History VideoGame / ShovelKnight

On September 23, 2022, Yacht Club Games released ''Shovel Knight Dig'', another Roguelike.

* GameplayAndStorySegregation: The campaign seemingly takes place at the same time as Shovel Knight's, [[spoiler:but his boss fight has a few Relics from ''after'' the level, which he couldn't logically have at the Explodatorium the first time you play it, due to Plague Knight not having sold them yet. The properties of some of the sub weapons are also different, but especially the War Horn, which can't destroy blocks in ''Shovel of Hope'', but can in ''Plague of Shadows'', which he uses to clear a path.]]

* ProductionForeshadowing: The cards thrown by King Knight in his boss battle have been [[WordOfGod stated on a Yacht Club Games Twitch stream]] to be a reference to Joustus, one of the focal points of ''King of Cards''. At the time, though, they weren't aware of how exactly Joustus itself would work, hence why the cards are merely projectiles and don't reference the card game more specifically.[[invoked]]
* SequelHook: An easily missable one: all of the stages are Specter Knight scouting the lands to recruit Knights... except for Pridemoor Keep. There, Specter Knight has been "tasked with setting [King Knight] back on schedule", hinting that King Knight was recruited before the other Knights and that his story may take place yet further in the past, before Specter Knight's.

** In ''Plague of Shadows'', Percy attempts to send Plague Knight via catapult into an unguarded trove full of treasures and armaments. Upon fixing the contraption. Plague Knight is launched [[spoiler:right ''into'' Armor Outpost, which is full of guards who are eager to arrest him. Keep in mind that said catapult was right outside said outpost]].

** Plague Knight can fight all four of the Wandering Travelers like Shovel Knight, something that can't be done in ''Specter of Torment'' (with Baz [[DemotedToExtra being a brief gag]] and Mr. Hat a cameo in the epilogue; only Phantom Striker and Reize are fought) or ''King of Cards'' (while Baz, Phantom Striker, and Mr. Hat can be fought, Reize is completely absent).

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Several of the {{Bonus Boss}}es either state they've defeated many foes before they battled Shovel Knight (i.e., the Phantom Striker and Mr. Hat) or that they, themselves, are currently on a quest (i.e., Reize Seatlan and [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]]). In addition, Shovel Knight himself becomes this within Plague Knight's story due to him still going on his quest.

* PowerCopying: Most of the relics you can find and buy within a given stage emulate part of the stage boss's attack pattern or an attack from of one of the distinct enemies introduced in that stage. [[spoiler:Even the Bonus Boss fights against the Battletoads and Kratos[[note]]after giving the shovel Kratos gives you after beating him to the Armorer[[/note]] will result in Shovel Knight gaining relics that allows Shovel Knight to mimic their attacks using his shovel]].

** Exclusive to ''King of Cards'', there's Cardia, who's completely optional like most Joustus games, but has the abilities of all of the other Joustus bosses and can only be fought after defeating all four of them. [[spoiler:If you beat her, you get a more traditional bonus boss battle against her Giga Cardia form.]]

* DancingWithMyself: After defeating the first two members of the Order of No Quarter, the return to the Explodatorium sees Plague Knight not riding the torque lifts down immediately -- because Mona, who normally operates them, is waltzing by herself in her alone time. Judging from her dialogue when she's subsequently interrupted, she does this fairly often. [[spoiler:She's practicing for if she ever gets the chance to dance with Plague himself, going by the waltz they share in the ending.]]

* {{Antepiece}}: The game is not shy about these. For almost every special gimmick in a level, you will have a chance to test and learn it before facing it again with hazards. Exaggerated in the Hall of Champions; the ''entire level'' is an enormous Antepiece which teaches you how to deal properly with ghosts before fighting a boss version of them.

* InvincibleMinorMinion: The ghost enemies in Specter Knight's stage. Hitting them only makes them turn into a mist that cannot harm you nor be harmed, and shortly thereafter they reform and continue chasing you. You get to have your revenge against them in the Hall of Champions, which contains orbs that can kill them (and their KingMook) for good.

* DoppelgangerAttack: The Giant Ghost in Hall of Champions will occasionally use this trick to throw off the player.

* KingMook: The Giant Ghost, which serves as the boss of the Hall of Champions. It can do much more than just slowly float towards Shovel Knight.

* WeakenedByTheLight: Ghosts can be only harmed by a sphere of light; trying to hit them with anything else will only make them phase out for a brief moment. Said sphere is only found in the Hall of Champions, although the ghosts themselves aren't found in many other levels.

On December 13, 2021, Yacht Club Games released ''Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon'', a combination roguelike-FallingBlocks game.

* BlobMonster: Several minor enemies are like this.

* {{Antepiece}}: The game is not shy about these. For almost every special gimmick in a level, you will have a chance to test and learn it before facing it again with hazards. Taken UpToEleven in the Hall of Champions; the ''entire level'' is an enormous Antepiece which teaches you how to deal properly with ghosts before fighting a boss version of them.

* BookEnds: King Knight's campaign pulls this for [[UpToEleven the entire development cycle of the game]], even. [[spoiler:At the end of the credits, King Knight lavishes lazily in his throne, reminiscing on how he has ''finally'' replaced the entirety of Pridemoor Keep's structure with solid gold, and how with this, he will truly begin his eternal rule. Then, the wall on the far side opens-- [[TheHero and in enters Shovel Knight]]. [[ShaggyDogStory The End]].]]

* Shotoclone: Plague knight serves as this, having the Staff of Surging as his Shoryuken, his signature bombs as a Hadoken, and the Spin burst as the replacement for the Hurricane Kick.*
SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: At least four routes involving members of the Order of No Quarter feature them engaging a fellow Order member due to an ideological difference (Tinker Knight getting frustrated with Propeller Knight having no clue how to leave their predicament) or they're actively conspiring to work against them (Mole Knight and Treasure Knight were ''both'' planning to steal the other's treasure that was accumulated; Treasure Knight just beat Mole Knight to the punch). Given that most of the Order's membership were forced to work under the Enchantress, it's little wonder that there would be infighting due to their clashing personalities or modus operandi.

* Shotoclone: Plague knight serves as this, having the Staff of Surging as his Shoryuken, his signature bombs as a Hadoken, and the Spin burst as the replacement for the Hurricane Kick.* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: At least four routes involving members of the Order of No Quarter feature them engaging a fellow Order member due to an ideological difference (Tinker Knight getting frustrated with Propeller Knight having no clue how to leave their predicament) or they're actively conspiring to work against them (Mole Knight and Treasure Knight were ''both'' planning to steal the other's treasure that was accumulated; Treasure Knight just beat Mole Knight to the punch). Given that most of the Order's membership were forced to work under the Enchantress, it's little wonder that there would be infighting due to their clashing personalities or modus operandi.

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: At least four routes involving members of the Order of No Quarter feature them engaging a fellow Order member due to an ideological difference (Tinker Knight getting frustrated with Propeller Knight having no clue how to leave their predicament) or they're actively conspiring to work against them (Mole Knight and Treasure Knight were ''both'' planning to steal the other's treasure that was accumulated; Treasure Knight just beat Mole Knight to the punch). Given that most of the Order's membership were forced to work under the Enchantress, it's little wonder that there would be infighting due to their clashing personalities or modus operandi.

* BalancePowerSkillGimmick: The four knights who have a solo campaign are this: Shovel Knight is as good in close range and long range fighting and he can use his shovel to compensate his low jump ability (balance); King Knight rests on brutal force to crush his enemies and to move, but his reflexes to spin after a shoulder bash can make him vulnerable if he's not clever enough (power); Specter Knight can walk through walls and use his scyther to pierce settings and enemies, but he runs slower than others (skill); and Plague Knight is a LongRangeFighter who's nothing without his ridiculously diverse bomb arsenal and his double jump ability (gimmick).

* NiceHat: Mr. Hat thinks yours is nice. Though [[InsistentTerminology it's a helmet]].

* ''Move or Die''

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Yacht Club [[https://twitter.com/YachtClubGames/status/928085617254178816 made fun of]] the fact their game contains upwards of at least 32 named characters by the time ''Specter of Torment'' came out.

* YourWorstMemory: Shovel Knight has a recurring playable dream of Shield Knight falling from a great height, struggling to catch her whilst fending off increasingly stronger enemies. These dreams represent his guilt over his failure to save Shield Knight during their battle in the Tower. Later, [[spoiler: she falls for real when freed from the influence of the crystal. The player can choose whether to catch her just as in the dream sequences.]]

* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]]. Shovel Knight finally defeats the spirit within the amulet and brings peace to the valley once more at the cost of seemingly losing Shield Knight again. Come post credits and it turns out [[SurprisinglyHappyEnding Shield Knight survived]].]]