Game2017

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment

ActionAdventureIndie

Developer Yacht Club Games

Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment is a 2017 downloadable content (DLC) expansion for the 2014 platform game Shovel Knight, developed and published by Yacht Club Games. The player takes control of Specter Knight, an undead warrior tasked with recruiting a group of knights for the Enchantress, the main villain of Shovel Knight. Specter Knight can run up walls and jump off them, and slash through enemies and objects… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

340 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 4, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works

Audience score

97
LovedLoved

139 positive · 5 negative
95% range 92–99%

Source+−=
Steam reviews13950
Bluesky *42399
Lemmy *4027
Mastodon *0120

* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).

Steam's own rating
Very Positive
251 of 268 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)

What players are saying

97% recommend · 145 yes, 5 no

Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 150 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (465 of 493 positive).

Players praise the fluid movement, satisfying combat, and excellent soundtrack. [1][2][3] Many recommend buying Treasure Trove instead for the full collection. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize the controls and automated movement as frustrating. [7][8][9]

Liked
Disliked
  • Frustrating automated movement and controls [7][8]
  • Overuse of scythe slash ability [9]
  • Shorter than the original campaign [10][14]
Representative posts
  • [2]Steam user Steam user …8698Steam review · Dec 31, 2022 · Recommended

    One of the best 2d platform games, up there with super mario bros, sonic mania,donkey kong tropical freeze, rayman origins, and etc. Controls are so smooth and fluid, Boss fights are satisfying. not that hard and not that easy. just the right tempo. If you are a fan of platformers then have a whack with this game. 10/10.

  • [11]Steam user Steam user …8934Steam review · Jul 6, 2020 · Recommended

    Single-handedly the most infuriatingly fun platformer I have ever played. The music to the visuals are gorgeous, the narrative, while not being largely fleshed out is great and fits perfectly. The controls make me want to die, but you can't have everything. One of the best bang-for-buck games on the market; almost an essential for any fans of great soundtracks.

  • [10]Steam user Steam user …3893Steam review · Feb 21, 2026 · Recommended

    Specter of Torment is a fantastic addition to the Shovel Knight series — the movement mechanics feel incredibly fluid once it clicks, and using your scythe to grind rails and skate into enemies never gets old. The music is an absolute banger and the story adds surprising depth to a character I didn't expect to care about this much. It's a bit shorter than the original campaign, but the tighter, more focused design …

  • [1]Steam user Steam user …6002Steam review · Feb 20, 2020 · Recommended

    I love this game, the story, the character development, I just like it all. The game play overall as well as the music is really enjoyable. I could play this game for hours upon hours

  • [3]Steam user Steam user …7555Steam review · Jun 9, 2024 · Recommended

    The difficulty of the game is balanced, challenging but not frustrating. The music is fast-paced and exhilarating. The art style is retro, but the design is quite modern. Specter Knight is satisfying to control with his Wall Climb and Dash Slash moves. No doubt a good action adventure game, so good that I completed all the Feats(achievements).

Summarised from 34 of the 305 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 10, 2026. How summaries are made

RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account

97% of the 150 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment. The complaint that keeps coming up: frustrating automated movement and controls. Deal-breaker or nitpick?

Reactions

60 of 340 · most liked first
  • Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.socialBluesky · Dec 2, 2025

    NEW: Yacht Club Games needs a hit. In recent years the maker of Shovel Knight has had to lay off staff, pause a 3D project, and delay their next game indefinitely. The good news is that Mina the Hollower could be special. For Businessweek, this is their story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

    neutral · AI labelView post →
  • Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.socialBluesky · Dec 2, 2025

    I think it's worth pointing out that very few video-game companies are as transparent as Shovel Knight maker Yacht Club Games, and I appreciate that the studio was so candid about their story and why their next game, Mina the Hollower, has taken so long www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

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  • Casey S. Pumpkins 🎃 @caseyexplosion.bsky.socialBluesky · Apr 4, 2026

    Hey folks, how about a short thread of upcoming games I'm looking forward to? 1. Mina the Hollower The new game from Shovel Knight developers Yacht Club, I've been eagerly anticipating this one, it looks so good! Love that there's a few games lately that have that Gameboy colour vibe going on.

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  • Yacht Club Games @yachtclubgames.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 4, 2026

    We’re doing a Reddit AMA on r/Games tomorrow at 11 AM Pacific! ⚓ Ask us about Mina the Hollower, Shovel Knight, game design, Kickstarter, staying independent, launch week, or Yacht Club Games in general. Bring your questions and we’ll see you there! 🐭🕯️ link below⬇️

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  • Sandy Gordon @bandygrass.bsky.socialBluesky · Feb 13, 2026

    Fun Fact: Mina the Hollower is larger than ALL Shovel Knight titles in Treasure Trove combined... 😱 Total Game Screens Shovel of Hope/Plague of Shadows: 409 Specter of Torment: 433 King of Cards: 397 Mina the Hollower: 1246 ❗❗❗❗

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  • Zullie @zulliethewitch.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 12, 2026

    Current plan is to stream a new game, Mina the Hollower, tomorrow at noon CST. I was interested knowing it was by the Shovel Knight devs, but even better, I found out it's apparently an homage to old GameBoy era Zelda titles, and those were some of my favorite games growing up.

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  • Nitrome @nitrome.bsky.socialBluesky · May 15, 2025

    EXCITING NEWS!!! Shovel Knight Dig is OUT NOW on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Steam, & Apple Arcade! This release includes the full base game along with all expansions, including the Wicked Wishes update, which adds new bosses, quests, secrets, & game-changing upgrades. Delve in today!

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  • RPG Site @rpgsite.netBluesky · May 15, 2026

    "If Shovel Knight is our Mario, Mina would become our Zelda" - Sean Velasco from Yacht Club Games on Mina the Hollower, seven new game plus modes, potential DLC, balancing difficulty & accessibility, the price point, and much more: www.rpgsite.net/interview/20...

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  • Kris Wolfheart @kriswolfhe.artBluesky · Jun 23, 2025

    We played and discussed Pipistrello. Go play Pipistrello. This is an indie game every bit as good as the big ones being glazed this year. Pocket Trap released as good as something like a Shovel Knight or even Minish Cap itself. Yoko Shimomura did a song in this game! www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4JN...

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  • Thew Adams @toygrind.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 14, 2026

    It's 2026, I am 42 years old, and I've just finished my first playthrough of Shovel Knight What a game

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  • Dari/scitydreamer @scitydreamer.bsky.socialBluesky · Aug 22, 2025

    People say “oh, the Shovel Knight devs only needed to kickstart THIS amount of money to make the game!”, ignoring that the money didn’t last and the developers were on the verge of being completely broke before release

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  • Josh Jepson @jepson.tvBluesky · Nov 26, 2024

    Today’s video game #RatOfTheDay is Propeller Rat from Shovel Knight

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  • adef @adef.bsky.socialBluesky · May 31, 2026

    13 years ago, I backed a game on Kickstarter for the first time -- Shovel Knight SK went on to be one of my top 5 games, all time Then, in 2022, I backed a second @yachtclubgames.bsky.social kickstarter I'm only 10 hrs into Mina, but I can tell you they've done it again! This game is a masterpiece

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  • Maluway the Demonclops (COMMS CLOSED) @dasinbun.bsky.socialBluesky · Mar 24, 2025

    What if this was the game over screen for Shovel Knight? A recycled old doodle I had. #shovelknight #gay #bara #dasinart

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  • Zarobi @[email protected]Lemmy · Jul 2, 2026

    Anyone else get bored once they reach the final boss?. For some reason as soon as I get to the "end" of the game, I completely lose motivation to play. This happened with DOOM: Eternal, Sekiro, Bloodborne, Paper Mario TTYD, Cassette Beasts, Shovel Knight, Oblivion, Baldur's Gate, God of War, Mass Effect... Pretty much every game I've ever played. It's like the fun part was the journey, and I've seen everything the game has to offer, and I just don't really enjoy the ending process. Feels like a…

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  • 🔞Riley (brb) @sunsetcritterz.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 3, 2026

    that game, Hollow Knight #minathehollower #shovelknight

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  • HumbleDad - Art @humbledadgames.bsky.socialBluesky · Jan 9, 2025

    OMG PLAY THESE INDIE GAMES!! - I'll describe their vibe Gravity: - MegaMan X w/ fighting game polish Panzer: - Mega Man + Blaster Master + Shovel Knight Garbanzo: - SMB + Spitting Handsome: - fast arcade Mario + blem Axiom: - 10/10 masterpiece metroidvania Cyber: - cyborg ninja Gaiden!!

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  • Yacht Club Games @yachtclubgames.bsky.socialBluesky · Apr 30, 2025

    Ready your shovels! Shovel Knight Dig is tunneling onto Xbox & PS5 on 05/15. It'll include the base game & all expansions, including the upcoming DLC, Wicked Wishes. This final update adds new bosses, quests, secrets, & game-changing upgrades, making this the definitive version.

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  • guardiancrisis.bsky.social @guardiancrisis.bsky.socialBluesky · Sep 25, 2026

    Last night, I finished Mina the Hollower on Switch 2. I enjoyed that game quite a lot. Is it better than Shovel Knight? I would say personally, both are equally good. I highly recommend this game. #40 of 2026 #MinaTheHollower #NintendoSwitch2 #NintendoSwitch #Nintendo

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  • Playtonic @playtonicgames.comBluesky · May 29, 2026

    Hey folks! Shovel Knight has told us that Mina the Hollower is out! 🐭 Congrats on the release @yachtclubgames.bsky.social, go grab the game now!

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  • VGC @videogameschronicle.comBluesky · May 28, 2026

    Shovel Knight studio’s ‘make or break’ new game, Mina the Hollower, is now the highest-rated video game of the year. vgc.news/news/shovel-...

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  • ampersandrew @[email protected]Lemmy · Dec 2, 2025

    Creator of Hit Game Shovel Knight Is at a ‘Make or Break’ Moment. Yacht Club Games needs its next title, Mina the Hollower, to be a success.

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  • Yacht Club Games @yachtclubgames.bsky.socialBluesky · Jul 10, 2025

    Calling all pocketeers! We’re holding a very special Steam Free Weekend event for our puzzle-action roguelite, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon! From July 10th to July 14th, players will be able to delve into the full game including all of the released DLC completely for free!

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  • luaa @playcentermd.bsky.socialBluesky · Nov 17, 2024

    DRAWING AN INDIE GAME CHARACTER EVERY DAY!!! Day 1: Shovel Knight Rts appreciated!!! #shovelknight #indie #fanart #artchallenge

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  • Yacht Club Games @yachtclubgames.bsky.socialBluesky · May 15, 2025

    Shovel Knight Dig is OUT NOW on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch, Steam, & Apple Arcade! This release includes the full base game along with all expansions, including the Wicked Wishes update, which adds new bosses, quests, secrets, & game-changing upgrades. Delve in today! ➡️ShovelKnightDig.com

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  • Triple-Q @triple-q.bsky.socialBluesky · Sep 3, 2026

    Good game. I think I liked this more than Shovel Knight, but at the same time I understand why this did not take off as hard as that

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  • VGC @videogameschronicle.comBluesky · Dec 2, 2025

    The co-founder of Shovel Knight developer Yacht Club Games says its next game Mina the Hollower will be "make or break" for the studio. www.videogameschronicle.com/news/shovel-...

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  • Dominic Tarason @dominictarason.comBluesky · Jan 4, 2026

    This Shovel Knight run on GDQ reminds me... I'm starting to worry about Yacht Club as a studio. Their last in-house game was Shovel Knight, released over a decade ago. Mina The Hollower missed Halloween and has no release date set now, and no mention of Shovel Knight Deluxe in ages. I'm concerned.

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  • SSTF @[email protected]Lemmy · Jun 2, 2026

    I'm very happy whenever a smaller studio (this game was developed by the Shovel Knight team) not just sees success, but becomes a stable small team able to put out multiple games. This structure of small, but relatively stable and established teams seems like a much healthier gaming ecosystem than the bloated quadruple-A studio with hundreds of developers and a focus on mind numbing photorealism over actual gameplay.

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  • Eurogamer @eurogamer.bsky.socialBluesky · Apr 8, 2025

    Shovel Knight Dig studio reveals Switch 2 game it gambled on making after hearing whispers of mouse controls www.eurogamer.net/shovel-knigh...

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  • Nitrome @nitrome.bsky.socialBluesky · May 14, 2025

    Ready your shovels🪏 Shovel Knight Dig is tunneling onto Xbox & PS5 TOMORROW! It'll include the base game & all expansions, including the upcoming DLC, Wicked Wishes. This final update adds new bosses, quests, secrets, & game-changing upgrades, making this the definitive version.

    neutral · AI labelView post →
  • simple @[email protected]Lemmy · Aug 7, 2025

    Mina the Hollower – Release Date Trailer (Oct 31). I cannot wait for this game. Shovel Knight was one of my favorites.

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  • simple @[email protected]Lemmy · May 27, 2026

    Mina the Hollower | Review Thread (92/100 OpenCritic). Game Information -------------------- **Game Title**: Mina the Hollower **Platforms**: - PC (May 29, 2026) - Nintendo Switch (May 29, 2026) - PlayStation 5 (May 29, 2026) - Xbox Series X/S (May 29, 2026) - Nintendo Switch 2 (May 29, 2026) **Publisher**: Yacht Club Games **Review Aggregator**: **[OpenCritic - 92 average - 97% recommended - 31…

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  • Ryan T. Brown 🎮🩷 @toadsanime.lostincult.co.ukBluesky · May 6, 2026

    Mina the Hollower - the next game from Shovel Knight studio Yacht Club Games - comes to Switch, Switch 2, PS5, XBS, and PC on May 29. The game will cost a low $19.99 at launch. (Mina the Hollower official site)

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  • AOKAKI 🦗 Wishlist the game! @conchaindigo.bsky.socialBluesky · Nov 20, 2025

    Our game is for MEGA MAN & SHOVEL KNIGHT FANS, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM! Our game is for MEGA MAN & SHOVEL KNIGHT FANS, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM! Our game is for MEGA MAN & SHOVEL KNIGHT FANS, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM! Our game is for MEGA MAN & SHOVEL KNIGHT FANS, algorithm PLEASE FIND THEM!

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  • Games Done Quick @gamesdonequick.comBluesky · Jan 8, 2026

    Did you see a game at #AGDQ2026 that you just HAVE to play now? Check out the bundle from @humblebundle.com featuring runs from the stream like Shovel Knight: King of Cards, Jazzpunk, Minit, and more! bit.ly/HumbleAGDQ2026

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  • Zal @zalman.bsky.socialBluesky · Dec 2, 2025

    For years Shovel Knight was *the* indie game so this is wild to hear

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  • Ash @ashesstashes.bsky.socialBluesky · Sep 6, 2025

    shovel knight cameod in like every indie game during the 2010s, so i thought itd be fun to imagine what it'd be like if that trend never died out { #omori #shovelknight }

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  • Retronauts @retronauts.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 26, 2024

    It was always retro in spirit but with its 10th anniversary today we can finally consider Shovel Knight a legit retro game.

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  • ⚗️ Spook Knight Pickles 🧪 @pickles4nickles.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 26, 2024

    Count to ten with Shovel Knight, the Order of No Quarter, and friends. One for every year! Thank you to Yacht Club Games for making this game! It inspired so much of my art over the years and I wouldn't have met some of my closest friends if it weren't for Shovel Knight!

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  • jess m. ☕🍂 @jametc.bsky.socialBluesky · Sep 10, 2023

    THIS IS HOW I FIND OUT THE SHOVEL KNIGHT GUYS JUST RELEASED A BRAND NEW GAME????

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  • FierceTheBandit @fiercethebandit.bsky.socialBluesky · Mar 28, 2025

    Very Rough Shovel Knight Model from 2014 #ShovelKnight #Sculpture #fanart #artSKY #gaming #game

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  • Fighting Game Anniversaries @fganniversaries.bsky.socialBluesky · Sep 15, 2025

    On this day 7 years ago, "Shovel of Hope" Shovel Knight was released as a DLC playable guest character for Rivals of Aether. Shovel Knight was the initial final character distributed for the original game.

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  • dreamin' @dreaminerryday.bsky.socialBluesky · May 5, 2026

    I need to revisit Shovel Knight Dig, that game was tough but the spritework was gorgeous

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  • Parm @parmparm.bsky.socialBluesky · Jan 1, 2026

    Loving these little platforming challenge levels in Shovel Knight. The pixel art is so gorgeous in this game man 💜 LOVING it so far!

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  • slimerancher @[email protected]Lemmy · Jun 1, 2026

    Mina the Hollower – Launch Trailer. - **Price:** $19.99 (for both versions, upgrade pack is $0.00) - **Link:** https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/mina-the-hollower-switch - **Platform:** Nintendo Switch & Nintendo Switch 2 - **Description:** In a brand-new action-adventure from the developers of Shovel Knight, a renowned Hollower is called on a desperate mission to rescue a cursed island. Whip foes, burrow through the ground, and explore a world filled with darkness and secrets.

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  • Rogue @rogue.siteBluesky · Jun 26, 2026

    Mina, Yacht Club Game’s follow up to Shovel Knight, is a delightful but very different game www.rogue.site/editorials/m...

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  • cybernihongo @[email protected]Lemmy · May 31, 2026

    [It's sold through the European DRM-free-only store GOG](https://www.gog.com/en/game/mina_the_hollower) and it's by Yacht Club Games, the makers of Shovel Knight. I put it on the wishlist for now. The soundtrack is Pay What You Want starting from $0 through [Jake Kaufman's Bandcamp page](https://virt.bandcamp.com/album/mina-the-hollower-original-soundtrack). It won't appear in your GOG library unlike the Soundtrack Edition, but that's OK if you get the music free or support him.

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  • wrexy @wrexy.bsky.socialBluesky · Jul 31, 2025

    Shovel Knight is such a landmark for model pixel art games honestly, the whole game is so pretty (#205) #shovel #shovelknight #pixel_dailies @pixeldailies.bsky.social

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  • Video Game Plushies @vgplushdaily.bsky.socialBluesky · Nov 19, 2024

    Today’s Video Game Plush of the Day is: Shovel Knight by Symbiote Studios

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  • ⛧ Hell-Hex J. Sandoval ⛧ @omglx.comBluesky · Oct 27, 2026

    53. Mina the Hollower (What a damn GAME this is. Similar to Shovel Knight, you might think you know what to expect going in, but there's so much more to Mina than just a love letter to classic Zelda and Castlevania, bringing in a lot of modern depth and ingenuity. LOVED my time as a Hollower.)

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  • Andy Robinson @andyrobinson.bsky.socialBluesky · May 28, 2026

    Shovel Knight studio’s ‘make or break’ new game, Mina the Hollower, is now the highest-rated video game of the year. vgc.news/news/shovel-...

    neutral · AI labelView post →
  • BrikoX @[email protected]Lemmy · May 28, 2026

    2D Platformer "Mina the Hollower" Early Reviews Top 2026 Review Ratings. > Mina the Hollower, a new retro action-adventure 2D platformer from the creators of Shovel Knight, is coming to Steam, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox on May 29, but ahead of the game's launch, it has been reviewed by a number of publications, who have consistently rated the game highly enough that it has reached the number-one spot in Metacritic's 2026 game rankings, beating out both Forza Horizon 6 and…

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  • Quibblekrust @[email protected]Lemmy · Aug 6, 2026

    > Strictly speaking this is probably more like retro-adjacent rather than truly retro gaming Thing is, this is literally what "retro" means. Like retrospective. It means looking back at old styles and modeling modern things after yesterday's trends. When people say "retro gaming", what they really mean is vintage gaming because they're playing vintage games from the 80s and 90s, etc. There's vintage clothing, vintage automobiles, vintage art, and then there are modern versions that emulate…

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  • Rafael Ventura @rafaelborven.bsky.socialBluesky · Jun 19, 2026

    Portraits done for @yachtclubgames.bsky.social's game Shovel Knight (unused) Additional help by @gabirchal.bsky.social #Pixelart #indiedev #indiegame

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  • Eggman Posting @eggman-posting.bsky.socialBluesky · Oct 30, 2025

    Cardiaman Source: Cardia Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove (Multiplatform) by Yacht Club Games #Cardia #ShovelKnight #YachtClubGames #Eggman #SonicTheHedgehog #EggmanPosting

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  • Card (YCH open!) @cardk.bsky.socialBluesky · May 15, 2025

    I was playing Shovel Knight yesterday, how the hell did Cooper slip past me? I might need to F̶i̶x̶ draw him later.

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  • 🐰 what a bunderful world @elementnumber46.bsky.socialBluesky · Sep 20, 2026

    🐭 they should put Mina in every game like they did Shovel Knight she deserves it. maybe even more than him

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  • Vespair @[email protected]Lemmy · Jul 29, 2026

    I dunno, I play a lot of indie games and stuff but I won't pretend to be some kind of refined critic or anything; many of my favorite games are pretty standard fare. But I do have my opinions and I'm happy to share them. Are we talking just metroidvanias, or games in general? **I'll start with metroidvanias**: First off, some people consider **Shovel Knight** a metroidvania, I don't really, but if you do then Shovel Knight is absolutely top of my list. That's basically a perfect game for…

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  • Yuna Noire🏳️‍⚧️ @yunanoire.bsky.socialBluesky · Aug 27, 2026

    Today we start a new playthrough! SHOVEL KNIGHT BEGINS TODAY! It's a game that comes highly recommended by some of my closest friends and even my brother! So i'm excited to finally give it a shot 💙 Hope to see you there! 4PM BST! www.twitch.tv/yunanoire

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