Overview
I haven’t seen any actual guides to help with getting the speed running achievements for the game so i thought I’d share the path I took when going for these achievements. I’ve created little maps to help figure out here to go and where each heart squid and cacklebat are located. Most of them on the map are fairly straight forward as how to collect, but a couple are a little tricky. In this guide, I’ll be assuming you have started a new game with Pirate mode that way we can get everything as we move along and make a few shortcuts in the dungeons/temples.
Before we start
First of all, this is my first guide that I’ve made here on steam. I was a little annoyed that there wasn’t a guide for these two achievements, so I’m making myself one to share and help others who need it. I’m sorry if this guide isn’t as good as others, but this is my first shot at this.
The two achievements that I’m talking about are: Speed Runner (hidden achievement)(refereed as any%) and Purple Haired Warrior Maiden (hidden achievement0)(refereed as 100%). For Speed Runner, you have to just complete the game in 2 hours. For Purple Haired Warrior Maiden, you have to complete the game 100% in 3 hours. Speed Runner, you can collect everything or leave it all behind. As long as you beat the game in under 2 hours after the credits, you get it. Purple Haired Warrior Maiden, you have to collect all 20 dark magic to fight the true forms of the final boss, collect all 32 heart squids, upgrade all weapons, and buy all 3 skills in under 3 hours after the credits. As for how difficult these challenges are, after getting every other achievement I was able to get Speed Runner in 1:40 on my first attempt and Purple Haired Warrior Maiden as i was getting images for this guide in 2:30.
In this guide, I’m going to assume that you have already beaten the game at least once to have unlocked pirate mode. In pirate mode, you will start with every weapon in the game in it’s most basic form. Playing through the game, I used an xbox controller so i may refer to some buttons on this controller. I also have prepared some mini maps with icons to help with the guide. I would like to have put arrows on it, but i felt that it would have made it a little too cluttered. I’m not going to help with tips on the bosses. There are other guides for those fights, I’m just laying out a nice efficient path.
I’m going to recommend a few things before we begin:
- Skip all of the dialog as that would take up too much of our time.
- Dash whenever possible helps as well.
- Use save points and reload the game to get full health.
- Using flares to get back to Risky’s boat helps a lot in a few cases.
- I skip a few collectibles to get at a later time on the way to or from location or items.
- Some dungeons/temples have multiple keys. You can use keys between dungeons. I label just enough to get/use per area, but grab any extra you want to use later.
One trick i use later on in the guide is using the boots in a small area. You can hold right and tap left to charge up the boots. It’s a little tricky on controller, but do-able. Practice with it because I use it to skip a major portion of one dungeon/temple. I won’t be including any major glitches to get through the game.
1st island – Scuttle town (first time through)
So we are going to start a new game with pirate mode. The beginning section is extremely straight forward. Keep following the path and beat ammo baron. Skip through the dialog some more and fight the cacklebat. Risky will give us the lamp and you can collect your 1st dark magic from the cacklebat. Now that we have full control of our character we can begin.
So we start off in the area under the huge pile of items on the map. Start by going left to fight our 2nd cacklebat.
A little more to the left will be our 1st heart squid.
Keep going left and using the boots/hat/cannon cross the large chasm and find our 3rd cacklebat.
Head right back to town and go to the heart smith to find our 2nd heart squid.
Exit and jump up to Sky’s home to get a library card from her.
Exit and go to the save point. You must save here in order to pass the guard.
Exit and talk to the guard and he will now let us through. Keep going right.
Before going to the next screen, collect your 3rd heart squid.
Keep going right and again before the next screen, jump up to collect your 4th heart squid.
Right will be a save point. You can save and reload to get your health back if you had lost any.
Right into the woods. Climb up the trees and head to the top left. The 4th cacklebat is in this room.
Staying on top of the tree branches, continue right and collect your 5th heart squid on top of a tree.
Jump on down and right to enter the area in front of the palace.
In this area, we need to collect 3 Flesh Pops for Bolo. The enemies here drop them quite often, so it shouldn’t take but one go.
Continue around right following the path.
In the bottom area where you find the purple blocks, destroy them and kill the enemy.
Get enough room to use the boots left and keep dashing left until you run into a wall.
The 5th cacklebat will fall from the ceiling. This is the last cacklebat for this island.
You can jump up and collect your 6th heart squid as well. This is also the last heart squid for this island.
Climbing up and left. Hit the switch and collect the travel brochure.
Jump up and out of the underground.
Head right and talk to Bolo twice. Give him 3 Flesh Pops and he will give you the key to the palace.
Head all the way right and talk to squid baron. Give him the brochure and he will give you squid oil. Head left to the palace door and give the guard the key. The door will open for you to enter.
Go inside.
Go right and inspect the globe to get the map.
Exit the palace and keep going left back to town.
If you give Sky back her library card, she will give you 100 gems.
You can visit the shop for upgrade and the heart smith for an extra heart.
Once finished, go over to Risky and we will begin with the dungeons/temples.
2nd island – Saliva Island (first time through)
A neat trick that i recommend doing at the beginning of all of the islands is to head left as far as you can then go right. There is just enough space to start a dash and you can press attack as you transition to the next screen to activate it. Very useful for getting it out early.
Keep going right until you get to the hill.
Climb up it and exit the top right. (you don’t need the ring to get up to the dragon, but get it if you have trouble getting up high enough with the cannon)
Head right past all of the statues and past the save point.
Talk to the first girl on the left.
Collect the ham stink with the lamp.
Use the cannon to go up one screen. (aim for the middle where the water would come down)
Use the cannon once more and head right to find your 6th cacklebat.
Head back right.
Use the cannon some more to keep going up.
You can skip the entire platforming section in the large area by using the cannon some more.
Keep going up and into the hole on the top of the map.
You will come out in front of the dragon.
Talk to the sign and you will use the ham stink.
Before jumping down, go right to find your 7th cacklebat.
Now head back to the dragon and jump down a few screens.
Landing in the pond will trigger a cut-scene and you will get the petrify spell.
Head left past the save and statues again.
Go down before the kill and hit the switch for the heart squid.
Kill the enemies guarding the squid and collect it. This is your 7th heart squid.
Head right and talk to the guy.
He will use the spell causing the ground to collapse.
Enter the dungeon/temple.
Keep heading right until you run into a locked door.
Jump down and just walk into the heart squid. This is the 8th heart squid.
Keep going down then to the right.
Jump below the platform to collect your 9th heart squid.
Make your way to the right.
Defeat the enemies and collect the key.
Head back to the locked door and enter.
There is a heart squid to the right, but you have to climb around to the other side of the hill to collect it. This is the 10th heart squid.
Now, backtrack a little and jump to the top left of the map. (the right path is for the pistol)
Keep going left until you get to the next large room.
You can use the cannon and hat to help skip all of the platforming in this room and exit at the top left.
Keep following the path and save once you get to the save point.
Head right to fight the Cyclops.
I’m not going to explain the fights in this guide. You’ve beaten them once before.
Finish the fight and collect the map.
Now that we are out of the dungeon/temple keep heading left to Risky’s boat and exit.
Head to the next island. Spiderweb island.
I know there is one last heart squid in the area, but it’s on the way to another story related item.
Just skip it for now.
3rd island – Spiderweb island (first time through)
Head right until you see a little bit of a hole in the ground.
Use the scimitar or cannon on the ground and jump down.
Here is the 8th cackle bat.
Jump back up to get out.
Continue right until the next area.
Jump on up the tree branches.
Head right until you see a chest in the ground.
Again, use the scimitar or cannon to collect the fossil in the chest.
Heep going right and up the tree branches again.
At the top, use the scimitar or cannon on the ground above the heart squid to collect it.
This is the 11th heart squid.
Keep going down the path to find Rottytops in a web.
Go through the whole section of rushing her home. Just be mindful of all of the traps.
Once you finish the dialog at her house, walk behind her and collect your 12th heart squid.
Exit and go left.
Hit the wall to find Po.
He will take you to the broken down kart.
Skip the dialog and talk to him again to give him the squid oil.
You will travel back to where you first saw him and he will give you a shrunken thing.
Exit there and Climb up the tree and head right.
There will be your 9th cacklebat.
Head left a bit and find the cacklebat you skipped over getting Rottytops back home.
That’s the 10th cacklebat and final one for the island. Also you have collected half of them so far.
Head back right a little and toss the shrunken thing in the door to open it.
Head on left and follow the path until you get to the save point.
Now head on up until you can get to the large room.
Head left on the bottom of the room and make your way to the left exit and back track to the hill you went over.
Attack the side of it and enter.
You will be shot up to your 13th heart squid.
To exit this little area walk left a little.
Now exit to the bottom left.
Jump up the lifts and use the cannon to the platforms and collect your 14th heart squid.
Jump into the red…thing…. to get to the top of the room quickly and head right.
Head right until you see the heart squid in the ground.
Jump on the platform on the right and go left into the ground to get the 15th heart squid.
This is also the final heart squid on the island.
Keep heading right until you get to the tall room.
Jump to the right where the pots are in the wall.
There is a key just waiting there.
Exit left and continue up and right to unlock the door.
Continue the rest of the dungeon/temple normal.
Fight the spider and collect the map.
Now outside, head on back to Risky’s ship to give her the map.
Next island is Tan Line island.
4th island – Tan Line island (first time through)
We aren’t going to be here for very long. Just collecting a few things for the story.
Just keep heading right to the palace in this area.
Keep going right until you talk to squid baron.
He will give you the x-ray glasses.
Now head back left until you get to the scorpion lady and archers.
Go down the hole and to the right.
With the x-ray glasses you can interact with the statue there and collect your first of 3 scribbles.
Use the boots to go to the right and collect the enchanted sword.
Now head on back to Risky’s ship.
Not here for very long at all.
5th island – Saliva island (final time through)
Now head on up to the statues.
To the left of the statues, you should be able to jump and use the cannon to get onto a ledge on the left.
Climb up and go left.
Continue up the path and collect the 16th heart squid.
That is the last one here and half of all of the are collected now.
Keep going down the path to get to the next statue and get the next scribble.
Backtrack back to Risky’s boat and head on to Scuttle town.
6th island – Scuttle town (2nd time through)
I recommend speed upgrades for the hair attacks, but for 100% runs you need to get them all eventually.
Get what you want for now. Get more hearts from the heart smith. You can have up to 6 hearts by now.
With that all done, go to Sky’s house.
Skip through all of the dialog and examine the statue.
You will collect the 3rd sketch revealing the password for the palace on Tan Line island.
This is different between runs. You can also look at the password again if you forget by looking at the description in your key items.
Now that we have the password, head hack to Risky’s ship and back to Tan Line island.
7th island – Tan Line island (final time through)
Head head right to get to the palace and use the password to get the palace doors open.
Enter the palace.
There is a cacklebat on the map, we will ignore it for now.
Head right and skip through the dialog.
Escape going left and follow the path avoiding the guards’ line of sight.
The door at the end of the path is the darker green square on the first map and covered by the key next to the teal square on the second map.
Going through the door will take you to a room with a chest with a key.
While standing on the platform that had the chest, you can jump up and climb a chain to find 6 large pots of gems.
Head back down if you went up and go through the teal square door.
Jump down and go through the light green door.
If you have collected extra keys from the spiderweb island dungeon/temple, you can skip some of these keys by going down to the black door.
These keys are still relatively easy to get though so i recommend getting them.
So from the light green door, head left through the orange door.
Slip past the guards and climb up the chains and get around to the purple door.
Head left on top of the statues to find a key.
The place that i use to get a lot of gems quick is just below this area.
There is a small path you can crawl through to break 8 large post for 80 gems.
To reset the pots, go through the blue door to the left and back through.
Back to where the 2nd key was, keep heading left to get to the darker orange door.
Jump down and take the left pink door (the one the statue is looking at).
This will get you to the 17th heart squid.
Head back through the pink door and jump down and follow the path to the large central room.
Take the black door at the top center.
Head left and follow the path to get to the yellow door.
Fall all the way down and left to collect the last key here.
Now backtrack to the black door and unlock all 3 doors (and your own if you want), talk to them, meet up with them all through the bottom right exit in the large central room and skip through all of the dialog.
Head right skip the dialog again and get the golden pickax.
You will be outside of the palace.
Head back in and go to the large room again.
In the very center of the room the 11th cacklebat in a cage.
Exit the palace and continue right.
Just right of here is a purple block on the ground.
Use the cannon or scimitar to break it and head down.
Jump across the tops of the statues avoiding the enemies and into the next room.
Kill the one little enemy then use your boots to break the gray block and fight your 12th cacklebat.
Exit through the ceiling to be brought back to near the palace. Keep going right until you find the archer on a statue surrounded by quicksand.
The quicksand between two of the statues will be raised.
Jump in the quicksand and fall down.
This is where the 13th cacklebat is hiding.
Jump through the ceiling on the right.
Keep heading right until you get to the archers and find another purple block in the ground.
Use the scimitar or cannon to break it, clear the rats and head right.
This is the 14th cacklebat and final one on the island.
Keep heading right until you find a hole in the ground.
This is the dungeon/temple.
There are two extra keys and one is in the same room as a heart squid.
The one at the bottom of the map requires two keys to even get so ignore it.
Start by using the scimitar or cannon on the purple blocks to the left and craw through a hole to get the heart squid.
This is the 18th one.
The key to the left is guarded by one of the praying mantis guys.
I recommend collecting this key.
Head on back to the entrance and continue right.
Jump down and go through the first exit to the right.
Just break straight through the purple blocks to the right.
You can either jump up to the heart squid at the very top left of the room or break through the hill once you enter the room to find one of those launcher monsters to bring you there.
This is the 19th heart squid.
There is another extra key in the top right of the same room.
I recommend getting this key as well.
Exit the room to the left.
Now break through the purple blocks going downwards.
There is a heart squid hiding behind the very bottom left purple block.
This one is pretty close to the spikes but you should be fine.
This is the 20th heart squid and final on for the island.
Head on right down the path to fight squid baron.
Collect the map and head back to Risky’s ship.
Head on back to Scuttle town.
8th island – Scuttle Town (third time through)
Head to your uncle’s lab to the left.
Talk to Bolo to give him the fossil and x-ray glasses.
He will give you the mask.
Now is a good time to get some upgrades and maybe one pirate flare.
Mud Bog island is fairly annoying to get through.
Having to go through it twice is even more annoying.
We didn’t collect enough heart squids for another heart so head back to Risky’s ship and head to Mud Bog island.
9th island – Mud Bog island (only time through)
The only problem is this place is annoying to go through multiple times.
I’ll point the spot out once we get closer, but use whichever gem spot you prefer.
And in this area be on the look out for light purple on the ground.
These are enemies that will pop up and attack you.
Skip the dialog and keep heading right until you get to the save point.
Head right and when the path start to lead down, jump use the hat/cannon to get to the top right and collect your 21st heart squid.
Jump down (preferably with scimitar) and head left.
Break through the purple blocks to find the 15th cacklebat.
Keep heading right until you get to the gate keeper.
Talk to him, give him the mask and head on through to hell.
Start by jumping and using cannon/hat to get to the top right exit to find the 16th cacklebat.
Head back left and jump straight down.
Kill the snake lady and use boots to the wall on the left down there to break through.
Jump up a couple times to collect the 22nd heart squid.
Jump up a little more and exit to the bottom right.
Jump down and exit to the bottom left.
Take care of the archers first then jump down to where the heart squid is trapped.
Using the trick i mentioned before the guide, hold right and tap left to walk back and forth.
You should be able to activate the boots in a small area.
Just make sure you are holding right when you activate it.
This is the 23rd heart squid.
If you can’t get it to work, go on the other side of the left hill, kill the snake lady, hit the switch to the left and you should have just enough room to use the boots from there.
Climb up the platforms to the top left.
There is the 17th cacklebat and final one for the island.
Exit to the right.
Jump down and go to the bottom left exit.
Follow the path and find the red coin at the chest at the end of the path.
Backtrack to the room after the first save point (with the three monsters you are collecting the coins for).
Go right and exit to the top right.
There is a hole in the ceiling, jump and use the cannon to get through it.
Head left and collect the green coin from the chest.
Head back down the hole.
Fall down and head to the bottom right exit.
Collect the blue coin from the chest here.
Backtrack to the one i mentioned a little earlier.
Talk to the monsters and play their game.
You will get the locket once you win.
Talk to the girl on the right.
You will give her the locket and she will give you the flame.
Head to the top right exit again.
Jump up the hole again.
Head right a little and use the flame at the pile of rocks.
Skip the dialog and collect the manly stink.
Jump down the hole again.
Fall down and exit to the bottom right again.
Use the manly stink in front of the rocks to open the dungeon/temple.
Walk on in.
I put the lost sole on the map here as well.
You will get it after defeating the boss and collect the map.
The one marked get on the map here is easy to get to.
The other is fairly easy as well. Get whichever one you think is easier.
Start off by following the path and collect the map if you’d like.
Break through the ground to get to the area with the elevators.
Before jumping down to the elevators, use the dash trick to the right to get to the heart squid.
This is the 24th heart squid.
His the switches and exit to the bottom left (the key i prefer).
Jump down and use the cannon to exit to the top left.
Fight the few enemies in the room and exit left.
Jump on the platform with the chest and collect the key.
Backtrack to the elevator room and get all of the elevators to the bottom.
Use the dash to break the bottom right block and continue.
The key will be used automatically.
Follow the path right, dodge the spikes in the vertical room, and dash/hat through the next.
After that long room, dash into the left wall to have a heart squid fall from the ceiling.
This is the 25th heart squid.
Break through the ground near the right exit and continue the path.
In the tall room split down the middle, get to the left half and climb up.
There will the the 26th heart squid and final one for the island.
Follow around the path until you get to the elevator room again.
For me, i had a problem getting the three elevators to line up in the middle so i got the middle and right one in the middle height and used the dash trick to break the block.
Continue down the path, fight the boss and collect the map.
You will be taken out to hell and you will talk to the figure again.
Skip the dialog and collect the lost soul.
Now head to the exit of hell and either use a pirate flare at the guardian or fight through all of the enemies again.
Either way, get to Risky’s ship and head to Frostbite island.
10th island – Frostbite island (first time though)
The 18th cacklebat will fall from the sky.
Continue right and skip through the cut-scene with ammo baron and the crocodile guy.
Continue right past the save point.
There is a cacklebat just sitting at the bottom of this hill.
This is the 19th cacklebat.
Continue all the way to the right.
Climb up the chains and go into sky town.
Jump down and exit right.
There will be three red launcher monsters here.
Jump into the 2nd one.
You will end up in a green one, shoot down.
You will end up in another green one, shoot left.
You will land on the platform with the 27th heart squid.
Use the red launcher to the right to get back to the three at the beginning.
Exit to the left.
Jump up the chains and exit left.
Exit this room to the top left and continue the path until the 3rd save point at the top of the map.
Continue left across the chains.
There will be a hole in the ceiling with a platform below.
Use the cannon to go up there.
The 28th heart squid is hiding there.
Jump back down and continue left.
Jump into the wind with the hat and at your highest point use the cannon to get to the top left exit.
Jump and use the cannon three times to get to a platform above you.
Jump and use the cannon again to get to the top right exit.
There is the 20th and final cacklebat.
Backtrack to the windy room and exit to the bottom right.
Talk to Bolo and collect the tracking module.
Head right past the enemies and in the next room jump up on the platforms.
The 29th heart squid is there.
Now exit to the right and fall down the tall room and exit to the bottom left.
Make your way back to Risky’s ship.
It should be pretty easy to use boots/hat/cannon to fly on by all of the enemies here.
Head on to Spiderweb island.
11th island – Spiderweb island (final time though)
Head over to her house, you give them the lost soul and they give back the soul of joe.
If you talk to them one more time, you can give them the mask in return for a pirate flare.
Head back to Risky’s ship and head to Scuttle town.
12th island – Scuttle town (fourth time through)
You will use his soul on him and he will leave.
Exit and talk with Ammo baron to give him the targeting module.
Now head on over to the palace.
The two girls will go back to work.
Head back to ammo baron and talk to him.
The cannon will fire at the crocodile man and open the dungeon/temple.
Grab any upgrades and extra hearts if you want them.
Head back to Risky’s ship and back to Frostbite island.
13th island – Frostbite island (final time through)
Once you enter, jump up to the left and collect a key.
Head on right and past the save point.
Jump up through the ceiling.
There is a key in the chest at the top of the room.
You can use the scimitar or cannon to break the ground above the heart squid to get to it.
This is the 30th heart squid.
Back to the tall room, exit to the bottom left.
Follow the path left, down, and right.
Once you can go down, there is also a hole in the ceiling.
Jump through it.
There is the 31st heart squid.
Jump up and use a key on the middle left exit.
Use another key on the door before using the boots to break the block.
Jump up to the blocks above you and use the dash trick to break the blocks and collect the key in the chest.
Head on right, but before the door, there is a hill with the last heart squid.
Jump on the platform on the left of the hill and crawl right.
There is the 32nd and final heart squid.
Use the key on the door on the left, fight the boss and get the map.
Head back to Risky’s ship and head to the final island.
Final islands, video guide, and final comments
At this point, you should have all 20 dark magic from the cacklebats and collected all 32 hear squids. For the 100% achievement, you must also purchase all weapon upgrades as well as the three skills.
The rest of the run is just the same. just try to finish the challenges in the final palace and fight the final boss. After the credits if your time is under 2 hours for any% or 3hour for 100%, you should get the achievement.
I’ve also made a video commentating the entire guide. I know a text explanation of what to do can be very hard to follow. That’s why i made a video.
I managed to beat the game with 100% in 1:42. So getting both achievements it’s quite doable in a single run.
Hope this all helps get the two achievements. I had a load of fun playing and will be looking forward to playing the other titles. This was the first Shantae game i have ever played and i don’t know why it took me this long to try it out.