With its latest update, Shovel Knight Dig is now a done and dusted game.

Wildly, that’s a rare commodity in this day and age. Games seem to be getting longer and longer lifespans, whether it’s through paid DLC, random, unexpected updates and, sometimes, unfulfilled promises. But honestly, being able to bow tie a game and say it’s done actually feels like quite an achievement.

It shows, too. The 2018 prequel from Nitrome and Yacht Club started life on mobile but has gradually made its way onto every format, now rounded out by the Wicked Wishes free DLC pack that just dropped. But the game has always been a blast to play from those early days and it’s even more fun now.

Different to the core Shovel Knight, metroidvania style gameplay, Dig sees you…well…digging. Keep going down and down a vast chasm – somewhat like Downwell – with the aim of gathering lots of gems, fighting lots of enemies – bosses, too – and reaching new areas. All to get your hands on Drill Knight and his cronies and be moderately wealthy and successful. A noble goal.

Your run lasts as long as you do, and whatever you’re left with at the end can be spent above ground on various unlockables, like tomes, relics, rings, and other random consumables – some actually not as helpful as others. For instance, you can become resistant to lightning or you can cause an enemy to drop a bomb.

There are several vendors who will serve you unique items as well, but the overground also throws up the potential for a game experience of its own, finding hidden secrets, using items from below to unlock new areas and even fulfilling some quests that can give you new armor and weaponry.

This even throws in a few silly mini games, like catching all hidden creatures in an area or playing volleyball with a flying ring. Cute and fun.

On the surface, Dig looks and feels like a fairly easy going game but there’s some intriguing strategic elements to it that help it stay fresh, such as optional side paths, choosing between multiple routes and even being able to skip ahead to new areas in a run in order to try and give yourself an advantage. But at the risk of losing some benefits.

Each area, of course, offers new mechanics to think about, like some platforms melting in a lava world – Smeltworks – to a magic landfill and eventually, Drill Knight’s Castle.

The thing I love about Shovel Knight Dig is the amount of little secrets it contains – some of which I’d love to tell you about here but also wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise. It’s a true Yacht Club game in that it keeps delivering and giving, especially since the mines themselves are procedurally generated, offering a different run everytime. As well as dailies and weeklies you can tackle.

But it’s also such a beautiful game with sparkling background effects, a warm color palette, this fantastic marriage of retro, classic 16 bit gaming and modernised 2D art styles. And the soundtrack / sound effects are just in a league of their own. This game has some wonderful tunes that are so catchy and cozy and, genuinely nail the classic SNES and Mega Drive tone and magic that many games try so hard to recreate. Joyous!

Best of all, Wicked Wishes really does round off the game in the best way. Many of the aforementioned secrets have been implemented with this new update, such as a secret guild behind a fireplace which is brimming with fun little easter eggs, missions and stunning detail.

And you can even find new shortcuts and side paths down the mines that lead to even more traps and trouble but also bring some exciting rewards.

Shovel Knight Dig is a rare game where, I think, I actually might now prefer it to the original Shovel Knight – which I also adored! It’s so feature rich, so beautiful, and really does hold your attention for longer than you may want or anticipate.

If you haven’t dived in for a long time or you’ve never tried it before, Wicked Wishes is the perfect time to step back into this fun-filled world and really get to know the horned armored hero. Especially since it seems Yacht Club might be cooking something at Summer Games Fest and Shovel Knight 2 has already been confirmed. Hmmm…

Verdict

Shovel Knight Dig is one of those wonderful gaming surprises that just keeps giving and rewarding for every new run and secret you uncover. It’s feature rich, visually striking, aesthetically appealing and the perfect entry point to a franchise that has big plans for its future. The Wicked Wishes content is the added icing on top of a deliciously tasty cake and the perfect excuse to dig down deep into your backlog once again.

Pros

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Shovel Knight Dig is out now on PC, PS, Switch and Xbox.

Played on Xbox Series X

Code Kindly Provided by Yacht Club for review purposes