Shovel Knight

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 551 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 426 out of 551
  2. Mixed: 66 out of 551
  3. Negative: 59 out of 551

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. GBM_Fan
    Jun 26, 2014
    10
    You can describe "Shovel Knight" in one word: MASTERPIECE! Everything here is top notch, 8/16 bit graphics with modern touch, chiptune music, responsive control and last but not least: addictive gameplay!

    GOTY 2014 for me.
  2. cyanidhogg
    Dec 19, 2014
    9
    This is an absolute gem of a game. Shovel Knight is a platformer built on the bones of the very best the NES library has to offer, polished with great modern game design. The graphics are marvellous, the controls are tight and the level design fantastically designed. The true highlight of the game, though, has to be the soundtrack, which is one of the best video game soundtracks we've seenThis is an absolute gem of a game. Shovel Knight is a platformer built on the bones of the very best the NES library has to offer, polished with great modern game design. The graphics are marvellous, the controls are tight and the level design fantastically designed. The true highlight of the game, though, has to be the soundtrack, which is one of the best video game soundtracks we've seen in years. Don't miss this one.… Expand
  3. SuperKyle23
    Jul 29, 2014
    9
    A true masterpiece. The pixel art trend is common in indie games, but Shovel Knight does it so well and so originally, it's amazing. Tight controls, great level design, awesome boss battles, this game has it all.
  4. VonSeux
    Jun 26, 2014
    8
    The PC version of this game misses the second-screen item manegement, Comunnity from the Wii-U / Miiverse version, 3D and streetpass featrues from 3DS. It's still teh same game, but the missed features are too cool to miss, if you can. Get the wiiu/3ds version.
  5. dnlhern
    Jul 2, 2014
    9
    Shovel Knight is like cookies baked by your grandma. Sure, you could go out to the store and buy those cookies that come in packs, but nothing beats the taste of one's made with ingredients right off the shelf. It may not be the perfect game, but looking past the flaws, you are in for a treat. No, more like a feast.
  6. Nile3
    Jun 29, 2014
    9
    The graphs are amazing, more realistic than Crysis 3 imo and the story is so good that it feels more realistic than CNN news can be.

    Great Game! I loved it. I encountered a bug early on where I couldn't load the game, but right after everything went smoothly. I have 2 smallish problems with it: 1. it's too short. I want more. I'm already through with it. 2. Shovel knight ought to    The graphs are amazing, more realistic than Crysis 3 imo and the story is so good that it feels more realistic than CNN news can be.

    Great Game! I loved it. I encountered a bug early on where I couldn't load the game, but right after everything went smoothly.
    I have 2 smallish problems with it:
    1. it's too short. I want more. I'm already through with it.
    2. Shovel knight ought to have an epic quest to find a different shovel or get more tricks!
    Otherwise it was great.    … Expand
  7. Naveen196
    Jun 27, 2014
    10
    This game takes the best games from the retro era, and makes a splendid display, while still feeling fresh. The music is nice and catchy, the boss battles are well done, and there are a lot of different upgrades to choose from. Oh, also, New Game+ is present, for extra challenge.
  8. djfpforever
    Jun 26, 2014
    10
    TL; DR - Shovel Knight is a refreshingly original 8-bit experience that steeps itself in nostalgia, paying deference to the most solid NES game experiences (DuckTales, Mega Man, Castlevania, SMB3): 10/10.

    What an amazing game! As a child of the 80s, I had an original NES and LOVED Mega Man, Mario, Zelda et al in the prime of their 8-bit glory. Shovel Knight dips into that nostalgia    TL; DR - Shovel Knight is a refreshingly original 8-bit experience that steeps itself in nostalgia, paying deference to the most solid NES game experiences (DuckTales, Mega Man, Castlevania, SMB3): 10/10.

    What an amazing game! As a child of the 80s, I had an original NES and LOVED Mega Man, Mario, Zelda et al in the prime of their 8-bit glory. Shovel Knight dips into that nostalgia while being genuinely engaging and entertaining in its own right. The game provides the perfect balance of fun, challenge, minor rpg elements (powering up mana vs. health), and level progression. The game includes fun achievements, which is something that I appreciate. Combine the excellent game play elements, a fantastic score, and lovingly created 8-bit art, and you come away with the total package here!

    I Kickstarted this game, and my only regret is not chipping in more. Definitely well worth the 14.99 retail for those that purchase through Steam. I can't wait to see what else Yacht Club Games come up with in the future. A highly enthusiastic 10/10 for Shovel Knight!    … Expand
  9. Rizefall
    Jun 27, 2014
    9
    Megaman + Ducktales + Super Mario Bros 3. That's pretty much what the game is, but with a new character "Shovel Knight" who instead of his butt/shoes, blaster or cane uses shovel to take down his foes.
  10. aqurban
    Jun 26, 2014
    10
    Shovel Knight feels familiar from the get go, with a beautifully designed 8-bit world, flawless game mechanics, a nostalgically unforgettable soundtrack and a handful of things that makes it just the right amount of retro-dose you'll ever need.
  11. ComradePB
    Jun 29, 2014
    8
    There are many games out there that go for that retro aesthetic, so you might wonder what exactly it is that sets Shovel Knight apart from all those games that borrow from what has come before them. The creators of Shovel Knight are obviously fans of classic games on the NES like Mario Bros., Megaman, and Castlevania just to name a few and great care has been taken to use the moreThere are many games out there that go for that retro aesthetic, so you might wonder what exactly it is that sets Shovel Knight apart from all those games that borrow from what has come before them. The creators of Shovel Knight are obviously fans of classic games on the NES like Mario Bros., Megaman, and Castlevania just to name a few and great care has been taken to use the more memorable elements from these games both the loved (Duck Tales style pogo attacks, Megaman style bosses, and Castlevania style sub weapons) and the hated (knock-back deaths and difficulty on the level of Megaman 2). Even so, Shovel Knight does enough to set itself apart as it's own game with it's quirky cast of characters, awesome music, amazing sprite art, and rather odd choice of weaponry. It is not perfect however; even though I would consider Shovel Knight a fair game, there were times where I felt that no person playing for their first time would be able to avoid death just because an enemy popped up over a bottomless pit when they weren't expecting it. A death in a video game is fair when the player sees danger coming and simply doesn't respond to it accordingly, it's not fair if you get sucker punched. Even so this only emboldens that classic NES feeling where a gamer will play again but this time with memory on their side. Shovel Knight is a game that is well worth your time.… Expand
  12. wingnut5k
    Jun 27, 2014
    9
    Now, I did not grow up with consoles, so I have no nostalgia except from what I played from the ambassador program and virtual console. But this is a masterpiece, with the only issue being some mechanics are infuriating. The combat is tight, the game has charm, a plethora of content, and loot a plenty. The game can be brutally hard (paying homage to the titles its based on), but makeNow, I did not grow up with consoles, so I have no nostalgia except from what I played from the ambassador program and virtual console. But this is a masterpiece, with the only issue being some mechanics are infuriating. The combat is tight, the game has charm, a plethora of content, and loot a plenty. The game can be brutally hard (paying homage to the titles its based on), but make beating a particularly hard boss that much more satisfying. The game features stages cleverly based on other titles, while bringing its own charm. Who can forget Treasure Knight and his Metroid themed level? Or the towns based on Zelda 2? It brings everything that was amazing (from my limited experience) of the older generation, but updated everything that was awful and made me shake my head. This is one you definitely don't want to miss, if you are up for a little challenge.… Expand
  13. fabio77
    Jun 26, 2014
    9
    Played a couple of hours and I can say it's a great old-style game! I don't know how long will it last, but had a lot of fun so far. Game has a lot of secrets and hidden paths, and so you''ll probably reply the levels a few times.
    Great 8/16 bit graphic and music
  14. Johangir
    Jul 2, 2014
    10
    This is an incredible game that respects and recreates the fundamentals of gaming's roots. It draws its aspirations from Zelda 2, Megaman, Mario 3, and Ducktales, but has so many creative concepts to form its own identity.

    The environments and characters have so much detail and personality to them, it's suprising and fresh to see that level of detail in an NES 8-bit styled game. Mostly    This is an incredible game that respects and recreates the fundamentals of gaming's roots. It draws its aspirations from Zelda 2, Megaman, Mario 3, and Ducktales, but has so many creative concepts to form its own identity.

    The environments and characters have so much detail and personality to them, it's suprising and fresh to see that level of detail in an NES 8-bit styled game. Mostly because it treats its genre (8-bit retro game) with the utmost respect and seriousness. There's no stupid gimmicks or references or winks to remind the player they're playing an 8-bit NES style game: the style is used to deliver a genuine oldschool experience with a straight face and the best of intentions.

    The music is amazing, catchy, and fits each theme very well. Jake Kaufman is a brilliant composer and his experience truly shines here, as it has when creating/remixing music for other games he's worked on (Contra 4, Ducktales Remastered, Shantae, etc).

    The challenge has the perfect gradual shift throughout the entire game. It starts off normal enough, then consistently increases in challenge until the very end. While you can improve Shovel Knight with new upgrades and abilities, as the player you will feel your own skill increase as you become familiar with how Shovel Knight handles ingame and learn to use him and his abilities much more efficiently. It's a magical learning curve that I haven't experienced since having played games from the golden age when I was a kid back in the 90's.

    Regardless of what console you purchase this on, it is a fantastic game in its own right, and provides an incredibly genuine experience and challenge that so many games are lacking nowadays. Perfect 10 out of 10.    … Expand
  15. FantasicGamer
    Jul 4, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. WOW! Amazing masterpiece and potential GOTY. Let me help the fanboy here, and shout out their slogan.

    This amazing 8-bit graphic style provides a perfect opportunity for the player to enjoy eye bleeding, and the interesting bunny jump makes the player to have an excitement like climbing to the top of mountain by overcoming the outdated and crappy controls.

    Oh yeah, old school graphic, checked. Old school rogue platform, checked. Old school controls, checked. Oh my, masterpiece and GOTY!!!!

    This is the standard of easy money these days.

    Now, the fanboy reaches the top of hill, EPIC!    … Expand
  16. Dwalde
    Jul 28, 2014
    10
    This game is simply amazing! Even though it's retro, it feels so good. The best part of this game must be the amazing level design and music, everything else still being of very good quality. If something, I disliked the rather short length of the game.
  17. daniel318
    Jun 28, 2014
    10
    My childhood of gaming wrapped up into one challenging, but forgiving game, with an amazing art style! Worth a buy at 15 dollars if you are in your 20's or 30's and want a true blast from the past with a brand new edge.
  18. ninesthousand
    Jun 28, 2014
    10
    Shovel Knight is as close to a perfect game in the style of oldschool NES platformers. Everything about it is perfect for what it does. The music is amazing as are the levels and features. It pays homage to older NES games like Ducktales, Mega Man, Castlevania, etc in a very beautiful way. A must buy on any system
  19. SaLDjouN
    Jun 27, 2014
    10
    This game is so awesome it's a mix of the best things you can find in megaman, duck tales, zelda (2 especially ) and smb 3 mixed with some modern thing like the dark souls style death. in one word : this games is really great
  20. jerry5278
    Jun 29, 2014
    10
    I really enjoyed shovel knight from beginning to end. Everything about this game blew me away. I just beat it, and am now playing through it again with new game +. This is not a game to be missed!!!!! 10/10
  21. Blacklist
    Jul 29, 2014
    10
    Shovel Knight combines smooth platforming with classic graphics to give gamers who enjoyed classic NES games what they want. The game features several equipable secondary items to use throughout, and a simple yet great storyline. Fantastic game, and if you enjoy platformers in general or played games on NES or SNES, this game is for you.

    Thank you Yacht Club Games, well done.
  22. SuperkenGaming
    Apr 30, 2015
    10
    Shovel Knight
    A must Play For all
    Shovel Knight is a beautifully charming action platforming game. Shovel Knights art style screams nostalgia sale, but I was happy to find that this game isn’t just here to pull money out of your pockets with heart strings, Shovel Knight is it’s own game, an instant classic. Shovel knight consists of 12 main levels all with their own boss battles, each    Shovel Knight
    A must Play For all
    Shovel Knight is a beautifully charming action platforming game.
    Shovel Knights art style screams nostalgia sale, but I was happy to find that this game isn’t just here to pull money out of your pockets with heart strings, Shovel Knight is it’s own game, an instant classic.
    Shovel knight consists of 12 main levels all with their own boss battles, each level and stage getting progressively more challenging.
    The pacing is really some of the best ive ever seen in gaming.
    Every level has checkpoints, this may annoy the hardcore gamers at first, but you really come to appreciate them, platforming can get really trick for those of us that are impatient.
    These type of gamers are who the checkpoints are for, they are essentially training wheels.
    Shovel Knight is really more than just a flat forming game, it truly is an experience, and im happy these checkpoints exist so all can experience and guess what… checkpoints are COMPLETELY optional.
    Don’t like them?
    Break them, they drop cash so now you have nothing to complain about.
    I wouldn’t recommend doing such a thing your first time through as again, shovel knight gets increasingly challenging.
    Enemies will start throwing projectiles, youll have to dodge lava and spikes and look out for enemies while you seek out secrets.
    There are tons of secrets to be found in shovel knight that I wont spoil, but they add such a great deal of wonder to the game, you never know what youre going to find in a room you just uncovered from an exploding rat.
    It could be a music page for you to sell in the villiage, or a new relic waiting for you to grab to help you out through the rest of the game.
    I wasn’t expecting relics, but im so happy they exist, these relics all cost magic to use so cant really be spammed, but they are all varied and make you look at levels for better, more efficient ways to traverse them.
    You can also save your gold for armour and shovel upgrades, maybe increased magic or meal tickets to increase your health, the choice is yours, but unless youre completely confident in your skills walking into an unknown area you better make that choice before going back out, because every time you die you drop 3 pouches of gold much like in the souls series.
    If you want that gold back youre going to have to go grab it, if you die on your way back then its gone forever..
    The risk reward makes traversing these gorgeous levels even more enjoyable.
    Not only did this development team due a great job with level design and enemies, but also with bosses.
    Each boss has its own attack style, so no 2 relics will be equally handy in these encounters, gratefully though, they all die the same way, hit them an x amount of times.
    Games can get in the habit of making bosses a little too unique, what shovel knight does so great is make the encounters similar enough to give you a sense of pride and feeling like you used skill to defeat a new enemy rather than you just got completely lucky.
    It isn’t common to die during your first encounter with a new boss and that is so refreshing.
    I wont get into story all too much, but I will say that it is there, there is reason to the madness and it, at least to me is beautiful.
    After you’ve completed the game and have picked every level apart for its secrets and treasures, you have the option to start a new game +.
    New game plus lets you start from the beginning with everything you collected in your previous play through, but this time levels are a little tougher as youll notice some checkpoints are missing, enemies do double damage, and there are no health pick ups.
    There are tons of challenging feats to accomplish in shovel knight.
    Totally worth the playthrough just to experience, a highly recommended game title to both casual and hardcore gamers alike.
    I truly believe that everyone can find something to love about shovel knight.
    For what it is
    Action platformer 10/10
    and as an overall game my first ever 10/10    … Expand
  23. SkySlam
    Oct 4, 2015
    8
    Retro masterpiece! Great platformer inspired by amazing titles from the NES days. Being a fan of MegaMan, I can't help but recommend this little jewel. Controls are smooth, the music is cool, the graphics are nice and the levels are cleverly designed to entertain the player without frustrating him/her too much.
    The duration of the story mode is pretty short (5-7 hours), be aware of that.    Retro masterpiece! Great platformer inspired by amazing titles from the NES days. Being a fan of MegaMan, I can't help but recommend this little jewel. Controls are smooth, the music is cool, the graphics are nice and the levels are cleverly designed to entertain the player without frustrating him/her too much.
    The duration of the story mode is pretty short (5-7 hours), be aware of that. Still totally worth the money in my opinion.    … Expand
  24. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    Rarely have I so enjoyed a game that so persistently made me rage, or made me care for an 8-bit sprite as much as I cared for Shield Knight, but Shovel Knight is just that game. An affectionate homage to the golden age of console gaming, Shovel Knight comes to us from former members of Wayforward Technologies, creators of the Shantae series. The game's incredibly varied stages play outRarely have I so enjoyed a game that so persistently made me rage, or made me care for an 8-bit sprite as much as I cared for Shield Knight, but Shovel Knight is just that game. An affectionate homage to the golden age of console gaming, Shovel Knight comes to us from former members of Wayforward Technologies, creators of the Shantae series. The game's incredibly varied stages play out like a greatest hits album of classic platformers. But unlike, say, Ninja Gaiden or Castlevania, Shovel Knight never feels cheap or punishing. The game is filled with a lovable cast of characters, excellent music (courtesy of the ineffable Virt Kaufman, the musical genius behind Contra 4, Scurge: Hive, Shantae, and several other games), useful powerups and hair-pulling jumping puzzles. The controls are extremely tight, and any mistakes you make are your own damn fault. The game rather mercifully makes use of checkpoints, only depriving you of money when you die, money you have a chance to retrieve when you make it back to where you died. And even if you don't, you can always farm for more, and you will need quite a bit to buy all the upgrades. I had to take a few breaks over the course of playing Shovel Knight to cool off, but I kept coming back until I was done. I do not regret for a second backing this lovely game on kickstarter. If you enjoy platformers and classic NES era gaming in general, then grab yourself a copy of Shovel Knight and prepare to strike the earth!… Expand
  25. Tokyochuchu
    Jul 17, 2014
    10
    I grew up in the NES era. I loved such platformers as Duck Tales, Mega Man, Kabuki Quantum Fighter, Castlevania, Low G Man, Super Mario Bros... The list could go on and on for miles. But Shovel Knight has become my favorite action-platform game of all time. It's perfect in every way; the pin-point controls, the awesome soundtrack, the endearing characters, the quirky humor, the exquisiteI grew up in the NES era. I loved such platformers as Duck Tales, Mega Man, Kabuki Quantum Fighter, Castlevania, Low G Man, Super Mario Bros... The list could go on and on for miles. But Shovel Knight has become my favorite action-platform game of all time. It's perfect in every way; the pin-point controls, the awesome soundtrack, the endearing characters, the quirky humor, the exquisite level design, the balanced difficulty and the emotional gut-punch of the ending. Shovel Knight is brilliant beyond all comprehension. If you ever wanted a modern 2D platformer to catch the true essence of the all-time classics then you can't afford to miss this game. To echo the most common words associated with this title; Shovel Knight is an absolute masterpiece.… Expand
  26. sh4dow
    Oct 4, 2015
    10
    Wow, I think this is the first time that I agree more with the critics than the users on this site. By now, thanks to the free DLC, I've now sunk over 20 hours into this game and it is still a blast. I don't get what's not to like about it. The controls are spot-on, the gameplay is retro yet modern (check points, automatic saving) and similar things go for the visuals (it's 8 bit style butWow, I think this is the first time that I agree more with the critics than the users on this site. By now, thanks to the free DLC, I've now sunk over 20 hours into this game and it is still a blast. I don't get what's not to like about it. The controls are spot-on, the gameplay is retro yet modern (check points, automatic saving) and similar things go for the visuals (it's 8 bit style but animations usually weren't as refined back then and the color palette not as varied). Also lots of content and unlockables. This is probably in my Top 3 of the last few years.… Expand
  27. Makaveli
    May 21, 2015
    8
    This game reminds me alot of Megaman, only with Megaman you had to defeat robot masters, with Shovel Knight you defeat different types of knights. Which Megaman you have Doctor Wilys castle and in this you have the same thing but not with Wily..

    It's a good game, it's not perfect but it really took me back to the days of the NES.

    8.5
  28. citizendog
    Jul 9, 2014
    9
    I have been playing that kind of games since 1987 and I gotta say GREAT work.

    CONTROLS are the most important aspect when it comes to any platformer. Perfectly done, I cannot say anything negative about that. GAMEPLAY itself is a solid 9/10 for this genre. SOUND and GRAPHICS are very suitable and harmonic. FUNNY and DIVERSIFIED storyline... Jesus, why haven't you already    I have been playing that kind of games since 1987 and I gotta say GREAT work.

    CONTROLS are the most important aspect when it comes to any platformer. Perfectly done, I cannot say anything negative about that.

    GAMEPLAY itself is a solid 9/10 for this genre.

    SOUND and GRAPHICS are very suitable and harmonic.

    FUNNY and DIVERSIFIED storyline...

    Jesus, why haven't you already purchased this game yet??    … Expand
  29. Toiletfinger
    Nov 1, 2014
    9
    It's great! Cheap and easy to play. More involved that I originally thought. Great stuff if you miss the 16 bit era. A little short, but it's worth your time and cash. Enjoy!
  30. Rolento
    Aug 31, 2014
    9
    They say there is no such thing as new "art", and that what you have to do in order to get new art is take pre-existing ideas, combine them and twist them at your will. In an industry were "innovative", "groundbreaking", "brand new" and procedurally generated "infinite possibilities" are thrown at us so easily and so much that it almost causes physical sickness to read them, someoneThey say there is no such thing as new "art", and that what you have to do in order to get new art is take pre-existing ideas, combine them and twist them at your will. In an industry were "innovative", "groundbreaking", "brand new" and procedurally generated "infinite possibilities" are thrown at us so easily and so much that it almost causes physical sickness to read them, someone remembers that games should be fun, that games shouldn't just blindly try to be innovative for the sake of it, that creativity comes from restriction just as much fun and awe can come from a pre-constructed level and from venturing in it.

    Now for the non pretentious part, this game has mechanics from most thing that are impossible to dislike: Castlevania and Megaman's atmosphere and gameplay combined, the DuckTales NES gem's pogo mechanic, and Dark Souls death penalties, and throws them together bound by a love(?)-driven story about character with a simple yet cool gimmick (every knight is a Something Knight, with Shovel Knight being the main character with a... uh, Shovel). In its simplistic story it even manages to be slightly sentimental and dramatic (Shield Knight's story) and has a couple of neat details that one may not even notice (Being a Cerulean knight with horns wasn't just a random design choice, as you are kind of given hints of character's "origins" in the Polar Knight stage).

    What can I say? The only way to fail with this premise is to have poor level design or not being polished, and that's not the case either: the game never goes out of its "NES game with some technological licenses" self-imposed stylistic boundary and the levels play and feel like they're straight out of a classic, alternating action, puzzle and tense mixes of the two.

    One minor complaint: among the things the game takes inspiration from, there's Super Mario Bros. 3's level selection and roaming enemies, but overall it only gives the illusion of non-linearity and it's pretty much a superfluous thing that doesn't really give you much options other than choosing what boss to beat first.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PC Game of 2014
60
#60 Most Discussed PC Game of 2014
48
#48 Most Shared PC Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 44 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 46
  3. Negative: 0 out of 46
  1. Gamer.nl
    Nov 13, 2014
    85
    Shovel Knight is a beautiful tribute to the era that used to be. With it's graphics and gameplay it refers to 8-bit games, but it does have a unique touch of its own. It might be a bit short, but it sure has a strong personality.
    Read full review
  2. GameStar
    Nov 1, 2014
    82
    A modern retro platformer that plays in the same league as the classics.
    Read full review
  3. CD-Action
    Oct 22, 2014
    90
    If you spent your childhood playing DuckTales, Super Marios Bros. or Contra on your NES, no one can convince you that a pixel art indie game can bring that feeling back. Except for Shovel Knight. Shovel Knight can. [Sept 2014, p.68]
See all critic reviews »