Game Specs for Shovel Knight

NOTE: When possible, the game's official manual or official documentation from the game maker's company is used — with spelling or terminology presented as is, despite some translation errors.

SPOILER ALERT: Some of the categories below may have a question mark to conceal important or secret revelations in the game. If you would like to see the unknown revealed, a rollover option or external link will be attached to the question mark.

Title:

Shovel Knight

Company:

Yacht Club Games

Developer(s)/Designer(s):

(Programming) David D'Angelo
(Programming) Ian Flood
(Art) Erin Pellon
(Design) Sean Velasco
(Art) Nick Wozniak

Composer(s)/Musician(s):

(Sound) Jake "Virt" Kaufman
Manami Matsumae (contributed 2 Tracks)

Year:

2014

Release Date:

June 26, 2014 (Wii U Version)

System:

Wii U, Windows, Steam, 3DS, OSX, Linux, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One

Genre:

Adventure, Platformer

Ratings/Suitable For Age Group?:

E for Everyone (Mild/Cartoon Violence)

Arcade Version?:

Port To Other Game Systems:

Wii U, Windows, Steam, 3DS, OSX, Linux, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One

Part of Franchise:

Rarity/Availability:

Not rare, but available as physical copy or digital download across several systems/consoles.

Add'l Game System Peripheral Needed To Play?:

All are optional, but not necessary to play:

The Wii U offers an Amiibo Shovel Knight - an exclusive character that unlocks two-player, co-op gameplay!

Yes, the Shovel Knight Amiibo figurine...

This Gold Edition Amiibo Shovel Knight - released late in 2019 - is an exclusive character that unlocks features for the Wii U, 3DS and Switch.

This Gold Edition Amiibo Shovel Knight - released late in 2019 - is an exclusive character that unlocks features for the Wii U, 3DS and Switch.

And the Gold Edition Shovel Knight Amiibo figurine!

This special amiibo - released in December, 2019 - is compatible with the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS and Switch. It unlocks the Custom Knight mode for Shovel of Hope, co-op challenge stages in Shovel of Hope, Baron Set costume for Shovel Knight Showdown and Fairy of Shovelry in any Shovel Knight game.

Additionally, optional controllers can be used with Wii U version.

1 or 2 Player:

1 Player
(2 Player Co-Op possible with Shovel Knight Amiibo on Wii U)

Number of Reserve Players:

1 Player

1-UP's:

Life Meter:

Yes — start with 3, can build up to 10.

Password:

Yes (Inputting Passwords is possible, but not quite the classic sense because the game already saves progress.)

Battery:

No (But, being that the game is on modern systems, it saves progress digitally.)

Continue?:

Yes - Unlimited

Perspective/Orientation Gameplay:

2D and Horizontal/Vertical (Retraceable/Freedom to Backtrack)

Number of Levels:

8 Areas inhabited by the Order Of No Quarter Knights, the Tower Of Fate, plus the Village, the Armor Outpost, Wandering Travelers and several other landmarks on the World Map.

Checkpoints?:

Yes, but varies between 4 and 6 per Stage.

Save points?:

No, but game can be saved at any point by accessing Return To Map option.

Uninterrupted Play?:

Upon death of Shovel Knight, play stops and resumes from last checkpoint.

Internal Map(s)?:

Screenshot of Shovel Knight's World Map screen.

Yes. World Map is an interactive part of gameplay.

Score?:

Difficulty Settings:

Time Limit?:

Hero(es)/Heroine(s):

Shovel Knight

Sidekick(s)/Cast?:

Shield Knight

Enchantress and her Order Of No Quarter

(clockwise from left to right: Mole Knight, Polar Knight, King Knight, Specter Knight, Propeller Knight, Treasure Knight, Tinker Knight and Plague Knight)

Portrait of the mysterious, BLACK KNIGHT

Black Knight

and various other characters

Weapons:

RELICS:

	Flare Wand (Conjure fiery blasts!)
	Dust Knuckles (Dash through dirt and foes alike!)
	Alchemy Coin (Toss a coin for a chance at riches.)
	War Horn (Clear space around you with a powerful blow!)
	Fishing Rod (Cast into a pit, and wait for a bite!!)
	Phase Locket (Escape from all harm... briefly.)
	Throwing Anchor (An unstoppable arc of destruction.)
	Mobile Gear (Ride over hazards and reach higher places!)
	Propeller Dagger (Soar through the sky blade first!)
	Chaos Sphere (An orb of boundless combat potential.)

Items:

GEAR:

Shovel Knight shops at the Aerial Anvil for Shovel Blade and Armor Upgrades.

Shovel Blade Upgrades:

Charge Handle (Hold your attack to unleash a powerful charge slash!)
Trench Blade (Dig up a whole pile in one mighty motion.)
Drop Spark (Slash to spark the ground when you're at full health.)

Armor Upgrades:

Stalwart Plate (Your original armor. Simple, yet sturdy.)
Final Guard (Drop half as much gold when you fall in battle!)
Conjurer's Coat (Sacrifice some protection for a higher magic limit, and harvest magic from defeated foes!)
Dynamo Mail (Perform two consecutive shovel drops to unleash a powerful charge slash!)
Mail Of Momentum (Heavily plated. Keep your footing when struck, but stopping may be a problem!)
Ornate Plate (Flashy! Acrobatic! Useless!)

Screen with Shovel Knight, Goatician, Gastronomer and Magicist in Village

Meal Ticket (Get from Goatician and give to Gastronomer to upgrade your health meter.)
Magic Upgrade (Buy from the Magicist to maximize magic and increase Magic Meter.)

Power-Ups:

Shovel Knight receives either Ichor of Renewal, Boldness and Fortune for his Chalices from the Troupple King.

Chalices holding Ichor of:

Renewal (Refills all health and magic.)
Boldness (Become invincible for 10 seconds.)
Fortune (Absorb nearby treasure for 60 seconds.)

Gold/Treasure (Treasure to purchase Gear and more.)
Magic Jars (Replenish your magic meter.)
Food (Eat up for more health.)
Music Sheet (Collect these to have the Bard play back music for you — essentially a sound test.)

Power-Downs:

Main Enemy:

Spoiler alert! Click here to see

Person/Place Being Saved:

The Land and Shield Knight?

Objective/Goal:

Seal the Tower Of Fate and save Shield Knight

Ending?:

Yes

Secret Code(s)?:

Shovel Knight allows for cheat codes to be activated.

Yes! Currently, several cheat codes are available.
[Click here for details from Secrets & Tips - CHEAT CODES, CHEAT CODES AND MORE CHEAT CODES Section of Shovel Knight Review.]

Stage Select:

Invincibility:

Yes
[Click here for details from Secrets & Tips - CHEAT CODES, CHEAT CODES AND MORE CHEAT CODES Section of Shovel Knight Review.]

Extra Players:

N/A

Continues:

N/A

Sound Test:

Additional Secret Codes:

Several

Trivia/Little Known Facts:

During the Kickstarter campaign for the funding of Shovel Knight, donors who pledged certain money amounts to the cause, earned special privileges in the creation of the game. Several of these privileges helped to immortalize the generous donors in a number of ways:

All donors of $200 had their portraits placed within the walls of the Hall Of Champions!

All donors of $1,000 had the opportunity to create the Wandering Travellers (Baz, Reize, Mr. Hat and Phantom Striker)!


Baz		Reize

Mr. Hat		Phantom Striker

The Feat known as "Only You" serves as a wink and nod to the old Smokey Bear campaign, in which, Smokey declared that "Only you can prevent forest fires!" This Feat is accomplished by Shovel Knight digging up the campfire and placing dirt on its dying embers to help "prevent forest fires".
The game's composer, Jake "Virt" Kaufman, created the vintage, chiptune soundtrack using FamiTracker software.
The XBox One version of Shovel Knight features special cameos by the Battletoads, a classic title found on the NES with subsequent releases on various systems.
The PlayStation 4 version of Shovel Knight features a special cameo by Kratos, the protagonist from the God Of War series.
The logo of Yacht Club Games can be found in a hidden area in King Knight's Pridemoor Keep.