Shovel Knight is an excellent throwback to the classic NES era platformers. With its charming 16-bit aesthetic, its solid gameplay, genuine love for the genre and its innovation of it, Shovel Knight is a must buy for lovers of retro games and newcomers.
Shovel Knight
89
Top Critic Average
90%
Critics Recommend
Game Rant
4.5 / 5
Eurogamer
7 / 10
PC Gamer
80 / 100
IGN
9 / 10
Game Rant
4 / 5
GamesRadar+
4.5 / 5
Game Informer
8.8 / 10
GameSpot
7 / 10
Creators: Yacht Club Games
Release Date: Jun 24, 2014 - PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC, Nintendo 3DS, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch
Shovel Knight Review Summary
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Critic Reviews for Shovel Knight
'Shovel Knight', from Yacht Club Games, is a well-crafted love letter to the 8-bit era of gaming, as well as being a fantastic and addictive 2D platformer.
There is gold in these old genres, and Shovel Knight is a successful dig.
Shovel Knight lovingly recreates the simple pleasures of 8-bit platformers and improves on them with modern ideas that make every level different and worth playing.
Shovel Knight -- in all of its old-school glory -- is arguably the best game released so far in 2014.
The original game remains untouched and is still as challenging and addicting as ever, but consumers looking for something new won't find it here. The game's throwback sound and graphics look fantastic on the PS4 and the Xbox One, but obviously a game built around the 8-bit aesthetic doesn't benefit from a current-gen remake the way something like The Last of Us or Grand Theft Auto 5 is able to.
A varied and charming platformer, only blighted when it lets players get a little overpowered.
A captivating, breezy journey that saves the most punishing levels for last. A New Game Plus boosts the replayability factor
Shovel Knight recalls, but doesn't rely on, many greats from gaming's past, but lacks the inventive spark that could have elevated it to classic territory.
Industry Coverage
Shovel Knight Rocks the Block with Steel Thy Concert Series
NYC and LA, get ready for the 'Knight' of your life with Shovel Knight: Steel Thy Concert!
Read more
Shovel Knight's Showdown and King of Cards DLC Now Have a Release Date
Yacht Club Games has announced a release date for the final Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove DLC
Read more
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