official Shovel Knight

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

Shovel Knight just came out today.

 

It is a retro inspired platforming game in the vein of Mega Man, Castlevania, Super Mario 3, and a bunch of other classic SNES games.

It is currently on PC, WiiU and the 3DS.

 

YouTube Release Trailer

 

Official Website

 

Fact Sheet

 

Developer: Yacht Club Games; Based in Valencia, California

Release Date: June 26th, 2014 (Windows/Steam/3DS/Wii U), OSX and Linux TBD

DLC Content: free updates (date TBD): battle mode, challenge mode, gender swap, and playable bosses

Platform Pages: Steam Greenlight, Wii U, 3DS

Website: ShovelKnight.com

Price: USD 14.99

Availability: Digital Download on Wii U/3Ds eShop, Humble Store, Steam

ESRB: E for everyone, USK 6+, PEGI 7

File Size: ~150MB: 123 MB PC Installer, 1,213 blocks 3DS, 170 MB WiiU

Social: Kickstarter, Twitter, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube

Instruction Manual: Digital Manual for Web

Description: Fact sheet and Description in Word Doc format

 

Description

Shovel Knight is a sweeping classic action adventure game with awesome gameplay, memorable characters, and an 8-bit retro aesthetic. You play as the eponymous Shovel Knight, a small knight with a huge quest. Shovel Knight has come to this valley with two goals: to defeat the evil Enchantress and save his lost beloved. He wields a Shovel Blade; a multipurpose weapon whose techniques have now been lost to the ages. Always honest and helpful, Shovel Knight is a shining example of the code of Shovelry: Slash Mercilessly and Dig Tirelessly!

 

However, between Shovel Knight and his beloved stands a cadre of villainous knights. These terrible foes, known as The Order of No Quarter, have been dispatched to prevent Shovel Knight from reaching the Enchantress at any cost! If you love games with perfect platforming, beautiful art, infectious music, crazy bosses, humor and levity, and real heart? Shovel Knight is for you!

 

 

Features

• Handcrafted pumped-up 8 bit style. A labor of love!
• Shovel Knight?s beautifully authentic style bridges the gap between yesterday and today. Design, art, and audio hearken back to the days of 8-bit.
• The tech of today also give Shovel Knight modern touches: detailed animation, multilayered parallax backgrounds, and evolved game design.
• Amazing soundtrack from Jake Kaufman and Manami Matsumae, best known for scoring the original Mega Man.
• Crazy bosses and lovable characters showcase a light touch to narrative with humor and levity.

Focused on Fun

• Balanced gameplay is a warm welcome to newcomers, and an old embrace for experts.
• Flip enemies! Leap over gaps! Duel with foes! Dig up treasure! Find secrets! 
• Upgrade! Shovel Knight is simple to learn and play, but challenge lies everywhere.
• Perfect your platforming skills as you take down each of the Knights of the Order of No Quarter.
• Collect Relics and upgrades to enhance your shoveling skills!
• Overworld Map allows your quest unfold in a unique order!
• Retell the adventure and uncover all of the world?s secrets with New Game+!
• Lots of options, including bindable controls!

Wii U Features

• Miiverse support through the Digger?s Diary -  read in-game messages from other players or write messages of your own!
• Multiple controller support: Wii U Gamepad, Wii U Pro Controller, Wii Remote, Wii Remote + Nunchuck, Wii Classic Controller, and Wii Classic Controller Pro!
• Off-TV Play with the GamePad!
• Quick select Relics and items using the GamePad!

3DS Features

• Eye-popping Stereoscopic 3D display support
• StreetPass Battle Arena ? a crazy StreetPass battle game where anything can happen!
• Play Coin support - Trade your coins for gold!
• Quick select Relics and items using the Touch Screen!

Steam/PC Features

• Trading Cards
• Achievement support
• Cloud Saving
• Big Picture
• Support for every controller we can find!

 

I purchased the WiiU version, and will actually also be purchasing it for my 3DS. It is that enjoyable, and that much of a classic. Great game so far.

 

If you ever loved, hell if you have ever liked, the games this game is paying homage to, it is a must-play. No doubt about it.

 

Current Metacritic Score of 86 for PC Version

Current Metacritic Score of 87 for WiiU Version

 

Buy this game now!!!

 

 

[+virtorio MVC]

GiantBomb Quick Look -> http://www.giantbomb.com/videos/quick-look-shovel-knight/2300-9157/

 

Looks great. I'll be buying it as soon as the Mac version is out.

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I beat the game tonight.

Just a great, great game, and it is disappointing it appears there is little to no interest on these forums.

Even if you never played the great games it is inspired by, it is worth playing, well, to see what the big deal is about the great games it was inspired by.

This game is gaming in its purest form.

Challenging yet not impossible.

Every button press is important, yet you can make mistakes and still carry on.

Just pure platforming perfection.

Such a kick ass game.

One of my personal nominees and on my very short list for GOTY thus far.

[Xilo]

Wish it was on the Vita :(

[madd-hatter]

Seems like the game of the month.

[compl3x]

I appreciate that this level of 8-bit design would never have been possible on 8-bit hardware, but I am kind of sick of the use of 8-bit game design/aesthetic.

[NeoTrunks]

This was a day one purchase for me. Haven't had too much time to put into it, due to real life, but it's been one hell of a game so far. It helps that I'm a sucker for these catchy bit tunes and classic side scrolling gameplay.

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

Just started playing it. It is AMAZING. The way everything is... I LOVE it!

However, I did grew up playing all this games on NES, SNES and Mega Drive, so it hits close to home. Then again, everyone loves the mario games, even young ones, so the appeal might be universal

I appreciate that this level of 8-bit design would never have been possible on 8-bit hardware, but I am kind of sick of the use of 8-bit game design/aesthetic.

pixel art is cool :) i am never gonna get sick of it.

Ohh, everyone who loves this game!

You MUST play Cave story. Another hit! Made by one guy. Story is great (really!!!) Gameplay is addictive, and extremely entertaining!

I am sure most people heard of it, but if you have not, get it. Its free for PC too.

[ZeroFearX]

Available DRM-Free from http://gog,com

[NeoTrunks]

Ohh,  everyone who loves this game! 

 

 You MUST play Cave story.    Another hit!   Made by one guy.    Story is great (really!!!)     Gameplay is addictive, and extremely entertaining!   

 

I am sure most people heard of it, but if you have not,  get it.      Its free for PC too.

 

Cave Story is a nice gem. I played and beat the free version on my Mac a few years ago, but have since purchased the Steam and Wii versions. I also picked up the 3DS version that was on sale a few weeks ago. I also picked up Pixel's other game on the 3DS, Ikachan, which is definitely in the same vein as Cave Story.

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

Cave Story is a nice gem. I played and beat the free version on my Mac a few years ago, but have since purchased the Steam and Wii versions. I also picked up the 3DS version that was on sale a few weeks ago. I also picked up Pixel's other game on the 3DS, Ikachan, which is definitely in the same vein as Cave Story.

he made more games? cool. i hope its avail on PC..

he made more games? cool. i hope its avail on PC..

Edit: Ohh, this is the first game from 2000, and the one clearly leading up to Cave Story.... I personally will pass... until I am that bored. It even looks like cave story, just not as fun...

[neoadorable]

I appreciate that this level of 8-bit design would never have been possible on 8-bit hardware, but I am kind of sick of the use of 8-bit game design/aesthetic.

 

This. There's no way of saying this without sounding like a douche, and it's great many enjoy these games, but there's also a reason we left pixelated sprites in the late 80's. We tolerated these back then cause they were all we had, in our minds we were all playing what is now taken for granted, just like today we're all playing in our heads what they'll take for granted 20 years from now. It's called progress. However, at the same time it is true gameplay can shine beyond presentation, so this may well be an amazing game and could be great for PS Vita if they hopefully bring it over.

 

 

It's just that this non-stop onslaught of pixel games in getting a bit much, and they're constantly referred to as 8-bit even though any gamer who was there will tell you this is 16-bit graphics. This is what an 8-bit platformer looked like:

 

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

This. There's no way of saying this without sounding like a douche, and it's great many enjoy these games, but there's also a reason we left pixelated sprites in the late 80's. We tolerated these back then cause they were all we had, in our minds we were all playing what is now taken for granted, just like today we're all playing in our heads what they'll take for granted 20 years from now. It's called progress. However, at the same time it is true gameplay can shine beyond presentation, so this may well be an amazing game and could be great for PS Vita if they hopefully bring it over.

Yeah, gameplay is key. The graphics are just for nostalgia sake. Here is a good platformer that demands skill and exploration and upgrades that make you reach previously unreachable areas:

Guacamelee!

I like shovel knights graphics, but this graphics are miles better. The gameplay and secrets are all preset too. Highly recommended if 8--bit styled graphics bother you.

here are screenshots:

if you guys can suggest other recent amazing platformers, please tell me. I am really getting into the Genre again!

However, I DO NOT LIKE random generated levels at ALL.

So no cloudberry kingdom and spelunky... Super meat boy is too hard for me too :(

I want something with a bit a challenge and fun lighthearted gameplay. Shovel Knight and Guacomelee! are plenty difficult for me and don't want anything harder!

I also loved Dust: The Elysian Tale (though the gameplay got too messy after the upgrades, you can barely see where anything was)

[neoadorable]

Yeah, gameplay is key.   The graphics are just for nostalgia sake.      Here is a good platformer that demands skill and exploration and upgrades that make you reach previously unreachable areas:

Guacamelee!

 

I like shovel knights graphics, but this graphics are miles better. The gameplay and secrets are all preset too. Highly recommended if 8--bit styled graphics bother you.

 

here are screenshots:

 

 

 

Thanks panacea, downloaded Guacamelee last week as it's part of Games with Gold this month. Started playing it and it's cool, not exactly my style, but not bad. To be honest was never a huge platform fan, even back in the day. Would not class Guacamelee with Shovel Knight etc., it has modern graphics for sure.

 

Wouldn't say the 16-bit graphics in some games bother me, just feels like misplaced nostalgia. Not saying they shouldn't be made, but that the angle to me has been done to death by now. And I may be prejudiced but it seems to me these games are usually made by people who never actually had to suffer through the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, and are nostalgic for good old days they never had to put up with. Kinda like me getting nostalgic for the Vietnam War while watching Apocalypse Now, even though i wasn't born until the war was over...not comparing war to gaming, hope my meaning comes across :)

[compl3x]

pixel art is cool :) i am never gonna get sick of it.

 

 

I like pixel art too. 

 

I like chicken, but I don't want it for every meal. :p

[mattmatik]

Got this for 3DS yesterday. Haven't had a chance to play yet but watched a few LPs and it looks like crazy fun. I'll have to check out Cave Story, too. I've heard its really good. 

 

I really wish Guacamelee! was on 3DS. IMO, these types of games are just perfect for on-the-go gaming. 

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

Damn the last levels test my patience.  Very close to beating it,  but it is hard, considering I only play 10-20 minutes a day (it was enough to beat all the other levels)

[spacer]

This game has been on my Steam wishlist since it was listed. I love's me some old-school, 2D platformers and I'm excited to play it, but it'll have to wait. I'm just waiting for a sale at this point. I have too many games on my backlog to warrant a full-price purchase just for it to sit there for several months.

[Brony]

With all respect but this game is just another overhyped game that tries to profit from the retro game market.

 

It is pretty much like one of those nes games that are "more of the same", it is anything but memorable and it is a shame, because i like 8bits games.

 

In comparison, Cave Story added more value without the hype.

[Chasethebase Reporter]

The soundtrack to this game is beautiful, wish it was on 3DS in countries other than America, looks like I'll be picking it up on Steam. 

 

[Dotdot]

Been really enjoying this game for a bout a week now. Still not completed it.