10 games similar to Shovel Knight, a Indie, Platform, Adventure game, drawn from IGDB's similarity data. Each pick below notes the genres it shares with Shovel Knight.
01Shares AdventureIndiePlatformChasm shares Shovel Knight's retro pixel-art platforming and crowdfunded indie pedigree, both games built by passionate teams and released through digital distribution. Where Shovel Knight offers tight action across a hand-crafted world, Chasm layers procedural generation and Metroidvania exploration onto similar side-scrolling combat, letting you hunt treasure and abilities while uncovering a fantasy mystery.
02Shares AdventureIndiePlatformBoth Vagante and Shovel Knight deliver side-scrolling action platforming with fantasy settings and indie sensibilities. Vagante matches Shovel Knight's cooperative multiplayer focus, letting you tackle challenges with friends. While Vagante layers procedural generation and roguelike mechanics for replayability, both games emphasize challenging combat and exploration across distinct levels, rewarding skillful play and perseverance.
03Shares AdventureIndiePlatformBoth Pikuniku and Shovel Knight blend action platforming with comedy in indie adventures told from a side view. Where Shovel Knight pairs retro aesthetics with quirky boss fights and heart, Pikuniku layers puzzle-solving into its platforming while maintaining that same playful tone. Each game prioritizes humor and character charm alongside solid mechanics, making them natural companions for players seeking adventure with personality.
04Shares AdventureIndieBoth Hyper Light Drifter and Shovel Knight are crowdfunded indie action adventures with retro inspirations and modernized mechanics. Where Shovel Knight uses 8-bit aesthetics and side-scrolling platforming, Drifter opts for isometric perspective and faster combat with upgradeable weapons. Both share a focus on exploration, memorable boss encounters, and traversing hostile lands to uncover a mysterious truth.
05Shares AdventureIndiePlatformBoth Celeste and Shovel Knight are indie platformers built around precise, challenging side-scrolling action with female protagonists. Celeste strips away Shovel Knight's humor and multiplayer for a tighter focus on hand-crafted levels that demand mastery of movement mechanics. Where Shovel Knight layers adventure and comedy, Celeste channels its intensity into psychological exploration, but both reward players who embrace difficult platforming as their core appeal.
Games like Celeste →
06Shares AdventureIndieBoth games are indie adventures funded through Kickstarter, built by small teams with genuine passion for their craft. While Shovel Knight emphasizes tight platforming action against memorable bosses, Darkest Dungeon shifts to tactical turn-based combat where you lead flawed heroes through gothic horrors. Each game balances challenge with dark humor and features multiple protagonists, creating campaigns that reward persistence and strategic thinking over reflexes alone.
Games like Darkest Dungeon →
07Shares AdventurePlatformBoth games are Kickstarter-funded action platformers with deliberately retro sensibilities and side-view combat. Bloodstained shares Shovel Knight's focus on upgradeable weapons and gear as you progress through hostile terrain toward a final confrontation. While Bloodstained leans gothic and horror-tinged where Shovel Knight embraces humor, both deliver satisfying boss battles and reward exploration with new equipment and abilities.
08Shares AdventureIndieBoth Shovel Knight and Legends of Eisenwald are indie fantasy adventures born from Kickstarter campaigns, sharing a commitment to classic game design sensibilities. Where Shovel Knight delivers side-scrolling action with memorable boss encounters, Legends of Eisenwald channels that same quest-driven spirit through tactical turn-based combat and party management. Each game prioritizes character-driven storytelling and medieval atmosphere over modern conventions.
09Shares AdventureIndiePlatformBoth Hollow Knight and Shovel Knight are indie platformers built through Kickstarter crowdfunding, sharing a deliberately crafted 2D side-view aesthetic. Each features challenging boss fights that test your combat skills and movement precision. Where Shovel Knight emphasizes humor and variety, Hollow Knight leans into atmospheric exploration and dark fantasy, but both deliver tight action-adventure gameplay with memorable encounters that reward skill and persistence.
Games like Hollow Knight →
10Shares AdventureIndieBoth games blend indie action with pixel art and memorable characters on a quest through hostile territory. Enter the Gungeon shares Shovel Knight's focus on challenging boss fights and multiple playable protagonists, each with distinct abilities. While Gungeon trades shovels for firearms and shifts to top-down perspective, both reward skillful combat and offer satisfying progression through carefully designed encounters.
Games like Enter the Gungeon →
Frequently asked
10 games similar to Shovel Knight: Chasm, Vagante, Pikuniku, Hyper Light Drifter, Celeste, Darkest Dungeon, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, Legends of Eisenwald.
Most of these games share Adventure, Fantasy, Indie, Action and Platform with Shovel Knight, based on IGDB's similarity data. Each pick has a short note explaining what it has in common with Shovel Knight.