''Shovel Knight Dig'' is a
platform
Platform may refer to:
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* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
roguelike
Roguelike (or rogue-like) is a subgenre of role-playing computer games traditionally characterized by a dungeon crawl through procedurally generated levels, turn-based gameplay, grid-based movement, and permanent death of the player characte ...
video game developed by
Nitrome
Nitrome Games Limited is a British independent video game developer based in London. The company formerly developed Unity-based games (and previously Flash-based) for Web browsers, but now publishes and develops games across multiple platforms in ...
and
Yacht Club Games
Yacht Club Games, LLC is an American independent video game development studio and publisher founded in 2011 by former WayForward Technologies director Sean Velasco. The company announced their first title, ''Shovel Knight'', on March 14, 2013, ...
and published by Yacht Club Games. It is the third game of the ''
Shovel Knight
''Shovel Knight'' is a platform game, platform video game developed and published by Yacht Club Games. Development was crowdfunded and the game was released for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Windows in June 2014. It was ported to OS X and Linux in Se ...
'' series and a prequel to the original. It was released September 23, 2022 for the
Nintendo Switch
The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
,
Steam
Steam is a substance containing water in the gas phase, and sometimes also an aerosol of liquid water droplets, or air. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization ...
, and
Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is a video game subscription service offered by Apple Inc. It is available through a dedicated tab of the App Store on devices running iOS 13, tvOS 13, iPadOS 13, and macOS Catalina or later. The service launched on September 19 ...
. The game follows protagonist Shovel Knight as he digs and fights enemies through several different worlds to reclaim his stolen treasure bag from Drill Knight.
The game received generally favorable reviews from critics.
Gameplay
''Shovel Knight Dig'' is a
roguelike
Roguelike (or rogue-like) is a subgenre of role-playing computer games traditionally characterized by a dungeon crawl through procedurally generated levels, turn-based gameplay, grid-based movement, and permanent death of the player characte ...
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
game.
Controlling the eponymous adventurer, the player descends down a hole to stop the villainous Drill Knight and his minions, the Hexcavators.
Shovel Knight can jump, dig horizontally and downwards, attack with his shovel, and bounce upon enemies and objects.
A playthrough consists of four separate sections, each composed of three
procedurally generated
In computing, procedural generation is a method of creating data algorithmically as opposed to manually, typically through a combination of human-generated assets and algorithms coupled with computer-generated randomness and processing power. In ...
levels and a boss fight with one of the Hexcavators.
As the player progresses between sections, they encounter secret passages, harmful obstacles, and collectable treasure.
Players cannot remain in the same location for too long, or an unstoppable
buzzsaw
A circular saw is a power-saw using a toothed or abrasive disc or blade to cut different materials using a rotary motion spinning around an arbor. A hole saw and ring saw also use a rotary motion but are different from a circular saw. ''Cir ...
will follow them through the level and kill Shovel Knight upon contact.
Gameplay is centered around collecting as much treasure as possible to buy useful upgrades at shops, such as increased hit points or limited-use Relics that provide various effects.
In addition to shops, Shovel Knight can find three golden gears within each level as an optional objective, which give additional heath or a
power-up
In video games, a power-up is an object that adds temporary benefits or extra abilities to the player character as a game mechanic. This is in contrast to an item, which may or may not have a permanent benefit that can be used at any time chosen ...
if all are collected.
''Shovel Knight Dig'' has been frequently conpared to ''
Downwell'', as both feature digging down from a vertical perspective, fighting enemies, and collecting treasure.
A
permadeath
Permadeath or permanent death is a game mechanic in both tabletop games and video games in which player characters who lose all of their health are considered dead and cannot be used anymore. Depending on the situation, this could require the p ...
feature causes Shovel Knight to lose all upgrades upon dying, returning the player to the surface with a portion of their collected treasure.
At the surface, the player may spend the treasure on tickets that allow for Shovel Knight to start at a later section, sets of armor that provide useful benefits, or keys that can be used to unlock specific doors where new Relics can be unlocked.
Plot
A troublemaking thief named Drill Knight raids Shovel Knight's camp, taking the latter's treasure bag and drilling a hole deep beneath the earth. Angered, Shovel Knight follows Drill Knight down the hole, learning that his adversary has assembled a digging crew of evil knights called the Hexcavators. Shovel Knight later convenes with his adventuring partner
Shield Knight, and the two resolve to defeat Drill Knight and reclaim the bag. After descending down the hole and defeating a number of the Hexcavators, Shovel Knight returns to the surface, watching as the nearby Tower of Fate falls underground due to Drill Knight's tunnels. Catching up to the Hexcavators, Shovel Knight learns that the team is searching for a secret treasure, which they intend to sell in exchange for wealth and fame. At Drill Knight's castle, Shield Knight stays behind to hold off the castle's traps, leaving Shovel Knight to face Drill Knight alone. Emerging victorious, Shovel Knight reclaims his bag and returns to the surface with Shield Knight.
If the player performs a number of optional puzzles across a playthrough, they instead experience an alternative ending. During the fight with Drill Knight, Shovel Knight accidentally cracks open the floor, revealing a hidden vault connected to the Tower of Fate. By inserting magical gems obtained by defeating the Hexcavators, Shovel Knight unlocks the chamber, with Drill Knight entering after he realizes that it leads to the secret treasure. Shovel Knight gives pursuit, confronting the Hexcavators just as they unearth the treasure: a magical amulet housing an evil spirit called the Enchantress. Drill Knight accidentally releases the Enchantress, allowing the spirit to transform him into a powerful monster. Shovel Knight and Shield Knight work together to defeat the monster, sealing the Enchantress back inside the amulet. The Tower of Fate begins rising to the surface, forcing them to leave the amulet behind and escape the collapsing hole. In a post-credits scene, Shovel Knight shows his partner an old relic he kept inside the bag, which he uses to open the secret entrance to their former hideout, the Burrow. The two resolve to reclaim the amulet from the Tower of Fate, and prevent it from being used for evil.
Reception
According to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, ''Shovel Knight Dig'' received "generally favorable" reviews.
''Touch Arcade'' complimented how well a ''Shovel Knight'' game translated to
mobile
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.
''Game Informer'' felt that the roguelike elements of the game were underwhelming.
Notes
References
{{Yacht Club
2022 video games
Shovel Knight
Apple Arcade games
Nintendo Switch games
Windows games
IOS games
MacOS games
Video games scored by Jake Kaufman
Roguelike video games
Platform games
Indie video games