Shantae continues her charming formula: smooth exploration, handy transformations and delightful animation. It is an accessible metroidvania, a touch easy, but bursting with personality and color. A relaxed pleasure rather than a stiff challenge.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Guardian Shantae investigates a tropical island where heroines vanish one by one. Published by WayForward, released worldwide in 2020. Hair whips and dances that morph her into animals, backtracking to open new areas, polished animation and light humour.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Supple exploration and well-woven transformations make for instant comfort in the hands. The real strength, though, lies in the sprite animation, among the finest in modern pixel art, lending weight to every leap. The challenge stays gentle and the metroidvania structure unsurprising, yet this playful ease ages with real elegance.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Roaming a secret-laden island and morphing to clear each obstacle awakens the explorer in you. Transformations keep refreshing your movement options, and the lush animation overflows with charm. A gentle yet never lazy pace invites you to comb every corner for its tucked-away upgrades and rewards.
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Easy"
Lifespan
"Average"
Technical info
💾1 GB📅28/05/2020
Published by WayForward
Shantae and the Seven Sirens (Nintendo Switch) price, value & rarity
The island's master sirens push the formula into a dance between metamorphoses and whip, each transformation unlocking a fresh angle of attack. The brisk pace and colorful patterns make these duels as readable as they are gratifying. The metroidvania progression feeds fights where mastering your powers rewards as much as pure skill.
Is Shantae and the Seven Sirens still worth playing in 2026?
Shantae and the Seven Sirens marks the technical peak of WayForward's series, with sprite animation among the finest in modern pixel art and cartoon-style cutscenes. The pleasure comes mostly from there, and from the light charm of the tone. Structurally it stays classic metroidvania with backtracking and transformations, no great surprise for those who know the formula. The difficulty stays gentle. It is a title to savor for its art direction and sunny atmosphere more than its challenge, and it ages with elegance.
