Chrissy Teigen Loves Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, But What Exactly Is It?

Chrissy Teigen loves the game Shantae: Half-Genie Hero—here's everything you need to know about the game.

Celebrity Sightings in New York City - October 23, 2018
(Image credit: Gotham)

Expecting a Nintendo Switch for the holiday season? I'm happy to say, I've got a game suggestion for you. As a stalker of Chrissy Teigen's Instagram, I'm not ashamed to say that if she posts about it, I'm 100 times more likely to buy it. And that turned out to even be the case when she posted about Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, calling it (caps are hers) "THE BEST GAME EVER MADE." This caption accompanied a photo of Teigen doing her best Carmen Sandiego impression with her outfit, and I'm far more inclined to trust one's opinion on such matters when dressed like that.

The game is the fourth in the Shantae series, and the first developed specifically for PCs and consoles like the Nintendo Switch. If the Shantae name sounds familiar to you, it's because the game is a soft-reboot of the original for Game Boy Color (the ultimate #TBT), Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS. The game was funded by fans via Kickstarter, raising over $900,000.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero follows our protagonist as she has to take on an evil force that is threatening both the human and Genie realms. She's got a whiplike ponytail as a weapon and a dash of magic, and must protect her town.

One of her best traits is that Shantae can transform into a variety of different characters through the power of belly dance. And if she'd like to teach me how to finesse my belly dancing skills into a physical transformation, I'm here for it. These transformations make it so she can explore different parts of her world, and find upgrades to help unlock more secrets. Plus, it's precious. Even the scary parts are cute.

I'm totally here for Chrissy Teigen becoming a video game reviewer, but I'm going to run and download Shantae immediately. If only I had a ponytail I could whip around to trap my enemies.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is available on PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, Vita, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.

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Amanda Mitchell

Amanda Mitchell is a writer and podcaster with bylines at Marie Claire, OprahMag, Allure, Byrdie, Stylecaster, Bon Appetit, and more. Her work exists at the apex of beauty, pop culture, and absurdity. A human Funfetti cake, she watches too much television, and her favorite season is awards season. You can read more of her work at amandaelizabethmitchell.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @lochnessmanda.