Yacht Club Games explained that the team had been “working tirelessly day and night to finish development for release”, but it’s “just not quite there yet.” It also clarified that this “isn’t a major delay,” but rather “a stretch of time to apply some final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine.”

While it apologized for the sudden delay, it’s committed to delivering quality to its fans while ensuring the development team has “the time and resources to deliver an incredible adventure.” It’s currently working on game balancing, localization, testing across all platforms, finalizing “design, art, and sound,” and, fittingly enough, eating cheese.

Yacht Club will announce a new release date once the title is submitted for certification on all platforms, but it’s currently “so close” to being done. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for updates.

Mina the Hollower will be launching for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Inspired by top-down Game Boy Color classics like The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons/Ages, Mina the Hollower focuses on the titular character as she ventures to a mysteriously cursed island. Tasked with fixing its Spark Generators, she battles through monsters and bosses while tackling environmental obstacles and puzzles.

Of course, she won’t go unarmed, opting for various melee weapons and Sidearms. Mina is also capable of burrowing underground, which helps to navigate the world. Yacht Club promises a massive world to explore, but the gorgeous 8-bit aesthetic and accompanying MSX-esque soundtrack (composed by Jake Kaufman of Shovel Knight fame) will appeal to retro fans.

Set on a cursed island with Gothic Victorian horror vibes, Mina the Hollower involves saving its residents with a variety of weapons and tools at your disposal. Playing from a top-down perspective, its visuals evoke the 8-bit glory days, while Jake Kaufman channels the MSX era to compose the soundtrack.

Given that its scope became “significantly larger” last year, it should be interesting to see how much bigger it is than Shovel Knight. The demo includes the opening stages and the first boss fight, with progress transferring over to the game. It’s only available until June 16th when the Steam Next Fest ends. Stay tuned for more details in the coming months.

Yacht Club Games has announced that Shovel Knight Dig will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One in a couple weeks’ time, on May 15. Why a PS4 version isn’t on the docket is a mystery, especially with the game set to release for Xbox One. 

Meanwhile, on the same day, Yacht Club Games will also release Wicked Wish, the game’s second major free update, which will add new Relics, bosses, localization improvements, bug fixes, and more. 

In our review of Shovel Knight Dig, we awarded it a score of 9/10, saying, “Shovel Knight Dig, while far from being the furthest departure from the franchise’s classic gameplay, still manages to be a unique experience thanks to the unique twist of having to use a platforming move set to make progress by traversing vertical space. The Shovel Knight gameplay is still as crisp as ever, and Shovel Knight Dig’s story and progression systems do a great job of staying out of the way, and ultimately encouraging you to try one more run.” Read the full review through here.

Shovel Knight Dig is currently available on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Apple Arcade. 

What Yacht Club Games has announced a second free expansion. Dubbed Wicked Wishes, it will launch this summer, bringing new Relics, bosses, and more, alongside updates to the base experience that include over 100 bug fixes, localization improvements, and more. Yacht Club Games has also confirmed that Wicked Wishes will be the game’s final DLC.

As part of its presentation, Yacht Club Games made several announcements, including Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX and a new mainline Shovel Knight game being in development. The developer also showcased a new trailer for the upcoming Mina the Hollower.

While it doesn’t have a release window, Yacht Club confirmed that it’s “nearing the completion of the initial pass on all level content.” It’s focused on “crafting the final, most treacherous level” at the moment and integrating Mina’s final primary weapons and sidearms. The scope has also grown “significantly larger” than the development team anticipated initially.

There’s now an expansive overworld to explore and additional RPG elements. The next phases of development involve balancing, more polishing and refining the script. However, a “grand trailer” and gameplay reveal in the “near future” were teased (which could go into more detail on the various mechanics). In the meantime, backers will continue receiving regular updates on Kickstarter.

Mina the Hollower is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One.

As its name suggests, Shovel of Hope DX is an upcoming expanded re-release of the very original Shovel Knight’s very first campaign. It will come with a number of improvements and new features, including 20 playable characters in total, online multiplayer, and more. There will also be a new Rewind function, which will do exactly what it sounds like, while players will be able to use Save States. Beyond that, you can also expect over 300 cheats with which to modify the adventure and gameplay experience in a number of different ways. Meanwhile, previous updates for the game will, of course, be included as well.

“Simply put, this is the definitive edition of Shovel of Hope,” the developer says. “It’s also our way of preserving the game’s historical functionality, ensuring these elements remain available for future generations of players. And with the new multiplayer features and other enhancements, we hope it includes everything on your wish list.”

Thus far, Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX has only been announced for PC. There’s no word on whether it will also be releasing for other platforms, or when exactly it will be releasing. Stay tuned for more updates.

At its recent Yacht Club Games Presents presentation, the developer announced that it is working on the next mainline Shovel Knight game. Though not yet formally announced, Yacht Club says the game – which has been in the works for four years – will “launch Shovel Knight into an entirely new dimension of gaming”. Is that an indication that the next Shovel Knight is going to be a 3D title? That remains to be seen.

“We’re committed to crafting an experience that not only honors the Shovel Knight legacy but also pioneers groundbreaking, innovative gameplay mechanics,” Yacht Club says. “This isn’t just another sequel – it’s a bold new adventure that will launch Shovel Knight into an entirely new dimension of gaming.

“We’re not quite ready to unveil everything just yet, rest assured, the game will bring electrifying action, richer mechanics, and all the timeless charm you expect from a Shovel Knight title.

“It’s been four years in the making because we’re dedicated to perfecting every pixel and ensuring that the innovation will redefine what a Shovel Knight game can be.”

The developer also says it has planted hidden clues on what the future holds for Shovel Knight in the series’ past games – Treasure Trove, Dig, and Pocket Dungeon – so fans are going to have some more digging to do.

Of course, there will be some “new announcements” and “dazzling surprises” alongside special events and new merchandise. The last Yacht Club Games Presents was in 2022, where it announced three DLC packs for Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon and a new stage for Shovel Knight Dig. It also announced Mina the Hollower, a brand-new action adventure with Game Boy Color-style visuals for Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

It would go on to have a successful Kickstarter campaign, with 21,439 backers pledging $1,239,584 in funding. While a release date remains unknown, Yacht Club has provided private developer streams and updates for its backers. Perhaps it will narrow down a launch at the upcoming showcase. Stay tuned in the meantime.

We’re thrilled to announce a special edition of “Yacht Club Games Presents” to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Shovel Knight.

This live-streamed event will take place on our YouTube channel on Friday, June 14th, 2024 at 11:30 AM PT/ 2:30 PM EST. pic.twitter.com/Wu5u4QcmFI

— Yacht Club Games – YCG Presents airs on 6.14 (@YachtClubGames) June 4, 2024

Right from the beginning you can be rest assured that Shovel Knight Dig still feels just as good to control and play as the original release did. The platforming is snappy, and the level design goes quite far in making good use of the titular knight’s limited arsenal. The big thing to keep in mind, however, is that, for a change, Shovel Knight is going to be focusing on digging downwards.

"The platforming is snappy, and the level design goes quite far in making good use of the titular knight’s limited arsenal. The big thing to keep in mind, however, is that, for a change, Shovel Knight is going to be focusing on digging downwards."

In having its levels progress downwards rather than sideways, Shovel Knight has introduced a major shift to how the classic gameplay works. Rather than the original’s emphasis on figuring out the best way through a level while avoiding or taking out enemies and traps, Shovel Knight Dig, instead, focuses on keeping your downward momentum going. Rather than juggling having to deal with small monsters as you try and complete some challenging platforming puzzles, you’re going to be focused almost entirely on digging down.

This doesn’t mean that you don’t travel sideways at all; several of the randomly-generated levels have you visiting side rooms for some extra challenges, a merchant, or even just free loot. Some levels even have you move over a screen to your left or right in order to progress further downwards. But ultimately, the game is squarely focused on going down.

If you look at the release platforms for Shovel Knight Dig, it might start becoming more and more obvious just what kind of game it is. Considering the fact that it’s also being released on iOS devices through Apple Arcade, Shovel Knight Dig would obviously have to be designed around shorter play sessions; can’t really be in the middle of an intense boss fight while you’re waiting for your bus, after all.

This means Shovel Knight Dig’s challenge level isn’t as high as compared to the original. This, of course, also comes with the territory when you have randomly-generated levels rather than handcrafted ones with meticulous enemy placement. That’s not to say that it’s an easy game, however. You’ll be dying quite a bit as you try and make your way further downwards. It’s still a fair bit easier than its predecessors though.

The general gameplay loop of Shovel Knight Dig has been designed to encourage just one more run. Starting up a new run is as simple as jumping down a hole, after all, and the game doesn’t really bog you down with complicated progression systems. Even if you die, a fresh run is just a button press away.

"Shovel Knight Dig’s challenge level isn’t as high as compared to the original. This, of course, also comes with the territory when you have randomly-generated levels rather than handcrafted ones with meticulous enemy placement."

This roguelite gameplay loop works surprisingly well in Shovel Knight Dig. Nothing that could possibly discourage you from trying out another run is present in the game. Even upgrades are priced in such a way that you’re only going to be visiting the stores sometimes. You won’t really have enough currency to keep visiting the stores in between every run—unless you’re an absurdly good player, of course.

As for the story, Shovel Knight Dig is a far cry from the surprisingly involved plot of the original Shovel Knight. Rather than going on a grand quest to save a friend and a kingdom, you’re instead just trying to get your backpack back. While our titular knight was taking a nap in the woods, someone decided to dig a giant hole right next to his sleeping spot, taking Shovel Knight’s backpack as they went down. It’s now up to you to stop whatever nefarious plot is happening, and hopefully get your backpack back in the process.

This story isn’t really going to win any awards, but like I mentioned earlier in the review, there isn’t really anything present in the game that’s going to eat up too much of your time. Shovel Knight Dig really doesn’t want you to waste your time with a story. It really just wants you to engage with its gameplay.

This design philosophy works out incredibly well, largely because the core gameplay is fantastic. The controls are simple, movement feels snappy, and mistakes feel like your own. It never really feels like the game is acting against you. Instead, every hit you take and every death you die ends up feeling like they’re all just mistakes that you made. This encourages the player to try and get better at the game.

Visually, Shovel Knight Dig is gorgeous. While still using a pixel art style, just about every aspect has been touched up to a considerable degree. In fact, if you compare its looks to that of the original Shovel Knight, the difference becomes abundantly clear. Shovel Knight Dig is also a brighter and more colorful game than its predecessor.

Where the original Shovel Knight was focused on evoking a very specific look—that of a game running on a older hardware—Shovel Knight Dig manages to hang on to the same general aesthetics while still offering up more detail and more color. There are some spots where the higher fidelity might make things like secret destructible walls less obvious, but once you’ve played a few runs of Shovel Knight Dig, these concerns largely fall by the wayside.

"Visually, Shovel Knight Dig is gorgeous. While still using a pixel art style, just about every aspect has been touched up to a considerable degree."

The audio is no slouch either. Sound effects feel right at home with the art style, and the music, while sometimes repetitive, still feels quite at home. It’s able to capture the intensity of the general gameplay quite well, and the sound effect for when you land a killing blow on an enemy is still one of my favorites in just about any game. Even the boss fight music captures the hectic fight of classic Shovel Knight-styled bosses perfectly. Really, the only complaint I have here comes from the repetitiveness of the music in the regular non-boss levels.

Shovel Knight Dig is far from the biggest departure from the Shovel Knight formular. It doesn’t really change genres like, say, Shovel Knights Pocket Dungeon did. Rather, it takes the existing framework of Shovel Knight’s general gameplay, and throws in an interesting twist. The fact that rather than navigating through levels in the style of classic Mega Man games, you’re constantly digging downwards brings a radical change to how you look at Shovel Knight’s toolkit. Moves you’ve been familiar with for the purposes of platforming now all of a sudden have completely different uses. Bouncing off the top of enemies isn’t as useful for continuing further in the level as it was in the original game.

Ultimately, however, Shovel Knight Dig manages to pull off just about everything it was going for. The new roguelite gameplay loop works quite well with the protagonist’s limited-but-adaptable move set, and the game does as much as it can to engender the “one more run” mindset. It doesn’t bog you down with an overly-complex story or complicated progression systems. All it really wants you to do is dig downwards, and have fun doing it.

This game was reviewed on PC.