Shantae and the Pirate's Curse

93%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,715 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • story
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Game Cover
A light-hearted platformer with plenty of action. A swashbuckling journey awaits you!
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In Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, the half-genie Shantae loses her magical abilities and must team up with her nemesis, the pirate Risky Boots, to overcome the pirate curse and save Sequin Land from the evil Pirate Master. Together, they explore various temples, collect pirate gear, and battle bosses in this action-adventure platformer. With its gorgeous animation, challenging gameplay, and humor, Shantae and the Pirate's Curse offers an unforgettable adventure.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Nintendo 3ds
  • Play​Station
  • Wii
  • Wii U
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,715 reviews
music342 positive mentions
grinding33 negative mentions
  • Great level design and character progression, making it fun to explore and revisit areas.
  • Charming art style and catchy soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
  • Humorous writing and engaging characters that add personality to the game.
  • Some backtracking can feel tedious and may require consulting guides to progress.
  • The final dungeon has a significant difficulty spike that can be frustrating.
  • The game speed is tied to the refresh rate, causing issues on higher refresh rate monitors.
  • music521 mentions

    The music in "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" is widely praised for its catchy, upbeat tracks that enhance the game's vibrant atmosphere and gameplay experience. Composed by Jake Kaufman, the soundtrack is noted for its variety and ability to thematically match each area, making it a standout feature of the game. While some players found certain loops repetitive, the overall consensus is that the music is a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The music of the game was really good with so many great tracks; I don't think I ever heard a song I didn't like.”
    • “The soundtrack is also absolutely amazing, having some of the best hits in the series!”
    • “The music is upbeat and absolutely brilliant and accompanies each stage perfectly.”
    • “I find the music grating -- the loops are way too short, and given the backtracking you will be hearing the same loop over and over again.”
    • “Everything about it except the music is awful.”
    • “The music is very repetitive and annoying as well.”
  • gameplay457 mentions

    The gameplay of "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" is widely praised for its solid mechanics, fluid controls, and engaging platforming elements, making it a standout title in the series. Players appreciate the shift from transformation mechanics to pirate equipment, which enhances the gameplay experience with more dynamic interactions and exploration. While some reviews note occasional roughness and simplicity, the overall consensus is that the game offers a fun, charming, and enjoyable experience with a good balance of challenge and accessibility.

    • “The gameplay is also greatly improved compared to the previous title.”
    • “The gameplay is enjoyable, but sometimes I wished it was more challenging.”
    • “The gameplay is fun when you get to it.”
    • “The gameplay is fine, movement isn't massively satisfying, combat isn't incredibly fun, and the story isn't far beyond 'visit these themed areas' with some laughs in the dialogue.”
    • “The art and sprites are cute, the music is decent and the dialogue got a chuckle or two, but the actual gameplay is kind of miserable.”
    • “The gameplay is quite basic especially compared to modern metroidvanias, but it was fun enough for the entirety of my playthrough.”
  • story456 mentions

    The story in "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" is generally regarded as simple yet enjoyable, serving as a lighthearted backdrop for the gameplay. Players appreciate the humor and character interactions, particularly the dynamic between Shantae and her former rival, Risky Boots, which adds depth to the narrative. While some find the plot straightforward and occasionally reliant on fetch quests, many agree that it effectively balances comedic elements with engaging character development, making it a fun experience overall.

    • “The story is simple but enjoyable, characters are charming, and the world is welcoming to all new players.”
    • “The story is engaging and you don't need to know anything about the Shantae story to enjoy this game.”
    • “The story feels like a Saturday morning cartoon in a world without the FCC, complete with sweet morals about friendship and confidence, and how the power was within you all along.”
    • “Boring, bland fetch quests gate almost everything you do and leave you talking to a dozen random NPCs to find the next story trigger.”
    • “The story is flimsy, but the actual moment-to-moment writing is actually really funny.”
  • graphics303 mentions

    The graphics of "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" are characterized by vibrant pixel art that appeals to fans of retro aesthetics, with many praising the charming character designs and colorful environments. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel and detailed animations, others note that the graphics could benefit from enhancements, especially in the PC port, where the pixelated style may appear less polished compared to modern standards. Overall, the game's visuals are well-received for their artistic quality and integration with the gameplay, contributing to a fun and engaging experience.

    • “The graphics are fantastic, the character design is fun, the story is pretty solid, and the music isn't bad.”
    • “The visuals are bright and colorful even in darker areas of the game while the music is fast and bouncy.”
    • “The graphics, gameplay, writing, and especially the music are amazing.”
    • “This game has been developed around the tiny screen of the Nintendo 3DS; this PC port really needed some graphics enhancement.”
    • “While the graphics are better than the first, I would have been absolutely in love with the graphics in the mid-90s; I really wish devs would move on from the nostalgia of pixel graphics.”
    • “They obviously haven't been redone from the 3DS version (which has a much lower res screen than most PCs), and as they aren't pixel art and are instead pixel-interpolated bitmap graphics, they look pretty terrible at 1080p.”
  • humor258 mentions

    The humor in "Shantae and the Pirate's Curse" is widely praised for its lighthearted tone, clever writing, and memorable character interactions, often blending silly and self-aware jokes with charming dialogue. Players appreciate the game's ability to balance comedic moments with engaging gameplay, resulting in a fun and entertaining experience that keeps them laughing throughout. While some find the humor a bit juvenile or cutesy, the overall consensus is that it adds significant charm and enjoyment to the game.

    • “From the start, the game has a lighthearted tone with fun, funny dialogue, comedic timing, and Shantae's glowing personality that shines throughout the whole session.”
    • “Even the story and the characters, despite their rather grim predicament, continue to maintain a lighthearted attitude, thus creating a perfect balance between funny interactions and surprisingly wholesome moments.”
    • “The game has a lot of charm, and the characters and the NPCs (and their dialogues) are lovely and hilarious.”
  • replayability42 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally viewed as high, with players appreciating the opportunities for speedrunning, achievement hunting, and exploring multiple endings. While some find the initial experience somewhat short and lacking in replay incentives, others highlight the fun of revisiting the game with unlocked abilities and engaging in various challenge modes. Overall, it offers a solid replay value, especially for those who enjoy completing challenges and uncovering secrets.

    • “Definitely has replayability in trying to 100% the game, speed running, 'no-damage' or limited item/health playthroughs.”
    • “The replay value is also very high, as there are a lot of secrets, multiple endings, and multiple modes.”
    • “Overall this is easily one of the most replayable games I've played in years.”
    • “The game doesn't encourage replayability, though.”
    • “Not much replay value except for speedrunning and achievement hunting.”
    • “Replay value: unless you're a completionist or if the game is so good that you just want to play it again, there's not much replay value.”
  • grinding33 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some appreciate the streamlined stage-based design that reduces tedious backtracking, many still feel that the need to grind for currency to purchase upgrades and the repetitive nature of certain sections detracts from the enjoyment. The balance between exploration and grinding is often criticized, with some areas feeling overly tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the context of boss battles and item acquisition.

    • “I didn't like the idea of backtracking to old areas across a vast map and thought the process was tedious.”
    • “The amount of re-treading required is just tedious and the monsters feel more like irritations rather than challenges.”
    • “If there's any one flaw that I can find with the game, it's that you'll never normally get enough money to buy all the upgrades; you'll actually be required to farm money at some point in the game if you want the 100% completion, which gets a bit tedious.”
  • character development30 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and engagement, with players noting significant growth in fan-favorite characters and a compelling story that enhances emotional investment. The character designs are described as stunning and charming, contributing to the overall appeal, while the humor and dialogue add to the immersive experience. However, some players feel that character development could be more consistent, as the focus on gameplay sometimes overshadows narrative elements.

    • “The character development in this game alone is fantastic; even Risky Boots changes more than I had originally expected.”
    • “There's a lot of character development in this game, and especially by the end, I found myself caring more than I would have expected about what happened to them and their relationships with one another.”
    • “Other than that, it also has a much more interesting story with tons of character dialogue and more immersive character development with funny and witty humor.”
    • “To start off with the sort-of negatives, there really isn't any character development at all for the most part.”
    • “The platforming mechanics in this game are just so much fun I never ended up caring about the neglected story or character development.”
    • “Even the blatantly chauvinistic character designs never really seem that harmful, because everything is so light-hearted and fun.”
  • optimization15 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting smooth performance and stable frame rates, particularly for a 2D platformer. However, some users experienced occasional freezes and performance issues on higher refresh rate displays, and certain mechanics felt unnecessary and detracted from the overall experience. While the PC port is considered serviceable with good controller support, there are still areas for improvement, particularly in resolution options and one-handed control optimization.

    • “The game performed more than reasonably for me, as it is a 2D platformer and is very well optimized for PC.”
    • “The game only allows up to 1920x1080 resolution and caps at 60fps, but even so, the game looks fantastic and runs beautifully with no drops in performance across the board.”
    • “The PC port is serviceable; there are no performance issues, there's controller support, and your standard resolution options are all there.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game isn't optimized for newer screens or laptops that run at 120Hz, making the game run 5x faster (not 2x, but 5x).”
    • “The game has a fullscreen mode which gives more resolution options, but I had serious performance issues.”
    • “The controls aren't optimized for one-handed play, which is a bummer; otherwise, it's a great game.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The atmosphere of *Shantae and the Pirate's Curse* is characterized by its vibrant, cartoonish aesthetic, enhanced by high-quality music and sound effects that complement the visuals and level design. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic SNES games, with each level offering a distinct ambiance that contributes to an engaging and enjoyable experience. Overall, the combination of bright art, upbeat music, and effective worldbuilding creates a fun and immersive atmosphere that enhances gameplay.

    • “Music and sound effects in Shantae and the Pirate's Curse don't fall short of the graphics, with the game featuring a large number of high-quality and atmospheric music tracks, which greatly fit not only the overall game, but individual levels and characters as well.”
    • “The whole game has the atmosphere of an amusingly silly Saturday morning cartoon.”
    • “Worldbuilding and atmosphere are instead provided by the music, gorgeous art assets, and pleasing animation.”
    • “The backgrounds and level design are highly effective in creating a sense of atmosphere that instantly communicates what kind of environment you're exploring.”
  • emotional13 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a delightful blend of humor and heartfelt moments, creating a charming and wholesome experience. Players appreciate the witty interactions and the balance between lightheartedness and deeper emotional themes, with memorable characters and a captivating story that evoke both laughter and sentiment. Overall, the game successfully combines fun gameplay with touching narratives, making it a highly recommended experience.

    • “Even the story and the characters, despite a rather grim predicament, continue to maintain a lighthearted attitude, thus creating a perfect balance between funny interactions and surprisingly wholesome moments.”
    • “The cast is all around charming and funny, with some hilarious one-liners from the heroes and villains and even a couple of surprisingly emotional moments hidden about.”
    • “Amazing soundtrack, a solid platforming experience, and incredible characters provide for an amazing and sometimes even emotional game.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users have reported occasional bugs with fullscreen mode, particularly when using the alt-f4 command to exit the game.

    • “Fullscreen mode seems a bit buggy sometimes when using Alt+F4.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
    • “I encountered several stability issues that disrupted my gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

83% average critic score

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Play time

13hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
8hMain story
10hCompletionist
9-22hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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