WayForward Technologies

WayForward Technologies at a Glance

WayForward Technologies is an American studio based in Valencia, California that has been active since 1990. The company started by making games for older consoles like the Super NES and Sega Genesis before moving into PC educational software and TV games. They have released 43 titles on PlayPile, serving as a developer on 42 of them and a publisher on nine. Their catalog spans from the early 1990s through 2025, with their highest output occurring in the 2000s when they released 22 games. The studio produced only three titles each in the 1990s and the 2020s so far, suggesting a slower pace of recent releases compared to their peak years. Genre-wise, the company focuses heavily on platformers with 21 games, followed by 15 adventure titles. They also have seven puzzle games and seven shooters. Their work appears across many systems, including 11 PC titles and 11 Nintendo DS games. Other platforms with significant representation include the Nintendo 3DS, Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 4, Wii, Wii U, and Game Boy Color. Quality ratings show a generally solid track record. The average score across 20 rated titles is 70.6 out of 100. There are three great games scoring above 80, which includes Shantae: Risky's Revenge from 2010 at 86.8 and Mighty Flip Champs! from 2009 at 83. The majority of their catalog falls into the good range between 60 and 79, with 15 titles in this bracket. They have only two mixed-rated games and no poor ones. Notable entries like Contra 4 scored 77.4, while Mighty Switch Force! reached 76.1. Recent projects include RetroRealms Arcade from October 2024 which holds an 80 rating, and Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution scheduled for April 2025. The studio is perhaps best known for their flagship Shantae series that began on the Game Boy Color. While they have maintained a consistent presence in the industry for over three decades, their output volume has fluctuated significantly between different eras of their career.

Release Timeline

Rating Distribution