Games Like Shovel Knight (August 2026)

Shovel Knight hit the scene in 2014 and changed what we expected from retro platformers forever. Yacht Club Games managed to bottle the magic of NES-era classics like Mega Man, DuckTales, and Castlevania while adding modern design sensibilities that made it feel fresh rather than dated. If you have finished all four campaigns in Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove and are hungry for more games like Shovel Knight, you are in exactly the right place.

I have spent hundreds of hours playing retro-inspired platformers, and our team put together this guide to help you find your next favorite. We organized these recommendations into clear categories so you can quickly find the style that matches what you loved most about Shovel Knight, whether that was the tight controls, the boss battles, or the pixel art charm.

From action-platformers that mirror Shovel Knight almost beat for beat, to Metroidvania-style adventures and challenging roguelikes, this list covers the best indie games that capture that same retro magic. Every game here has been tested and compared directly to Shovel Knight so you know exactly what you are getting into.

Top Games Like Shovel Knight at a Glance

Before we get into the detailed breakdowns, here are the standout picks. These are the games that came up again and again in Reddit threads, community forums, and our own playtesting as the best Shovel Knight alternatives.

Gravity Circuit — The closest game to Shovel Knight in spirit and mechanics. A Mega Man-inspired action-platformer with tight controls, excellent boss fights, and retro pixel art. Available on PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

The Messenger — Starts as a linear action-platformer reminiscent of Ninja Gaiden, then opens up into a full Metroidvania halfway through. A brilliant tribute to 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Available on PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon — Created by Koji Igarashi, the mind behind Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. This is an NES-style Castlevania with multiple characters and branching paths. Available on PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, 3DS, and PS Vita.

Hollow Knight — A massive Metroidvania with precise combat, gorgeous hand-drawn art, and over 40 hours of content. Harder than Shovel Knight but deeply rewarding. Available on PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Cyber Shadow — Developed by Mechanical Head Studios and published by Yacht Club Games itself. This is essentially a Ninja Gaiden-style game made by the same people who brought you Shovel Knight. Available on PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

Celeste — If the precision platforming and challenging difficulty of Shovel Knight were your favorite parts, Celeste takes those elements to the next level. Available on PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One.

What Makes a Game Feel Like Shovel Knight?

Before we jump into recommendations, it helps to understand what actually makes a game feel like Shovel Knight. Not every retro platformer scratches the same itch, and knowing these core traits will help you pick the right game for you.

Tight, responsive controls — Shovel Knight feels precise the moment you pick up the controller. Every jump, attack, and bounce is predictable and snappy. Games that capture this feel are the ones that resonate most with Shovel Knight fans.

Stage-select progression — The ability to pick which level to tackle next, in the tradition of Mega Man, is a core Shovel Knight mechanic. Some alternatives use this system while others go for Metroidvania-style interconnected maps.

Retro pixel art with modern polish — Shovel Knight limits itself to NES-era color palettes and sprite sizes but uses animation techniques the NES could never handle. The best alternatives follow this same philosophy.

Challenging but fair difficulty — Shovel Knight is hard enough to keep you engaged but never feels cheap. Death teaches you something. The best games in this list follow that same design philosophy.

Memorable boss battles — Each boss in Shovel Knight has distinct patterns, phases, and personality. Boss fights are highlights rather than obstacles, and that is a quality we looked for in every recommendation here.

Exceptional soundtracks — Jake Kaufman’s soundtrack for Shovel Knight is legendary in the indie game community. Several games on this list feature similarly outstanding chiptune and retro-inspired music worth experiencing.

Best Action-Platformers Like Shovel Knight

These are the games that most closely mirror Shovel Knight’s core formula. If you want linear levels, tight combat, boss fights, and that classic stage-by-stage progression, start here.

Gravity Circuit

Gravity Circuit is the single most commonly recommended Shovel Knight alternative on Reddit, and for good reason. Developed by Domesticated Ant Games, this 2023 release plays like a love letter to classic Mega Man with a dash of Shovel Knight’s modern design thinking.

You play as Kai, a robotic warrior fighting through eight stages to defeat a rogue army of machines. The stage-select screen, the boss pattern design, and the way you earn new abilities from defeated bosses all feel immediately familiar if you have played Shovel Knight. The controls are tight and snappy, with a dash mechanic and a parry system that adds depth without overcomplicating things.

What really sets Gravity Circuit apart is its pacing. Levels are longer and more complex than typical Mega Man stages, giving you room to experiment with the abilities you unlock. Boss fights are multi-phase encounters that test your mastery of each new skill. The pixel art is vibrant and detailed, running at a smooth 60fps on all platforms.

Why it feels like Shovel Knight: Stage-select progression, tight controls, boss abilities, retro pixel art, and a difficulty curve that challenges without frustrating. This is the closest experience you will find to playing a new Shovel Knight campaign.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard — comparable to Shovel Knight’s Plague of Shadows campaign

The Messenger

The Messenger, developed by Sabotage Studio (the same team behind Sea of Stars), pulls off one of the cleverest design tricks in modern indie gaming. The first half is a linear, Ninja Gaiden-inspired action-platformer with tight sword combat, wall climbing, and precise jumping. Then, halfway through, it transforms into a full Metroidvania with backtracking, upgrades, and an interconnected world map.

This dual-nature design means you get two experiences in one game. The linear opening gives you that same stage-by-stage satisfaction as Shovel Knight, while the Metroidvania half scratches the exploration itch. The game also features a shop system where you spend time shards on upgrades, similar to how Shovel Knight lets you buy relics between levels.

The writing deserves special mention. The Messenger has genuinely funny dialogue that pokes fun at retro gaming tropes without being obnoxious about it. The soundtrack by Eric W. Brown switches between 8-bit and 16-bit styles depending on which era of the map you are exploring.

Why it feels like Shovel Knight: Linear stage progression in the first half, tight sword-based combat, shop upgrades between levels, retro aesthetic with modern design, and an absolutely outstanding soundtrack.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Difficulty: Moderate — slightly easier than Shovel Knight overall, with generous checkpoints

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon

Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon is the NES-style prequel to Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, developed by Inti Creates under the direction of Koji Igarashi. If you played Shovel Knight and wished for more of that Castlevania energy, this is your game.

You control Zangetsu, a demon slayer who can recruit up to three additional party members as you progress. Each character has unique abilities that open new paths in levels, similar to how Shovel Knight’s different campaigns let you approach levels with new mechanics. You can switch between characters on the fly, creating a layered approach to combat and exploration.

The game offers multiple endings based on whether you recruit or sacrifice your companions, giving it genuine replayability. There is even a harder Nightmare mode unlocked after your first playthrough. The pixel art is authentic to the NES aesthetic while pushing beyond what the actual hardware could do, exactly like Shovel Knight’s approach.

Why it feels like Shovel Knight: NES-authentic pixel art, stage-select progression, multiple playable characters with distinct playstyles, challenging boss fights, and modern quality-of-life features layered over classic design.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita

Difficulty: Moderate — similar to the original Shovel Knight campaign, with accessibility options

Cyber Shadow

Cyber Shadow has a direct connection to Shovel Knight: it was published by Yacht Club Games. Developed by Mechanical Head Studios (essentially a solo developer named Aarne Hunziker), this is a Ninja Gaiden-inspired action-platformer that carries the Yacht Club seal of quality.

You play as Shadow, a cybernetic ninja slicing through armies of synthetic enemies to save your clan. The game starts simple with basic sword slashes and gradually unlocks a full arsenal of abilities including a shuriken throw, a dash, and a charged slash. This progressive skill unlock mirrors how Shovel Knight doles out relics across its campaigns.

The difficulty is higher than Shovel Knight, landing somewhere between Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man 9. Checkpoints are generous though, and you keep your unlocked abilities even after dying. The pixel art is crisp and detailed, with large character sprites and fluid animation that shows the NES inspiration without being limited by it.

Why it feels like Shovel Knight: Published by Yacht Club Games, progressive ability unlocks, tight sword combat, retro pixel art, challenging boss fights with learnable patterns, and a soundtrack by Jake Kaufman (the composer behind Shovel Knight’s music).

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Difficulty: Hard — tougher than Shovel Knight but fair, with generous checkpoints

Best Metroidvania-Style Games for Shovel Knight Fans

Shovel Knight is primarily a linear action-platformer, but several of its campaigns (especially Specter of Torment) include Metroidvania elements. If you enjoyed those exploration-focused moments and want to go deeper into the genre, these are the best starting points.

Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight by Team Cherry is the biggest game on this list, both in scope and in cultural impact. This sprawling Metroidvania drops you into the underground kingdom of Hallownest with nothing but a nail (essentially a sword) and a sense of curiosity.

The combat is precise and methodical. You have a limited number of hits you can take, and healing requires standing still and focusing your soul meter, which fills by hitting enemies. This risk-reward loop will feel natural to Shovel Knight players who are used to managing health while staying aggressive.

Be warned: Hollow Knight is harder than Shovel Knight, especially the boss fights. Some of the optional bosses like the Nightmare King Grimm are among the most challenging encounters in modern gaming. But like Shovel Knight, the difficulty feels fair. Every death teaches you something about the boss pattern or your own timing.

The world is enormous. Expect 40 to 60 hours for a thorough playthrough, compared to Shovel Knight’s 6 to 8 hours per campaign. The hand-drawn art style is gorgeous, the atmosphere is haunting, and the lore runs deep. This is the game most often mentioned alongside Shovel Knight in community discussions.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Precise combat with tight controls, challenging boss fights that reward pattern memorization, incredible soundtrack by Christopher Larkin, and a fair-but-punishing difficulty curve.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Difficulty: Hard to Very Hard — significantly harder than Shovel Knight, especially boss encounters

Cave Story

Cave Story, originally created by Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya in 2004, is one of the most important indie games ever made. This single-developer project inspired an entire generation of indie creators, including the team behind Shovel Knight.

You play as Quote, a robot who awakens in a cave with no memory and must fight through an underground world to save its inhabitants. The game blends action-platformer combat with Metroidvania exploration and RPG-style weapon leveling. Your weapons gain experience by collecting energy crystals from defeated enemies, but they lose levels when you take damage.

This weapon system creates a unique risk-reward dynamic that Shovel Knight players will appreciate. You are constantly balancing aggression with self-preservation. The game offers multiple endings based on your choices and performance, rewarding skilled play with additional content.

Cave Story has a polished old-school feel that Shovel Knight clearly drew inspiration from. The pixel art is charming, the music is catchy, and the story has genuine emotional weight. You can play the original free version on PC or grab Cave Story+ on modern platforms with enhanced graphics options.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Tight action-platformer combat, Metroidvania exploration, pixel art charm, weapon upgrade system, multiple endings, and a direct lineage of inspiration that connects to Shovel Knight’s design philosophy.

Platforms: PC (free original), Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, PS Vita, Wii

Difficulty: Moderate — comparable to Shovel Knight, with a steep spike toward the end

Dust: An Elysian Tail

Dust: An Elysian Tail is an action-RPG platformer that combines fast combat with Metroidvania exploration and gorgeous hand-painted visuals. Developed by Dean Dodrill (another solo developer success story), this game was frequently mentioned in Reddit threads by Shovel Knight fans.

The combat system is flashy and satisfying. You chain together aerial combos, parry attacks, and projectile deflections in a way that feels more fluid than Shovel Knight but requires similar timing skills. Your companion, a flying cat-like creature named Fidget, adds projectile attacks that you can combine with Dust’s sword swings for screen-clearing combos.

The exploration elements are lighter than a full Metroidvania. You unlock new abilities that open previously inaccessible areas, but the game generally funnels you forward through its story. This makes it a good middle ground for Shovel Knight fans who want some exploration without getting lost in a massive open world.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Tight combat with combo depth, light Metroidvania exploration, beautiful visual style, and a difficulty level that respects the player’s time while still providing a challenge.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate — the most accessible game on this list, with adjustable difficulty settings

Chasm

Chasm, developed by Bit Kid, sits at the intersection of classic Castlevania and procedural generation. Each playthrough generates a unique castle map while keeping the hand-crafted rooms and enemy encounters consistent. It is a Metroidvania with a twist.

The combat is deliberate and methodical, closer to classic Castlevania than to Shovel Knight’s snappy pace. You find new weapons, armor, and abilities as you explore deeper into the mine beneath a quiet town. The pixel art is detailed and atmospheric, with large character sprites and smooth animation.

Where Chasm connects to Shovel Knight is in its respect for classic game design. The procedurally generated maps mean every run feels fresh, but the core gameplay loop of exploring, fighting bosses, and unlocking new traversal abilities is pure retro platformer DNA.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Retro pixel art aesthetic, Metroidvania exploration with classic Castlevania combat, boss fights with learnable patterns, and a soundtrack that captures that NES-era energy.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PS Vita

Difficulty: Moderate — similar to Shovel Knight’s base difficulty

Challenging Roguelike and Precision Platformers

If the difficulty and replayability of Shovel Knight were what kept you coming back, these games push those qualities even further. Some use roguelike mechanics for endless replayability, while others focus on pure precision platforming that demands mastery.

Dead Cells

Dead Cells by Motion Twin is a roguelike-Metroidvania hybrid that combines fast, fluid combat with procedurally generated levels. Each run through the island is different, and death sends you back to the start with only permanent upgrades intact.

The combat is where Dead Cells shines for Shovel Knight fans. Attacks are fast and responsive, dodging is precise, and the weapon variety means you can find a playstyle that clicks. The game rewards aggressive play, similar to how Shovel Knight’s shovel drop mechanic encourages you to stay on the offensive.

Unlike Shovel Knight’s hand-crafted levels, Dead Cells generates new layouts every run. This makes it endlessly replayable but means you lose the carefully designed level-to-level pacing that makes Shovel Knight special. Think of it as trading structured level design for unlimited variety.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Tight responsive combat, aggressive playstyle rewards, pixel art visuals, challenging boss fights, and a phenomenal soundtrack.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Android, iOS

Difficulty: Hard to Very Hard — the difficulty ramps significantly across runs

Celeste

Celeste, developed by Matt Thorson and Noel Berry, is a precision platformer that shares Shovel Knight’s philosophy of challenging but fair design. You play as Madeline, climbing a mountain through hundreds of single-screen challenges that test your jumping, dashing, and wall-climbing skills.

There is no combat in Celeste. The entire game is pure platforming, which makes it different from Shovel Knight in genre but similar in spirit. The controls are tight and perfectly calibrated. Every death feels like your fault, and every success feels earned. This is the same core design philosophy that makes Shovel Knight so satisfying.

The game includes extensive accessibility options and an assist mode that lets you adjust game speed, grant extra dashes, or become invincible. This means players of any skill level can experience the story and atmosphere, while hardcore players can tackle the brutally difficult B-side and C-side chapters.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Precision-focused gameplay, tight controls, fair difficulty with optional extreme challenge, pixel art style, incredible soundtrack by Lena Raine, and a deeply personal story.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One

Difficulty: Hard to Extreme — base game is comparable to Shovel Knight, optional content is much harder

Rogue Legacy

Rogue Legacy by Cellar Door Games is a roguelike platformer where death is part of the progression loop. Each time your character dies, you pick a new heir with random traits like colorblindness, dwarfism, or vertigo that change how you experience the game.

The platforming and combat feel solid and responsive. You explore a castle that reshuffles its layout every run, collecting gold to buy permanent upgrades for your lineage. This gold-then-upgrade cycle scratches the same itch as Shovel Knight’s relic collection, giving you tangible progress even when you fail.

The game does not have Shovel Knight’s pixel-perfect level design since rooms are randomized, but the combat encounters within those rooms are well-tuned. Boss fights are a highlight, with four major encounters that test everything you have learned.

Why it appeals to Shovel Knight fans: Upgrade-based progression, responsive combat, challenging boss fights, retro pixel art, and a persistent sense of forward progress despite permadeath.

Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, PS3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, iOS

Difficulty: Moderate to Hard — starts tough but eases as you accumulate upgrades

Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls

Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls is a hidden gem and the only free game on this list. Developed by Suits & Sandals, this action-platformer was heavily inspired by Shovel Knight and wears that influence proudly.

You play as Chell, a chimera hero fighting through stages filled with monster girl enemies. The stage-select format, the boss fights, the hidden collectibles, and the tight platforming controls all clearly draw from Shovel Knight’s playbook. The game is shorter than Shovel Knight (about 2 to 3 hours) but packs genuine quality into that runtime.

For Shovel Knight fans on a budget or anyone who wants a quick fix between larger games, Khimera delivers a surprisingly polished experience at zero cost. The community on Reddit consistently recommends it as a legitimate Shovel Knight alternative, not just a curiosity.

Why it feels like Shovel Knight: Stage-select progression, hidden collectibles, boss fights with patterns to learn, tight platforming controls, retro pixel art, and the free price tag makes it an easy recommendation.

Platforms: PC (free on Steam)

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate — more accessible than Shovel Knight, making it a great entry point

Games Like Shovel Knight by Platform

One of the most common questions in forums is which of these games are available on a specific platform. Here is a breakdown to help you find the right game regardless of what system you play on.

Best Picks for Nintendo Switch

The Switch is the strongest platform for Shovel Knight fans. Almost every game on this list is available on Switch, making it the ideal system if you want portable retro platforming. Gravity Circuit, The Messenger, Hollow Knight, Celeste, and Cyber Shadow all run beautifully on the hybrid console. The Messenger in particular feels at home on Switch, with its handheld mode evoking the portable gaming era it pays tribute to.

Best Picks for PC

PC has the widest selection of all platforms, including free exclusives like the original Cave Story and Khimera: Destroy All Monster Girls. Steam also offers the best modding support for games like Hollow Knight and Dead Cells. If you want to try everything on this list without worrying about platform compatibility, PC is the way to go.

Best Picks for PS5 and PS4

PlayStation players have strong options with Gravity Circuit, Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, and Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon all available. Gravity Circuit is a standout on PS5 since it runs at a locked 60fps with fast loading. Celeste and The Messenger are also available on PS4 and playable on PS5 through backward compatibility.

Best Picks for Android and Mobile

If you are looking for Android games like Shovel Knight, your options are more limited but still solid. Dead Cells has an excellent mobile port with touch controls that work surprisingly well. The original Cave Story can be played through emulators or unofficial ports on Android. For a native experience, Sword of Xolan and Leo’s Fortune capture some of that retro platformer energy, though neither matches the full Shovel Knight experience.

FAQs

Wrapping Up Your Next Retro Platformer Adventure

There you have it — a complete guide to the best games like Shovel Knight, organized by style so you can find exactly the type of experience you are craving. Whether you want a near-identical action-platformer like Gravity Circuit, a massive adventure like Hollow Knight, or a quick free fix like Khimera, the indie gaming scene has delivered outstanding options for Shovel Knight fans.

My personal recommendation: start with Gravity Circuit if you want the closest match to Shovel Knight, then branch out into The Messenger for a longer adventure or Celeste if you want to push your platforming skills to their limit. Each game on this list captures a different slice of what made Shovel Knight special.

The retro platformer genre is thriving in 2026, and every game listed here has earned its spot through quality gameplay, tight controls, and genuine respect for the classic era that inspired them all. Pick one that matches your platform and playstyle, and enjoy the adventure.