Parents' Guide to

Shovel Knight

By Mark Raby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Vintage-style adventure digs up the right dose of nostalgia.

Game Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Wii U 2014
Shovel Knight Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Shovel Knight Game: Screenshot #1
  • Shovel Knight Game: Screenshot #2
  • Shovel Knight Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 5 parent reviews

mcudzinovic
mcudzinovic Parent of 11 and 13-year-old
April 5, 2019
age 9+

Simple Perfection

This is the best game I've ever played (by far). Everything about it is perfect, I love the art style, I love the game play, and I love the story line. This is a must have for all gamers alike

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Easy to play/use
EggNoggShake
EggNoggShake Adult
October 21, 2018
age 8+

It's by far one of the greatest games I've ever played

This game is gold, and while it lacks a compelling story, only giving us the basic "damsel in distress" filler, the game play is what makes this title worth every cent they charge, and while the controls are a tad hard to learn, my younger brother (7) mastered them in about 4 hours, this game also has lots of extras and secrets in it. Giving it's replay value a huge boost, I got this game on the steam website and so far have logged almost 300 hours into it over the past year and a half, there's no violence, when you hit an enemy they disapear, and if it's a boss they run off screen like in mario, and there is no bad language at all, overall, while the game is a bit difficult, it's still a fun time for anyone who's hands are big enough for a controller

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 5 parent reviews

What’s It About?

SHOVEL KNIGHT's story revolves around a hero who must defeat all kinds of enemies to save the girl of his dreams. It's perfectly fine that the story is so predictable, because that's what the game is designed to be. Players will dash through a seemingly endless array of dungeons, mazes, and claustrophobic rooms in which they're trapped with large fantastical creatures. They'll be focused on pressing buttons at the right time, trying not to fall onto a floating block of flames or down a bottomless chasm. The game doesn't take itself too seriously and is in many ways a parody of different franchises from the golden age of cartridge-based video game consoles.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (5):
Kids say (15):

Shovel Knight will easily strike a nostalgic chord with any gamer who remembers the days before high-definition graphics, surround sound, and cinematic story lines. Younger players may not relate to the dated visuals, but the fun factor, gameplay, and sense of accomplishment after beating a difficult level are timeless qualities for everyone.

What's unique about this game is that it uses several classic gameplay styles. It's not only a 2-D adventure game, run-from-point-A-to-point-B side-scrolling action game, or a mind-bending puzzle-solving game. Instead, it has elements of all these genres wrapped into a nice, cohesive package. Players of any age should be able to appreciate what it has to offer.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Shovel Knight's retro style. In this day of high-definition graphics, virtual reality, and motion-based gameplay, why is a game such as this still so appealing?

  • When you fail to complete a level, do you get upset and frustrated, or do you strive to do better next time?

  • If you were a video game hero, whom or what would you risk your life to protect at all costs?

Game Details

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