It is a good day for Shantae fans, as the entire series has been announced for a PlayStation 5 release. This news comes as a part of E3 week, with the developer WayForward releasing a trailer during the Limited Run Games live stream, LRG3 2021, earlier today. This reveal was just one of 30 physical game announcements made during the half-hour-long stream.
The Shantae series first started in 2002 on the Game Boy Color, following the adventures of Shantae, a half-genie who acts as the protector of the Sequin Land against her nemesis, the pirate Risky Boots. Shantae is a fantasy platformer game, with themes of dark fantasy and steampunk strewn throughout the series. While technically these games can be considered a sort of Metroidvania, the side-scrolling action-adventure that is Shantae has almost enough content to be its own kind of genre, mixing platforming and combat that has evolved with the series over the past 19 years. Shantae has sold over 3 million copies as of 2020.
During today’s Limited Run Games live stream, WayForward released a trailer featuring a collection of Shantae games brought to the PlayStation 5 through physical release. The trailer can be viewed on WayForward's YouTube channel. This collection includes Shantae, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge - Director’s Cut, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition, and Shantae and the Seven Sirens. This encompasses the entire collection of titles released under the Shantae franchise, ranging from the Game Boy Color through to the more modern PS4. The trailer features gameplay from all five titles in no specific order, showcasing just how different each title looks when shown back to back. It’s nice to see that the collection has kept the unique look and feel of each signature game in the Shantae series.
Limited Run Games are generally printed in small batches, since it is a physical release company that manages distribution for independent developers and publishers. A series as popular as Shantae may get a bigger pool of physical copies compared to some of the other games presented in the live stream, but this has not been confirmed. In the past, Limited Run Games have even teamed up with Best Buy retailers for larger-scale distribution events and games. More information on the physical copies and release of this collection should become apparent once a release date is officially announced.
Shantae is considered to be somewhat of a cult classic, with many dedicated fans devoted to the series over the years. This collection will be the perfect way for both new and old fans to experience the franchise all in one place, on the PS5, as long as they were lucky enough to get a PS5 amidst supply shortages and scalpers.
Shantae, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge - Director’s Cut, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Ultimate Edition, and Shantae and the Seven Sirens will be coming to PlayStation 5 sometime in the future.
Source: WayForward/YouTube