Fake, clearly

Just in case you still aren't convinced that the Shovel Knight amiibo is a thing, Nintendo of America confirmed its existence alongside a raft of other announcements during a pre-PAX presentation at its Nindies@Night event at EMP Museum in Seattle.

Scanning the amiibo on Wii U version of Shovel Knight allows gamers to play cooperatively with a friend. On both 3DS and Wii U, the amiibo can be used to level-up and customize the main character "with new visual enhancements, relics and abilities". There are also exclusive amiibo challenge levels in which these abilities can be used. It is stated that the figure will also be used in "future Shovel Knight games", which is as big an indication as you could hope for that a sequel is on the way.

Sadly, it doesn't look like Shovel Knight is compatible with Super Smash Bros., however - although with the amiibo in place, adding him to the roster later on is surely an easier process.

Damon Baker, Nintendo of America's Senior Marketing Manager of Publisher and Developer Relations, had this to say:

Not only do we have a robust slate of indie games launching in the Nintendo eShop, but these games also contain features that can only be found on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Creating an amiibo that's compatible with all current and future Shovel Knight games shows that our strong relationship with independent developers is constantly evolving.

Yacht Club Games - which recently had to deny rumours that the amiibo was coming - is understandably pleased with the news, too:

It's been a great honor to work directly with Nintendo, creating a Shovel Knight amiibo that sits beside their most beloved characters. We are elated to expand the world of Shovel Knight, and to keep developing unique game-play experiences on Nintendo's platforms.

Will you be investing in this figure? What other third-party amiibo figures are you hoping for? Let us know by posting a comment.