Last October, WayForward confirmed a new Shantae game was in development during a Limited Run Games showcase.

There was no information about the next game beyond a picture of Shantae and Risky, but now we have another teaser.

At Anime Expo, WayForward revealed new art of Shantae along with a 2027 release window.

The 2027 release window is great, but I find the art even more interesting because of its implications. Instead of her usual hairstyle, Shantae has three braids that end in spiky balls that look like the Pike Ball weapon. Since past games in the series have had Shantae’s hair be her primary weapon, that suggests gameplay might be a little different… especially since the initial teaser also showed Shantae with a different hairstyle.

My guess is that abilities this time around will be tied to different hairstyles and this will effect both combat and traversal. That would be an interesting twist on the standard gameplay.

Either way, I’m excited to learn more! (This also reminds me that I need to play Risky Revolution, since I didn’t at launch.)

What are your hopes for the new Shantae game coming out in 2027?

While not held during June like the rest of the “Not-E3” events this year, Limited Run Games held its 2023 “LRG3” showcase on Wednesday.

I expected some announcements of previously digital-only games I’d want to pick up physical copies for, and maybe some old classics being resurrected again.

We certainly got that, and even the Clock Tower rumors came to fruition, with an enhanced port of the original SNES game announced with a translation for the first time.

But what I never saw coming was a new Shantae game.

Shantae Advance was originally planned as Shantae 2 for the Game Boy Advance, but the lack of sales for the first game meant the game’s ambition couldn’t be realized, and it was cancelled. Now it’s back – and they aren’t just releasing the incomplete pieces, but finishing the game to release Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution as a new full entry in the Shantae series.

Not only that, but it’s being completed and released as an actual GBA game.

So far it’s unclear if Risky Revolution will be released on modern platforms or if it will be a GBA exclusive. When asked on Twitter, WayForward said they don’t have anything to announce at this time about it coming out on other platforms.

While it seems like a strange decision to release a GBA exclusive in the year 2024, it does contribute to the sense of this old cancelled game being released as it was originally conceived. Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution preorders will open in September, with the game itself being due out in early 2024.