Kick Knight First released just over eight years ago, and thanks to a slew of updates and cameos, it feels like the character has never really been out of the spotlight. But if we consider all updates to the main game as part of that game, Shovel Knight Dig is only the third game in the series. This is also the first game in the series to be mobile, which was about the last active platform in the world without a Kick Knight play on it. This comes via Apple Arcade on the platform, so if you want to play the game you know what to do.

The story is as simple as it gets. Well before the events of the original game, Shovel Knight is chilling at his campsite. As he does. Suddenly, Drill Knight and his crew rush up and duck away with Shovel Knight’s loot and retreat underground. the absolute fools. Shovel Knight’s name has a kick to it, so he grabs his trusty weapon and digs after them. Will this turn out to be a good idea, or will Shovel Knight regret it sometime around his hundredth horrific death? That, my friends, is up to you.

It is an interesting game in many ways. Of course, it is actually Kick Knight crossed with Downwell. I can describe it this way and I hope that is enough to pique the interest of many of you. You don’t fall into a purely vertical shaft, but dig down through one that is mostly vertical with the occasional kink. Since gravity doesn’t pull you down as much, you’re encouraged to keep moving by an annoying machine that catches up with you if you linger too long. As in Downwell, there are rooms branching off the shaft where you can get extra loot or items or meet a variety of helpful characters. Make sure you have the money, honey, because these characters don’t give anything for free.

There are actually a few different types of goodies to manage. You collect gems that act as your main currency. They can be exchanged for goods and services. When you die, you lose a few, but the rest is funneled into a more permanent stack that you can use for equally permanent upgrades. There are also Golden Gears scattered around, and you need to make sure to grab them at every stage. When you reach the end of a stage, a machine will appear and if you have enough Golden Gears for it, you will be entitled to a very useful healing item or random goodie. Your choise.

There are several items that you can find and use at your leisure, often in the form of a useful weapon that you can use a few times before the charge is exhausted. Finally, there are keys and other miscellaneous things that follow after you. You lose them if you get hit too often, so… try not to get hit. You’ll need them to open doors and receive various other rewards. At the beginning you can only have one of them at any time, but you can expand your skills along the way.

At the end of each set of stages, you will face a boss. These rejections may not have suited The Order of No Quarter, but they give you a good run for your money. It is in these battles where the game is most head-like Kick Knight game. They are refreshing and fun, and are one of the main ways the game digs out its own identity in relation to Downwell and his ilk. This is a game that can be completed, and while you’ll probably need a bit of luck to win, it’s not as hard as it might seem at first. However, don’t put the shovel down because you’ve reached an end. There’s more to dig up, and it’ll take a lot more effort to conquer.

Shovel Knight is quite capable as heroes go. His shovel is a useful weapon against enemies coming from all directions except from above, and he’s especially good at handling everything below our hero via his signature Shovel Drop. You can bounce from enemy to enemy with ease, and you’ll need to master this move to maximize your loot and navigate the many dangers you’ll encounter along the way. Shovel Knight can jump too, and it’s safe to say that in any situation where he’s not overpowered, he can take out most enemies with that approach. Well, hey, I’m sure the bad guys won’t think of teaming up with him.

How the hell did I get this far without saying the word “rogue”? Well, I went and now I’ve done it. This is a roguelite, in case you couldn’t figure it out from all those mechanics I mentioned. That means you get somewhat procedurally generated phases, although the chunks are obviously hand designed and get very familiar after a few runs. As things like that go, it’s a pretty good one. I think it has that problem that a lot of games like this have where once you get some certain permanent upgrades there isn’t much of a reason to change things, but what can you do? It is a difficult problem to make ends meet. People: We find a pair of comfortable shoes and we are very reluctant to give them up.

Anyway, sometimes this isn’t the best roguelite. There aren’t many painful choices to make, and your skills as a player can make the job of the bad bounces easier than we often see in this genre. It’s lucky that this is also a Kick Knight play through and through. In those times when the roguelite portion of the deal doesn’t come together as well as you’d hope, it’s essential Kick Knight-ness of the game keeps things fun. Digging up gems, hitting things with a shovel and pogo bouncing on enemies over and over like Uncle Scrooge taught you to do as a little kid are things that are just fundamentally enjoyable, and they serve Shovel Knight Dig good in times of happiness and sorrow.

I see I didn’t mention that Nitrome developed these either. Nitrome has a lot of experience making mobile games, and you and I both know they make some really good ones. Shovel Knight Dig is clearly designed around normal controllers and you can use one if you’re up that way. There are two different options for touch control, though, and I found that they were both smart at filling in for those who don’t have a controller handy or just want to use their mobile device in a more mobile way. You can go with swipe controls or virtual buttons, and they both have their merits. I suggest forcing yourself to get used to the swipes, as they end up being a bit more accurate in the heat of battle. But I’m not the control police, so use the one you feel most comfortable with.

One thing I doubt there will be any disagreement or inconvenience is the presentation of this game. The visuals free themselves from having to live up to “NES as you remember it” standards and it’s great to see how animated and detailed Shovel Knight and his world can be without those restrictions. The ever-welcome Jake “Virt” Kaufman has returned to do his magical music thing for this game and you know that means the audio is pure velvety gold to your head holes. How can I not dig when you deliver such beautiful marching tunes?

I don’t like everything about Shovel Knight Dig. I mentioned how sometimes the roguelite bits don’t click, and how some upgrades can seem completely unnecessary. I also feel like shoveling in the desired direction can be a bit tedious when you’re being hunted by enemies or traps. At times the game seems to struggle a bit with its pace, not quite sure if it wants you to slow down or if you’re in a rush. Overall I’m not sure how much of this game is awesome because of Shovel Knight Dig against the Kick Knight transfer pieces. Is this a problem? I don’t know. Probably not a big one.

Real and true, the moments I have less than optimal fun with Shovel Knight Dig are heavily offset by the good times. Like it’s not even worth comparing. Especially given the nature of how this game is delivered on mobile, I can’t even imagine not giving this game some of your time if you have Apple Arcade. Why wouldn’t you? It’s a lot of fun, will keep you entertained for hours, and if not as replayable as that of Dead cells or Downwell, who really cares? If you don’t like roguelites, this game probably won’t change your mind unless you really like it Kick Knightbut otherwise i would say all systems go here.

In the end, Shovel Knight Dig ticks two boxes for me: the desire for a Kick Knightlike experience on my iPhone, and the desire for more games like Downwell. It’s not flawless by any means, but it’s a great game with a lot of stuff. I am really impressed with how well Nitrome was able to capture the essence of Kick Knight in such a different format without losing the satisfying elements of the pineapple and the pen trying to break it together.

Yes, that was a Pikotaro reference in 2022. I’m sorry nothing. I don’t regret playing Shovel Knight Dig. And you, my dear readers? I suspect you won’t either.