Shantae 64 represents the perfect video game myth. Because it was never finished, it can never disappoint. It exists in our collective imagination as the "greatest Shantae game ever made"—a seamless blend of 2D charm and 3D exploration, unburdened by the low framerates, tank controls, and camera issues that plagued actual N64 platformers.
However, WayForward didn't sit idle. During the development of the original GBC title, they had already secured a dev kit for Nintendo’s new home console: the Ultra 64. The plan was ambitious: take the 2D, Metroidvania-style gameplay of the original and translate it into a fully 3D adventure. shantae 64
Early magazine clippings and trade show previews hinted at a game that retained the core mechanics of the series: hair-whipping combat, transformation dances, and exploration. However, the leap to N64 allowed for visual spectacles that the Game Boy Color simply couldn't handle. Imagine the camera panning around Shantae as she transformed into a monkey or an elephant, rendered in full 3D. Shantae 64 represents the perfect video game myth
The development of Shantae Advance introduced several mechanics that were decades ahead of their time: However, WayForward didn't sit idle
Here’s a helpful feature concept for a hypothetical Shantae 64 — imagining a 3D collectathon platformer in the spirit of Banjo-Kazooie , Super Mario 64 , or Jak and Daxter , while keeping Shantae’s signature transformations and Sequin Land charm.
In 2001, WayForward pulled the plug.
The honest answer is: almost certainly not as originally intended.