A fun, short Metroidvania-esque platformer. This game was originally on DSiWare, and it shows. Super short, not a lot to collect, only three transformations, etc.

I have a pros and cons list as to what I did and did not enjoy.

Pros
-Not too difficult, not too easy. Difficulty is balanced well.
-Running is on from the start. In the original game, you had to hold down the attack to run. Now, holding down attack lets you walk.
-Good graphics. The pixel artists really make the characters and settings pop.
-Good music. Jake Kaufman is a fantastic composer, given the range of games he's worked on.
-Fun boss fights. Not too many, but the ones that are there are well-designed. The final boss against Nega-Shantae was a bit challenging, but not too bad.

Cons
-Music fades out and starts over again. I think some music loops properly, but most of the level music seems to fade out and start over. Intended? Unintended? No idea.
-Map isn't the best. It gets the job done, but it's pretty vague. Hoping the map in the next Shantae game is better.
-Could've been longer. This game can be beat in just a few hours.