Day 54

Video Game Week reaches the last level with Shovel Knight, Day 54 of the #365drawingchallenge This was another fan request, but one that I really wanted to draw anyway.

I love this game. I have it on both the Wii U and the Switch and have played through it multiple times. I’ve played all the currently available DLC (where is my King of Cards?!). I even have the Amiibo and have done everything I could with that.

This game takes a lot of what I loved about the platformers from when I was a kid, and back then platformers ruled above all other games, and it enhances it by taking away some of the worst parts of those old games. It’s difficult and requires you to master the controls, but it doesn’t stress you out with the pressure of lives or limited continues. It also offers you a bunch of powers that can help you get through the game in the style that you like best.

The art style is also fantastic. It looks and sounds enough like an old 8-bit that you know immediately what it is going for, but it doesn’t limit itself to those restrictions and pushes things beyond what would have been possible back then. The story is also quite good. I’m not a guy who usually cares a lot about a story in a video game, but this one is fun and offers a few twists that drew me in. Then the way the DLC stories intertwine really sold me. Plus all the characters are really sort of enchanting. They have a lot of personalty and are very memorable.

I’d say this is one of my favorite games, and it was fun to draw. I’d love to draw everyone in it in a big ensemble poster-type deal at some point.