While games have come a long way in terms of the technology that drives them, Yacht Club Games’ Shovel Knight is proof that better tech isn’t everything. With solid mechanics and beautiful art reminiscent of the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, but free of the related limitations, it’s no surprise the indie game became a hit.
For months now fans have been waiting for the game’s free add-on Plague of Shadows to be released, and luckily they won’t have to wait much longer. Yacht Club Games has finally announced a release date for the add-on on its blog today, and it’s not that far off at all: September 17. Even better, the date is the same no matter what platform you’re playing on or what region you’re located in.
The free Plague of Shadows expansion adds two main features to Shovel Knight. The first is a new campaign that sees players making their way through the game as Plague Knight — a boss from the main campaign. The other addition is a brand-new Challenge Mode that offers up segments of levels in a remixed fashion.
There is one requirement that must be met in order to play the new campaign and Challenge Mode: you’ll need to have completed the main Shovel Knight campaign first. That said, if you’ve lost your save or switched to a new platform, Yacht Club Games will share a special code allowing players to unlock Plague Knight right off the bat.
Currently, Shovel Knight is available as a digital release for the Nintendo Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Sony PS3, Sony PS4, Sony Vita, Xbox One, PC, Mac, and Linux platforms. Earlier this year we reported that the game will also getting a retail release for modern consoles and handhelds.
Last month we reported that another honor had been bestowed on Shovel Knight, as the titular character is the first from an indie game to be honored with its own Amiibo. For those playing Shovel Knight on the Wii U and 3DS, this Amiibo adds a cooperative mode to the game not seen on other platforms.
For more information on Plague of Shadows, so our previous rundown of the expansion.
