Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is headed to the Nintendo Switch. The puzzle spinoff of the beloved platformer was first revealed last year, but now it is confirmed for Nintendo's hybrid console later this winter. There were a plethora of big announcements during Nintendo's August 2021 Indie World Showcase, but the update on Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon may have been chief among them.
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon was announced in February of 2020 as an action-packed puzzle game based in the same universe as 2014's Shovel Knight. Since then, details have been a bit sparse. But with today's new trailer and game listing on Nintendo's site comes plenty of new details, including the fact that the game will support Amiibo.
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Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is a falling block puzzle game. However, it also is a game with dungeon crawling elements as well. Players will be able to take control of over 10 unique heroes with their own powers and play styles from the Shovel Knight universe. There will also be a strategy for this puzzler, as items and loadouts can be equipped in preparation for each level.
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon also allows for an assortment of ways to play, including a Story Mode, 2 player competitive Versus Mode, Daily Challenges, and more. As far as the Shovel Knight Amiibo, players will be able to use the NFC figures from the series to apparently "call upon a familiar fairy friend." It will be interesting to see exactly how that works in gameplay.
In terms of the visual aesthetics of Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, the game is slightly different looking than the 8-bit style of the original beloved platformer. This new puzzle game takes up a slightly new visual style, although the bones of the art style, humor, and storytelling are all still intact.
Since releasing seven years ago as a huge kickstarting success and one of the biggest indie darlings of all time, Shovel Knight has gone on to be a massive hit. The game is still well-known, with Shovel Knight receiving crossovers and promotions in other entities, and now this spin-off is a great sign for the future of the IP. The first game had such a long lifespan thanks to so many of the Kickstarter promises. Now the hope is that Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon does well, and more games in this franchise continue to come forth from developer Yacht Club Games, as there are plenty of fans of the series.
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is coming to Nintendo Switch, PC, and PS4 this winter.
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