A new month begins.. And the sunny weather of Summer beckons! But we can’t hit the beach just yet, not while there’s Shovel Knight games to ship. The blue burrower turns five this month on June 26th. What better way to honor the original release than to continue pouring our hearts and souls into making each and every version of the game even better with the release of King of Cards and Showdown! It’s so close!!

Everything we talked about in the previous update is still accurate. We’re working hard to finalize the last few outstanding areas of both King of Cards and Showdown. We’re in the home stretch! But until every last bit is done, tested, and submitted, we will not have a final date.

Until then, here’s more detail on what’s been developing:

King of Cards Tuning

More playthroughs mean more polish! Especially when it comes to level clarity and behavior improvements. Did you know: before the release of Plague of Shadows, Plague Knight’s multi-hitting cluster bomb would break any checkpoint in a single throw! We caught and fixed this kind of unexpected behavior with the power of playthroughs.

Showdown Characters

We want to make sure each combatant has their best techniques! And that they’re all fun to play! And that they can all compete with one another! Every character should be someone’s favorite, and every detail counts when you’re playing for keeps (and fun)! Especially so, because every change impacts…

Showdown AI Players!

It has not been easy to craft intelligence computer opponents that can both battle and collect treasure like the real thing. All these characters have varied mobility and attacks, and they need to do their best on all these stages! It’s a complex combination of combat, but our AIs are now feeling quite lifelike! We’ve been putting Story Mode through its paces, and we think you’re gonna love the variety of matches and situations you can encounter.

Sound

There’s a full featured card game within King of Cards, and we want to ensure every card shuffle flip sounds perfect! It was also a new challenge to make sure that the four Showdown players don’t overpower your speakers!

Localization

While text changes have largely come to a close, there are a lot of new menus in King of Cards/Showdown. Not to mention stories and dialogues for every character. So we’re working through the final phases as best we can!

Testing

Always and forever!

Here’s some assorted cool stuff!

Swap it up! Select a new palette for your favorite fighter! Show them that mossy green Polar Knight is not to be trifled with and is only jolly in victory.

Black Knight is traveling on a road filled with formidable foes! But don’t worry– Specter Knight is here to help! That’s right! You can tackle Story Mode in co-op with a friend!

Tinker Knight can swiftly change gears in a pinch! The catapult arm of the Mobile Gear knocks away nearby opponents in addition to flinging a wrench!

What’s that I see at the top… Practice Mode?

It is! Pick up a new character at your own pace and spar with a friend or programmable AI opponent in this handy mode!

If you need a refresher, then check out your move list at any time during a match. Although… you probably know Shovel Knight’s moves by now, right?

Thanks again for your patience, and for staying tuned! We hope to have you all playing soon!