Making it over to the Nintendo Wii U as a downloadable content title is an interesting little game called Shovel Knight. It has a retro look but packs quite a punch in terms of leaving a lasting impression. As such, Shovel Knight teaches us that you can still pay homage to the old school gaming and still have a kickass gameplay experience.
The story revolves around our hero known as the Shovel Knight who carries his own trusty shovel as his choice of weapon. He and his partner, Shield Knight, end up separated thanks to an evil sorcerer known as the Enchantress. Consequently, the sorcerer takes over the kingdom with the help of a group of eight knights, known as the Order of No Quarter. And so the adventure begins.
In terms of the controls, Shovel Knight plays out pretty well with its simple yet straight forward control scheme. You just simply move with the left analogue stick or d-pad while jumping and attacking are executed with the two face buttons laid out in a similar fashion as that in Super Mario Bros. Therefore, if you’re familiar with the controls of such 2D platformers back in the 8-bit era, you’re right at home here in the world of Shovel Knight.
It should not come of surprise that Shovel Knight can dig up treasures all throughout the levels. During the gameplay, you may come across numerous blocks, piles of sand, and other stuff to unveil treasure or loot to collect. Once you acquire enough, you can purchase weapons, armour, upgrades for your health as well as mana improvements. You can even run across special weapons hidden throughout the game that are unique and serve quite a purpose, such as a fire-wielding wand.
The degree of challenge in this particular Nintendo Wii game matches that in the Mega Man series. As you move on in any level, Shovel Knight will come across various enemies in which he will have to slash with his own shovel. Alternatively, he can attack them from the top as he jumps onto them, similarly as what you would do in Nintendo’s 8-bit title, Duck Tales.
While the appearance and diversity of enemies within Shovel Knight are pretty limited, the bosses themselves appear creative and pack quite a challenge. As most games of these types, finding the right attack and defense patterns is your ticket to success. The levels themselves are plentiful and have a variety of backgrounds, thus making the game wonderful and enjoyable to play through.
In terms of the presentation, the retro style appearance and audio approach are what gives Shovel Knight its charm. While gamers who expect top-of-the-line graphics and bass-heavy sound effects may be potentially turned off, those who are into old school gaming in the 8-bit era will have a soft spot in their hearts for this particular Nintendo Wii U title. The music is catchy as the tunes help to keep things lively and entertaining. The graphics themselves are offered in plenty of color and eye candy, even with its retro 8-bit approach.
At the end of the day, Shovel Knight delivers in terms of excellence. The gameplay is solid as it pays homage to such 8-bit classics as Mega Man and Duck Tales. If you’re into these classics, then “shovel†your way into the Nintendo eShop and pick this one up for your retro enjoyment.
