A Buried Treasure on Xbox?
It doesn’t happen often, but I had best start off with an admission. It’s been a long held belief of mine that mobile games are pretty rubbish on the whole. Tying into a well known franchise and being free to play is often a clandestine effort to hook players in, before revealing its going cost to see everything on offer.
However, like with every good rule there’s always an exception.
That exception is Shovel Knight Dig. This prequel to the original game was released back in 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PC and on Mobile. It’s now surfaced on Xbox, telling the story of the titular hero who is on the tail of Drill Knight and his team of Hexcavators. You guessed it; in order to reclaim his loot and bring about peace, Shovel Knight will need to dig into a deeply dangerous underground labyrinth.
Digging Down Deep
Moving is pretty simple, as Shovel Knight uses his trademark weapon to dig right, left and down. Of course, you can’t dig upwards. The endless chasm is packed with enemies of all types who make things feel very claustrophobic. They will fly, bounce and charge at you in an attempt to prevent you taking home the loot.
Of course, tunneling deep underground is not without its hazards, and the world of Shovel Knight Dig is no exception. Not only are the elements such as fire and water turned against you, but spikes are a near constant thorn in your side too, so to speak. Oh, and if you dilly dally for too long a huge circular drill (the Omega Saw) will catch up to you, one touch instantly ending your run. Falling rocks are the giveaway, as the looming threat becomes a very clear and present danger.
Secrets, Shops, and Strategic Relics
Your keen eyes will be rewarded, as cracks in the wall, or even out of place items, often hide a secret side room along your descent route. These vary from good to very, very bad. It’s possible these will contain traders who will sell you a whole manner of goods in exchange for your loot, from simple health items to gear upgrades and additional accessories. One example is the lucky charm which will spawn food from chests more often, another being a magnet which pulls gems towards Shovel Knight even through the dirt.
Relics are the most powerful items, and these are discovered during your dig or by purchasing relic keys and opening a chamber between levels. You’re then thrown into a trial to unlock the relic, and these range widely in type. They allow Shovel Knight to cast fireballs, chuck axes, drill upwards and even teleport amongst other things. As these are so impactful, usage is limited and tied to how many potions you have in your possession.
If you’re lucky, you’ll stumble across a room filled with treasure, or a chance to play the tombola. If you’re not careful, you’ll walk straight into a tricky mini boss battle, or a room riddled with traps. The lantern hanging outside gives you a clue, and if something feels off it’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s worth the risk.
Although it may appear endless, there is a finite structure to each run in Shovel Knight Dig. There are four different biomes to battle through, each consisting of three different parts. You are constantly presented with risk versus reward choices, but my advice is to not get lured by great riches too often as you’ll likely get caught out.
Hexacavator Showdown
Each level also has three cogs dotted around, which when collected will unlock Drill Knight’s capsule for a bonus. This is a choice between health and a mystery item. Your second choice is then either left or right, with a few well placed icons to give you a clue as to what to expect, and how difficult your chosen route may turn out to be.
Each biome ends with a boss battle, one of the Hexcavators to be exact. Only when you reach the bottom, will Drill Knight reveal himself for the final battle which is a tricky affair when you have the Omega Saw to deal with too.
Being a roguelite, Shovel Knight Dig makes use of procedurally generated levels. These do genuinely feel random and I noticed very little repetition whilst playing. Even several hours in I encountered enemies and other features for the first time which crucially kept the replayability aspect alive and well.
Another feature of the genre is limited progression. Even when your run ends and you die you’ll retain a significant amount of loot when you return to the surface, but all accessories, buffs and other items collected will be lost. You can purchase shortcuts to prevent having to start from the beginning each time, but then you risk tackling the trickier levels without building up Shovel Knight’s health and abilities first.
Challenging Depths
Tricky is one way of describing Shovel Knight Dig. Another, possibly more accurate one, would be tough. Your run can seemingly be going very smoothly, and all of a sudden you’ll be plunged into a nightmare of a level (I’m looking at you Smeltworks). The levels do get gradually more difficult, but it’s not a smooth curve so you’ll be kept on your toes constantly.
Of course, there is life outside of the well, on the surface. It’s here where you can interact with various characters, purchase items for your run and accept quests which play out both above and below the surface. There are also leaderboards for the competitive amongst you with limited time and overall rankings up for grabs.
8-Bit Beauty and Catchy Tunes
Despite how well the 8-bit retro style is brought to life in Shovel Knight Dig, it was actually the soundtrack that really struck me. It sounds absolutely brilliant, the groovy and yet punchy music is a joy to listen to. It’s a good job too because the structure of the game has you replaying levels frequently but I never got bored of hearing how each sounded.
Another thing that struck me is that it’s quite cheeky charging £20.99 for what started as a free mobile game. Sure, I have no issues paying for it, but that price tag feels steep. The “Fate and Fortune” expansion (which again was originally free and introduces Knightmare mode) is included here along with “Wicked Wishes” which also didn’t cost a penny. This expansion introduced quests and access to Hoofman’s Guild Hall (a hangout for the most elite quest-seekers), bosses, balancing tweaks and more. The release for Xbox was timed to coincide with this, likely, final DLC.
The addition of quests provides a little more direction to the spelunking, and a few take the form of mini games such as hunting down the menaces known as hooflings. However, one in particular proved to be tantamount to torture which took the form of a sort of tennis played with a large hoop. In one encounter you need to return 40 shots that come your way, and thanks to the shovel wielding chap not exactly being flight of foot, things get frustrating quickly. Still, for the most part, the quests are a welcome addition.
A Digging Roguelite Worth Exploring
Shovel Knight Dig may be a more streamlined and straightforward experience than its predecessor, but it hits upon a winning formula. No matter how many times you get caught out, no matter how unfair it feels, you’ll always want to give things another go and reach the bottom of the well.
Important Links
Shovel Knight Dig Tunnels onto Xbox Series X|S & PS5, Dragging in ALL DLC! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/shovel-knight-dig-tunnels-onto-xbox-series-xs-ps5-dragging-in-all-dlc/
Buy Shovel Knight Dig on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/shovel-knight-dig/9pl0xv72nbv7
