Shovel Knight: King of Cards

Mechanics

The gameplay mechanics remain unaltered. Once again, players get at their disposal a 2D platform game with RPG elements. The main protagonist, however, moves and fights in a slightly different way than the previous heroes. His signature move is the short charge, with which he stuns the enemies and destroys some of the obstacles on the map. He also has a special ability – he can perform a pirouette on enemies' heads multiple times (it somewhat resembles the "shovel jump" from the base game). As one progresses through the story, he acquires more powerful weapons, armor, and new companions. Another interesting element is the minigame in which, one can play cards with NPCs.

Game modes

The main story campaign comprises thirty new levels divided into four different worlds. Moreover, players can test their skills (involving both combat and puzzle solving) in the specially designed challenges.

Technical aspects

Shovel Knight: King of Cards for PC, PS3 and etc. delivers 8-bit retro visuals. The soundtrack has been written by Jake "Virt" Kaufman, who has also created the soundtrack for the base game and remaining expansions. The unique anachronistic songs seem to supplement the game's visuals.