(This isn’t even close to the weirdest theory of what Shovel Knight looks like without the helmet...)

I'm embarrassed it's taken me this long to play Shovel Knight. I have the Amiibo, I own it on multiple platforms thanks to various sales and bundles over the years, but I've never actually sat down and played the thing until this week.

While I knew the pixel artwork, animation and music would be stellar (I'd seen and heard quite a bit of it since the game's 2014 launch), I was a bit worried that it would rely too heavily on a player's nostalgia for NES-era platforming. While I appreciate those classic games historically, I find many of them near-unplayable without cheats, hacks and/or save states.

Thankfully, Shovel Knight succeeds as a platformer first and an NES throwback second. I found the game to be challenging but merciful. When I did encounter an enemy or obstacle that gave me trouble, it was usually a matter of changing up my strategy or paying more attention to its patterns, which made triumph that much more satisfying.

I also found the game's world, characters and story incredibly endearing, which is particularly impressive given the economy of the presentation (I highly recommend reading this article that talks a bit about the design process).

In truth, it's hard for me to identify a fault in this game. I feel I would have enjoyed it just as much without any knowledge or fondness of the NES. Recommended!

This videogame is, without exaggeration, one of the finest indie games ever made, a perfectly improved experience upon the classic titles in which inspired it. From the very first level, it nails the feeling of playing a long-lost NES classic while elevating it with modern polish, tight controls, and thoughtful design. The platforming feels responsive and fair, the combat is satisfying, and the “downward shovel strike” quickly becomes one of the most iconic mechanics in indie gaming, even today.

The pixel art is vibrant and expressive, the chiptune soundtrack is nothing short of legendary, and the story, though simple, has genuine heart, making you care about Shovel Knight and Shield Knight more than you’d expect from an 8-bit homage. I didn't expected much when I first started playing this, but I quickly became a fan, the controls for all the playable characters feels amazing and satisfying. Every stage feels distinct, with memorable bosses that balance challenge and fun in a way few modern platformers achieve.

What pushes it into masterpiece territory is how lovingly crafted it is. It doesn’t just imitate retro games, it reimagines them, proving that nostalgia can fuel innovation. Shovel Knight stands proudly alongside the all-time greats and is a shining example of how indie games can rival (and sometimes surpass) big-budget titles. I highly recommend not skipping this one if you like retro games to any extent, there is no excuse not to play this, it is truly one of the best games of all time, and one of the best indies of all time.

Shovel knight immediately pleases me with it's main menu in retro glory in default high res. The game is yet again solid proof of how good a low res game will look unfiltered in high resolution. The palette is interesting and seems to have a lot of variety but the best thing is in the shading. Backgrounds and even UI type elements all have nice shading and attentive detail. A lot of time was spent. (It's worth playing just for the 'look at' factor alone) The game also has a nice element: out of the box settings for a game pad that just make sense, however I only wish it had also added secondary binds in some way for jump and attack (i made them R1 and R2) like other default binds. Not a big deal. (after a while i wasn't using my shoulder buttons anyway) Also, it's worth noting that this is unfortunately another example of a game that requires TVgamelauncher to prevent the screensaver in win10 (it's always retro games like this, Downwell, Another Star and SNES9x! aka anything not made in unity?)

As mentioned, the game showcases excellent audio and visuals, which immediately sell a game like this on a simple glance or watch of a demo. Playstyle indeed feels like a mix of things such as kirby and megaman but reminds me mostly of megaman 2 in the way the art and enemies are stylized, but maybe that's just because i'm familiar with that game more than the kirby games (i kind of want to play Kirby's Adventure after this). It really feels and looks and sounds like a NES game all the way around. IT has a nicer blend of 'new' features for a game of this sort such as seamless autosaving, checkpoints, a soulslike resource retriveal system) an in game sound test feature. very fluid and openly replayable levels, minigames/bonus stages and repeatable bosses, and a lot of extras. The game has nice options for your playstyle through various magic spending power items, upgradable main attack with different attack modes. Almost all of the 'New' features feel like refinements in old school context. What's missing? Difficulty levels maybe, though I am grateful the game is easy enough and I would say the default difficulty is as low as it should be (Which is what i'd play it at) However as you progress each stage gets harder and I wasn't sure if i could actually compelete the game. I have to say, playing this game i felt really bad at my low skill level in playing it.

The controls feel really right and proper but I found myself fearing the 'slippiness' from subtle momentum induced drift and slide for the platforms, as its just dangerous enough to keep your toes (which is what seems intended) what makes it tricky is how some jumps will require some compensation and some jumps wont, depedning on how much momentum your jump has. The jumping platform puzzles are just tricky enough, and represent the difficulty of older games from NES era, falling in holes, etc. New features make this more 'palatable' (a lot of old games simple arent)

While I'd not hype this so much since it's just a 'nice little game' I think the game might be historically significant. It's gotten a lot of attention and it does everything right. It's likely we see more games that come out time to time inspired by old classics and combined in some way with the 'new' features. Plenty of NES roms for game designers to look at for inspiration. Megaman 2 and Kirby's Adventure are very approachable games that people can love, so a modern take on that sort of thing is great.

In short its a modern retroclassic with lots of added features, paces nicer (And is easier) than Mercenary Kings, and has highly embellished detail on the visuals with a rather nice selection of music. By the time i finished the first level I knew the whole game was going to be great. By the end i was dreading the next area wondering how long i could hold out and if i could actually win this without cheating somehow. I foolishly thought the game would be easy! It's not hard in a bad way and this is one of the things I especially appreciate about the game. (every piece of design seems good) Old games? Well they are hard, they dont scale well or care too much about the player. This game progresses nicely and doesnt seem to abuse the player, or go of f the rails with the pacing as too easy or too hard, and evenwhen there are traps and pitfalls and endless gotchas by the end, it's all strangely done in good spirit. Shovel Knight is indeed just that kind of game that will put me on the verge of kicking my monitor in many times, or throwing the controller across the room just like the good old days, and i love it for it. You can play a level over again to grind for gold, upgrade,etc fight bosses again etc, it feels very open in this regard. Shovel Knight bridges a gap very nicely and tastefully between old styled arbitrarily designed games that were influential and provides a kind of restoration with features and design that we are accustomed to and demanding in more contemporary times, norms and mores of current gamers! This game would be an excellent template for any new game that is retroinspired. That's not to say it's the best game ever. But As mentioned, Kirby and megaman are favorites and approachable. If you like this i really do suggest mercenary kings. I wonder what else is out there that took inspiration from a game and went in same direction as this. Worth shelf-listing in fact... As they do stand out. :)

Most games that aim at reproducing older older generation visuals and design tend to coast heavily on nostalgia. While Shovel Knight clearly borrows heavily from games of old, it holds up on its own merits as a great and enjoyable game.

The main hook of the game is the pogo. You press down as you jump and point your shovel downward, damaging enemies and destroying vulnerable platforms. It's very satisfying and I love how it's used effectively both in platforming and combat challenges. The fact that you don't need to time a downward attack to pogo, like in that other

You gain optional abilities as you progress, but they are never required to follow the critical path. Even some of the side content that is clearly designed with particular movesets in mind can sometimes be solved with different ones. I mostly used the dash, the fireball and the i-frames abilities, though, with the others being either extremely situational or not used at all.

The pacing is good. Each level is the perfect length and having to go back to town to buy upgrades and return found items creates a nice space inbetween challenges. Areas are unique-looking and feature particular hooks, like slippery platforms or bouncing laval. The small extra bonus areas shake things up too even more, so the game never gets repetitive.

My biggest gripe is that with a fully-upgraded healthbar the only real challenge is the instant-kill bottomless pits and spikes, which are very frustrating and make getting back your dropped currency impossible more often than not. Being so all-or nothing, the more unforgiving sections were very hard to practice, so, in the final levels I spent most of my time going from the checkpoint to particularly challenging sections. This was compounded by frequent use of timing-based platforming, which meant that most of that time was spent just waiting for platforms to align so I could make progress.

I might play the other campaigns after a while. I'm curious w

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is an 8-bit celebration of the most beloved NES classics. There are hints of Mega Man, DuckTales, Castlevania, Super Mario Bros. 3 and more in this 5-pack game collection. Even if you lack the nostalgia of playing these NES classics, the Treasure Trove collection is a fantastic representation of the best the 8-bit generation has to offer. Each game, while thematically and visually similar to each other, has completely different characters and playstyles. This collection is a ridiculous value for the amount of 2D platforming content present. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is not without flaws. The games are not all consistently good. There is also a lot of recycled content between the games and completing each game in consecutive order evokes a feeling of diminishing returns. Overall this collection is meant to be savored rather than gorged. It is best enjoyed by sampling each game and only sticking with the ones that resonate with your playstyle.

The story of Shovel Knight is the glue that binds the Treasure Trove collection together. The main plot is about the duo Shovel Knight and Shield Knight. The two were an inseparable team and were heroes of the land. Shield Knight has gone suddenly missing and now evil has crept back. The Enchantress and her minions of the Order of No Quarter are terrorizing the people. It is up to Shovel Knight to find his partner and defeat the Enchantress and her posse. Each game in the Treasure Trove collection has you play as a unique character with a different perspective of the story.

Shovel of Hope: As the name implies, in Shovel of Hope, you play as the Shovel Knight. Shovel Knight’s basic abilities are a shovel attack and a pogo stick attack. The Shovel Knight can also equip items that use mana to hit enemies that are otherwise impossible to reach. If there is one noticeable flaw with Shovel Knight is that he has no personality. The only thing we learn from him is that he misses Shield Knight dearly. The game itself is challenging and borderline unfair. Several levels include platforming puzzles and annoying gotchas like bombs hidden inside chests/walls. These levels are surpassed through trial and error rather than pure skill. Boss encounters are on the lackluster side as it is easy to overpower them by recklessly spamming attacks and items. Overall, Shovel of Hope is on the weaker side of the collection and only worth playing through once. Rating: 3/5

Plague of Shadows: Plague of Shadows is an alternate take on the story in Shovel of Hope where the Plague Knight unexpectedly becomes the hero of the story. The Plague Knight is complicated to control and jumps around in a chaotic fashion. Unlike the reliable moveset of the Shovel Knight, the Plague Knight uses bombs for both attacking and platforming. The Plague Knight can vary his abilities depending on which bomb, case and fuse is chosen. It can range from being a simple bouncing attack to a projectile that envelops the Plague Knight and explodes on enemy contact. Similar to Shovel Knight, he also has access to skills that expend mana, however his mana bar regenerates. Plague Knight, unlike Shovel Knight, actually has a personality albeit not exactly a very likable personality. The Plague Knight is an ass to everyone except his assistant Mona. Plague of Shadows also recycles the content in Shovel of Hope to an unbearable degree. The same world map, levels and even platforming challenges are all here. The platforming levels are also not built for the Plague Knight. Some levels are annoyingly difficult that involve micromanaging the Plague Knight’s arsenal while other levels are completely trivial especially once he obtains the ability to build platforms. Plague of Shadows is my least favorite game in the collection. Rating: 2/5

Specter of Torment: Specter of Torment is the prequel to Shovel of Hope. You play as the Specter Knight, an agile scythe wielding figure. He is tasked by the Enchantress to recruit minions to form the Order of No Quarter. Specter Knight’s moveset is very ninja-like. He is able to dash attack through enemies, climb up walls and consume items to expend mana. Specter Knight is probably the hardest to control out of all the characters, but he is a thrill to play as once you have mastered his moveset. Unlike Shovel of Hope and Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment actually tells a decent story by detailing the accounts of how Specter Knight came to be and also breathes new life into side-characters who were otherwise unknown in the other games. If I could recommend only one game to play from the Treasure Trove it would be Specter of Torment. Rating: 5/5

King of Cards: King of Cards is a prequel to Specter of Torment, taking place at a time of relative peace. Shield Knight is still missing and the Enchantress has not made her presence known yet. In this timeline, a card game known as Joustus has swept the land and is ruled by three judges. You play as the King Knight, despite not actually being a King. King Knight wants to become the #1 Joustus player and gain recognition from the three judges to finally become a King. The crux of the game is still 2D platforming. King Knight plays similarly to Shovel Knight except he has a ram attack that doubles into an aerial spin attack on impact. At specific locations, King Knight can challenge other players to a game of Joustus. Joustus is a card game all about board control. The boards can range from 2x2 to 4x4 arenas where the goal of the game is to capture as many gems as possible. Each card can push in one to four directions and they can be used to either push your own cards into gems or push the opponents cards away from them. The games can be challenging and if you’re stuck, you can buy items to help King Knight cheat. Unlike the other games in the Treasure Trove, King of Cards is a very silly game. King Knight is a stereotypical loser who has delusions of grandeur and eventually reaches his aspirations in a series of goofy dumb surreptitious events. The game is easily twice as long as any of the other games and starts to overstay its welcome once you reach the third map. King of Cards also boasts some of the most difficult bosses and platforming challenges. It’s a solid game that can keep you occupied for many hours as there are a lot of collectibles and levels to play through. Rating: 4/5

SHOWDOWN: SHOWDOWN is a multiplayer game that takes place in an alternate worldline where each of our characters can fight each other. Honestly I have not played enough to form an opinion on this, but it seems like a fun distraction where you can play as characters like the Shield Knight.

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is unfair to review because of the quantity and depth of its content. I strongly recommend this game for anyone remotely interested in 8-bit platformers. The game manages to hit the right nostalgic notes and yet brings its own humor and personality to the mix. The collection is not perfect. The content is heavily recycled throughout the games and not all games pull equal weight. I would have been completely satisfied playing only Specter of Torment and the inclusion of 4 totally separate other games diluted my overall experience. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is like an all you can eat 8-bit platformer buffet. Pick and choose your games wisely, because trying to play through all of them can leave you feeling disappointed.

I consider this game nearly perfect. It's in my top five favorite games ever (along with Donkey Kong Countrys 1 and 2, Earthbound, and Mother 3.) Here are some of the reasons why:

- Its graphics are perfect for what it is - detailed and nostalgically pixelated and wonderfully varied from stage to stage to give each knight's area a very distinctive feel. The same can be said for the music. It's memorable and varied and well-written and thematically appropriate. It's clear that the maker of Shovel Knight spent a lot of time and energy on every aspect of the game, which I love. I love well-made things. No part of it feels phoned in or rushed.

- It's funny. It's subtly funny, but it's hilarious. The games pokes subtle fun at itself and its genre throughout. It's also just weird, which I love.

- The controls are really tight and intuitive.

- The story it has is satisfying, and it even has a plot twist! One, single plot twist. But still! Not bad for a platformer.

- It has lots of hidden little things to find (mostly jokes, like I said before.)

- It was fun enough that I wanted to 100% complete it, and the collectibles didn't feel random/tacked on like they do in some games. Also THERE IS A WAY TO SEE HOW MANY COLLECTIBLES ARE IN EACH AREA AND HOW MANY OF THEM YOU HAVE FOUND, which is key to my enjoyment of collection quests. The fact that Super Metroid didn't have that is the biggest reason I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. Shovel Knight also avoids the handholding/ making collection quests too easy with hints problem, though, and in my opinion strikes a nearly perfect balance.

If I had any complaint, it would be that the difficulty curve is a little steep - I had to replay the first two levels five or so times each in order to get money to upgrade and develop my skills enough to be able to beat the third level, and I got stuck similarly in the second group of levels - but in fairness, it was fun to replay the levels, and when I finally got past being stuck in each case, it was really satisfying and fun. Also, I didn't like Mega Man X because the platforming felt frustratingly easy and the bosses frustratingly hard, and I could see how maybe people could feel that Shovel Knight was frustrating in the opposite way - but for me, the relative difficulty was pretty much perfect.

So, in summary, Shovel Knight is quirky, its funny, it's sweet, it's long enough to be satisfying without overstaying its welcome, its controls are tight and intuitive, and it's just really, really fun. It's a great game, and you should try it!

(Oh yeah - and it has a free DLC that's as long as the main game with a completely different plot and a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONTROL SYSTEM that is somehow just as fun as the original one.)

Shovel Knight pays a passionate tribute to the 8-bit era games that we older generation players grew up with and embraced. As the titular hero, you set out across the kingdom to find treasures, overcome obstacles and fight the knights of the Order of No Quarter. The gameplay is quite fine-tuned to suit players overall and has attained a fine difficulty balance.

Treasure Trove also includes other titles that focus on a few other knights, which I played in the story's chronological order. Each of their story modes presents unique features and movesets that act like its own game while sharing the memorable cast and same levels, albeit re-implemented to suit each playable character. King of Cards is quite vast with an optional card game that expands the content while Plague of Shadows features a system that allows you to customize your moves, which took me a while to figure out at first but was well worth overall (with a charming love story to boot). The only pack that didn't stick with me long was Showdown, which is rather arena-based and confined within its own fighting core with nary any story to boot.

The soundtrack is faithfully chiptune-based, even designed on actual hardware used for 8-bit consoles. The composer manages to make each soundtrack memorable that suits the mood and environment of each level or event; my favorite would be the melancholic and dreamy (duh) tune "Requiem".

Shovel Knight is a game that is rich with contents and ticks all the boxes required to make an addictive, fun and satisfying game. For that, Treasure Trove justifies its retail value more than set. A must-have for fans of action-platformers and 8-bit classics.