hero Shantae is a half-genie, offspring of both Genies and Mortal Man. To earn the title "Guardian Genie", Shantae has settled in a lighthouse near a small fishing village called Scuttle Town, where she keeps a vigilant watch for danger. When duty calls, she delivers justice with a crack of her magical ponytail, and confounds enemies with her belly dancing skills. Shantae is determined, athletic and adaptive, able to learn new fighting skills rapidly. Although innocent and somewhat naive, Shantae takes her first steps into adulthood with a childlike view of right and wrong.













Shantae's life-long friend and ally, Sky is a war bird trainer who's profitable egg hunts often span the known reaches of Sequin Land.  Sky can't wait for Shantae to see more of the world and life's surprises, and seems to be in a hurry to grow up.  Sky is a sort of desert rat, always nesting in out of the way places at length.  For this reason, Shantae and Sky have tend to have more unexpected reunions than they do planned visits.  Even apart, their friendship is a strong one, and Sky's opinions hold equal value to Uncle Mimic's in Shantae's mind.  Sky keeps a war bird named Wrench, and she is rarely seen without him.  Wrench is a dangerous weapon, and is totally reliable, even following Shantae's orders.  For some reason, Wrench regards Bolo as prey, and takes every opportunity to prove it. 
Shantae's sparring partner is an slow-witted knucklehead with a serious lack of reasoning skills. He's hardly awake until he springs into action...usually at the chance to be a hero...and begins twirling his bolo balls. As a fighter, Bolo is very efficient and skillful, as though these moments of competence are sustained by his regular state of mental hibernation. Bolo has eyes for Risky Boots and nearly anything else remotely female, although a brotherly comfort level keeps Shantae outside his level of vision. Bolo is commonly used as a punching bag or stool pigeon by Rotty, Sky and Shantae. Mimic often uses Bolo as an errand boy, which given his single track mind works fairly well.




Old Uncle Mimic is one of the Relic Hunters... a consortium of explorers that attempt to advance the future by excavating secrets of the past. Mimic is the closest thing Shantae has to a family. He lives in his workshop in Scuttle Town, where he houses hundreds of ancient objects. Since townsfolk tend to be skeptical and stand-offish to Relic Hunters (and genies), he and Shantae make a great pair. Shantae makes Mimic her project, and refuses to let him grow old, sloppy, or comfortable. Although she can get on his nerves at times, Mimic genuinely loves Shantae and strives to keep her safe. Although Shantae has no idea, Mimic is a retired hero of days long gone and still contains dormant skills that could awaken if provoked.


Rotty is a free sprit... friendly, energetic, and headstrong. However, she is also extremely untrustworthy, crafty, and manipulative. She loves ruffling peoples feathers or guiding then down the wrong path. She's a tease and a shameless flirt on a near-criminal level, and her scruples know no boundaries. As a family member in a Zombie Clan, Rotty travels the land by caravan gaining worldly skills and threatening to eat peoples brains. She has 2 nasty brothers that seem capable of bringing out the worst in her whenever they're all together. Rotty is obsessed with Shantae, and the challenge of corrupting her pure nature.





The nefarious lady-pirate Risky Boots is known throughout Sequin Land for her love of wealth, power, and all shiny things. Risky is unchallenged on the Seven Seas, and as it's self-appointed queen will caution anyone to think otherwise. Risky is a villain with the skills and luck usually reserved for the good guys. Capable, dominating and deadly, Risky isn't afraid to claim what's not hers. She commands an endless army of Tinkerbats who follow her orders without question, building her weapons of war and scavenging the resources that make her schemes become reality.





Tinkerbats are Risky's silent shadow army. Individually they are not very formidable in battle, and therefore tend to huddle in groups of 3 or more. They are intelligent and skillful, yet skittish and non-communicative. Their loyalty knows no bounds, and like drones serving a queen they act as an extension of Risky's will. Where Risky harvests her Tinkerbats is unknown.





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