Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution

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Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is a single player and multiplayer platformer game. It was developed by WayForward and was released on August 19, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

In Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution, join Shantae as she battles pirate Risky Boots' plot to rotate Sequin Land and plunder its towns. Navigate multilayered, rotating levels using hair-whip attacks, belly-dance transformations, and six unique creature forms. Face challenging bosses, explore labyrinths, and enjoy a 4-player versus mode.

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Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution screenshot

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 141 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

optimization4 negative mentions

The game features charming pixel art and engaging humor, staying true to the Shantae series' style.
Gameplay is fun and nostalgic, reminiscent of classic GBA titles, with enjoyable transformations and mechanics.
The soundtrack is excellent, capturing the essence of the series and enhancing the overall experience.

The lack of a map system makes navigation frustrating, leading to confusion and getting lost in the game's environments.
Technical issues such as freezing and slowdowns detract from the gameplay experience, making it feel unpolished.
The Deluxe Edition costumes are locked behind a separate purchase, which many players find frustrating and limiting.

gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
70%
11%
The gameplay in this latest Shantae installment is a mixed bag, featuring engaging mechanics like transformations and a unique two-layered level design, but marred by confusing foreground/background switching and occasional slowdowns. While some players appreciate the challenge and nostalgic elements, others find the new mechanics tedious and the lack of a map frustrating. Overall, the game retains the charm of the series but feels rushed and underdeveloped in certain areas, particularly for those familiar with previous titles.
- “The gameplay is as good and engaging as you would expect from a classic Shantae game; the dialogue is lots of fun, the boss fights are enjoyable, and the music perfectly captures that early to mid-2000s GBA game style.”
- “Gameplay itself feels great, and the transformations are a lot of fun.”
- “Map layouts are cool; I genuinely liked the 2-layered level mechanic.”
- “You are completely walled off from the outfits that apparently have gameplay mechanics if you don't buy the deluxe version.”
- “The revolution mechanic just makes it hard to tell what's going on and foreground/background is unclear in many cases.”
- “The foreground/background switching mechanic is time-consuming to navigate and just feels tedious.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The music in the game has received a mix of praise and critique, with many reviewers highlighting its nostalgic charm and solid composition by Maddie Lim, reminiscent of earlier titles in the series. While some tracks are celebrated as "stellar" and "bangin'," others note a lack of variety and occasional audio issues, such as clipping and reused songs. Overall, the soundtrack is generally well-received, capturing the essence of the series while evoking fond memories for fans.
- “Stellar music, cute sprites, and collectables that aren't too hard to get.”
- “This game's soundtrack is also amazing and I feel like the series' musical identity is back and in safe hands once more.”
- “The gameplay is as good and engaging as you would expect from a classic Shantae game, the dialogue is lots of fun, the boss fights are fun, and the music perfectly captures that early-mid 2000s GBA game style.”
- “I think there could've been more variety with the music for the dungeons, in my opinion, but what we have is good.”
- “I honestly tried to enjoy the game not minding the technical problems, but random freezes that also black screen the game without being able to move while the music is still on?”
- “It's not as good as Curse and Half, but it's slightly better than Revenge's soundtrack, in my opinion.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The story of the game is described as cute and quirky, set between the original Game Boy Color game and "Risky's Revenge," but it lacks depth and complexity, primarily revolving around a straightforward plot of stopping Risky. While the dialogue retains the series' charm and humor, it often feels rushed and simplistic, with minimal expansion on the lore. Overall, the narrative is enjoyable but does not significantly advance the franchise's overarching story.
- “The story and writing are cute and quirky.”
- “The story is set after the events of the original GBC game and before Risky's Revenge.”
- “As for plot...it's Shantae, it's a simple 'Risky is up to shenanigans, go stop her!' plot which works for the series but don't expect anything too deep, or really expanding that much on lore.”
- “The plot is also lacking compared to others.”
- “As for plot...it's Shantae, it's a simple 'Risky is up to shenanigans, go stop her!' plot which works for the series but don't expect anything too deep, or really expanding that much on lore. Aside from one talk with one character, there isn't much; Risky isn't even going after some lost artifact or power and her plans don't lead to genie talks for the most part.”
- “The story is okay for what it is, doesn't really move the overall arc of the franchise anywhere interesting, barring meeting a character previously only mentioned in a previous title.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is consistently praised, with many reviewers highlighting the witty dialogue and funny character interactions that align with the series' established charm. While the story may be straightforward, the comedic elements, including hilarious moments and engaging writing, contribute significantly to the overall enjoyment of the game. The humor is tailored for a teen audience, ensuring it resonates well with players familiar with the franchise.
- “A fascinating (and funny) interquel that ties up loose ends in between the first game and Risky's Revenge; the classic mode is basically the Game Boy Advance version, and the humor is obviously meant for people who are at least 13 years old, hence the 'T for Teen' rating.”
- “The story itself is nothing special but the dialogue still has that charm and humor the series is known for.”
- “It's a good and enjoyable game, the dialogue is genuinely hilarious, the puzzles are engaging, and the level design is decently challenging.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the appealing art style and upgraded character portraits, while others criticize the inconsistency in artistic assets and the presence of graphical errors. The blend of smooth modern graphics with retro pixel art is seen as a drawback by some players, who feel it detracts from the overall aesthetic. Despite these issues, the nostalgic pixel roots from the original GBA version are appreciated by many.
- “Since the game was developed as a GBA title first, the visuals go back to the pixel roots of the earlier games in the series, which looks great.”
- “The art style for the character portraits has returned to the half-genie hero stylization, but with body proportions looking a little more like Pirate's Curse.”
- “Also, the art style is very appealing to me, both the original and HD renders of characters.”
- “I can't say much about the graphics, but as you play, you will notice that there are artistic assets that simply don't match the game style, as if they were drawn completely apart, resized, and directly imported into the scenes.”
- “Except it's also mostly a bunch of reused assets, and once in a while you'll notice graphical errors, missing assets, and misaligned layers.”
- “Mix of mobile-smooth-candy graphics with GBA-imitating cute pixel graphics spoils it for me.”
optimization
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
23%
44%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting persistent stuttering and performance issues that often require restarting the game to resolve. Many players find the game's demands on system resources excessive, especially given its origins as a GBA title, leading to frustration over its high price and lack of effective support from the developers. Overall, the consensus is that poor optimization significantly detracts from the gaming experience.
- “I don't know why it demands so much computing power to run smoothly, and some performance upgrades would be greatly appreciated.”
- “Considering it costs 20 euros (on sale!), I've decided to request a refund and might give it another try once this game actually runs smoothly.”
- “There was a recent update that Steam notified me of, but I can't really find out what the update did. The stuttering and slowdown eventually showed up again and only seem to go away when restarting the game.”
- “I do not recommend this game for this reason, as it seems poor optimization has plagued this series, while other games in this series run fine on my PC.”
- “Aside from the absurd price tag and the unacceptable optimization issues, I sincerely hope they fix this, but from what I've seen, the company's answer to the optimization issues is: get a better PC.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with multiple users reporting frequent random freezes and black screens that disrupt gameplay. These technical issues detract from the overall experience, leading some players to advise against purchasing the game until these problems are resolved. Despite its promising elements, the current state is described as buggy and slow, impacting enjoyment.
- “I honestly tried to enjoy the game not minding the technical problems, but random freezes that also black screen the game without being able to move while the music is still on?”
- “Unfortunately, the game randomly freezes and forces you to restart.”
- “Do not buy the game; it freezes randomly. Save your money until it's playable.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the lack of a map system, which leads to getting lost frequently. The requirements for 100% completion, including finding numerous secret items that offer little reward, contribute to a sense of monotony, while certain mechanics, like background/foreground switching, are seen as time-consuming and cumbersome. Overall, while some enjoy the game for its lack of fetch quests, the grinding elements are often viewed as overly tedious.
- “I understand that this is a GBA game, but the fact that a Metroidvania doesn't have a map system is genuinely frustrating. I found myself getting lost a few times (not to mention trying to figure out the lava town puzzle). The requirements for 100% completion feel very tedious, and given that the secret squids don't amount to any reward is shocking, especially since there's a solid 50 of them you have to find.”
- “Puzzles are more tedious than challenging and often boil down to 'do you have the power-up?'”
- “The foreground/background switching mechanic is time-consuming to navigate and just feels tedious.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's replayability is hindered by the lack of a New Game Plus mode and the requirement to purchase additional content, such as costumes, to enhance the experience. While some players find decent replay value in the core gameplay, the hard-locking of certain features to save files limits overall enjoyment and replay potential.
- “I enjoyed it the whole way through, and it's got some decent replayability like most of the series.”
- “However, if these modes offer a lot of replayability, as they are not just cosmetic, I can see it being worth the additional cost.”
- “Now if I want to play this with the costumes to add any organic replayability to the game, I would have to buy the game for a third time.”
- “Another issue with this game is the lack of a New Game Plus for some reason, which does hurt replay value quite a bit.”
- “Less exciting offering without the replayability the costumes encourage, given they are hard locked into a save file.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that the new character designs are well-integrated into the game, enhancing the overall character development experience.
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
- “The new character designs are not only visually appealing but also enhance the overall narrative experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy includes sub-quests that subtly promote the game's development efforts, suggesting a focus on generating interest and support for the game's release rather than traditional in-game purchases.
- “Here you have three sub-quests indirectly advertising our efforts to publish this game instead.”
- “The monetization system feels more like a cash grab than a fair way to support the game.”
- “It's frustrating to see essential features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized as heartwarming and beautiful, with users praising its catchy and brilliant storytelling, consistent with the quality found in previous Shantae titles.
- “Heartwarming, beautiful, catchy, and brilliant, just like every Shantae game.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is a platformer game.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution was released on August 19, 2025.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution was developed by WayForward.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, Shantae and the Seven Sirens, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, SONIC SUPERSTARS and others.

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