Shovel Knight

[Ronnie]

I hate the look of NES graphics

 

?!?!?!?!?!?! wtf

[Dcubed]

Changing my tune - ppl reckon this is worth picking up for a bit of 2-player friendship of any sort? Got my mate popping round on Saturday, maybe we could spend the day either taking it in turns(level by level or death by death) if it'll be a chuckle. Anyone tried the WiiU battle mode also - what's it like?

 

The Wii U Battle Mode isn't out yet. It's upcoming free DLC. No date yet, will probably be a while since Yacht Club Games is only 6 people...

[Blade]

I hate NES games and find them unplayable. For example in Metroid the bullets don't even go to the end of the screen!!

[Dcubed]

I hate NES games and find them unplayable. For example in Metroid the bullets don't even go to the end of the screen!!

 

Somebody never played that game for more than 15 mins (There's a powerup called the Long Beam that extends the range of your bullets to the end of the screen)

[Ronnie]

I hate NES games and find them unplayable

 

!!!! Get out....

 

/jk

 

I assume you didn't grow up playing them then?

[S.C.G]

Well I feel that I must say that Shovel Knight is nothing but a finely polished masterpiece which uses 8-bit style graphics to its credit, honestly there is more subtle detail in some of the environments that actually make you sit up and take notice than in many modern-day titles.

 

Everything is produced to the highest standard so there are no vanishing projectiles or graphical artifacts which shouldn't be there, it's just pure wonderment from start to finish purely on a visual level; when you get down to things like the soundtrack with its multi-layered compositions with each theme for the stages being thematically different from the last helping to add distinction to each part of the world which is already there but just becomes further enhanced by the music, plus it really spurs you on during those challenging moments, plus lets not forget those finely sampled sound effects.

 

All of the stages have been deviously designed by someone with a clearly sadistic streak as they are all challenging in their own way taking inspiration from Mega Man, Castlevania and Zelda II to a certain extent, yet it never feels brutally unfair - aside from when you get knocked into a bottomless pit for the tenth time over - at least giving you a chance to learn from your mistakes before retrying from the last checkpoint; this system in itself is genius because instead of having lives you actually lose a certain amount of the treasure you've collected with the option of reclaiming it if you can get back to the point where you departed without falling again. Indeed if you're over-confident in your skill level then you can even break the checkpoints with your shovel which will gain you more treasure but if you should slip up then just be aware that it'll be back to the start with you, I personally wouldn't advise it, nice as it is to at least have the option for perhaps more masochistic players. :awesome:

 

Being that you need a certain amount of treasure to advance in the game - at least until you've purchased all of the available upgrades - it certainly will affect the way that you play; after clearing a stage with a few thousand gold do you then opt to cash it in for one reasonably priced but useful upgrade or do you risk another stage to try doubling your haul so you can go for that super-flashy armour set because it will all cost you, then you have the health plus magic upgrades to factor in which means you have a brilliant risk versus reward system that feels unique.

 

Personally I would say that it's worth owning Shovel Knight on either platform - or both - because they each have their plus points, the Wii U version feels like you're playing a NES title which feels like it could have been in development since that very era plus the promise of the Battle Mode is tantalising; then you have the 3DS version which feels like you're playing a modern version of a game that's already known as a classic - if that makes sense - as the 3D elevates it to an entirely different plain of greatness being that you will notice so much more detail, there's the advantage of portability and of course the Streetpass Arena mode which feels like a Super Mario Bros arcade coin collecting challenge fused with a Zelda II style battle which you're only half aware of taking part in, it really is understated genius. : peace:

 

Whichever version you pick though just be sure to enjoy what it most definitely without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest games of this generation which you will find uniquely rewarding. If you're a fan of classic game design filled with fantastic humour, engaging mechanics and above all something that's fun to play from start to finish then I really can't recommend Shovel Knight enough; I find it hard to believe that such a finely crafted experience was created by barely a handful of people whose talents surely know no end, Yacht Club games really are a credit to this industry as is this game which I would really urge everyone to 'dig deep' for, I can verily verify that it is worth every piece of gold and then some.

 

(I started writing this post after just finishing the game and wanting to share my thoughts but all of this is totally going in the review)

[dazzybee]

I hate NES games and find them unplayable. For example in Metroid the bullets don't even go to the end of the screen!!

 

Crazy. You don't think games like Mario, Mario 3, Punch Out etc are still amazing?!

 

I think a lot of NES games are cack, but a lot are still great. And ultimately it's a huge nostalgia trip for me.

 

Also, Kung Fu and Gun Smoke are still amazing.

[Ronnie]

Crazy. You don't think games like Mario, Mario 3, Punch Out etc are still amazing?!

 

I think a lot of NES games are cack, but a lot are still great. And ultimately it's a huge nostalgia trip for me.

 

Also, Kung Fu and Gun Smoke are still amazing.

 

Marble Madness, Wrecking Crew, Bart Simpson v the Space Mutants, Ice Climber, Bubble Bobble...........

[Hero-of-Time]

Crazy. You don't think games like Mario, Mario 3, Punch Out etc are still amazing?!

 

I think a lot of NES games are cack, but a lot are still great. And ultimately it's a huge nostalgia trip for me.

 

Also, Kung Fu and Gun Smoke are still amazing.

 

I think if you never grew up playing them then they can be hard to play now. I personally love them as they send me back to my childhood but without the nostalgia factor a lot of the charm is probably lost on a lot of people.

 

It also doesn't help that most NES games are hard as hell. I must have had the patience of a saint as a kid to get through some of the games. Of course the Game Genie did get whipped out from time to time.

 

Marble Madness, Wrecking Crew, Bart Simpson v the Space Mutants, Ice Climber, Bubble Bobble...........

 

: peace: : peace:

 

I actually never played Wrecking Crew until the NES Remix collection hit the Wii U. I found it to be a great little game.

[Ronnie]

!!! and how cold I forget Cobra Triangle!!! Amazing game

 

Marble Madness

: peace: : peace:

 

Let's take a trip back to the 1980s....

 

	Audio

 

	Audio

 

	Audio

[Nintendo Fan]

Finally Shovel Knight time has come!! download almost complete just a few more minutes, I'm really excited damn it's been a long wait.

[Grazza]

I do actually agree with @Blade regarding the graphics. Although they are perfectly good, I just don't see the point in going back that far; giving yourself that many limitations - other than nostalgia, of course.

 

When I originally saw Shovel Knight on Kickstarter I was fairly interested in it because it looked like a good platformer, not because it was imitating the NES. And now, when I play it, my feelings are the same - I judge it on how good it is and don't get an extra thrill from it styling itself on a NES game.

[Goron_3]

I'm so glad you guys have loved the game

 

Come on Nintendo, give them an old classic I.P and let them produce something magical. A Captain Falcon 2D platformer or an Ice Climbers Metroidvania title....oh man. I'd do dirty things for those games.

[drahkon]

Is this game Cross-buy?

[S.C.G]

Is this game Cross-buy?

 

No but there is this deal on until the end of the year...

 

 

Effectively both versions for around £20 - there was a free theme with the 3DS version too but that expired yesterday I think - it's a good deal. : peace:

[drahkon]

Effectively both versions for around £20 - there was a free theme with the 3DS version too but that expired yesterday I think - it's a good deal. : peace:

 

Nah, don't think it's a good deal. Only want the 3DS version but it's a bit expensive for a game I will only play once.

 

Will wait for the Steam Christmas sale

[Dcubed]

Nah, don't think it's a good deal. Only want the 3DS version but it's a bit expensive for a game I will only play once.

 

Will wait for the Steam Christmas sale

 

I would've happily have paid £40 at retail for this game. It's that good!

 

Really if anything, it's too cheap. It absolutely deserves to be bought at full price!

[drahkon]

I would've happily have paid £40 at retail for this game. It's that good!

 

Really if anything, it's too cheap. It absolutely deserves to be bought at full price!

 

And yet, I won't buy it at full price because I'm a cheap bastard :p

[Zechs Merquise]

I hate NES games and find them unplayable. For example in Metroid the bullets don't even go to the end of the screen!!

 

You don't like games that require initiative and skill to play? Wow, I would never have guessed!

 

@kav82 - would you have thought such a thing???

[Grazza]

So, I finished it at 8hrs 37 with all the sidequests done and about 89% of items (I gave up on music pages in the end). My favourite bit was actually the Hall of Champions. I assumed it was going to be a "fight as long as you can" sort of thing, but it was actually something completely different that happened to be a fun, easy diversion.

 

I'm not normally a fan of double-speak ("it's good and bad"), but I really feel that every one of Shovel Knight's strengths is a potential weakness... and vice versa. Technically, I would say it has no faults at all, and could easily see how some consider it a 10/10. Yacht Club Games has achieved their goal to perfection.

 

We've talked about the graphics a lot and I've admitted I am not a fan of the "12-bit" style, but let's be fair. The sprites are huge, detailed and drawn with great artistry. The parallax is amazing and there is no slowdown or flicker. In reality, it's far more than the NES could do.

 

I've also said I don't totally love the music, but Jake Kaufman is an expert at meeting his brief. Just as Shantae is full of Eastern mystery, conjuring up Arabian Nights, and Mighty Switch Force is full-on techno/dubstep, Shovel Knight is full of the bleeps and bloops we all listened to in the '80s. Many of the tunes are catchy, but my personal favourite was the romantic campfire melody.

 

Probably the best thing, though are the controls. It may look like a NES game, but you won't find yourself struggling with them like you might with Super Mario Bros (if you're not used to it).

 

As for the difficulty, there are some moments I found frustrating, but the checkpoints are mostly reasonable. I was never stuck for hours and hours, and none of the bosses go too far. The final boss is a fair challenge, but enjoyable. @Glen\-i hit the nail on the head saying the only real problem is the knockback. It's not a short game, but I stand by what I said about the length being almost entirely due to the difficulty (exactly like all 8-bit games).

 

So those are my general thoughts about Shovel Knight. The graphics have certain limitations... but they're meant to. The music has certain limitations... but it's meant to. The difficulty is high-ish... like it's meant to be, etc, etc.

 

What I admire most about Shovel Knight is that it draws a line and says "Games used to be like this, and it was enough". There's no voice acting, no online play, no gratuitous violence, no DLC. It's everything that drew true gamers to games in the past. Whilst I admit I prefer WayForward's own approach to pixel art and music, the way Shovel Knight is done is still something to cherish.

 

Perhaps surprisingly, considering all these self-imposed limitations, the thing that stays with me the most is the story. An honourable knight, the only one pure and true enough to resist evil, determined to rescue his lover. Maybe I'm taking it too seriously, but I genuinely found it quite touching. Sometimes less is more.

 

Yacht Club Games has proved that, with simplicity and focus, you can produce a game that is far more satisfying than most retail releases. And you know what? I'll shovel to that!

[S.C.G]

For Shovelry!

 

 

N-Europe Review

 

 

: peace:

[Blade]

You don't like games that require initiative and skill to play? Wow, I would never have guessed!

 

@kav82 - would you have thought such a thing???

 

No, I don't like games that make my eyes bleed.

 

Tell me where I said I "don't like games that require initiative and skill to play?"

 

Oh, look I didn't say that at all. Wow, I would never have guessed :p

Edited November 17, 2014 by Blade

[Zechs Merquise]

No, I don't like games that make my eyes bleed.

 

Tell me where I said I "don't like games that require initiative and skill to play?"

 

Oh, look I didn't say that at all. Wow, I would never have guessed :p

 

Mate, you got confused by Hyrule Warriors! So I can't imagine you getting on well with any NES games hahahaha

[Kav]

No, I don't like games that make my eyes bleed...

 

@Zechs Merquise don't forget, Hex at Alton Towers did the same to him. #beta-male :p

[Ronnie]

"beta-male" haha love it, and suitably apt for someone not liking NES graphics!