Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

[Ike]

I'm excited, I just hope it's intact.

By the way, it's cross-buy too:

 

Looks like I'm buying both then.

[Grazza]

Looks like I'm buying both then.

 

Same here, if I like it as much as I hope. My intention is to play it on 3DS, then post my favourite moments to Miiverse via the Wii U.

 

PS - Thanks for changing this thread (or Retro?)

 

PPS - Sorry if I stepped on your toes, @Dcubed. It wasn't exactly the best manners, now I think about it!

Edited January 21, 2015 by Grazza

[Dcubed]

Same here, if I like it as much as I hope. My intention is to play it on 3DS, then post my favourite moments to Miiverse via the Wii U.

 

PS - Thanks for changing this thread (or Retro?)

 

PPS - Sorry if I stepped on your toes, @Dcubed. It wasn't exactly the best manners, now I think about it!

 

Nah, it's cool. I wanted it changed to be more accurate anyway

 

On that topic, I'm just gonna get it on 3DS. Don't really see any benefit to getting it on Wii U really, it's not like it was with Shovel Knight where each version had some value to it, plus you lose that all important S3D!

Edited January 22, 2015 by Dcubed

[Grazza]

So, the day has come! Ever since 2011 when I played Risky's Revenge, I became obsessed with the world of Shantae and looked forward to the sequel. Well, it's here and sitting in my 3DS!

 

The first obstacle for me in a Shantae game is getting past the title screen. Why? Well, it's because Jake Kaufman's Aladdin-esque title theme blares out. I feel I've got the best seat in a theatre and the band is warming us up for one heck of a show. Then it's the Game File screen... oh man, I could be here all day! As catchy as ever, and following on from the Dubstep of Mighty Switch Force 2, Jake Kaufman's remixed tunes seem to be more bass-heavy this time around.

 

After the music, the next most noticeable thing is of course the graphics. Unlike some other 2D games on the system, the graphics in Pirate's Curse match the 3DS pixel for pixel, and thus look beautifully sharp. I must admit, before there were any previews of Pirate's Curse, I often dreamt of how they would improve the graphics next time round. Perhaps understandably, however, WayForward seems to have kept the same sprites (from the 2nd game, not the 1st) and used the relatively small boost in resolution the 3DS offers to simply zoom out and see the action from further away. On the other hand, the brand new sprites that do use the extra resolution - such as the Royal Guards - are fantastic.

 

Specifically regarding the character portraits, they are gorgeous in their own right, but thus far (in my opinion) have lost a little bit of the charm they had in Risky's Revenge. More rounded and less sleek, if you like. Whilst this suits the new NPCs perfectly, Risky Boots and Shantae herself look a tiny bit "off" to me.

 

Shantae wouldn't be Shantae without constant humour, puns and references to other things. Safe to say, Pirate's Curse delivers 100% in this regard.

 

So what of the gameplay? From the very start, the 1st game is reconstructed, rather than the 2nd. The Ammo Baron's assault on Scuttle Town is suitably explosive (what a scoundrel) and serves as an exciting introduction to the gameplay. Pirate's Curse is much harder than Risky's Revenge. For reasons best known to WayForward, they've brought back those bloomin' dragons that pop out of fountains (why oh why?!), plus the Kid Icarus-like snakes that drop down.

 

Gone are the animals transformations, this time replaced with Metroid-type weapons and abilities. This works perfectly well. What works less well, in my opinion, is the dropping of the Magic Meter and its replacement with single-use items.

 

One of the reviews mentioned that it was sometimes hard to judge which platforms can landed on. This is true, but whilst the review attributed it to the game's bright colours, my personal view is that it's because the game was designed to be viewed in stereoscopic 3D. Considering I mostly play in 2D, jumping is sometimes a case of trial & error.

 

As it stands, I've completed the 1st dungeon, which offered a thrilling and satisfying boss battle. Now I've had a drink, snack and a type-up (this), I'll bid you farewell, because I'm delving back into the world of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse!

 

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Two dungeons in, my enjoyment has skyrocketed. The added exploration the items give you matches anything from Metroid, and the dungeons give Zelda a run for its money. This is an absolute dream for 2D fans!

 

Rottytops' theme (another one that is bass-heavy) is just stunning - I can't help but stand there listening to it.

 

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Look at the quality of that sprite!!! The scorpion warriors have had a massive improvement. So many pixels to it - much improved colours too!

 

 

This is seriously shaping up to be possibly the highest-quality 2D game ever made.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Grazza
Automerged Doublepost

[khilafah]

just completed 1st dungeon on 3DS version. loving it so far!

 

take it that this is another 3DS/Wii U game that doesnt support cross save feature. just like shovel knight, no reason to buy both versions.

 

why do developers not use this feature?

[dazzybee]

Why's everyone getting it on the 3ds? Surely it'll look more beautiful on the Wii u?

[khilafah]

Why's everyone getting it on the 3ds? Surely it'll look more beautiful on the Wii u?

 

easy..

 

I am not restricted to only playing it at home.

[Dcubed]

Why's everyone getting it on the 3ds? Surely it'll look more beautiful on the Wii u?

 

Because it's a 3DS game first and foremost?

 

Also 3D adds a lot more than HD does in this case...

 

Just a shame that I have to wait until next week to get the game

[Glen-i]

Why's everyone getting it on the 3ds? Surely it'll look more beautiful on the Wii u?

 

Because the WiiU version was really just a last minute thing.

It's good that it exists, more people will play it.

But the game was designed for 3D.

HD adds very little compared to the 3D effect (Which is stonkingly good, seriously) and portability.

[MindFreak]

So 3DS > WiiU in this case? I'll consider that. I really like what I'm seeing but I think the price is a bit steep at the moment so I'll probably wait for it to be on offer.

[Wii]

So 3DS > WiiU in this case? I'll consider that. I really like what I'm seeing but I think the price is a bit steep at the moment so I'll probably wait for it to be on offer.

 

€17? Moscow's calling(if you want it half price). It is too much I think and the game doesn't really benefit from HD. Even half price is nearly too much.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Wii

[Glen-i]

If it was any other developer, I wouldn't mind so much.

 

But cheating WayForward out of half of their asking price seems really mean...

They are one of the finest eShop developers after all.

[khilafah]

€17? Moscow's calling(if you want it half price). It is too much I think and the game doesn't really benefit from HD. Even half price is nearly too much.

 

How exactly is it too much? Why do you feel it is over Priced?

[Grazza]

Why's everyone getting it on the 3ds? Surely it'll look more beautiful on the Wii u?

 

So 3DS > WiiU in this case?

 

Well, the stereoscopic 3D is quite useful at times, but not essential, whereas the advantage of the Wii U version is HD character art. The actual sprites and backgrounds were designed for the 3DS, so match its screen pixel for pixel.

 

Personally, I'm going to buy the Wii U version as well, but 3DS was my priority. I much prefer playing on 3DS - laying back in bed without being tethered in any way to a console, but for anyone who prefers playing on the Wii U, then I'm sure that version is the best.

 

€17? Moscow's calling(if you want it half price). It is too much I think and the game doesn't really benefit from HD. Even half price is nearly too much.

 

Have you played it, Wii? £16 is only two to three hours' work on the Minimum Wage - well worth it for the amount of entertainment it offers. At the end of the day, it's a 2D game of the utmost quality. The staff at WayForward have spent years making it, and it needs to be paid for somehow. £15.99 is a perfectly fair price.

[Grazza]

Finished the game now. As brilliant as it was, I felt the difficulty of the last tower took a little bit of sheen off the game. Amazing final boss though.

 

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I've got the Wii U version as well now. For anyone interested, here are the differences:

 

* Sprites look perfect on the 3DS, and not very good on an HDTV

* Character art looks amazing on an HDTV

* Overall best image is on the GamePad

 

On the GamePad, sprites scale up well, and character art scales down well. The extra size lets you see a bit more detail in the sprites, whilst the character art is still a significant improvement over the 3DS.

 

Another feature is that if you play on the GamePad, you can access the items screen in a more leisurely fashion, without the need for double-tapping during the action. This means you can relax and select multiple items without concentrating on two things at once.

[dazzybee]

What do you mean difficulty not he last tower? Too easy, or too hard?

 

So you think it looks best on the Gamepad? Interesting! Does the 3D add much?

[Glen-i]

What do you mean difficulty not he last tower? Too easy, or too hard?

 

So you think it looks best on the Gamepad? Interesting! Does the 3D add much?

 

Hard, the last tower is brutal!

 

It looks like it, but did you get 100%?

Personally, I think the 100% boss is ludicrously difficult compared to the rest of the game. Those giant cannonballs are very hard to dodge.

 

 

I'm sure some of you more observant players know that there are 4 different end screens depending on how you play. (Not a spoiler, it literally says on the eShop page there are multiple endings, also Uncle Mimic tells you near the beginning)

I've just gotten my 3rd ending. The Speed Run. 2:01:14. Gonna go for the 100% speed run next.

The potential for sequence breaking in this game is astronomical!

 

As for the 3D, just look at the character art during conversations. Shantae's breasts are in a separate layer.

I wish I was joking, but it's true! Same goes for every character. They're not just flat.

The sprite's also look at home on the 3DS. But that's been said.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Glen-i

[Grazza]

What do you mean difficulty not he last tower? Too easy, or too hard?

 

Too hard. Now I know I am a bit of a wuss, but keep in mind I play the Ghouls & Ghosts series. In those (the Mega Drive and SNES ones anyway), I find there's enough leeway for you to make mistakes and still get through, as long as you think on your feet. In this, however, the difficulty is not about enemies coming at you from all directions (there is that, but those scenarios are more about patience than anything) - it's about precision timing. There are a handful of corridors at the end that test your skills (I'd say five of them are hard). One of them has a button press so precise, it's definitely in the split-seconds, and I'd love to know how much by. It's got to be a tenth of a second, or even smaller.

 

Anyway, I don't want to put people off the game, I'm just being honest about it.

 

So you think it looks best on the Gamepad? Interesting! Does the 3D add much?

 

I thought it did at first, but soon stopped using it. I'll say this - I was wrong to suggest it was helpful for judging platforms. There was an early moment that made me think that, but this is not a game that has that sort of problem.

 

Put it this way, I don't regret buying the 3DS version. So far (not completed the Wii U version yet), I honestly think it depends on which machine you prefer in general.

 

It looks like it, but did you get 100%?

Personally, I think the 100% boss is ludicrously difficult compared to the rest of the game. Those giant cannonballs are very hard to dodge.

 

Yeah, I got 100%. For those that don't know, there are "Good" and "Bad" endings, plus four different wallpapers:

 

* completion

* 100% completion

* speed run

* 100% speed run

 

I'm not sure if you can get two at once, so in order not to get 100% I deliberately left off a Cackle Bat. This got me the Bad ending and the most basic wallpaper. Then I got the last Cackle Bat, which gave me the Good ending + 100% completion wallpaper.

 

Regarding the points in your spoiler, no, I thought all the bosses were 100% right. They allowed you to survive long enough to work out their patterns - once you did, yes, they were easy, but great fun. It felt like WayForward didn't want us to fail on the bosses, lest it ruin the drama. I see what you mean about that particular attack, but this game does let you tank up on potions.

 

To be honest, I'm still grinning about that final boss. Such a sense of theatre. It was spine-tingling.

 

As for the 3D, just look at the character art during conversations. Shantae's breasts are in a separate layer.

I wish I was joking, but it's true! Same goes for every character. They're not just flat.

 

Yeah, but if you're a sculptor, you're going to model the human body properly. Sure, the breasts stick out, but so do the hands and heads. The groins actually have depth too, just like in real life! As I say though, this is art - it's not Senran Kagura Burst!

Edited February 8, 2015 by Grazza

[Fused King]

This is the sequel to Risky's Revenge right?

[Glen-i]

This is the sequel to Risky's Revenge right?

 

Yup. You got it.

[Grazza]

This is the sequel to Risky's Revenge right?

 

Yes, and I highly recommend playing Risky's Revenge first (although I think you probably have, FK?) I'm not normally one to take stories seriously, and I don't particularly recommend the first (GBC) game unless you've played RR and PC and want more, but the story of RR is genuinely important to this one.

[Ike]

Too hard. Now I know I am a bit of a wuss, but keep in mind I play the Ghouls & Ghosts series. In those (the Mega Drive and SNES ones anyway), I find there's enough leeway for you to make mistakes and still get through, as long as you think on your feet. In this, however, the difficulty is not about enemies coming at you from all directions (there is that, but those scenarios are more about patience than anything) - it's about precision timing. There are a handful of corridors at the end that test your skills (I'd say five of them are hard). One of them has a button press so precise, it's definitely in the split-seconds, and I'd love to know how much by. It's got to be a tenth of a second, or even smaller.

 

Anyway, I don't want to put people off the game, I'm just being honest about it.

 

Just finished the game, I honestly don't think the tower was as difficult as you made it out to be. It does require some pixel perfect platforming at times though.

 

Enjoyed the game a lot, I think it still has some issues that the original game had but no where near as bad.

 

The dungeons (or Dens of Evil) where a bit easy though, the ones in the original were much harder.

 

@Grazza do you know about the hidden bonus dungeon?

 

Go back to the first Den of Evil, in the very first room dash into the left wall.

 

 

I only seem to have gotten 95% completion, do the upgrades count because I didn't bother getting some of them.

 

I'm a little surprised/disappointed there's no alternate costumes since there are quite a few in the game.

 

Reading some of the Miiverse comments about the "pool" scene are pretty funny though. Some players are obviously still pretty young.

[Grazza]

Just finished the game, I honestly don't think the tower was as difficult as you made it out to be. It does require some pixel perfect platforming at times though.

 

OK, but many of the reviews marked it down for difficulty, didn't they? Maybe you're just a super player.

 

Personally, I think it's a clear 9/10.

 

Enjoyed the game a lot, I think it still has some issues that the original game had but no where near as bad.

 

Agreed. This felt similar to the 1st game at times, but much easier to move around in.

 

My overwhelming feeling was that this was one last Shantae aimed at the hardcore fans. It has pretty much all the enemy types and locations from the original game. It's hard, and uses pixel art. To be honest, as much as I like this and RR, I'm not at all optimistic about the series' future. I think they're aiming at a very different audience from now on.

 

(By they way, I must apologise for calling Half-Genie Hero a "prequel". Apparently it's not - I shouldn't have said without being sure.)

 

@Grazza do you know about the hidden bonus dungeon?

 

Yep. Quite elaborate for a bonus.

 

I only seem to have gotten 95% completion, do the upgrades count because I didn't bother getting some of them.

 

If you've got all the Heart Squids and Cackle Bats, they must do. The "Recover" move is well worth having anyway, in my opinion.

 

I'm a little surprised/disappointed there's no alternate costumes since there are quite a few in the game.

 

That's a good point. The main "alternative" sprite is absolutely beautiful - I don't know why they don't let you play as that, like in the Director's Cut of Risky's Revenge.

[Ike]

OK, but many of the reviews marked it down for difficulty, didn't they? Maybe you're just a super player.

 

Personally, I think it's a clear 9/10.

 

Dunno, I haven't read any reviews. If they marked it down due to being too hard then it's a bit unfair.

 

I certainly wouldn't call myself a super player though. :p

 

If you've got all the Heart Squids and Cackle Bats, they must do. The "Recover" move is well worth having anyway, in my opinion.

 

I had the recover move and the kick which I completely forgot about. It was stuff like the pistol upgrades I skipped because they didn't see worth it.

 

That's a good point. The main "alternative" sprite is absolutely beautiful - I don't know why they don't let you play as that, like in the Director's Cut of Risky's Revenge.

 

I kinda wanted her PJ's costume from the start of the game, but her pirate sprite was great as well. Maybe they use that in Pirate mode?

 

Forgot to post my game stats:

 

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Do you know what the speed run time is btw?

[Grazza]

Completed this for a 2nd time last night. I must admit, I probably did exaggerate the difficulty. It's simply a difficulty spike, which is to say it seemed hard compared to what had preceded it, but once you know you can do it, it's fine.

 

I got 100% completion in 3:57. If that makes the game sound short, it's not - there is something called Pirate Mode, which is the equivalent of Samus Aran starting out with Speed Boost and Screw Attack.

 

Do you know what the speed run time is btw?

 

Normal speed run is less than 2 hours. 100% speed run is probably under 3 hours (either that or they haven't patched the European version yet). I've never seen the 100% speed run wallpaper, so it's quite possibly not patched into any version yet.