Shantae: Risky's Revenge

Shantae: Risky’s Revenge for Nintendo DSi is a side-scrolling action-adventure platformer developed and published by WayForward. Released in North America through DSiWare in October 2010, it brought the half-genie heroine back after the Game Boy Color original and serves as the second release in the Shantae series. Designed for one player and made specifically for the downloadable DSi service, this version presents Shantae’s journey across Sequin Land in detailed 2D pixel art, with animated characters, large boss encounters, and a connected world that gradually opens as her abilities grow.

The adventure begins at the Relic Hunters Expo, where Shantae’s uncle Mimic unveils a mysterious lamp. Risky Boots and her pirate crew raid the event and escape with it, and the fallout costs Shantae her position as Scuttle Town’s Guardian. She nevertheless sets out to stop Risky’s plan. The central quest sends her after three magical seals associated with Sequin Land’s treasure hunters, while familiar allies including Mimic, Bolo, Sky, and Rottytops contribute to the story. Risky’s theft eventually puts Shantae’s own genie magic at stake, giving the campaign a personal conflict behind its pirates, relics, and eccentric local characters.

On foot, Shantae attacks by whipping enemies with her long hair and can acquire magic for additional offensive options. Exploration is as important as combat: paths that appear inaccessible early on become reachable after new moves and forms are obtained. By performing her signature dance, Shantae changes into creatures with different practical talents. The monkey form can climb and make quick wall-to-wall movement, the elephant can break obstructing rocks, and the mermaid opens underwater routes. Using the right transformation to navigate hazards, return to previously visited areas, and uncover hidden pickups is the key to advancing through the game’s deserts, forests, caverns, haunted territory, and labyrinthine dungeons.

Treasures reward careful searching as well as forward progress. Heart Holders raise Shantae’s health capacity, while Magic Jam can be spent on useful upgrades and abilities. Boss battles punctuate the expedition and call for players to recognize attack patterns while using the room and Shantae’s available tools. Completion is tracked beyond simply reaching the ending: performance and collected items affect the ending artwork, encouraging a more thorough trip through Sequin Land. The original DSiWare release also included a small save-data bonus connection with WayForward’s Mighty Flip Champs!, a period-specific extra for players who had progressed in that earlier DSiWare game.

Risky’s Revenge is the direct follow-up to the 2002 Shantae and helped reestablish the series on Nintendo’s digital storefront. It was first announced as an episodic project, but WayForward released the complete adventure as one DSiWare download instead. Later ports and the separately branded Director’s Cut added or revised features on other platforms; Shantae: Risky’s Revenge for Nintendo DSi is the original 2010 edition those versions build upon. Its blend of hair-whip combat, dancing transformations, ability-gated exploration, and the continuing rivalry with Risky Boots establishes many of the ideas that would carry into later Shantae games.