Why? Because I really “dig” Shovel Knight. Most will blow through the game in 6 hours, but many will feel the urge to replay on higher difficulties. I never felt like I was seeing the same screen twice, and even when I was overpowered, I was still having fun. I loved seeing what each new level and boss were going to throw at me. That said, my first journey through Shovel Knight was still a blast. The upside is that these overpowered items give you a head start in Shovel Knight’s New Game Plus. I felt godlike a few times, and that left some fights that should have been intense feeling hollow.

Once you purchase enough gear, the knights become pushovers-I spammed one of the final fights with a ricocheting magic and won with almost no effort, and the fact that treasure is plentiful means purchasing these abilities is too easy. Items like these do make combat and exploration easier, but they also completely nerf the boss fights. Shovel Knight can purchase gear, like a Phase Bracelet that lets him ghost through enemies and attacks, and a Fire Rod that shoots ranged fireballs. While those fights may sound difficult-especially for gamers who have fallen away from (or never experienced) retro difficulty-there is a balancing force within the game. It’s a thrilling stage a highlight amongst a slew of genuinely novel levels. One such stage, modeled after Specter Knight, is a dark graveyard, where you can only see the platforms below you when lightning flashes, lighting up the area. They’re each themed on a member of the Order of No Quarter, a board of knights with varying elemental abilities (see the gallery below for a breakdown). It’s a fun way to drive you to play “just one more level,” to see-and conquer-the new features of each one. For those who want a greater challenge, they are a great option.Įvery level is completely different from the last, with new traps like falling chandeliers and spurts of lava being regularly introduced. There are also optional challenge levels, which actually require some of those overpowered items to complete-but these are more difficult than the standard stages, and reward you with lots of treasure. Optional bosses like The Baz (copy-and-pasted from Divekick) occasionally pop up, and these are some of the best fights of the game.

When you’re not exploring the main levels, there are some fun diversions on the world map.

Shovel knight art