Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeonis a semi-direct sequel to the original 2014 game. Therewere DLC packsafter that but this is the first, full-fledged game. After conquering The Enchantress and saving his beloved Shield Knight, the titular Shovel Knight is resting by the fire. A random cube happens upon him which sucks the poor knight into another adventure, trapped inside an alternate dimension.
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Some of his fellow knights get sucked in as well including the aforementioned Shield Knight. Who is behind this evil and can players help Shovel Knight escape? That’s the basic premise of this out-of-the-ordinary puzzle game mashed up with a roguelike. Let’s go through some tips to help beginners out inShovel Knight Pocket Dimension.
6Check Out The Assist Options
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeonis one of the hardest puzzle games in quite some time. It is a true roguelike that is beyond punishing even for veterans. There are no difficulty options but don’t worry. If the game is proving to be too challenging then there are avariety of assist optionsat the ready. The one option that should be turned on for sure is the infinite stock. This allows players to keep going if they die from an enemy. They can still fail a level but it’s at least at a more forgiving playing field. Other assist options include increasing HP and attack power.
5There Is Multiplayer
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeonhas multiplayer in the standard puzzle game variety. Players can locally play with a friend, or the CPU in a heady to head match. It’s not as cool as havinga co-op optionlike in the main game, but it’s a nice feature to have.
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This is especially true considering how short the game is. Players should be able to beat it, on the easiest assist option settings, in about thirty minutes at max. Multiplayer extends the playtime of this game and so do the daily challenges. That’s allShovel Knight Pocket Dungeonhas to offer though which may seem too sparse to some gamers.
4A Basic Battle Strategy
There are a few key things to know before beginning each round. As stated earlier, this isone tough roguelike. The basic beetle enemies are easy, but the second monster, the skeletons, can kill characters in two hits. Players can take the long way to victory by hitting skeletons once, then going back for a potion, and then repeating that process.
This can be done for most harder enemies but that back and forth method can be tedious. It’s better to group up the weaker enemies to unlock bonuses such as weapons. These boons should make short work of even the toughest enemies. Buying temporary upgrades from the shopkeeper should help too. Patience is a virtue as they say.
3Acquiring Gems And Upgrading
Gems return asthe basic currencyof this world. They can be acquired through killing enemies or opening chests. The more enemies are grouped then the better chances players will be showered with plenty of gems.
Gems can be used to buy the aforementioned temporary upgrades from the shopkeeper. He appears in a special chest in each round. HP upgrades are great for starting a run. It should be mentioned that any leftover gems will be taken back to camp after death. Gems at camp can be used to buy new outfits and new items to appear in battle. They can also be used to skip levels via a canon.
2How To Unlock Everyone
There are over ten characters players can unlock besides the titular Shovel Knight. Most are returning champions and bosses from the main game.Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeonalso adds some new characters to the mix including the Prism Knight.
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Beating the story will unlock some of the more critical, original story characters. The others can be unlocked randomly through boss fight stages. Getting a specific one to appear seems impossible.Like most roguelikes, it’s up to trial and error and a lot of luck. It shouldn’t take that many playthroughs to get them all though.
1Look Out For Shrine Portals
Three portal dimensions can appear at any level. The aforementioned blue chest will take players to the shop. Then there are swirling portals that come in two varieties. One will bring players to another puzzle room that requires them to complete it in a set amount of time. These rooms will dish out bonus gems and sometimes even unlock charactersfrom the series. This is rare as the normal way is through boss stages. Then there are the Shrine Portals which are guarded by a giant skeleton. It will demand something from the player to get inside its doors.
This could include three keys or some of the player’s health. Inside players can get a key fragment that is necessary for completing the game. There may also be a bonus item waiting for them. Make sure to never ignore any of these portals. There are ways to complete a level 100%. When time is running low, the top of the screen will lower a gate. If this happens, get out of there. Otherwise, stick with the level and try to finish it. This may make these portals appear if they are being evasive.
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeonwas released on Jun 29, 2025, and is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
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