Shovel Knight

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is an 8-bit celebration of the most beloved NES classics. There are hints of Mega Man, DuckTales, Castlevania, Super Mario Bros. 3 and more in this 5-pack game collection. Even if you lack the nostalgia of playing these NES classics, the Treasure Trove collection is a fantastic representation of the best the 8-bit generation has to offer. Each game, while thematically and visually similar to each other, has completely different characters and playstyles. This collection is a ridiculous value for the amount of 2D platforming content present. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is not without flaws. The games are not all consistently good. There is also a lot of recycled content between the games and completing each game in consecutive order evokes a feeling of diminishing returns. Overall this collection is meant to be savored rather than gorged. It is best enjoyed by sampling each game and only sticking with the ones that resonate with your playstyle.

The story of Shovel Knight is the glue that binds the Treasure Trove collection together. The main plot is about the duo Shovel Knight and Shield Knight. The two were an inseparable team and were heroes of the land. Shield Knight has gone suddenly missing and now evil has crept back. The Enchantress and her minions of the Order of No Quarter are terrorizing the people. It is up to Shovel Knight to find his partner and defeat the Enchantress and her posse. Each game in the Treasure Trove collection has you play as a unique character with a different perspective of the story.

Shovel of Hope:

As the name implies, in Shovel of Hope, you play as the Shovel Knight. Shovel Knight’s basic abilities are a shovel attack and a pogo stick attack. The Shovel Knight can also equip items that use mana to hit enemies that are otherwise impossible to reach. If there is one noticeable flaw with Shovel Knight is that he has no personality. The only thing we learn from him is that he misses Shield Knight dearly. The game itself is challenging and borderline unfair. Several levels include platforming puzzles and annoying gotchas like bombs hidden inside chests/walls. These levels are surpassed through trial and error rather than pure skill. Boss encounters are on the lackluster side as it is easy to overpower them by recklessly spamming attacks and items. Overall, Shovel of Hope is on the weaker side of the collection and only worth playing through once. Rating: 3/5

Plague of Shadows:

Plague of Shadows is an alternate take on the story in Shovel of Hope where the Plague Knight unexpectedly becomes the hero of the story. The Plague Knight is complicated to control and jumps around in a chaotic fashion. Unlike the reliable moveset of the Shovel Knight, the Plague Knight uses bombs for both attacking and platforming. The Plague Knight can vary his abilities depending on which bomb, case and fuse is chosen. It can range from being a simple bouncing attack to a projectile that envelops the Plague Knight and explodes on enemy contact. Similar to Shovel Knight, he also has access to skills that expend mana, however his mana bar regenerates. Plague Knight, unlike Shovel Knight, actually has a personality albeit not exactly a very likable personality. The Plague Knight is an ass to everyone except his assistant Mona. Plague of Shadows also recycles the content in Shovel of Hope to an unbearable degree. The same world map, levels and even platforming challenges are all here. The platforming levels are also not built for the Plague Knight. Some levels are annoyingly difficult that involve micromanaging the Plague Knight’s arsenal while other levels are completely trivial especially once he obtains the ability to build platforms. Plague of Shadows is my least favorite game in the collection. Rating: 2/5

Specter of Torment:

Specter of Torment is the prequel to Shovel of Hope. You play as the Specter Knight, an agile scythe wielding figure. He is tasked by the Enchantress to recruit minions to form the Order of No Quarter. Specter Knight’s moveset is very ninja-like. He is able to dash attack through enemies, climb up walls and consume items to expend mana. Specter Knight is probably the hardest to control out of all the characters, but he is a thrill to play as once you have mastered his moveset. Unlike Shovel of Hope and Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment actually tells a decent story by detailing the accounts of how Specter Knight came to be and also breathes new life into side-characters who were otherwise unknown in the other games. If I could recommend only one game to play from the Treasure Trove it would be Specter of Torment. Rating: 5/5

King of Cards:

King of Cards is a prequel to Specter of Torment, taking place at a time of relative peace. Shield Knight is still missing and the Enchantress has not made her presence known yet. In this timeline, a card game known as Joustus has swept the land and is ruled by three judges. You play as the King Knight, despite not actually being a King. King Knight wants to become the #1 Joustus player and gain recognition from the three judges to finally become a King. The crux of the game is still 2D platforming. King Knight plays similarly to Shovel Knight except he has a ram attack that doubles into an aerial spin attack on impact. At specific locations, King Knight can challenge other players to a game of Joustus. Joustus is a card game all about board control. The boards can range from 2x2 to 4x4 arenas where the goal of the game is to capture as many gems as possible. Each card can push in one to four directions and they can be used to either push your own cards into gems or push the opponents cards away from them. The games can be challenging and if you’re stuck, you can buy items to help King Knight cheat. Unlike the other games in the Treasure Trove, King of Cards is a very silly game. King Knight is a stereotypical loser who has delusions of grandeur and eventually reaches his aspirations in a series of goofy dumb surreptitious events. The game is easily twice as long as any of the other games and starts to overstay its welcome once you reach the third map. King of Cards also boasts some of the most difficult bosses and platforming challenges. It’s a solid game that can keep you occupied for many hours as there are a lot of collectibles and levels to play through. Rating: 4/5

SHOWDOWN:

SHOWDOWN is a multiplayer game that takes place in an alternate worldline where each of our characters can fight each other. Honestly I have not played enough to form an opinion on this, but it seems like a fun distraction where you can play as characters like the Shield Knight.

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is unfair to review because of the quantity and depth of its content. I strongly recommend this game for anyone remotely interested in 8-bit platformers. The game manages to hit the right nostalgic notes and yet brings its own humor and personality to the mix. The collection is not perfect. The content is heavily recycled throughout the games and not all games pull equal weight. I would have been completely satisfied playing only Specter of Torment and the inclusion of 4 totally separate other games diluted my overall experience. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove is like an all you can eat 8-bit platformer buffet. Pick and choose your games wisely, because trying to play through all of them can leave you feeling disappointed.