Yacht Club Games Unveils Full Details of Shovel Knight amiibo

The custom knight and new relics and abilities sound great, but they shouldn't be restricting co-op only to people with amiibo. If another game added a pay wall to access multiplayer, there would be uproar, but people don't seem to mind if an amiibo is involved.

Co-op looks like it will be a heck of a lot of fun! Looking forward to the challenges!

I will be receiving two Shovel Knight amiibo by next Friday.

This is basically DLC, and it kinda looks great. I'm not an amiibo buyer (or fan to be honest) but I'll probly get this for all the extra features

wont be using the co op, but am curious about this new items and abilities for single player biz..

"The amiibo will also unlock a co-op mode." Only on the Wii U version, but by all means, keep up the 'quality' reporting. Also, I'm still not sure how I feel about the Shovel Knight amiibo use.

@RainbowGazelle Haha, shots fired!

Yeah mine has been on pre-order for ages can't wait

It does seem as though these Amiibo's are important to a lot of people, even more of a compulsion than playing the game. And a very good money spinner for some.

Others like me who are gamers and not toy collectors do not want these Amiibos. We see them as a way of increasing the price of a game by 20-25% and wonder if content from the games is being held back and is only activated with the toy.

The more toys that are sold the less games will be bought unless gamers have an endless supply of cash.

I must have this!

I already bought/got the amiibo a couple of days ago, actually. It looks cool. Eagerly awaiting the update next week! (Currently, the Shovel Knight is not recognized by the Wii U or the game.)

@zool I'm mainly a gamer too but I love my favourite game series enough to make me buy some amiibos of characters based on those (LoZ, Kid Icarus, Metroid). I see them as collector's items that bring something to the game(s).

The Shovel Knight amiibo is basically physical DLC that just comes with a figure instead of on a disc. It's just what amiibo should be: additional content with the use of a physical item that looks nice.

He'll probably be Smash Bros DLC too.

Definitely will be getting this amiibo. It looks so cool.

I'll bite

I doubt this stuff is going to be exclusive to the amiibo for long. They'll most likely have it up to the amiibo for a month or two, then release this stuff as paid DLC or the more likely option of a patch minus leveling shovel knight. The amiibo itself isn't locking seriously important stuff that makes or breaks the game. So far amiibo haven't locked anything important from a player outside of trivial costumes for MK8 and some challenges in Splatoon that no one really cares about.

Considering all the free DLC making Shovel Knight a great package, spending a bit more money for these extra features and figure isn't unreasonable especially when they want to keep stock available at all times.

I'll pass, I'd rather them just do a straight up DLC at a cheaper instead of trying to dress it up.

Sweet!

As far as cobtent goes, I'm most excited about the" Custon Knight" feature. Really looking forward to this amiibo.

Pre-ordered it long ago. Mostly as a collectible but the functionality is cool too.

Awesome and can't wait. Good excuse to play through again, but then... I haven't even done Plague Knight yet!

My only concern with this and all the extra kickstarter goals being fulfilled is that this game went beyond expectations for me and was a complete delight. I really hope they are also designing their next game, whatever it will be.

I wasn't planning to get this amiibo but the video really sold me. Co-op, custom knight, and the new relics look far more awesome than I imagined.

I'm not a fan of locking content behind arbitrary pay walls, but this seems like legitimate DLC - just in physical form. It would be nice if they also allowed these DLC-type gameplay features to be purchased separately... but I'm not against this.

No preview needed....I'll pick one up the second I see one.

I'm probably one of the few people who still doesn't own this game, waffling between the Steam version and the Wii U version. This may tip the scales.

Does anyone know if the co-op and challenges are planned as standard DLC? Would like all the content but would rather not pay extra for the little figurine.

Getting it. I love Shovel Knight, so...yeah! The only problem I have with it is co-op being locked behind it.

Hopefully this isn't mega popular and I can just walk into a store and get it.

While I am a little disappointed that I do not get this before Christmas, it will not stop me from dropping some preorder dollars down on it.

@crimsontadpoles
Why? Why should it be free? Where is this unwritten rule that says post-launch content must be free? Don't be ridiculous.

Charging for multiplayer happens all the time, and is nothing new. Costs money to develop, so you pay to play. Oh that Killzone Shadowfall co-op update? Sure, $20. Let's stop pretending everything should just be free.

The great thing about the human mind is that it's smart enough to differentiate between randomly charging for co-op that was already included, and actually including it free with an Amiibo that needed something to unlock. There's a difference.

I love Shovel Knight and was happy to hear about this amiibo, I will also pick it up. It seems really mean to those who can't get the amiibo honestly, the stuff they locked away should've already been in the game.

@zool "We see them as a way of increasing the price of a game by 20-25%"

Have you seen Lego Dimensions? More like 500%-600% at least. Same for Skylanders or Disney Inifnity. What kills me with "toys as DLC" is that the companies don't even PRETEND anymore that this is DLC. When you spend $20 on Toybox Takeover or Racing for DI 3.0 it's not even a toy, it's just a little plastic chip that unlocks what's already on the disc. All this stuff is ALREADY ON THE DISC. So technically it's not even DLC if you consider DLC to be something you "download", it's all just locked away in a completed game. All of it. Even the $35 packs. Yet still I will happily spend HUNDREDS of dollars to play things I already own, just need to unlock them. It's a crazy madness disease.

It's reached the point were I wish they would just sell the game ON the toys. You buy the toy, put it on the portal/Gamepad, then it downloads the game. Or build a small USB memory chip into the toy and add a port. Buy the toy, get the game, 1 price. I'd at least feel better about that.

@Uzuki "They'll most likely have it up to the amiibo for a month or two, then release this stuff as paid DLC"

I'm still waiting for the Spaltoon amiibo to be released as paid DLC for those challenges you say nobody cares about. I care, I just don't think challenges are worth $13 each. DLC $5 for each, $12 for all 3. BTW it's challenges, gear, and minigames the amiibo unlock. Probably not worth $12, but better than $35 for people who don't want to buy toys. Can't even buy the squid separate in the US, it's girl, boy, 3 pack.

So I'm not so sure this SK amiibo DLC will ever be released sans amiibo. Well not on Wii U, probably on the other platforms though as I have no idea how to get amiibo to work on anything other than Wii U or 3DS.

@aaronsullivan "My only concern with this..."

I didn't read anything after that which sounded like "a concern". I think you lost or modified your train of thought halfway thru that sentence.

Not interested in retro games or amiibo, but I do like the look of this one - "prom tux blue" I think is the official color - and my kids like co-op, so may pick this up if I see it in Target. I'll get the game after that.

No question, I will buy this at whatever price

Shantae amiibo when

My fiancé jokingly calls my amiibos "dollies". I don't care, I can't wait to add one more "Dollie" to my collection; been waiting for this forever!

First amiibo I'll be buying.

I already have mine.

Seems like the best amiibo yet. Can't wait.

@rjejr liking the "prom tux blue" to describe shovel knight's color.

I really like how they are using the Shovel Knight amiibo plus he looks cool ., LoL I will be preordering this .

@JaxonH I've never played a game where co-op was behind a pay wall, and I don't consider it to be the norm. Every multiplayer game I've played has had it available for free. I just don't think playing with others should cost more than playing with yourself.

What's most annoying though is the price. £11 seems far too expensive to unlock multiplayer for this game, and that's assuming I'm able to get it at the cheapest place. This is exactly the same problem as Splatoon, where the cost of 3 amiibo is a ridiculous price if you want to unlock every mission.

If they gave other options for getting this sort of content, such as selling it as DLC at a much cheaper price, then I wouldn't be complaining, as it's additional content that wouldn't have been in the game. I dislike seeing important things locked exclusively to amiibo like multiplayer and extra missions if their value isn't worth the price of the amiibo. They seem to be using amiibo as a way to charge more for DLC.

Maybe he'll be revealed as a Smash Bros. fighter on this date as well.

@crimsontadpoles

That's because it is normal to be free, WHEN THE GAME INCLUDES IT FROM THE START. It is totally and unequivocally not normal to be free when it's included a year after release as little extra unlock to those who own the amiibo.

You can say "that should be free" about anything. Costumes? Oh well those should be free. Extra modes? Oh well those should be free. Anything- you name it- it should be free. No, they shouldn't. You don't decide what's free- the developers do. And they can put paywalls for whatever they so desire. They can charge you for every level you play if that's how they wanna do it. There is no "should be free". Doesn't exist.

If you're talking about a multiplayer mode designed for the original release, and HELD BACK behind a paywall, ok. That's one thing. If you're talking about an EXTRA MODE ADDED ON, not behind a paywall- no, they're not selling multiplayer here. You can't "buy multiplayer" which is why it isn't on the eShop. They're REWARDING those who bought an amiibo with a little something extra.

So, really it is free. It's free to everyone who buys an amiibo.

If you can't distinguish the difference between holding back part of a finished game to monetize it, and adding extra modes as a freebie to those who buy an amiibo, then I can't help you.

@crimsontadpoles
"islike seeing important things locked exclusively to amiibo like multiplayer and extra missions if their value isn't worth the price of the amiibo. They seem to be using amiibo as a way to charge more for DLC"

These are not important. These are the very definition of trivial. So trivial in fact, you don't see them on the eShop. Because they'd cost like 10 cents if they were. You're complaining about 10 cent modes and quarter's worth of content.

These things wouldn't exist without amiibo. They're not "looking to sell DLC through amiibo". They wouldn't have made DLC at all! This would never exist without amiibo! Proof that no, they are not looking at amiibo as a catalyst to sell DLC, they're looking at amiibo as a way to sell a collectible to fans who want to buy collectibles. But for the sake of unlocking SOME sort of content, they had to include something. Which is why we see these trivial unlocks and nickel-dime content that comes with it. Cause they had to include SOMETHING.

Thankfully amiibo is more than just the content they unlock. Which is why it's an amiibo and not content sold on the eShop. The figures are the biggest expense. Of course you don't want to pay $13 to unlock multiplayer- so don't! It was never meant to be part of the game and wouldn't other wise exist. So skip it! But if you are so inclined to buy a collectible figure of a game you love for $13, then the added mp unlock is a nice little bonus.

Great, another game with an entire game mode locked behind an £11 DLC-uh I mean Amiibo.

@seb5049
Wish they'd lock even more behind amiibo just to see people get all bent out of shape about it.

It is kind of the whole point, after all. Of course people will complain about these phantom modes that would have never otherwise existed as if they somehow would have been included if not for amiibo. Riiiiight.

Would the modes and content otherwise have existed?
No.
So, it's not affecting me, either way?
No.
But I'm still going to complain about it.

@rjejr
Yeah, I needed to edit that more. Basically, my concern is that they are sinking way too much time into Shovel Knight when I can't wait to see what the very talented group does next. Shovel Knight was very successful. Great! Stop adding features to it and give us something new. But still, I'm buying the amiibo if I can get my hands on it, and I'll play all the extra modes.

I love the game, but a big part of it is the odd and overwhelming sensation of nostalgia mixed with something new. It's like playing one of the best games from the NES era as if I had somehow missed it. It felt modern at the same time as feeling like I was playing my old NES again. No other game has done that for me, really, and I play plenty of retro games.

Can't wait to see what Yacht Club does next. I'd love for them to do a truly Metroid style game, I'm curious what direction they'll take. Seems like Shovel Knight 2 might be good for them. 16-bit era though?

Yeah the developers should totally continue to develop additional content for free just because people want it. Ridiculous. This stuff wouldn't exist without the Amiibo. You aren't purchasing the Amiibo for the content, at least that's not the idea, you're purchasing it as a figure and the content is a bonus. This content only exists to provide additional incentive to purchase the figure, which without the game content would have probably been a similar price in store as 13 dollars for a toy figure is a pretty standard rate. Nothing is owed to you, Shovel Knight wasn't poor value, they've been very generous with content and updates for a game you agreed to purchase regardless of the Amiibo content. Companies need incentive to develop games and subsequent features and that incentive is money. People want a Shovel Knight figure there is clearly a demand for it, this is just a way to create a bit more demand and give it a function beyond just being a toy.

@JaxonH "These are not important. These are the very definition of trivial. So trivial in fact, you don't see them on the eShop. Because they'd cost like 10 cents if they were. You're complaining about 10 cent modes and quarter's worth of content."

What's trivial and non-trivial is very subjective though. Your opinion is valid with this, though I mostly disagree with it in this case. I would count multiplayer and the Splatoon bonus missions as very non-trivial. I have no problem with locking minor bonus things away in the amiibo such as costumes and bonus power-ups. However, I don't like to see major things tied to amiibo, unless these could be sold at a similar price to an amiibo if it was DLC.

I'd say the Shovel Knight multiplayer and the Splatoon missions are worth much more than 10 cents, but much less than the price of the amiibo. These could easily be on the eshop to please those that want this content, but aren't interested in the figurine. I think this content would sell there if it's priced fairly and cheaper than an amiibo.

"You can say "that should be free" about anything. Costumes? Oh well those should be free. Extra modes? Oh well those should be free. Anything- you name it- it should be free. No, they shouldn't. You don't decide what's free- the developers do."

It's probably best that it's the developers are making the decisions and not either of us. At least this forum is a nice place for discussing what decisions we would make and whether or not we agree with the developers.

@aaronsullivan Well on their behalf the game did just come out a month ago at retail, so it isn't that old if you are a PS4 owner. Unlike a certain game that game out in Nov 2014 that we are still waiting for an ND for so the company can make even more money off of a year old game when those developers could be doing something better like porting Kid Icarus Uprising to the Wii U. 3DS got XC, it owes us something in return.

So I wouldn't worry about YCG, they are admittedly all excited about the amiibo and this will probably finish off the game and then they can go work on something else, it's still a fairly new retail game.

@rjejr the problem with porting from 3DS to Wii U is that it's more like writing from scratch. Let's get on with NX already!

@crimsontadpoles
I'm 100% behind the idea of amiibo and stand by it. If I pay for a figure I want content you can't just "buy on the eShop". Ya, selling it separately would please those who want the content but not the amiibo, but to them I say tough luck.

Can't always get what you want, that's what I say to that. That's what happens when you want something that wouldn't have existed if not for amiibo. So no amiibo = that content not existing = those people can't buy it or access it. No difference than now, only at least now it's an option. Albeit with an amiibo purchase, but that's +1 more options had the amiibo never existed.

@aaronsullivan PS4 can emulate PS2, Xbox One can emulate Xbox360, Wii U can play all of those VC GBA games. Why can't I get 3DS emulation?

Why can't I get one of these to strap onto my Wii U?

@JaxonH I also like amiibo and it's concept, but feel that it's functionality could have been done much better. I don't think that we should have to pay the price of an amiibo to unlock "non-trivial" things if the value of these things is much less than the price of an amiibo, and instead there should be a cheaper alternative. However, what counts as "trivial" or "non-trivial" is very subjective, and we could disagree about that all day.

It wouldn't be so bad if they made card alternatives of amiibo available, since this would be a cheaper equivalent that could still unlock things. This is what I expected was going to happen when amiibo cards was first mentioned, but instead we got 400 Animal Crossing cards.

I would have loved amiibos to be used much less for unlocking things, and instead have a much greater emphasis on storing data on them, like with Smash Bros. This is what I initially was expecting amiibo to do, but unfortunately it didn't turn out that way.

@crimsontadpoles
Being trivial or not is irrelevant though. I was just using that to further press the point. The more included with amiibo the better. I hope they start unlocking entire game modes- GOOD modes, lots of content. Stuff that truly WOULD sell for $10-20 separately. That's just more value from the amiibo.

The bottom line is what all amiibo have unlocked is content beyond the main game. Content that never would have otherwise existed beyond the main game. Content that never would have even existed TO be sold separately. With that in mind, it doesn't matter if it's a costume unlock or half a game- it's all bonus. The amiibo themselves are worth the price. No content, no functionality, just bare bones collectible, is worth the price. Look at Nendoroids or Figma- $40-100 EACH. Now look at amiibo- $12.99. You got your money's worth in the figure alone. There is no other figure out there of similar quality for this price. There just isn't. The similarly priced figures look far worse, have far less interesting poses, do not come in display friendly packaging and frankly, just look like cheap toys. Any content from amiibo truly is a bonus- above and beyond your money's worth.

So it's all free, bonus content you're getting with amiibo. And it's all content that never would have existed otherwise. So the only way people could still find something wrong with that are those entitled enough to think that just because something exists that they want, they should be able to buy JUST THAT.

The same types of people who demand Nintendo go 3rd party because "I shouldn't have to buy the console if I only want the game". "I shouldn't have to buy amiibo if I only want what it unlocks". Sounds awfully familiar.

@JaxonH If they add content that worth $10-20 to amiibo, then I would also love that. I also like using amiibo to unlock very minor things that are only worth a few cents, like costumes.

The main thing we are disagreeing on is content that worth a few dollars. I still think that they should sell this sort of stuff on the eshop for those that either don't care for the amiibo or can't afford it. I don't see what the problem with this is. We can still buy the figurines because they are fantastic, AND we will still get the content, but then others can spend money on the eshop and also enjoy the content.

The Nintendo going 3rd party is irrelevant here. Nintendo making consoles means that they can do unique things with the hardware, like the touch screen with Mario Maker. Competition is great and I hope they never become 3rd party. The amiibo hardware makes no difference though and it really doesn't matter whether someone gets the DLC for free on the amiibo, or buys it on the eshop.

@crimsontadpoles
There's nothing wrong with selling the content separately- if that's what they want to do. But there's nothing wrong with them not doing so, if that's what they want to do.

@JaxonH They're in charge and can do what they want. Likewise, we can share our opinions here and say whether we agree or disagree with the developers. I'm usually supportive and agreeable, but in this case I think they could have chosen a better choice.

I appreciate what they're doing and wish that Nintendo would follow suit. I feel like amiibo have become just pointless collector's items that unlock skins and other trivial stuff in the games they work with. If I'm gonna buy an amiibo, I don't want it just because it looks pretty, I want it to do things.

Bummer that I need the amiibo for coop.

Special amiibos to get here are stupidly hard to find and overpriced.

I doubt the ShovelKnight amiibo will even land here.

In other words, premium DLC on the way. Bravo.

@rjejr 3DS hardware is much more complex than what I think Wii U can handle right now. In first place, the architecture of the console should be, preferably, planned from the beginning to support such cross-emulation. Otherwise, it's not cheap neither easy to emulate due to some limitations and incompatibility. 3DS is closer to the Wii in a matter of graphics and textures (resolution is obviously lower), so Wii U may have a bit of extra trouble than just doing VC emulation for DS Roms, which even phones can do today almost flawlessly.

The amiibo looks great, but I don't play Shovel Knight so I won't be getting him. Happy hunting to everyone getting him.

If amiibo unlock something substantial, people complain that they have to buy a $13 figure to unlock a thing they want. If amiibo don't unlock something substantial, people complain that they paid $13 for a figure that doesn't do anything.

Considering what else goes on this month, the date seems a bit suspicious to say the least. I'm not going to "call it now" or anything like that, but I kind of suspect we'll see another Shovel Knight amiibo featuring the guy in a different pose.

@Adamario
Eeeeeeeeeexactly...

@rushiosan Well hopefully that's something they get straightened out next gen, b/c I don't see why they should have their obviously limited talent pool work on 2 versions of Mario Kart, 2 versions of SSB, and 2 versions of Xenoblade Chronicles. Either make high res games that can be down res for a handheld or make handheld game stat can be up resed for the tv.

@crimsontadpoles

All Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 games with online multiplayer are hidden behind a paywall.

This is great. Physical DLC is just what the gaming industry needed.

@Toad Two wrongs doesn't make it right.

@MitchVogel It doesn't matter if it's trivial content or not, having costumes/skins locked away on an amiibo is physical DLC that should also be optionally sold on the eShop than only these stupid toys. Not everyone wants them.