Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 81 | 16 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 78 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 93% | 87 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 88 | 7 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 87% | 81 | 6 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 16 reviews sampled · 8 total reviews in window · weighted 10.1 up / 1.5 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (51)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is a brilliant platformer that's fun, challenging, humorous, and looks great. If you haven't already checked this out, I highly recommend that you give it a go!”
read full review ↗ - 90
“We'd give this game a strong recommendation to anybody who hasn't played it yet and would still encourage veterans to consider double dipping.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While Shantae and the Pirate's Curse may fall on the simple side when it comes to Metroidvanias, its simplicity winds up being one of its biggest strengths.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Shantae and the Pirate's Curse has many of the trappings of a fantastic Metroidvania game, but has a few notable flaws holding it back from greatness. For people who can't get enough of the genre, the game will likely serve as an enjoyable and light-hearted diversion, but for gamers looking for a Metroid substitute on the PS4, there are better options like Axiom Verge or Guacamelee! already available on the system.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“UPDATE: I fixed the scaling issue. I just had to go into the Wii U Settings and shrink the bounding box a bit. Worked perfectly!”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Shantae is a classic game in the right senses. It’s got a decent challenge, it’s fun, and seeing as it’s on almost every console now, there is no excuse not to try it. Players that grew up during the peak of this genre can surely appreciate what Shantae has to offer, and newcomers that have taken a liking to it need to give Shantae a go, it’s one of the better games the genre has to offer in today’s market.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“The best retro throwbacks rise above their influences to become something endearing of their own accord. Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse does just that, with quality and production values that rival many AAA releases.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is packed full of good times guaranteed to please fans of platforming games.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Shantae's arrival to the Nintendo Switch does not happen with an original game but rather with a direct port of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. Nothing here is new other than the HD Rumble feature...but there is absolutely nothing to complain about, the game is as marvelous as it was and its superb visuals, level design and gameplay mechanics represent some of the very best to be found in the Metroidvania style.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Brisk and almost effortlessly pleasing, WayForward's Shantae returns in her richest adventure to date, with all of the personality intact.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Some of the best 2D sprite work ever seen in a video game, and all used to support an impressively varied and imaginative Metroidvania.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you're looking for a great, retro-styled platformer/Metroidvania game, then you can't go wrong with Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. It stands out above the crowd, thanks to smart and polished gameplay, and is a welcomed addition to the Xbox One's library.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Nintendo Life
Cubed3
Push Square
NintendoWorldReport
ZTGD
Nintendojo
FNintendo
GameSkinny
Metro GameCentral
We Got This Covered…and 39 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Patch 1.03 DetailsJul 21, 2015
- Patch 1.03 DetailsJul 21, 2015
- Patch 1.02 DetailsJun 2, 2015
- Patch 1.02 DetailsJun 2, 2015
- Patch 1.01 DetailsMay 22, 2015
- Patch 1.01 DetailsMay 22, 2015significant · resets scoring window
- Patch 1.01 DetailsMay 22, 2015