Shovel Knight Developers Reveal New Game
Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Shovel Knight, has revealed their newest game. Trading a shovel for a whip and a helmet for round ears, our newest protagonist is a clever mouse inventor named Mina. Dubbed "A bone-chilling love letter to handheld gaming," the game reached its Kickstarter goal in less than 24 hours, which is a testament to how many people love Shovel Knight and believe in this studio.
The page describes the story as "harrowing, yet heartwarming" and containing a "bizarre world full of monsters and mystery." Based on the language the developers have been using, expect there to be a lot of hidden treasures and spooky overtones.
The game follows Mina, a Hollower (a highly-trained individual who can expeditiously burrow underground) investigating the cause of the now-extinguished Spark Generators. Mina is the inventor of said generators that once brought Tenebrous Isle power and prosperity, and evidence shows that there is something sinister afoot.
Yacht Club Games has cited many inspiration sources for Mina the Hollower. It's evident early Nintendo games played an integral role in providing reference and guidance to Mina's development, based on gifs and gameplay footage showcasing the game's 60fps combat and Game Boy Color-styled top-down graphics. The team also mentioned being heavily inspired by Gothic Horror, which draws a clear parallel to the Bloodborne and Castlevania shoutouts.
Game inspirations include:
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening
- Castlevania
- Bloodborne
Media inspirations include:
- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Frankenstein
- Dracula
- The Picture of Dorian Gray
For those curious, I've re-linked the Kickstarter page here, as it more thoroughly reviews the extensive lore and worldbuilding that I only briefly covered. The team has also released a reveal trailer that you can watch on YouTube.
Are you excited to see Mina in action?
