Shovel Knight might just become the next Mario, having appeared in many games since appearing in his eponymous first title in 2014. Now, the armored-up, shoveling hero returns for another adventure with shiny new, high-fidelity pixelated graphics and a second developer at the helm with Shovel Knight Dig.
Today, Shovel Knight developers Yacht Club Games announced a new title starring Shovel Knight. Shovel Knight Dig is the newest title starring the knight and is co-developed by Nitrome and Yacht Club Games. For those unaware of who Nitrome is, it is a development studio known for its flash games from years back. More recently the company made mobile games and even Bomb Chicken for consoles and PC.
Shovel Knight Dig has players taking on a new foe. The Order of No Quarter is not your enemy here, it's Drill Knight (not to be confused with Mole Knight, who also drills and digs around dirt). Drill Knight destroys poor Shovel Knight's camp and steals all of his treasure, so it's up to you to stop this audacious new enemy and take back what is yours.
As you can tell, Shovel Knight Dig features a new story, but it also features new gameplay and graphics. Nitrome's signature, high res pixelated graphical style shines in Shovel Knight Dig. In this game, Shovel Knight digs down in the dirt while collecting treasure and fighting foes you'll recognize from the original game. Levels are procedurally generated, and have different environments as you continue your journey.
Right now, we know that Shovel Knight Dig is coming to PAX West this weekend and will be playable on the Switch. A post on the PlayStation blog also indicates that it will come to that console as well. One can assume availability on the PC and Xbox One as well.
Quick Take
I'm pumped for this announcement. I was a huge fan of Nitrome's flash games back in the day, playing every one of them that released. Now, they've moved on to a more profitable venture with mobile and console/PC titles, but they haven't changed much - this is a good thing. Their art style is fantastic, and they always make very clever, interesting mechanics and puzzles. I can't wait to see how the partnership with Yacht Club Games turns out.Are you excited for Shovel Knight Dig? Let us know in the comments below!
