This month (last), was Shovel Knight, the beloved old-school platforming game from Yacht Club Games. We talked about the references and nostalgia factor, the game’s difficulty and boss/character design, upgrading, and whether or not platforming game literacy is necessary for this one (where it might fit for new-to-the-genre players and old hats).

Check out the liner notes here for the usual assortment of links and interesting tidbits.

Consensus is that we enjoyed it a lot, and that Shovel Knight has a ton of replayability and just a wealth of content (a treasure trove even), for those looking for a platforming and nes/snes style experience with some lighter rpg mechanics. The game feels responsive and accurate, and the aesthetic is spot on in terms of feeling like the 8-bit era. There are multiple single player campaigns, a boss rush mode, a versus mode, and in-game achievements to accrue. On steam, at least, you can pick this one up as a “collection” of games with each of the modes included, or individually with each separated off as its own game. We recommend the whole collection when you can find it on sale, or even at full price if you suspect this is for you.

Stay tuned in early September for our podcast on Kingdom Hearts the first (Final Mix), which we’re going through in August.

Check out previous podcast episodes here along with all the liner notes.

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