The simultaneously running Kickstarter campaigns for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and Mighty No. 9 have proven that [half-]genies and robots can peacefully co-exist in the modern world. Teams for both games have been supporting each other over social media, but today it was shown they’re in more cahoots than that.
WayForward has revealed in an update on Shantae’s Kickstarter page that developer Inti Creates — which has been behind Mega Man 9, Mega Man 10, the portable Zero and ZX series and currently Mighty No. 9 — has also been tapped to contribute to Half-Genie Hero. According to the post, WayForward’s relationship with Inti Creates began with a fan art connection 2 years ago:
In September of 2011, mysterious Shantae fan art appeared in the gallery of Inti Creates employee Makoto Yabe (aka KOU). At KOU’s suggestion, Matt Bozon reached out to Inti Creates President and CEO Takuya Aizu to see if his studio would like to collaborate on Shantae. By the end of the year, Inti Creates was hired-on for Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse, and has since continued on with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.
Inti Creates has been contributing “key artwork, concepts and character illustrations” to the Shantae series, WayForward has stated. According to an acknowledgement of the collaboration posted on the Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter page, Yabe appears to be the primary contributor.
In celebration of the news, both sites posted very similar art of Shantae and Beck high-fiving, which WayForward said was totally not planned at all. But hey, that's just the sort of thing that happens when you’re BDFFs (Best Developer Friends Forever)!
What do you think of the interactions between Half-Genie Hero and Mighty No. 9? Has one made you more interested in the other? Let us know below.
[source kickstarter.com]
Comments 27
AWESOME!
There's definitely potential here.
that'll be a huge boost to the funding indeed. Support of all the MegaMan fans? It might actually reach that million and a half goal... X3
Interesting, that's means the HD Shantae game is actually being made in Japan.
artist: http://kevinxnelms.tumblr.com/post/60400216744/our-heroes-of-a-new-era-bringing-the-genre-back
Maybe this Shantae won't suck
i like the art of the 2 charicters 8D @MrWalkieTalkie nice picter! lol im looking forward to Shovile Knight!
Inti Creates should have done Duck Tales. (They did Megaman 9 & 10 quite well).
@Retro_ontheGo I believe underwhelming may be a better choice of wording to describe Shantae. Risky's Revenge was quite good despite its simplicity and terseness. Some find charm in those qualities.
Wayforward and Inti Creates working together? That's nuts! I love those guys!
Wow, what spin from the wayforward guys. It's only one guy working with them, not the studio, according to the mighty no9 page.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mightyno9/mighty-no-9/posts/601267
"And actually, we share more than just a sensibility for awesome 2D action games with our friends at WayForward — one of our artists at Inti Creates, Makoto Yabe (aka KOU), is contributing some key illustrations and background art to this new Shantae as well! (He made the sweet high-five image you see below, too!)"
I have been supporting both from day one. This is an incredible turn of events.
I smell a crossover with those two in the distant future.
Just give us a 3DS version of Mighty No. 9 and we're in business.
Not the biggest Shantae fan in the world...but their work on Mega Man and MM-spinoff games has been top notch. This definitely has me interested now!
Very awesome news! Inti Creates and Wayforward are amazing!
I have never played Shantae before, what would be the best version to play for a first timer? GBC or DSi version?
@Retro_on_theGo
Probably not, considering none of the past Shantae titles have sucked. The original is easily one of the best games ever released for GBC, and Risky's Revenge was one of the only reasons to upgrade to the DSi.
@Meaty-cheeky Both are great games. The GBC original is longer and perhaps a little more difficult, especially at the beginning, when you only have three hearts and enemies tend to pop up right in front of your face. The DSi game is shorter, but it has vastly improved graphics, with colorful and very detailed pixel art (of course, considering the DS is way more powerful than the GBC). Dancing is easier and the game also includes a map feature. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with either!
awesome, love both companies
I've never been a fan of kickstarter, but I've decided to back Shantae with $200 bucks for the goodies that come with the slot.
It's good to see both games promoting each other though, and that someone from the other company is helping with the Shantae game. Now I want a crossover.
@MrSRArter No, it is not being made in Japan, unless WayForward actually moved there. Which they did not do. Collaborations can easily happen remotely, no reason for anyone to travel anywhere.
I'm considering backing up Shantae kickstarter, but I fear that it will not even reach it's goal. The series is simply too niche, with a Nintendo-only past and not very "mass-appeal" attitude of the games. And they certainly have no hopes of getting past any stretch goals.
They said once the main goal is reached (which it will - their KS campaign is doing well), they will set up a Paypal account so that people who can't donate via Kickstarter will still be able to contribute. This Paypal account will also stay open until the game is released, so that unreached stretch goals can still be met even after the Kickstarter campaign is over.
Sources:
https://twitter.com/WayForward/status/379786075176054785
https://twitter.com/WayForward/status/379786827088928769
THAT ARTWORK! To replace Mega Man and Astroboy, or not to replace them?... I know, the painful irony of them 'knowing that feeling'... I think I can't.
Not really been following these two games but that bottom picture is soooo cute
Anything to help boost Shantae's funding. I think it was a bit unfair that Mighty No. 9 seemed to get all the cash out of the two, but that's the legions of Mega Man fans for you.
I'm intrigued by some of the stretch goals for Shantae, and am hoping that at least some of them are reached.
@GeminiSaint Thanks for the reply.
When I get some extra spending money I'll try to download Shantae on my 3DS.
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