Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (Hands-On) (Nintendo 3DS) Preview

'Standard platform fare' may be used more often than not in a derogatory manner, but Shantae and the Pirate's Curse begins that way, and in no way is that a bad thing! If anything, there are times when a platform title should do away with numerous gimmicks and head back to its roots for those old school fans out there. Pure, unadulterated platform fun - that is what players need at times, and Pirate's Curse delivers - for the most part, as no doubt it will unfold into something more elaborate later into the adventure.

Shantae, the half genie, starts with a mere hair flick for despatching enemies, with the focus being mainly on tight platform action, leaping from ledge to ledge, launching over treacherous gaps, and collecting various health and monetary items along the way. The booth attendant admitted that this was not too appealing, but the game grew on him as the adventure continued, and whilst Cubed3 is not in agreement that the initial simple section was boring (since, as said, 'pure unadulterated fun' is great in our books!), the action does heat up as it continues, which will appeal to the masses.

After testing old school skills in the early stages, it does not take too long before the puzzle elements start to creep in, which complement the 'standard' action extremely well. The addition of fire power in the form of a small gun aids Shantae when it comes to dealing with enemies from a long distance, as well as flicking far off switches to open up new routes and pathways. Whilst only getting a minor taster of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, the quality levels were already high, following on perfectly from the shining star that was Risky's Revenge on Nintendo DSiWare. Hopefully people do not overlook this addictive game in favour of the Kickstarter project...