When Yacht Club Games releases something new, people pay attention. That’s largely because the studio’s name remains synonymous with Shovel Knight, one of the most beloved indie releases of the last decade. Now, the team is back on Xbox Series X|S with Mina the Hollower, a brand-new action-adventure that swaps shovels for whips, castles for cursed islands, and heroic quests for something much darker.
Available now for £17.75 on Xbox Series X|S (as well as PC, PlayStation), Mina the Hollower sends players into a gothic world filled with monsters, secrets, strange characters and plenty of reasons to keep digging deeper.
At A Glance
- Game: Mina the Hollower
- Developer: Yacht Club Games
- Publisher: Yacht Club Games
- Platform: Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5
- Price: £17.75
- Genre: Action-Adventure
A New Adventure From An Indie Favourite
For many players, Yacht Club Games earned its reputation through Shovel Knight, a game we reviewed back in 2015.
At the time, we called it “glorious“, praising its addictive gameplay, retro charm and memorable soundtrack. Years later, we were still celebrating its legacy in our retrospective look back at one of the standout indie success stories.
That history naturally puts a spotlight on Mina the Hollower. While it shares the same love for classic gaming, this isn’t simply another attempt to recreate the past. Instead, Yacht Club Games has built a much larger action-adventure, one that blends exploration, combat and mystery into a world that feels distinctly its own.
Burrow Into A World Of Secrets
You play as Mina, a renowned Hollower thrust into a desperate mission to save a cursed island.
Mina’s main ability is to burrow beneath the ground, allowing her to avoid danger, uncover hidden routes and gain the upper hand in combat. Combined with her trusty whip, Nightstar, and an expanding collection of sidearms and trinkets, it gives players plenty of tools to experiment with.
Exploration is right at the heart of the experience too. The island is packed with interconnected locations, unusual characters and hidden discoveries waiting for those willing to venture off the beaten path.
Gothic Horror Meets Retro Style
One glance at Mina the Hollower and it’s easy to see why retro fans have been keeping an eye on it. The visuals draw inspiration from the Game Boy Color era, but they’re enhanced with fluid animation, widescreen presentation and modern design sensibilities. The result is something that feels familiar without looking dated.
That atmosphere is helped further by a Victorian Gothic setting full of darkness, danger and mystery. Add in an electrifying soundtrack from Jake Kaufman and the whole package looks perfectly suited to late-night gaming sessions.
Can Mina Follow In Shovel Knight’s Footsteps?
That’s the obvious question surrounding this launch. Shovel Knight became one of the defining indie games of its generation and remains a title we still talk about today. Reaching those heights is never easy.
But Mina the Hollower isn’t trying to be another Shovel Knight. Instead, it looks to be carving out its own identity through exploration, gothic storytelling and a world packed with secrets to uncover.
It’s available right now on Xbox Series X|S (as well as other formats) for £17.75 via the Xbox Store, and if Yacht Club Games’ track record is anything to go by, this is one adventure worth paying attention to.
We’ll let you know exactly how it fares once we’ve had the chance to spend some proper time beneath the surface. Our review is on the way.
