‘Shovel Knight Dig’ Review – Shovel Knight Gets His Hands Dirty
Shovel Knight came out a little over eight years ago, but thanks to a lot of updates and cameos, it feels like the character has never really been out of the spotlight. Still, if we count all of the updates to the main game as part of that game, Shovel Knight Dig is only the third game in the series. This is also the first Shovel Knight game to come out on mobile. Before this, mobile was about the only active platform that didn't have a Shovel Knight game on it. This game is available on the platform through Apple Arcade, so you know what to do if you want to play it.
The story is as straightforward as it can be. Shovel Knight is having a good time at his campsite a long time before the events of the first game. As he does. Drill Knight and his group come crashing through, take Shovel Knight's stuff, and run underground. What a bunch of idiots. Shovel Knight's name includes the word "shovel," so he takes out his trusted weapon and digs after them. Will this turn out to be a good idea, or will Shovel Knight regret it when he dies horribly for the hundredth time? Friends, that's up to you.
In many ways, it's an interesting game. Yes, it's pretty much a mix of Shovel Knight and Downwell. I can explain it that way, and I hope that will be enough to get many of you interested. You aren't falling straight down a shaft. Instead, you are digging down through a shaft that is mostly straight but has a few bends. Since gravity isn't pulling as hard on you, a nasty machine that will catch up to you if you stop for too long gives you a reason to keep moving. Like in Downwell, there are rooms that branch off the shaft where you can find more loot, items, and helpful characters. Just make sure you have the cash, honey, because these people don't give anything away.
There are a few different types of treats to deal with. You will gather gems, which are your main form of money. They can be used to buy and sell things. Some of them will be lost if you die, but the rest will go into a permanent pile that you can use to buy permanent upgrades. You'll also want to pick up the Golden Gears that are scattered around each stage. When you finish a stage, a machine pops up, and if you have enough Golden Gears for it, you can get a very helpful item that heals you or a random goodie. Your choice.
You can find and use different things at your own pace. Often, these things are helpful weapons that you can use a few times before they run out of power. Lastly, there are keys and other things that come after you. If you get hit too often, you'll lose them, so try not to get hit. You'll need those to get through doors and get other rewards. At first, you can only have one of each of these at a time, but as you go along, you'll be able to get more out of them.
You'll face a boss at the end of each set of stages. Even though these people didn't make it into The Order of No Quarter, they will give you a good run for your money. It feels most like the main Shovel Knight game when you're in a fight. They're new and fun, and they're one of the main ways the game stands out from other games like Downwell. This game can be finished, and while you might need a little luck to win, it's not as hard as it might seem at first. But don't stop digging just because you've reached the end. There are more things to find, and it will take a lot more work to get there.
Shovel Knight is a hero with a lot of skills. His shovel is a good weapon against enemies coming from any direction except above, and his signature Shovel Drop is especially good at killing enemies below him. You can easily jump from one enemy to the next, and you'll need to master this move to get the most loot and avoid the many dangers you'll face. Shovel Knight can also jump, and it's safe to say that he can get rid of most enemies this way as long as he's not being overpowered. Well, I don't think the bad guys will try to work together against him.
How the heck did I get this far without using the word "rogue"? So, I went ahead and did it. This is a roguelite, in case you couldn't tell from all the mechanics I've mentioned. This means that some of the stages are generated by a process, but the chunks are clearly made by hand and become very familiar after a few runs. As these things go, it's not too bad. I think it has the same problem that a lot of games like this do, which is that once you have a few permanent upgrades, there's not much reason to change things, but what can you do? It's hard to figure out what to do. When we find a pair of shoes that feel good, we don't want to give them up.
Also, this isn't always the best roguelite. There aren't a lot of hard decisions to make, and the bad bounces are easier to deal with than they usually are in this type of game. It's great that this is also a Shovel Knight game in every way. Even when the roguelike part of the game isn't working as well as you'd like, the fact that it's still Shovel Knight keeps things fun. Digging for gems, hitting things with a shovel, and pogo-bouncing off enemies over and over again like Uncle Scrooge taught you when you were a little kid are all things that are just fun, and Shovel Knight Dig is a good game for both happy and sad times.
I see that I also forgot to say that this one was made by Nitrome. Nitrome has been making mobile games for a long time, and both you and I know that they make some really good ones. Shovel Knight Dig is clearly made for regular controllers, and if you want to, you can use one of those. There are, however, two different options for touch controls, and I found that both of them did a good job of filling in for those who don't have a controller handy or just want to use their mobile device in a more mobile way. You can use touch controls or virtual buttons, and both are good in their own ways. I think you should force yourself to get used to the swipes because, in the end, they are a bit more accurate. But I'm not the control police, so use whichever one makes you feel the most at ease.
The way this game is set up is something that I don't think will cause any trouble or disagreement. The graphics don't have to stay true to "NES as you remember it." "standards, and it's great to see how animated and detailed Shovel Knight and his world can be without them. Jake "Virt" is always welcome "Kaufman is back to do his magic with the music for this game, so you know the sound is pure velvety gold for your ears. How can I not like you when you give me such great marching tunes?
Shovel Knight Dig has some things I don't like. I talked about how the roguelite parts don't always make sense and how some of the upgrades don't seem to do anything at all. I also think it can be annoying to shovel in the direction you want to go when enemies or traps are coming at you from behind. Sometimes, the game's pace seems a little off, like it doesn't know if it wants you to slow down or hurry the heck up. Overall, I'm not sure how much of this game's greatness comes from Shovel Knight Dig and how much comes from the original Shovel Knight. Does this cause trouble? I'm not sure. Not likely to be a big one.
Really and truly, the times when Shovel Knight Dig isn't as fun as it could be are far outnumbered by the times when it is. Like, it doesn't even make sense to compare. Especially because of how this game is played on mobile, I can't think of a reason why anyone with Apple Arcade wouldn't give this game some time. How could you not? It's a lot of fun and will keep you busy for hours. Who cares if it can't be played as many times as Dead Cells or Downwell? If you don't like roguelites, this game probably won't change your mind, unless you really, really like Shovel Knight. Otherwise, I'd say all systems are go here.
In the end, Shovel Knight Dig meets two of my needs: I wanted to play something like Shovel Knight on my iPhone, and I wanted more games like Downwell. Even though it's not perfect, it's a great game with a lot going for it. I'm really impressed by how well Nitrome was able to put the core of Shovel Knight into such a different format without losing the fun parts of the pineapple and pen it was trying to smash together.
Yes, that was a reference to Pikotaro in 2022. Nothing makes me sad. Shovel Knight Dig is a game I do not regret playing at all. What about you, my dear readers? I don't think you will either.
