Shovel Knight is a 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 September 2014, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox One in April 2015, Amazon Fire TV in September 2015, and Nintendo Switch in March 2017.[3][6] Shovel Knight is inspired by gameplay and graphics of platformer games developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System.[7]
Shovel Knight | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Developer(s) | Yacht Club Games |
Publisher(s) | Yacht Club Games |
Director(s) | Sean Velasco |
Designer(s) |
|
Programmer(s) |
|
Artist(s) |
|
Composer(s) | |
Platform(s) | |
Release | June 26, 2014 |
Genre(s) | Platform |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
The game received critical acclaim, with critics considering it one of the greatest video games ever made.[8][9][10] With the release of additional campaigns, the original story received the retronym Shovel of Hope. The full game was released in December 2019 as Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, which includes three other campaigns Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and King of Cards, along with multiplayer fighting game Shovel Knight Showdown.
A spin-off dungeon crawler puzzle game, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, was co-developed with Vine and released on December 13, 2021, for macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4. Another spin-off, the roguelike Shovel Knight Dig, was co-developed with Nitrome and released on September 23, 2022, for Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Arcade. A remake of the first game called Shovel of Hope DX is planned to be released at a future date.[11]
Gameplay
editShovel Knight is a 2D side-scrolling platform game with an 8-bit graphical style.[12][13] In the base campaign retroactively titled Shovel of Hope,[12] players control the eponymous adventurer as he goes on a journey to rescue his partner Shield Knight while fighting the Enchantress and her Order of No Quarter.[12][14] Shovel Knight can attack with his shovel, dig through dirt blocks, unearth treasure, or use this tool to bounce upon enemies and objects.[15][16] Levels are themed around the individual knights of the Order of No Quarter, feature several checkpoints, and end with a boss fight against one of the order's eight members. Each section of the world map contains three knights, and the player must defeat all of them to progress to the next area.[12][17] Aside from the main quest, players are encouraged to collect treasure inside levels to improve Shovel Knight's abilities.[15][18]
By finding a salesman named Chester hidden inside levels, the player can purchase items called Relics with treasure. These Relics provide helpful effects and are powered using a resource called magic.[17] Examples of Relics include a magical locket that grants temporary invulnerability, or a wand that shoots fireballs.[12][19] The player can further use treasure to buy useful upgrades for Shovel Knight's health, magic capacity, armor, or shovel. For example, an upgrade for the shovel allows it to shoot out damaging projectiles whenever Shovel Knight is at maximum health.[15][17] Some levels contain hidden music sheets that the player can grant to a non-player character called the bard; trading these sheets awards the player treasure and the ability to sound test each of the game's music tracks.[17][19]
Dying in Shovel Knight will cause the player to lose a portion of their treasure at the location of death, and the player can return to this location to recover their lost gold. However, if the player dies again before claiming this treasure, it is lost forever.[17][20] As an optional challenge, players have the choice of destroying checkpoints to be awarded treasure, at the risk of being sent back to an earlier location in the level should they die.[12][20] Completing the game unlocks a more difficult New Game Plus mode, which reduces the number of available checkpoints and increases the damage Shovel Knight takes.[21]
Downloadable content and platform-exclusive features
editFree downloadable content (DLC) updates add new features to the game, including a "Challenge Mode" where the player can complete difficult tasks such as speedrunning or repeat battles with the game's bosses.[22] A local cooperative multiplayer DLC allows for two players to complete the main campaign in tandem, and co-op on Nintendo platforms is compatible with Shovel Knight series amiibo figures, allowing players to store customized characters or summon cosmetic fairies.[23][24] A body swap mode allows players to alter the genders or identifying pronouns of certain characters in the Shovel of Hope campaign.[24]
Three additional single-player campaigns titled Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, and King of Cards focus on different playable characters who appear as boss characters in the Shovel of Hope campaign.[25] Plague of Shadows casts players as Plague Knight, who uses bombs to attack enemies and can use both a double jump and a powerful "burst jump" to launch himself through the air.[26] Specter of Torment is centered around Specter Knight, who can run up walls, jump off of them, and use his scythe to slash enemies and obstacles.[12] King of Cards puts players in control of King Knight, who has a shoulder bash which turns into a spin attack upon colliding with enemies or objects.[24][15] King Knight's campaign features a card battle mini-game called "Joustus", in which players place cards on a field to claim spaces marked with gems.[27]
In addition to the DLC campaigns, Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove features a multiplayer fighting game add-on called Shovel Knight Showdown (the game is not included in the Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, or FireTV versions).[28] In Showdown, up to four players compete in various game modes using playable fighters based around characters in the franchise. The game includes a single-player story mode which can be completed to unlock new fighters and playable level.[29][30] Shovel Knight has several version-exclusive features such as unique boss battles; a boss version of Kratos from God of War appears in the PlayStation ports,[31] while Rare's Battletoads are included as enemies in the Xbox One and Windows versions.[32] The Nintendo 3DS version features stereoscopic 3D and a StreetPass arena mode, which lets players compete against other players' ghost data through StreetPass.[33]
Plot
editShovel Knight and his partner Shield Knight are renowned and successful adventurers, but while exploring the Tower of Fate, an amulet curses Shield Knight and leaves Shovel Knight stranded outside of the sealed tower. Grieving for his friend, Shovel Knight gives up adventuring and goes into self-imposed exile. During his absence, a powerful being known as the Enchantress rises to power, spreading evil across the land. Upon hearing that the Enchantress has unsealed the Tower of Fate, Shovel Knight resolves to journey back to it, hoping to find and rescue Shield Knight. To reach the tower, Shovel Knight confronts and defeats the members of the Order of No Quarter, a group of knights serving the Enchantress.
Along his journey towards the Tower of Fate, Shovel Knight continuously battles with his old rival Black Knight. After he defeats Black Knight for a final time at the outskirts of the tower, Black Knight reveals that the Enchantress is actually Shield Knight, who is possessed by an evil spirit that inhabits the amulet. Shovel Knight ascends the tower and defeats the Order of No Quarter again, before battling the Enchantress. He manages to exorcise the evil spirit, turning her back into Shield Knight. The amulet transforms into a powerful monster known as the Remnant of Fate, which Shovel Knight and Shield Knight defeat together. Shield Knight holds back the Remnant of Fate as the tower collapses, while Black Knight carries an unconscious Shovel Knight to safety. He leaves Shovel Knight by his campfire and departs. A post-credits scene shows Shield Knight, who managed to escape the collapsing tower, lying next to Shovel Knight as he sleeps.
Development
editDesigner Nick Wozniak stated that the idea for the game started out as "sort of as a joke conversation over lunch that kind of got too serious".[34] The team had already planned to make a game in the style of the NES classics that they grew up on, and eventually the sword-thrust move from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link was brought up as a move that both designers liked. They soon thought that this move would be better suited in their game for a shovel instead of a sword.[34] Other specific inspirations include Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, DuckTales, Super Mario Bros. 3, the Mega Man series, U.N. Squadron, and Dark Souls.[35][36] The decision of the character's name was "pretty much settled" after the first brainstorming session, with the name "Plummet Knight" being the only other suggestion.[37]
The game was announced on March 17, 2013, alongside the launch of a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund development, with a minimum goal of US$75,000. The campaign reached its objective in late March and went on to collect a total of $311,502, fulfilling all announced "stretch goals" for additional features, by its end on April 13.[38] Those goals included a four-player battle mode, a mission-based challenge setting, a body swap mode, and additional playable story campaigns for three boss characters.[39][40] To promote the Kickstarter, Yacht Club distributed copies of its initial Penny Arcade Expo demo to several prominent gaming personalities on YouTube, including Two Best Friends Play and Game Grumps.[citation needed]
According to Shovel Knight programmer David D'Angelo, Shield Knight was originally supposed to be a princess, as the creators were using NES era damsel-in-distress characters like Roll, Peach, and Zelda as inspirations.[41] Originally, due to her lack of character, she was referred to as "Princess MacGuffin" within the development team.[42] For the "Body Swap" mode, Yacht Club created male versions of Shield Knight and the Enchantress. The "Enchanter" was one of the first body swap concepts Yacht Club explored, and his creation process led to many of the design rules Yacht Club's artists subsequently imposed on themselves. The Enchantress' design was inspired by traditional Japanese attire, so Yacht Club initially experimented with kimono and robes for her male counterpart as well. When this did not work out, artists moved on to a samurai-inspired design, similar to that of Ganondorf in the Super Smash Bros. series. Yacht Club's artists originally explored skirted designs for male Shield Knight, but these did not make the cut. Certain ornamental aspects of Shield Knight's armor were removed or reduced in size in order to make the character look more masculine.[43]
Shovel Knight features a chiptune soundtrack in the style of older video games from the NES era composed by Jake Kaufman, with two contributions by Mega Man composer Manami Matsumae. The game's soundtrack was released for download via Bandcamp on the same day as the game, as was a rearrangement album.[citation needed]
Shovel Knight's graphics and music mimic the style of video games from the NES era and shares the NES's limits of color palette (plus four colors) and sprite count. This means that larger sprites are superimposed on a black background to limit the onscreen colors to a realistic maximum. Other trickery to properly honor the NES limitations include camera shakes that only act on a single axis and a GUI that acts as a background layer instead of being overlaid on top of the gameplay.[44]
Release
editThe game was originally slated for release in September 2013, but was delayed into early 2014.[45] After various further delays,[46][47] Yacht Club Games announced on June 5 that the game would be released on June 26, 2014.[48] The game was eventually released on several additional platforms including both the PlayStation 4[49] and Xbox One, featuring exclusive boss battles, with Kratos from God of War on PS4[49] and the Battletoads on Xbox One.[50][51] Various platforms got a physical media release in October 2015.[52]
Prior to 2017, the game was sold with the name Shovel Knight, with various additional campaigns appearing as free downloadable content. An update in April 2017 made the original story campaign and additional downloadable campaigns available for standalone purchase on certain platforms, with the original campaign being subtitled Shovel of Hope.[53] A compilation containing all three campaigns was released as Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, with all previous purchases being updated to the Treasure Trove edition.[53]
An enhanced edition titled Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX was announced in June 2024, and will be releasing on Steam. The new edition will feature 20 different playable characters, online multiplayer, rewind and save state features, in-game cheats, and additional content and features previously exclusive to specific platforms, such as the Nintendo 3DS version's stereoscopic 3D and Battle Ghost Arena mode (formerly StreetPass Arena).[54]
Reception
editAggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | (Vita) 92/100[55] (NS) 91/100[56] (3DS) 90/100[57] (PS4) 90/100[58] (WIIU) 88/100[59] (XONE) 86/100[60] (PC) 85/100[61] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
IGN | 9/10[62] |
Nintendo Life | 9/10[63] |
Shovel Knight received universal acclaim, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[55][56][57][58] Reception was "generally favorable" for Wii U, Xbox One and PC.[59][60][61] IGN editor Colin Moriarty awarded the game a 9/10 rating, calling it "arguably the best game released so far in 2014."[62] Infendo.com called it "a brilliant homage to a bygone era, yet an equally fresh, captivating and innovative game"[64] and Nintendo Life praised the 3DS version's "excellent controls, gorgeous graphics, an incredible soundtrack and endearing characters ... top-notch level design, varied gameplay, hidden rooms, optional challenges and a deceptively rich combat system."[63]
Including Kickstarter backers, 180,000 copies of Shovel Knight were sold within one month of the North American launch. 49,000 copies were sold on Wii U, 59,000 were sold on 3DS, and 66,000 were sold on Steam.[65] By December 4, 2014, more than 300,000 copies had been sold across all platforms.[66] As of June 30, 2015, more than 700,000 copies had been sold.[67] By December 14, 2016, 1.5 million copies had been sold.[68] Yacht Club Games wrote in April 2018 that 2 million copies of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove had been sold.[69] By September 2019, 2.65 million copies had been sold.[70]
Accolades
editYear | Awards | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | The Game Awards 2014 | Best Independent Game | Won | [71] |
GameSpot's Game of the Year | 3DS Game of the Year | Nominated | [72] | |
Overall Game of the Year | Nominated | [73] | ||
Wii U Game of the Year | Nominated | [74] | ||
Giant Bomb's 2014 Game of the Year Awards | Best Debut | Nominated | [75] | |
Best Game | Nominated | [76] | ||
Best Music | Nominated | [77] | ||
Nintendo Life's Reader Awards 2014 | 3DS eShop Game of the Year | Won | [78] | |
Wii U eShop Game of the Year | Won | |||
Nintendo Life's Staff Awards 2014 | 3DS eShop Game of the Year | Won | [79] | |
Wii U eShop Game of the Year | Won | |||
National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers (NAVGTR) awards | Original Light Mix Score, New IP | Nominated | [80] | |
Game, Original Action | Nominated | |||
2015 | IGN's Best of 2014 | Best 3DS Game | Won | [81] |
Best Music | Won | [82] | ||
Best Overall Game | Nominated | [83] | ||
Best Platformer | Won | [84] | ||
Best Platformer – People's Choice | Won | |||
Best Wii U Game | Nominated | [85] | ||
18th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards | Handheld Game of the Year | Nominated | [86] |
Legacy
editMerchandise
editAn Amiibo figure of Shovel Knight was released in 2015, as the first Amiibo toy produced by a third party.[87] An Amiibo 3-pack containing Plague Knight, Specter Knight, and King Knight was released in 2019 along with a gold variant of the previously released Shovel Knight figure.[88] Shovel Knight collaborated with Arby's in March 2021 to release a set of toys, which included Arby's themed cheat codes for the game.[89]
In other games
editShovel Knight appears as a playable guest character in several games[89] including Indie Pogo, Blade Strangers, Cook, Serve, Delicious: Battle Kitchen, Move or Die, Dino-Run DX, Runner3, Riverbond, Rivals of Aether, Blaster Master Zero, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Road Redemption, Epic Manager, C-Wars, Starr Mazer, Runbow, All-Stars Dungeons and Diamonds, Ghost Police, Mutant Mudds Super Challenge, Pixel Noir, and Mighty Quest.[90][91] Shovel Knight characters make cameo appearances in Brawlhalla,[92] Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Azure Striker Gunvolt 2,[93] Two Brothers, Yooka-Laylee, Aegis Defenders, The Reward: Tales of Alethrion,[94][95] River City Ransom: Underground, Creepy Castle, Puzzle Depot,[96] Crypt of the NecroDancer, Enter the Gungeon, Katana Zero, and For Honor.[97] Its music appears in Just Shapes & Beats and Voez.
Spinoffs
editIn February 2020, spinoff titled Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, a dungeon crawler puzzle game was announced, and released on December 13, 2021, for macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4.[98][99] A prequel titled Shovel Knight Dig, was co-developed with Nitrome and released on September 23, 2022, for Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Apple Arcade.[100]
References
edit- ^ "Mac Version is OUT!!". Yachtclubgames. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ^ "Linux is out! Jobs! Contest Winners!". Yachtclubgames. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
- ^ a b "Spring Fever 2015: 8 Weeks, 8 New PS4 Games, PS Plus Discounts". PlayStation Blog. February 26, 2015. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
- ^ Makuch, Eddie (April 21, 2015). "Xbox One Shovel Knight Release Date Revealed". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
- ^ "All New Amazon Fire TV Gaming Edition". Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ "Switch-up! – Yacht Club Games". yachtclubgames.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- ^ a b D'Angelo, David (June 25, 2014). "Breaking the NES for Shovel Knight". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ Hilliard, Kyle. "Reader's Choice Top 300 Games Of All Time". Game Informer. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ "The 500 best games of all time: 400-301 - Polygon". Polygon. March 3, 2018. Archived from the original on March 3, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ "HG101 Presents: The 200 Best Video Games of All Time – Hardcore Gaming 101". Archived from the original on October 29, 2017. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
- ^ "Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX is the 'definitive version' of Yacht Club's 2014 hit". Shacknews. June 14, 2024. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Review: Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope - Seven Years On, This Action Platformer Still Dazzles". Nintendo Life. May 2, 2020. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Maiberg, Emanuel (July 2, 2014). "Shovel Knight review". pcgamer. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ "Shovel Knight Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Moriarty, Colin (June 26, 2014). "Shovel Knight Review". IGN. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ Tony Wilson (June 26, 2014). "Shovel Knight review". gamesradar. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Williams, Mike (June 27, 2014). "Shovel Knight PC Review: Digging Up the Past to Find Buried Treasure". USgamer. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ "Shovel Knight review: an ageless wonder". Shacknews. June 26, 2014. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight review". Eurogamer.net. June 26, 2014. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ a b Creegan, Dermot (April 30, 2015). "Review: Shovel Knight (PS4)". Hardcore Gamer. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ "Shovel Knight Review - Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ "Challenge Mode to Accompany Shovel Knight's Plague of Shadows Update". Nintendo Life. April 21, 2015. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Chalk, Andy (January 12, 2017). "Shovel Knight is getting co-op, a new campaign, and new pricing". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c Rougeau, Mike (March 7, 2017). "Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove Review". IGN. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Yacht Club Games (November 29, 2019). "How Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove Went From Minor DLC to a Collection Built to Last". USgamer. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ "Shovel Knight Review - Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Miller, Zachary (December 9, 2019). "Shovel Knight: King of Cards Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ https://www.yachtclubgames.com/blog/sk-how-to-update/ [bare URL]
- ^ Shea, Brian (December 10, 2019). "Shovel Knight Showdown Review - Digging Down". Game Informer. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
- ^ Miller, Zachary; Ronaghan, Neal (December 17, 2019). "Shovel Knight: Showdown Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
- ^ Moser, Cassidee (April 10, 2015). "Shovel Knight Will Fight Kratos on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and Vita". IGN. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ Horti, Samuel (October 9, 2017). "The Battletoads have finally jumped into Shovel Knight on PC". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- ^ http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/editorial/37966/shovel-knight-might-have-the-best-use-of-streetpass [bare URL]
- ^ a b Turi, Tim. "Shovel Knight Devs Discuss Co-Op, Pogo Jumping, And Beyond". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2017.
- ^ Moriarty, Colin (March 14, 2013). "Shovel Knight: When Castlevania Meets Mega Man". IGN. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ Williams, Mike (May 24, 2014), Game Dev Recipes: Shovel Knight, USgamer, archived from the original on May 25, 2014, retrieved May 26, 2014
- ^ Lane, Gavin (October 17, 2020). "Feature: Playing The Name Game - Developers Discuss The Art Of Finding The Perfect Title". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
- ^ Suszek, Mike (April 14, 2013). "Shovel Knight Kickstarter campaign raises over $300K". Joystiq. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ Yacht Club Games (November 29, 2019). "How Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove Went From Minor DLC to a Collection Built to Last". USgamer. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
- ^ Green, Andy (April 14, 2013). "Shovel Knight Kickstarter Campaign Ends After Reaching All Stretch Goals". Nintendo Life. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
- ^ Baily, Kat (December 5, 2014). "2014 Recap: Shovel Knight's Surprisingly Affecting Storytelling". USgamer. Archived from the original on January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ Turi, Tim (July 24, 2014). "Shovel Knight Devs Discuss Co-Op, Pogo Jumping, And Beyond". Game Informer. Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ Yacht Club Games (March 15, 2017). "Shovel Knight rethinks gender in retro games with Body Swap Mode (update)". Polygon. Archived from the original on June 8, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2017.
- ^ "Gamasutra: David D'Angelo's Blog – Breaking the NES for Shovel Knight". www.gamasutra.com. June 25, 2014. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ Goergen, Andy (January 19, 2014). "Shovel Knight Entering Alpha Design Stage". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
- ^ Moriarty, Colin (January 22, 2014). "Old-School Game Shovel Knight Gets Release Date, New Trailer". IGN. Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
- ^ Ronaghan, Neal (March 12, 2014). "Shovel Knight Delayed 'A Few Weeks'". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
- ^ Johnson, Clay (June 6, 2014). "Shovel Knight Scheduled for June 26 Release". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on June 14, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
- ^ a b Moriarty, Colin (December 6, 2014). "PSXn2014: Shovel Knight Coming to PS4, PS3, Vita". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ "New ID@Xbox Games Storm GDC". Xbox Wire. March 3, 2015. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
- ^ Yacht Club Games [@YachtClubGames] (March 4, 2015). "The Battletoads drop in for a fight! Shovel Knight is headed to Xbox One and meets up with @RareLtd brawling trio!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Retail Update". October 8, 2015. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
- ^ a b "Switch-up!". Yachtclubgames. Yacht Club Games. Archived from the original on March 27, 2019. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
- ^ https://www.yachtclubgames.com/blog/shovel-knight-shovel-of-hope-dx-announcement [bare URL]
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for PlayStation Vita Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for Nintendo Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for 3DS Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for Wii U Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for Xbox One Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b "Shovel Knight for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b Moriarty, Colin (June 25, 2014). "Shovel Knight Review". IGN. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ a b J. Reed, Phillip (June 26, 2014). "Shovel Knight (3DS eShop) Review". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- ^ Riley, Justin (August 27, 2014). "Review: Shovel Knight, A Brilliant Homage To The 8-Bit Era". Archived from the original on July 2, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ Matulef, Jeffrey (August 7, 2014). "Shovel Knight sales surpass dev's lifetime estimate in one month". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- ^ Yacht Club Games [@YachtClubGames] (December 4, 2014). "Shovel Knight has surpassed 300k copies! A hearty "Thank You" to all Shovel Knight players out there!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Matulef, Jeffery (June 30, 2015). "Shovel Knight is getting a retail release". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
- ^ Mäki, Jonas (December 14, 2016). "1.5 million copies of Shovel Knight sold". Game Reactor. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
- ^ "Two Million Copies of Shovel Knight Sold!!". Yacht Club Games. April 11, 2018. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
- ^ Olson, Mathew (September 25, 2019). "Shovel Knight Developers Say King of Cards and Showdown Mark "The End"". USGamer. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
- ^ Kain, Erik (December 6, 2014). "All The Winners Of The 2014 Game Awards". Forbes. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
- ^ "Bravely Default – 3DS Game of the Year". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. December 9, 2014. Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ^ "Game of the Year 2014". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on November 27, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ^ "Mario Kart 8 – Wii U Game of the Year". GameSpot. December 14, 2014. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
- ^ "Giant Bomb's 2014 Game of the Year Awards: Day Three Text Recap". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive. December 28, 2014. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- ^ "Giant Bomb's 2014 Game of the Year Awards: Day Five Text Recap". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive. December 30, 2014. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
- ^ "Giant Bomb's 2014 Game of the Year Awards: Day Two Text Recap". Giant Bomb. CBS Interactive. December 27, 2014. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2014.
- ^ Whitehead, Thomas (December 25, 2014). "Game of the Year: Nintendo Life's Reader Awards 2014". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 26, 2014. Retrieved December 25, 2014.
- ^ Whitehead, Thomas (December 24, 2014). "Game of the Year: Nintendo Life's Staff Awards 2014". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on December 24, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
- ^ "NAVGTR Awards (2014)". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
- ^ "Best 3DS Game". IGN. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on January 22, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ^ "Shovel Knight". IGN. Ziff Davis. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
- ^ "Dragon Age: Inquisition". IGN. Ziff Davis. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
- ^ "Winner: Best Platformer – Shovel Knight". IGN. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
- ^ "Shovel Knight". IGN. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on February 12, 2015. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
- ^ "D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Shovel Knight". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Shovel Knight amiibo Unveiled". GameSpot. Archived from the original on August 28, 2015. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^ "3 Pack Shovel Knight amiibo". Yacht Club Games. June 14, 2018. Archived from the original on May 27, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Official Shovel Knight Cameo List - Yacht Club Games". Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ^ Holmes, Jonathan (July 4, 2017). "Shovel Knight and Shantae set to strike in Blaster Master Zero". Destructoid. Archived from the original on April 17, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
- ^ "Shovel Knight Will Make An Appearance In Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night – Siliconera". June 12, 2015. Archived from the original on January 18, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ Farokhmanesh, Megan (December 23, 2014). "Shovel Knight, what are you doing on that motorcycle?". Polygon. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
- ^ "A Shocking Surprise! Shovel Knight Appears in Gunvolt 2 – Yacht Club Games". yachtclubgames.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ Tales of Alethrion (April 22, 2015). "The Reward: Tales of Alethrion – "The First Hero"". Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved September 14, 2016 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Shovel Knight Joins Yooka-Laylee – Yacht Club Games". yachtclubgames.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ "Creepy Castle: Cameos'n Crossovers! |". Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
- ^ Juba, Joe (February 18, 2021). "Shovel Knight Gets Another Crossover, This Time In For Honor". Game Informer. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ Moon, Mariella (February 26, 2020). "New 'Shovel Knight' spinoff is a Tetris-like puzzle game". Engadget. Archived from the original on August 2, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
- ^ Raj, Hritwik (December 14, 2021). "All Playable Platforms for Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon". Touch, Tap, Play. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "Shovel Knight Dig Releases on September 23rd! - Yacht Club Games". Yacht Club Games. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.