Shovel Knight: King of Cards
2019
- platform
- adventure
- indie
- action
- fantasy
- single player
The story
This game is the final free campaign included in the main game, Shovel Knight, and its updated title, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. The game will also be available as a standalone title on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
What it’s like
Chunky 8-bit pixel art in bright, saturated palettes, with sprites that wobble and bounce with a cheerful squash-and-stretch and backgrounds of painted-looking castles, dusky cavern greens and sunlit fields. The music is chiptune in the NES mould, catchy and punchy, with a sense of swagger in the bass lines and a few quieter, wistful tracks in the slower stages. Scenes play out in slideshow cutscenes of static illustrated panels and dialogue boxes, so the rhythm is brisk and episodic rather than cinematic. The vibe is nostalgic and playful, with a light, good-humoured edge: a comfort-game for a weekend afternoon, a handheld session on a commute, or an evening of a level or two before bed. Movement is precise and responsive, so the pleasure lies in learning a stage's rhythm, with deaths coming quickly and restarts feeling forgiving. Combat is mild and cartoonish, with enemies popping into sparkles of light and no gore, and the mood stays warm and upbeat throughout. It suits players who enjoy retro platforming, tight controls and collecting, and who want a gentle challenge with a sense of humour rather than grim tension.
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