Shovel Knight

 3DS
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 302 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 247 out of 302
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 302
  3. Negative: 35 out of 302
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  1. lesiuML
    Dec 27, 2022
    8
    Shovel knight is a very pleasant game. There is a lot of challenging moments but you will always feel progress in your skills and many difficult obstacles should be much easier with time. Shovel knight is very rewarding game and it's giving you a nice learning curve in its every aspect, no matter if it's platforming or fighting elements. Pixel art is very nicely done as well as music.Shovel knight is a very pleasant game. There is a lot of challenging moments but you will always feel progress in your skills and many difficult obstacles should be much easier with time. Shovel knight is very rewarding game and it's giving you a nice learning curve in its every aspect, no matter if it's platforming or fighting elements. Pixel art is very nicely done as well as music. Story is bit cheesy but could be much worse. Definitely nice short experience that is surely worth playing.… Expand
  2. TheLinkgirl
    Sep 25, 2022
    3
    Aside from the extremely catchy music, Shovel Knight isn't a very enjoyable experience. The level design is unimpressive, the gameplay is tiresome, and the game is extremely easy in my opinion. Compared to games like the classic Mega Man games, Shovel Knight just feels lacking in almost every area, except for the music which is genuinely great.
  3. BrutalPlayer
    May 12, 2022
    6
    I played the game thru, it was probably most boring game i ever played. (edit: sorry just realised i played GTA 3 which is actually most boring) Thats the bad thing. That is because I am actual fan of not only retro style, but also retro difficulty. And this game definitely was NOT Ninja Gaiden. This game was made for children.

    Good things are: great retro graphics, catchy music, decent    I played the game thru, it was probably most boring game i ever played. (edit: sorry just realised i played GTA 3 which is actually most boring) Thats the bad thing. That is because I am actual fan of not only retro style, but also retro difficulty. And this game definitely was NOT Ninja Gaiden. This game was made for children.

    Good things are: great retro graphics, catchy music, decent level design.    … Expand
  4. tukumalu
    Sep 18, 2021
    9
    This game does everything right. The platforming controls perfectly, the story is entertaining, the music is delicious, and it is an all-around perfectly put-together game. It is, without a doubt, the best indie game to date.
  5. EduY
    Aug 20, 2021
    10
    Sem duvida o melhor jogo de plataforma, se não fosse a versão de 3ds do jogo eu não teria conhecido essa maravilha, o jogo pode ser um pouco curto, mas foi bom o suficiente pra eu querer zerar mais de uma vez
  6. Arubatorion
    Jul 31, 2019
    10
    An amazing platformer! Especially those who experienced games in 90's, absolutely NEEDS to play this gem. With its beautiful art-style and charming theme, Shovel Knight is a unique game, where every player from every age needs to experience. More than enough for the 3DS, keeping this game in your pocket and play it whenever wherever you want is delightful! If you haven't, play this game asAn amazing platformer! Especially those who experienced games in 90's, absolutely NEEDS to play this gem. With its beautiful art-style and charming theme, Shovel Knight is a unique game, where every player from every age needs to experience. More than enough for the 3DS, keeping this game in your pocket and play it whenever wherever you want is delightful! If you haven't, play this game as soon as possible!… Expand
  7. ZXSth
    Apr 15, 2019
    7
    Shovel Knight has received fairly universal critical acclaim, and not unduly - its mechanics are near-flawless, its music is excellent and its characters are surprisingly endearing and well-designed for a game whose focus is more on gameplay than story. Having said that...

    Repetition of perfection is not perfection. In fact, repetition dooms a game to always having to stand in the    Shovel Knight has received fairly universal critical acclaim, and not unduly - its mechanics are near-flawless, its music is excellent and its characters are surprisingly endearing and well-designed for a game whose focus is more on gameplay than story. Having said that...

    Repetition of perfection is not perfection. In fact, repetition dooms a game to always having to stand in the shadow of those that inspired it. Releasing an NES game today would be akin to trying to put out a calculator powered by air - the product could be amazing, but will seem obsolete in comparison to what is already available. And so, I believe that in refining so much of what worked about the best NES platformers of the days of yore, Shovel Knight would have been a masterpiece if it were released back then. Nowadays, it is a great platformer that is superior to most other games like it in today's day and age, but seems like a relic to me.

    Despite my view of this game as being irrelevant in the modern age of gaming, Shovel Knight's music is so catchy, so undeniably perfect not only for what it is trying to be, but as standalone compositions, that whatever criticisms I have made towards Shovel Knight have nothing to do with its music. "Strike the Earth" is to Shovel Knight what "Central Highway" is to Mega Man X - the perfect musical backdrop to a nearly flawless introductory level. Despite it using the same limited chiptune soundtrack that many games of the NES era were forced to use due to a limited amount of data available, Shovel Knight takes what some (like myself) view as a limitation, and makes something extremely special.

    Overall, Shovel Knight is an homage, not some cheap imitation - however, I think being a homage dooms it to being the best of its dated genre, rather than a game that deserves all the praise it has gotten. Admittedly, such an opinion puts me in the minority, but I believe such an opinion demands dissemination.    … Expand
  8. JJTX
    Apr 8, 2019
    10
    First and foremost: you should play Shovel Knight. If the Nintendo 3DS is your console of choice, you'll enjoy platform-exclusive stereoscopic 3D -- which looks REALLY good here -- and a sort of time-shifted one-on-one battle mode that takes advantage of StreetPass. Everything else you've read and heard about Shovel Knight is true -- it's not simply one of the best indie games of the lastFirst and foremost: you should play Shovel Knight. If the Nintendo 3DS is your console of choice, you'll enjoy platform-exclusive stereoscopic 3D -- which looks REALLY good here -- and a sort of time-shifted one-on-one battle mode that takes advantage of StreetPass. Everything else you've read and heard about Shovel Knight is true -- it's not simply one of the best indie games of the last decade, it's among the best games of this generation in any genre.… Expand
  9. idw77117
    Mar 7, 2019
    10
    azazlo best youtuber guy ever trust me, azazlo best youtuber guy ever trust me, azazlo best youtuber guy ever trust me
  10. oir28760
    Mar 7, 2019
    10
    azazlo best youtuber guy ever trust me, azazlo best youtuber guy ever trust me, azazlo best youtuber guy ever trust me
  11. nintendo-sekta
    Oct 31, 2018
    9
    Игра интересная но достаточно сложная. Но гемплей, боссы и уровни сделаны идеально.
  12. Glacialangel
    Feb 11, 2018
    10
    The best 2D platformer to come out since Super Mario World and MegamanX. Probably the best platformer full stop. Amazing soundtrack, adorable 8-bit-ish artstyle(certain colors and parallax scrolling would definitely not be found on an NES cartridge), fluid controls, and a plucky characters all make for a beautiful gaming experience. It's not expensive, it's relatively short, and it'sThe best 2D platformer to come out since Super Mario World and MegamanX. Probably the best platformer full stop. Amazing soundtrack, adorable 8-bit-ish artstyle(certain colors and parallax scrolling would definitely not be found on an NES cartridge), fluid controls, and a plucky characters all make for a beautiful gaming experience. It's not expensive, it's relatively short, and it's heartily recommended.… Expand
  13. carlinos
    Mar 22, 2017
    9
    A well designed love letter to videogames past, this is not without its flaws. The graphics, music and simple controls certainly remind us of the classic NES era, but there is something missing in the level design that detracts from the overall feeling.
  14. Wyrome
    Feb 2, 2017
    10
    Este videojuego asimila las mejores mecánicas de los mejores juegos del NES y las depura a un nivel increíble. Ofrece un nivel de dificultad considerable; sin embargo, todo se te enseña mediante el lenguaje visual, no una caja de texto tediosa. Cada vez que cometes un error, Shove Knight te hace sentir que fue tu culpa. Éste es indudablemente el mejor videojuego independiente que heEste videojuego asimila las mejores mecánicas de los mejores juegos del NES y las depura a un nivel increíble. Ofrece un nivel de dificultad considerable; sin embargo, todo se te enseña mediante el lenguaje visual, no una caja de texto tediosa. Cada vez que cometes un error, Shove Knight te hace sentir que fue tu culpa. Éste es indudablemente el mejor videojuego independiente que he jugado, y también el mejor plataformero.… Expand
  15. mandoreen
    Jan 30, 2017
    10
    I made an account just to review this game. I bought the title when it first came out and absolutely loved every second of it. From a design standpoint this game pays omage to the best retro games of the past using a restrictive yet enhanced color pallette compared to the 8-bit NES. The chip-tune soundtrack by the notorious Jake Kaufman is infectious and wonderfully crafted. The gameI made an account just to review this game. I bought the title when it first came out and absolutely loved every second of it. From a design standpoint this game pays omage to the best retro games of the past using a restrictive yet enhanced color pallette compared to the 8-bit NES. The chip-tune soundtrack by the notorious Jake Kaufman is infectious and wonderfully crafted. The game borrows elements of the best games of the past, like Mega Man style bosses and abilities and Duck Hunt like pogo abilities with Shovel Knight for example and fuses them together in a feat of alchemical magic. The amount of DLC that has come out with Plague Knight and the forthcoming Specter Knight shows the dedication of this developer to the game and the gamers. They have gone above & beyond to make Shovel Knight an amazing experience on any platform it's played on. The game offers perfectly balanced challenging stages that take time to master but reward attention to detail. When you finish a stage you feel a rush of satisfaction. The game doesn't overstay it's welcome with too many stages but offers a fair amount of collectable items like music sheets, cipher coins, and treasure that make going back fun. There is also a challenge mode that is short mini-game style challenges that make you play the game in a new way using your instincts. I could go on and on about how incredible this whole package is. I came to the metacritic page and saw that one person had just given it a totally brutal and unfair review so I felt compelled to tip the scales back to the perfect 10 this game deserves. For Shovelry!… Expand
  16. tomasz009
    Nov 21, 2016
    10
    I don't know whether it's nostalgia or awe, but this 6 hour game was so joyful and nice to play that I'll tell everyone who's listening to play it.

    Platforming - perfect. Boss battles - perfect. Presentation - beyond perfect. I even had some emotional investment in the game (Shield Knight) that was satisfyingly paid off.

    PLAY THIS.
  17. Dragonite335
    Oct 18, 2016
    10
    I loved this game, and even though it's really difficult (especially in the latter levels) it was so fun to play through and the new game + is awesomely challenging. I'm still trying to beat all the challenges in challenge mode. I diffidently recommend this game
  18. Pattan
    Aug 21, 2016
    8
    Shovel Knight is a great game. Period.

    This game does almost everything perfect. Controls are precise, you learn them intuitively, without any prompt as it should be. The mechanics are perfectly though and the game is very very well polished. It's really easy to point what is good with this game, so I'll point what I didn't like, because it's way faster. - Game relies heavily on    Shovel Knight is a great game. Period.

    This game does almost everything perfect. Controls are precise, you learn them intuitively, without any prompt as it should be.

    The mechanics are perfectly though and the game is very very well polished. It's really easy to point what is good with this game, so I'll point what I didn't like, because it's way faster.

    - Game relies heavily on well established classics. To sum up, this game is Megaman + Super Mario Bros 3 + Ducktales. It's really well done but I feel it doesn't have anything on his own, it doesn't innovate (talking about base game, not DLC)
    - Abuse of cheap one-hit deaths by spikes. Also abuse of enemies that remove the floor, which ends in one-hit kills too. At the end of the day, in most bosses the player's Life bar doesn't mean anything as they'll mostly die falling or by a spike.
    - The kickstarter elements (extra bosses, the castle of portraits) are "shoved in" without any type of theming, they seem very out of place and don't add any value.
    - Items make the game very very easy. More in the 3DS version where you have them a tap away. You can cheese the game with the invulnerability item, which on top of all you get very early on.    … Expand
  19. EpicLadySponge
    Jun 23, 2016
    9
    Over all the systems you can get Shovel Knight in, get it on the Nintendo 3DS. It's something a gamer cannot miss especially if you want to venture around with a knight that uses a shovel.
  20. MEFzelder
    May 24, 2016
    10
    Sin lugar a dudas uno de los mejores indies que he jugado, con controles perfectos, estética original, música impecable, jefes memorables y con un alto grado de rejugabilidad "Shovel Knight" se ganó un espacio en mi corazón y un obligatorio para cualquier gamer que haya vivido la época de 8 bit.
    El juego es un plataforma/aventura inspirado en Ducktales, Mega Man y Zelda II, encarnas a el    Sin lugar a dudas uno de los mejores indies que he jugado, con controles perfectos, estética original, música impecable, jefes memorables y con un alto grado de rejugabilidad "Shovel Knight" se ganó un espacio en mi corazón y un obligatorio para cualquier gamer que haya vivido la época de 8 bit.
    El juego es un plataforma/aventura inspirado en Ducktales, Mega Man y Zelda II, encarnas a el Shovel Kinght un caza recompensas retirado por la perdida de su compañera, y amada, Shield Knight en la Torre del Destino. Todo inicia cuando la villana al poder The Enchantress quiebra el sello de la Torre del Destino y le deja abierta la posibilidad a Shovel Knight de poder rescatar a su pareja.
    Se siente muy bien jugar "Shovel Kinght", los controles son precisos por lo que te hacen responsable de cada muerte que sufras en el juego, cosa que puede suceder bastante porque la curva de dificultad es alta. Dentro del juego se podrá hallar carios coleccionables y armas secundarias que permitirán facilitar y variar el estilo de combate del caballero.
    En general es un juego perfecto, no hay defecto que me obligue a reducirl el puntaje que merece, todo un 10/10.    … Expand
  21. zarlack
    May 5, 2016
    6
    Megaman-esque in its levels and in its boss fights. Having as many lives as you need, coupled with a generous checkpoint system, keeps even irritating levels from becoming too frustrating. Boss fights generally involve dodging attacks then squeezing in a bounce or two on their head with your shovel.

    The NPCs of the game world are charming, and a few offer the useful services of letting    Megaman-esque in its levels and in its boss fights. Having as many lives as you need, coupled with a generous checkpoint system, keeps even irritating levels from becoming too frustrating. Boss fights generally involve dodging attacks then squeezing in a bounce or two on their head with your shovel.

    The NPCs of the game world are charming, and a few offer the useful services of letting you power up your character or selling you items (which equate to new moves for your character).

    For those who've been jonesing for more Megaman, you'll probably love this game. For those who've had enough Megaman already, this will be fun but far from groundbreaking. And the last level may get annoying enough that you lose your desire to see it through.

    Finally...I think I paid about $10 for this game. My 6/10 score factors in how much it felt it was worth the money; if I'd paid more like $5-$6 for the game, I would have scored it 7/10, I think. I don't want to pay up for challenge levels, BGM collecting or for 'replayability, if you want it' (which I did not).    … Expand
  22. danimonto
    Apr 15, 2016
    9
    Sencillamente buenísimo tanto para los nostálgicos como para los que no. Muchos secretillos y duración perfecta. No es demasiado duro pero está lejos de ser super difícil. Banda sonora BRUTAL, poco más que decir.
  23. night4
    Apr 4, 2016
    8
    I really enjoyed playing this game, but I thought the bosses were a little too difficult. Typically, I'd be playing this with TV, dogs, etc going on in the background and focusing (and dying) on a boss fight for 15 minutes was annoying. Adding a difficulty option seems like a good idea for those who want a more casual experience.

    That said, everything else about the game is just amazing.
  24. SlightlyAbovAvg
    Mar 21, 2016
    8
    Shovel Knight goes back to the days of the SNES. The controls are precise, the level design is clever, and the story is simple and easily digestible for how small the game is. The game may only take roughly 6 hours, but it is 6 hours well spent. There are already countless reviews so I doubt you need me to repeat what everyone has said so instead I'll say what I don't like.

    -A few of    Shovel Knight goes back to the days of the SNES. The controls are precise, the level design is clever, and the story is simple and easily digestible for how small the game is. The game may only take roughly 6 hours, but it is 6 hours well spent. There are already countless reviews so I doubt you need me to repeat what everyone has said so instead I'll say what I don't like.

    -A few of the bosses are very underwhelming. Though most of the bosses give you a great challenge, a few fell like tougher versions of normal enemies and they stand out more than the exceptional bosses because they feel so lazy.

    -Replay value is meh. Some may be entirely happy to replay the game with harder hitting enemies and this is fine, but there is no real incentive to play new game + unless you want the reward, which is just a check on the the completionist list that the game lays out for you as extra challenges.

    -The side content is meh. You have your multiplayer... thing. Some kind of competition as far as I can tell. I've tried to understand how it works, but no one I street pass has played the multiplayer so... The extra content also is just finding music sheets for a bard in town so you can listen to whatever track from the game you want when you visit town.

    These are just nitpicks though, but some to consider nonetheless.
    Shovel Night is a Great Game    … Expand
  25. Dukemang
    Feb 13, 2016
    10
    Shovel Knight is an awesome throwback game to platformers from the 80's and early 90's. The game really entwines all the great concepts from classics like DuckTales, Super Mario Bros and Mega Man. At the same time though, they've made their own unique game that will capture any gamer in the spotlight and really take them home with a game that would surely be considered a great if it wereShovel Knight is an awesome throwback game to platformers from the 80's and early 90's. The game really entwines all the great concepts from classics like DuckTales, Super Mario Bros and Mega Man. At the same time though, they've made their own unique game that will capture any gamer in the spotlight and really take them home with a game that would surely be considered a great if it were released back in the 80's on the NES.… Expand
  26. Ectsoplasm
    Feb 6, 2016
    9
    This is the game that topped many a "Top Ten Games of the Year" list back in 2014, and it's easy to see why. It controls perfectly, the music is great and the 16-bit graphic-style (which is officially a style now) is used to its greatest potential. This is my second favorite 2D platformer of all time, second only to Megaman X. But it's not without its problems, people give the a little tooThis is the game that topped many a "Top Ten Games of the Year" list back in 2014, and it's easy to see why. It controls perfectly, the music is great and the 16-bit graphic-style (which is officially a style now) is used to its greatest potential. This is my second favorite 2D platformer of all time, second only to Megaman X. But it's not without its problems, people give the a little too much credit. People like to say the game is perfectly fair, with no way to die at no fault of your own. That's not true, but what little unfair design there is exists mostly in the optional stages.

    Buy this game. Play it. You will not regret it.    … Expand
  27. MIDP
    Nov 9, 2015
    8
    Amazing game!
    A must have for everyone who loves 8 bit platformer-type-games.
    The music is great, graphics are great and the overall feel of the game is like said, amazing!

    It now has free DLC as well!
  28. pacmanfan500
    Oct 6, 2015
    10
    this is a game I love to death it's fun it's addictive and tuff but in a fun way ( excerpt for plege knight)plus it's on the go super awesome game for 15 dollors it's worth every cent
  29. Zardo
    Sep 9, 2015
    8
    Shovel Knight:
    PRO:
    -perfect level design -precise platforming -simple but nice story -for 8 bit game nice graphics -10/10 soundtrack really good -challenging bosses -different enemies with nice move-sets -the secrets keep you observent of the world around you -excellent controls -fun gameplay CONS: -some items are over-kill -little problems with A.I. -not many towns, only    Shovel Knight:
    PRO:
    -perfect level design
    -precise platforming
    -simple but nice story
    -for 8 bit game nice graphics
    -10/10 soundtrack really good
    -challenging bosses
    -different enemies with nice move-sets
    -the secrets keep you observent of the world around you
    -excellent controls
    -fun gameplay

    CONS:
    -some items are over-kill
    -little problems with A.I.
    -not many towns, only two
    -you get upgrades for your shovel in one town, it would be nice if you could get upgrades after bosses or the casual appering mini-bosses in the map, this causes a incredible growth of the character, and then there is nothing to strike for, maybe a new armor ( at that point you have a **** ton of money to unlock all the upgrades )

    CONCLUSION:
    Yact Club Games crafted an amazing platformer, that i played 3 times, really fun and must play game, and this game proof that some times indie games are better then some AAA games

    P.S This was not a personal opinion, but a objective criticism    … Expand
  30. GuywiththeGames
    Aug 5, 2015
    9
    Shovel Knight is has become one of my favorite games of all time. Tight controls, fast 2D action, and great, energetic, blood pumping music, Shovel Knight is one of the greatest indie games I have ever played. Yes there are a few flaws. Some of the levels feel way too long for a normal platformer, and some parts of the game feel a little cheap. But other than that Shovel Knight is a greatShovel Knight is has become one of my favorite games of all time. Tight controls, fast 2D action, and great, energetic, blood pumping music, Shovel Knight is one of the greatest indie games I have ever played. Yes there are a few flaws. Some of the levels feel way too long for a normal platformer, and some parts of the game feel a little cheap. But other than that Shovel Knight is a great game, and its triumphs overcome its flaws. You can get it on nearly any console or on a PC, go buy it.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best 3DS Game of 2014
9
#9 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2014
5
#5 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. Level7.nu
    Dec 4, 2014
    80
    The portable version Shovel Knight is in any ways as good as the others, even better as the both the graphics and the mechanics works perfect on a small screen. On the negavition side there are some badly designed levels and to many trial and error moments, but for the most part Shovel Knight is a good reminder that games were a bit more rewarding back in the days.
    Read full review
  2. SpazioGames
    Nov 24, 2014
    85
    Shovel Knight is a little gem of an indie game, perfectly suited for short bursts of play and extremely enjoyable for both the veterans (who will shed joy tears) and the newcomers looking for a challenge on their 3DS.
    Read full review
  3. XGN
    Nov 14, 2014
    90
    Shovel Knight is the ultimate retro game. It takes all the good parts of old classics and improves on it with current technology. Truly a joy to play.
    Read full review
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