Mina the Hollower Reviews
Excellent dungeon design, a versatile digging mechanic, and rewarding progression make for an outstanding adventure. While the story falls short of its potential and the difficulty can be unforgiving, this is a must-play for fans of challenging action-adventure games.
Review in German | Read full review
Mina the Hollower succeeds because it understands that nostalgia is only valuable when paired with innovation. It borrows inspiration from Zelda, Castlevania, Bloodborne, and countless retro classics, but never loses its own identity in the process. The Hollowing mechanic is brilliant, the world is endlessly rewarding to explore, the bosses are unforgettable, and the presentation perfectly balances retro authenticity with modern craftsmanship. More importantly, it captures the magical feeling of discovery that defined gaming’s earlier generations while remaining unmistakably contemporary. Yacht Club Games built its reputation with Shovel Knight, and with Mina the Hollower, the studio proves that lightning can strike twice.
Explore every inch of a cursed island in an adventure that takes inspiration from the greats.
Mina is a gloriously gothic combination of ferocious combat and beautiful scenery, with enough secrets and modifiers to keep the game fresh and fun for a very long time.
Mina the Hollower's retro world is crammed with mysteries worth finding and lively, clever combat I couldn’t get enough of – it’s a big game in a small package, and an absolute masterpiece of an adventure.
Mina the Hollower is an almost faultless game that combines elements of nostalgic classics we know and love with a healthy dose of Yacht Club’s flair and expertise to make it something that truly stands out as a retro-inspired masterpiece.
I still want to see how many different ways I can put together all these options.
Mina the Hollower looks like a nostalgic throwback, and it undeniably is, but its thoughtful design and larger sensibilities make it play and feel like a contemporary video game – one that has taken the right lessons from the medium’s history.
Shovel Knight was a well-deserved successful debut for Yacht Club. Mina the Hollower may be its masterpiece.
Somehow, the Dark Souls influences keep Mina from being the best Zelda-style game it could be, while the Zelda mechanics prevent it from reaching the heights of the best Soulslikes.
Mina the Hollower is Yacht Club Games' biggest project so far and one that showcases a strong understanding of what action adventures are all about.
Yacht Club Games has successfully made the leap from Mario-inspired side-on platforming to Zelda-style adventure, delivering another retro-styled masterpiece. Mina the Hollower is an intricate, challenging yet accessible adventure packed with content, set against a gorgeous 8-bit gothic backdrop.
With Mina the Hollower, Yacht Club Games managed to beautifully pay homage to some of the absolute greatest classics in gaming history, all while carving out their own entirely fresh identity with an irresistible experience.
Mina the Hollower is a fantastic game , it's destined to become a new classic of the indie scene and is one of the must-haves of 2026.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Game Boy Color lives again, via an inventive top-down adventure that’s filled with clever design decisions and surprisingly nuanced combat and gameplay.
Mina the Hollower has the weight of expectation upon it, and it's a game that meets many of them. The retro aesthetic is lovely, the world is well made, the boss fights are varied, and there is a lot to find, but it also has its frustrations. Poor navigation is the main factor that sucked some of the enjoyment out, with the game really wanting a better map to aid you. Still, Yacht Club Games has made a good game overall with Mina the Hollower.
Mina the Hollower is a charming and challenging adventure that never ceased to delight and surprise in music, art, and gameplay.
This brilliant adventure creates a whole world from one character with a unique ability
No mere Link's Awakening homage.
Having moved from 2D platformer to top-down adventure game, Yacht Club Games has gone from strength to strength to deliver a game that has completely taken over my spare time, and keeps dragging me back to explore more of The Tenebrous Isle. Make no mistake, Mina The Hollower is no hollow victory, it's something truly special.