Arguably the best Shantae, and the tightest. The transformations energize exploration, the humor stays good-natured, and the swaying soundtrack sticks with you. A sparkling metroidvania, perfect on a handheld screen.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Shantae, a hair-whipping half-genie, teams up with a pirate to chase down a curse across islands and dungeons. Published by WayForward, released worldwide in 2017. Hair whipping, unlockable pirate gear, hidden secrets, magical dances, colourful sprites and a swaying soundtrack.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Jake Kaufman makes the sound chip sing: his Middle-Eastern-flavored chiptunes dance across Shantae's alleys and dungeons, mixing playful percussion with sinuous melodies. The whole thing pulses with the humor and lightness of the adventure, and every zone lodges in your head long after. A showcase of just how warm the chiptune format can still be.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Trading animal transformations for pirate tools tightens the pace, and the metroidvania-style exploration stays joyfully fluid: the hair-whip keeps its punch, well-hidden secrets reward the search. Short and not very hard, yet the colorful sprites and swaying soundtrack hold a charm that simply won't go out of style.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Between semi-open exploration and bubbly platforming, the adventure blends puzzles, transformations and an offbeat humor that defuses any tension. The deadpan one-liners and colorful cast give every zone wild personality, and the urge to dig out one last secret keeps the controller in hand long after the credits.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾0,5 GB📅19/12/2017
Published by WayForward
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
Of the three physical pressings of this long-digital Shantae, the sealed US version is the hardest to track down: it is on the shrinkwrapped copy that tension builds. WayForward's indie cachet sustains lasting demand, and the small US run makes a complete copy a sought-after piece. Pressing scarcity, not content, which is identical everywhere.
Memorable bosses
Beneath its bright cartoon look hide rhythmic duels where each demonic pirate demands close reading of its attacks. Shantae's transformations and her hair-whip open varied approaches, and the tempo climbs steadily toward demanding showdowns. Humor sits beside polished staging, and the snappy controls turn every encounter into clean, satisfying fun.
An underrated gem
WayForward has been polishing this series for years without ever quite breaking through, and this pirate chapter is the easiest entry point. Beneath its bubbly sprites and breezy humor hides a metroidvania of unusual fluidity, where every unlocked weapon opens fresh routes. Its swaggering soundtrack and snappy pace will charm anyone who loves exploration with no dead time.
Is Shantae and the Pirate's Curse still worth playing in 2026?
Often called the best in the series, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse swaps animal transformations for pirate tools and gains a tighter pace for it. The metroidvania-flavored exploration stays smooth, the well-hidden secrets reward digging, and the hair-whip keeps its punch. The colorful sprites and lilting soundtrack carry a charm that does not date. It is short and not very hard. But as a playful, well-crafted platformer, it remains a plain pleasure, perfectly at home on Switch.
