WayForward (original) (raw)
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American video game developer
For the website launched by the Internet Archive, see Wayforward Machine.
WayForward Technologies, Inc.
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|
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | March 1990; 36 years ago (1990-03) |
| Founder | Voldi Way |
| Headquarters | Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, U.S. |
| Key people | Voldi Way (CEO)[1][2] Matt Bozon (creative director) |
| Products | Shantae series_Mighty_ series_River City Girls_ series |
| Website | wayforward.com |
WayForward Technologies, Inc. is an American independent video game developer and publisher based in Valencia, California. Founded in March 1990 by technology entrepreneur Voldi Way, WayForward started by developing games for consoles such as the Super NES and Sega Genesis, as well as TV games and PC educational software. In 1997, they relaunched their video games arm, placing the company as a contractor for publishers and working on a variety of licensed assets.
The company has created a variety of original game properties such as their flagship Shantae series, including the first title in the series which appeared on the Game Boy Color and was published by Capcom. WayForward Technologies has worked on games for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita handheld consoles, WiiWare games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U, Nintendo Switch consoles and games for PC and mobile phones.
WayForward Technologies was founded in 1990 by Voldi Way as an independent video game design company, following on from a previous company he started that specialized in software for sheet metal fabrication.[3] Early on, the company focused on producing software for the Super NES, Genesis, Game Gear and Game Boy Color. They branched out into educational games for the personal computer and Leapster.[3] During this time, many of the staff were doing other jobs in order to support their ambition to become game developers.[4]
In 1994, WayForward Technologies entered into a partnership with American Education Publishing in order to focus on developing further educational video games.[5] The partnership was successful, with the company winning awards for innovation at the 1995 Consumer Electronics Show. During this time, WayForward focused on licensed assets such as the Muppets for their educational games.[4]
WayForward restarted their video game development business in April 1997, working as a "developer for hire" by providing services to software publishers.[3] John Beck, CEO, stated that by providing services on small projects the company has managed to remain a stable level of work. In mid-2002, WayForward released their first internally developed game based on their own intellectual property Shantae. While it achieved critical acclaim, it was one of the last games to be released for the Game Boy Color and as a result only enjoyed limited success.[3]
When Nintendo announced the dual-screen handheld console that became the Nintendo DS in early 2004, WayForward began examining the various options the new console offered. Work started on a sequel to Shantae using the two screens. Despite presenting the concepts to a number of publishers, they were ultimately unsuccessful at securing a deal.[4] Because of the large number of Shantae related assets that were produced, including 3D models, WayForward frequently uses them when trying out new technology or development platforms.[3] In 2004, the company was contracted by THQ to produce a chat game called Ping Pals for the Nintendo DS. Despite the tight timescales involved in developing the game, WayForward used the opportunity to obtain development kits for the platform.[4] The game was received unfavourably by the majority of critics and gained only a single positive review.[6] In 2006, the company produced and released Justice League Heroes: The Flash just as the Game Boy Advance was reaching the end of its commercial life cycle, which met with mixed reviews.[7] WayForward has gone on to develop further titles for the Nintendo DS. Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck, based on the 1951 Warner Bros. cartoon Duck Amuck[8] received mixed reviews upon release.[9]
On February 19, 2008, John Beck and Matt Bozon were speakers at the Independent Games Summit, part of the 2008 Game Developers Conference, discussing a range of issues facing independent games companies.[10] Lit was announced on March 5, 2008, and was released on February 9, 2009, for the WiiWare online shop platform.[11] A new game in the Shantae series was considered for the platform.[12]
WayForward introduced a new character named Alta, who is a pink-haired girl that wields a scepter. She represented a new intellectual property. This was revealed on March 9, 2009, to be a DSiWare game called Mighty Flip Champs!. WayForward created Mighty Milky Way, another puzzle platformer with a new character named Luna. Its sequel, Mighty Switch Force!, was released on the 3DS eShop on December 22, 2011, with a sequel two years later called Mighty Switch Force! 2 on the Nintendo 3DS' eShop.[_citation needed_]
Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?! was released on November 20, 2012. A sequel, Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know!, as well as Regular Show: Mordecai and Rigby in 8-Bit Land, were released in 2013.[13] A sequel to Mighty Switch Force! was released on June 13, 2013.[14] A new Shantae game was revealed via Nintendo Power,[15] Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, which was released on October 23, 2014, on the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShop. Another game in the series, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, was crowdfunded via Kickstarter and released in December 2016.[16] On April Fool's Day 2013, Wayforward made a fake announcement for a game called Cat Girl Without Salad! Fans responded positively to the game's concept, leading WayForward to later develop it into a full title, which was released via a Humble Bundle in June 2016.[17][18][19] In May 2017, Wayforward published the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One ports of Last Dimension's Mystik Belle.[20]
In August 2025, WayForward announced a collaboration with ModRetro, a manufacturer of FPGA based Game Boy Color clone consoles owned by Palmer Luckey, to re-release Sabrina: The Animated Series - Zapped!. The announcement of this partnership received significant backlash on social media, with users bringing up Palmer's pro-Donald Trump statements and his military manufacturing company Anduril Industries. WayForward initially deleted the posts announcing the partnership, clarifying that the rights holders of Sabrina, Archie Comics, were responsible for the deal with Palmer, and that they wouldn’t be receiving any royalties for each unit sold, however they later deleted the posts clarifying things, leading users to suspect WayForward was in fact in on the deal.[21][22][23][24][25]
A plan for a Shantae sequel was Shantae: Risky Waters, a game planned for the GameCube, a rafting game, it was based on the GameCube controller as feeling like the left and right triggers with analog resistance in them. Plans were scrapped after WayForward failed to find a publisher.[82][83][84][85][86] Eventually, WayForward ended up being able to self-publish all Shantae sequels, starting with Risky's Revenge, although the GBA version and physical console and PC ports of Shantae Advance were handled by Limited Run Games.
- ^ "Interview: WayForward's Voldi Way talks blobs, Shantae, and street cred". June 12, 2009.
- ^ "WayForward and Arc System Works Announce Female Follow-Up to River City Ransom". Game Informer. Archived from the original on June 22, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Sheffield, Brandon (November 17, 2004). "WayForward To The Handheld Future". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on June 22, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ a b c d Totilo, Stephen (August 21, 2007). "The Flop That Inspired 'Contra 4' And 'Duck Amuck'". MTV. Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ "WayForward Technologies – The Company". WayForward Technologies. Archived from the original on February 6, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ Winter, Geoffery. "Ping Pals". Nintendojo. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ "Justice League Heroes: The Flash (gba: 2006): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks. Archived from the original on January 5, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
- ^ Cocker, Guy (July 13, 2007). "E3 '07: Duck Amuck Impressions". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 14, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ "Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck". Metacritic. Archived from the original on March 12, 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ "Games Developers Conference – Independent Games Summit". CMP Media. Archived from the original on March 12, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ McFerran, Damien (March 6, 2008). "WayForward Developing Exclusive Horror Puzzle Title for WiiWare". WiiWare World. Archived from the original on May 18, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ Ransom-Wiley, James (February 22, 2008). "GDC08: Shantae summoned for WiiWare". Joystiq. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2008.
- ^ "Adventure Time, Ben 10 and Regular Show Are All Getting New Games | ScrewAttack.com". Archived from the original on September 9, 2013. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
- ^ Holmes, Jonathan (February 24, 2013). "Mighty Switch Force 2 announced for 3DS!-Sup, Holmes?". Destructoid. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
- ^ Caz (November 7, 2012). "Shantae 3 for 3DS Announced! (SPREAD THE NEWS!)". Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved December 2, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c WayForward (September 4, 2013). "Shantae: Half-Genie Hero". Kickstarter. Archived from the original on September 6, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "WayForward's April Fools joke 'Cat Girl without Salad' now a reality". May 27, 2016. Archived from the original on January 4, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
- ^ Frank, Allegra (May 28, 2016). "A classic WayForward Technologies April Fools' joke is becoming an actual game". Polygon. Archived from the original on May 27, 2016. Retrieved May 28, 2016.
- ^ "Cat Girl Without Salad: Amuse-Bouche is a manic pixie dream". June 13, 2016. Archived from the original on January 4, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
- ^ Romano, Sal (September 12, 2017). "Mystik Belle coming to PS4, Xbox One in October". Gematsu. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
- ^ "Sabrina: The Animated Series - Zapped! Review - Review". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ Extension, Time (July 10, 2025). "ModRetro's Chromatic Is Back In Stock, Alongside Sabrina The Teenage Witch". Time Extension. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ Extension, Time (July 18, 2025). "WayForward And ModRetro Release Joint Statement Regarding Sabrina: Zapped! Re-Release". Time Extension. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ "Sabrina: Zapped!". ModRetro. Retrieved August 11, 2025.
- ^ "Time Extension @timeextension64". X. July 17, 2025. WayForward Distances Itself From ModRetro's Re-Release Of Sabrina: Zapped! On Game Boy Color.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt "Official Gameography". WayForward. Archived from the original on April 29, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
- ^ @WayForward (March 5, 2020). "#WayForward30 Milestone 1: Though WayForward was founded in 1990, our first release wasn't until 1992 with Fun Pack…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Edizioni, Xenia (May 1994). Consolemania N° 30 (in Italian).
- ^ SuperGamePower - Ano 01 No. 002 (in Portuguese). May 1994.
- ^ "Amazing Math Starring Marvel Super Heroes". Kotaku. September 7, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
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- ^ "Casper, A Spirited Beginning - YouTube". YouTube. March 4, 2016. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
- ^ "Looney Tunes: Double Pack - Dizzy Driving / Acme Antics Reviews - Metacritic". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ^ Thomas, Lucas M (November 2, 2006). "IGN: SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab Review". gameboy.ign.com. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ^ Thomas, Lucas M. (November 9, 2006). "SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab Review". IGN. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ^ "Test du jeu Barbie au Bal des 12 Princesses sur GBA". Jeuxvideo.com (in French). January 18, 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
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- ^ Goldstein, Hilary (September 7, 2010). "Batman: The Brave and the Bold DS Review". IGN. Archived from the original on February 14, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
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- ^ Holmes, Jonathan (January 23, 2011). "Mighty Milky Way is your new planet-hopping puzzle game". Destructoid. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ "BloodRayne: Betrayal | Majesco Ent". Bloodraynebetrayal.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ Dutton, Fred (May 25, 2011). "Aliens: Infestation outed by ratings board News • News •". Eurogamer.net. Archived from the original on July 25, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ "Mighty Switch Force – Coming to the 3DS eShop". Nintendocharged.com. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ Kietzmann, Ludwig (June 10, 2011). "Silent Hill: Book of Memories developed by WayForward". Joystiq. Archived from the original on July 15, 2012. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ "Adventure Time Heading to Nintendo DS Later This Year – News". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ Amini, Tina (March 22, 2013). "Capcom Is Bringing DuckTales Back". Archived from the original on March 25, 2013. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ Romano, Sal (May 14, 2013). "New Adventure Time game announced for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC, and 3DS; Regular Show game for 3DS". Gematsu. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
- ^ Hillier, Brenna (February 16, 2014). "Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark announced". vg247. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
- ^ "Latest Nintendo Power cover reveals Shantae and the Pirate's Curse". GoNintendo. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
- ^ "Goosebumps: The Game Coming to PS4, PS3 October 13th". October 7, 2015. Archived from the original on December 3, 2015. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
- ^ Blake, Vikki (October 7, 2015). "Goosebumps: The Game Release Date Confirmed". IGN. Archived from the original on May 15, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
- ^ @WayForward (March 19, 2021). "Have you experienced the bewitching action and puzzles of Mystik Belle? If not, now's your chance, because we're ra…" (Tweet). Retrieved March 19, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ Romano, Sal (June 27, 2019). "Mighty Switch Force! Collection announced for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
- ^ WayForward [@WayForward] (July 3, 2019). "The gloves are off! We're excited to finally share the details on our upcoming co-op beat-'em-up, River City Girls, which hits Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and PC this September! You can play it at @ArcSystemWorksU's @AnimeExpo booth this week! http://bit.ly/RCGdetails" (Tweet). Retrieved April 29, 2026 – via Twitter.
- ^ @WayForward (March 25, 2019). "Apple Arcade is coming, and with it... Spidersaurs! Experience over-the-top, explosive action from the team that brought you Contra 4! Spidersaurs will be available to play exclusively on Apple Arcade later this year" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 9, 2019. Retrieved March 26, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ Moyse, Chris (March 25, 2019). "Shantae returns in an all new adventure later this year". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
- ^ "WayForward Reveals Official Title and New Details for Shantae and the Seven Sirens". August 14, 2019. Archived from the original on August 14, 2019. Retrieved August 14, 2019.
- ^ "WayForward Announces Vitamin Connection for Switch". August 13, 2019. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
- ^ "WayForward-Developed DreamWorks Trollhunters Defenders of Arcadia Hits Nintendo Switch This September". May 12, 2020.
- ^ Romano, Sal (July 20, 2020). "Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia announced for Switch". Gematsu. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
- ^ @WayForward (December 30, 2022). "As 2022 draws to a close, we're looking back at some of our gaming milestones for the year! First was the Valentine's Day release of…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "WayForward to publish Dawn of the Monsters; launches for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC in late 2021". Gematsu. October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
- ^ "WayForward, Arc System Works, and Rooster Teeth announce RWBY video game, coming 2021". Nintendo Wire. September 16, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ Koch, Cameron (July 9, 2021). "RWBY: Arrowfell Is A New Co-Op Sidescroller From WayForward". GameSpot. Retrieved April 18, 2026.
- ^ "River City Girls 2 announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. June 14, 2021.
- ^ @WayForward (March 30, 2023). "Join the revolution in LUNARK, the pixel-art sci-fi cinematic platformer! Run, jump, hang, climb, roll, and shoot your way to freedom in this epic 2D adventure, now available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC via Steam! (Coming soon to PS4/PS5.)" (Tweet). Retrieved April 1, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ "WayForward is Making Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp". Siliconera. June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
- ^ Romano, Sal (September 14, 2023). "Contra: Operation Galuga announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
- ^ Cannon, Trent (April 17, 2024). "Rose & Camellia Collection Review". Nintendo Life. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Romano, Sal (June 18, 2024). "Yars Rising launches September 10". Gematsu.
- ^ "Official Wayforward Site". October 27, 2025.
- ^ "Clock Tower remaster announced for Switch". Official Wayforward Site. July 12, 2023.
- ^ "Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution Console/PC Physical Version Trailer". YouTube. August 8, 2025. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ^ "PREORDER NOW! Sigma Star Saga DX Physical Edition Trailer". YouTube. April 3, 2026. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
- ^ @WayForward (July 12, 2023). "Just announced by @LimitedRunGames is the revival of Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution! This lost Shantae sequel is back in development after nearly 20 years and will be released on an actual GBA-compatible cartridge! youtu.be/u1-fu8loFDY" (Tweet). Retrieved July 12, 2023 – via Twitter.
- ^ Announce of Sigma Star Saga DX for Game Boy Advance, Official wayforward Website
- ^ Sigma Star Saga DX - GBA Physical Edition Trailer, Official wayforward Youtube channel
- ^ GBA physical version Product Details, Official Limited Run Games Website
- ^ Romano, Sal (July 8, 2024). "Game Boy Advance shoot 'em up RPG Sigma Star Saga coming to modern consoles, PC in 2025". Gematsu. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
- ^ Romano, Sal (October 29, 2025). "Shantae 7 now in development". Gematsu. Retrieved May 6, 2026.
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- ^ WayForward (August 15, 2025). WayForward Chat: Episode 8 - Shantae Advance w/ Matt Bozon!. Retrieved August 16, 2025 – via YouTube.