1 – Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove
I know what you’re thinking: “Nuno, that’s… an interesting pick for a guy with a Strategy and Wargaming website whose other favorite genres are first-person shooters (FPS), roguelites, and action-adventure games”. Well, my dearest of readers, you would be correct. In fact, I played Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove for the first time, and I myself was surprised by how much I enjoyed this love letter to the 8-bit era, meticulously crafted by Yacht Club Games. Heck, I actively dislike platformers, which is even more surprising, but then again, this is just proof that we shouldn’t discount any game based on our previous experiences without giving it a go first.
See, unlike other platformers, most of which never felt right in terms of movement or combat, Shovel Knight’s precise, refined platforming, joyous shovel-bouncing mechanics are pure mechanical perfection. Combined with a beautiful retro art style, a legendary chiptune soundtrack, and a charming sense of humor, the game is a masterclass in modern game design and how to properly make a video game. It hits every note just right, in every measure, and it has all the makings of a classic.
I think that Shovel Knight is a foundational game that everyone should play, at least once.
We All Have Our Favorites, Across All Genres
In this list we went over my favorite non-strategy games, from the amazing role-playing games (RPG) experiences of Oblivion and Dark Soulds, to the revolutionary First-Person Shooter (FPS) of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, the stylish play of Jet Set Radio in stark contrast with the silent stealth of Splinter Cell and culminating with the precise plataforming of Shovel Knight, I believe that all players should try their hands at the most amount of videogames and genres possible, because, like myself, you might never know when your next favorite experience might arrive!
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