Hi guys. Took a break from my busy weekend to write up my feelings on a well-loved title:
How do you describe Shovel Knight? Its a game that emulates a number of revered classics - Mega Man, Mario, DuckTales, Castlevania, and more - while adding its own unique spin on well-loved mechanics, never copying wholesale but creating a path of its own in 2D platformer history. And while its roots are in the golden age of platformers, the development team wasnt afraid to modernize the experience in a number of ways.
Shovel Knight essentially presents itself as an NES game in a romanticized style - romanticized in the sense that, although its graphics and sound strongly evoke 90s-era NES games, the game doesnt actually adhere to all of the traditional limitations of the NES hardware. For example, the games palette introduces a couple of colors not present back then, and its music doesnt intermittently cut channels to make room for sound effects. These improvements arent obtrusive at all - rather, theyre changes that remove classic annoyances which have become needless in the modern age.
In any case, the graphics and animation are pixel-perfect and smooth. And while the soundtrack as a whole might not quite reach the heights of, say, Mega Man 2 or 3, a number of its individual tracks can easily compete with some of the stars of the NES library.
My only criticism is that the levels are too long. I think Id be fine with them if Yacht Club had done something like splitting each level in half, thereby giving each boss knight two levels (with the boss waiting at the end of the second one). The checkpoints, while helpful, also have a way of highlighting this flaw simply due to the sheer quantity of them.
In summary, I had a blast with Shovel Knight and went for as many achievements as I could before facing the final boss. Ill definitely go back to finish New Game+ as well. I dont think the game quite has the replayability of the best NES classics, but it deserves at least two playthroughs from anyone who enjoys the modern retro revival.