<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
is	O
a	O
roguelike	O
platform	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Nitrome	O
and	O
Yacht	O
Club	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
third	O
game	O
of	O
the	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
series	O
and	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
September	O
23	O
,	O
2022	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Apple	O
Arcade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
follows	O
protagonist	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
as	O
he	O
fights	O
enemies	O
and	O
collects	O
treasure	O
,	O
while	O
journeying	O
through	O
several	O
different	O
levels	O
in	O
an	O
effort	O
to	O
recover	O
his	O
stolen	O
treasure	O
bag	O
from	O
a	O
thief	O
named	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Yacht	O
Club	O
Games	O
was	O
beginning	O
to	O
show	O
fatigue	O
from	O
supporting	O
the	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
franchise	O
for	O
several	O
years	O
,	O
and	O
decided	O
to	O
pass	O
on	O
development	O
to	O
mobile	B-Application
game	I-Application
studio	O
Nitrome	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Both	O
developers	O
conceived	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
as	O
an	O
arcade-style	O
game	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
continuously	O
moves	O
downwards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
teams	O
cited	O
Downwell	B-Application
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
earliest	O
inspirations	O
,	O
and	O
drew	O
further	O
influence	O
from	O
Spelunky	B-Application
and	O
Dig	B-Application
Dug	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
was	O
launched	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
Windows	B-Application
,	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
and	O
iOS	B-Application
(	O
via	O
Apple	O
Arcade	O
)	O
on	O
September	O
23	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
free	O
DLC	B-Protocol
called	O
Fate	O
and	O
Fortune	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
PC	O
on	O
March	O
17	O
,	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
is	O
a	O
roguelike	O
platform	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
can	O
jump	O
,	O
dig	O
horizontally	O
and	O
downwards	O
,	O
attack	O
with	O
his	O
shovel	O
,	O
and	O
bounce	O
upon	O
enemies	O
and	O
objects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
cannot	O
remain	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
location	O
for	O
too	O
long	O
,	O
or	O
an	O
unstoppable	O
buzzsaw	O
will	O
follow	O
them	O
through	O
the	O
level	O
and	O
kill	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
upon	O
contact	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
shops	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
can	O
find	O
three	O
golden	O
gears	O
within	O
each	O
level	O
as	O
an	O
optional	O
objective	O
,	O
which	O
give	O
additional	O
heath	O
or	O
a	O
power-up	O
if	O
all	O
are	O
collected	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
has	O
been	O
frequently	O
conpared	O
to	O
Downwell	B-Application
,	O
as	O
both	O
feature	O
digging	O
down	O
from	O
a	O
vertical	O
perspective	O
,	O
fighting	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
collecting	O
treasure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
permadeath	B-Application
feature	O
causes	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
to	O
lose	O
all	O
upgrades	O
upon	O
dying	O
,	O
returning	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
the	O
surface	O
with	O
a	O
portion	O
of	O
their	O
collected	O
treasure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
surface	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
spend	O
the	O
treasure	O
on	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
items	O
,	O
including	O
tickets	O
that	O
allow	O
for	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
to	O
start	O
at	O
a	O
later	O
section	O
,	O
sets	O
of	O
armor	O
that	O
provide	O
useful	O
benefits	O
,	O
or	O
keys	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
unlock	O
new	O
Relics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
is	O
a	O
prequel	O
to	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
(	O
2014	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
is	O
chronologically	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
its	O
timeline	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
troublemaking	O
thief	O
named	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
steals	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
's	O
treasure	O
bag	O
,	O
escaping	O
by	O
digging	O
a	O
hole	O
deep	O
beneath	O
the	O
earth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Angered	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
follows	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
down	O
the	O
hole	O
,	O
learning	O
that	O
his	O
adversary	O
has	O
assembled	O
a	O
digging	O
crew	O
of	O
evil	O
knights	O
called	O
the	O
Hexcavators	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
later	O
convenes	O
with	O
his	O
adventuring	O
partner	O
Shield	O
Knight	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
two	O
resolve	O
to	O
defeat	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
and	O
reclaim	O
the	O
bag	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
descending	O
down	O
the	O
hole	O
and	O
defeating	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
the	O
Hexcavators	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
returns	O
to	O
the	O
surface	O
,	O
watching	O
as	O
the	O
nearby	O
Tower	O
of	O
Fate	O
falls	O
underground	O
due	O
to	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
's	O
tunnels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Catching	O
up	O
to	O
the	O
Hexcavators	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
learns	O
that	O
the	O
team	O
was	O
assembled	O
to	O
search	O
for	O
a	O
secret	O
treasure	O
,	O
which	O
they	O
intend	O
to	O
sell	O
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
wealth	O
and	O
fame	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
's	O
underground	O
castle	O
,	O
Shield	O
Knight	O
stays	O
behind	O
to	O
hold	O
off	O
the	O
castle	O
's	O
traps	O
,	O
leaving	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
to	O
face	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
alone	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Emerging	O
victorious	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
reclaims	O
his	O
bag	O
and	O
returns	O
to	O
the	O
surface	O
with	O
Shield	O
Knight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
fight	O
with	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
accidentally	O
cracks	O
open	O
the	O
floor	O
,	O
revealing	O
a	O
hidden	O
vault	O
connected	O
to	O
the	O
Tower	O
of	O
Fate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
inserting	O
magical	O
gems	O
obtained	O
by	O
defeating	O
the	O
Hexcavators	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
unlocks	O
the	O
chamber	O
,	O
with	O
Drill	O
Knight	O
entering	O
after	O
he	O
realizes	O
that	O
it	O
leads	O
to	O
the	O
secret	O
treasure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
gives	O
pursuit	O
,	O
confronting	O
the	O
Hexcavators	O
just	O
as	O
they	O
unearth	O
the	O
treasure	O
:	O
a	O
magical	O
amulet	O
housing	O
an	O
evil	O
spirit	O
called	O
the	O
Enchantress	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
and	O
Shield	O
Knight	O
work	O
together	O
to	O
defeat	O
the	O
monster	O
,	O
sealing	O
the	O
Enchantress	O
back	O
inside	O
the	O
amulet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
post-credits	O
scene	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
shows	O
his	O
partner	O
an	O
old	O
relic	O
he	O
kept	O
inside	O
the	O
bag	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
uses	O
to	O
open	O
the	O
secret	O
entrance	O
to	O
their	O
former	O
hideout	O
,	O
the	O
Burrow	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
in	O
a	O
collaboration	O
between	O
Yacht	O
Club	O
Games	O
,	O
the	O
creator	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
,	O
and	O
mobile	B-Application
game	I-Application
studio	O
Nitrome	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
at	O
Yacht	O
Club	O
Games	O
was	O
beginning	O
to	O
show	O
fatigue	O
from	O
supporting	O
the	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
franchise	O
for	O
several	O
years	O
,	O
and	O
decided	O
to	O
pass	O
on	O
development	O
of	O
a	O
new	O
game	O
to	O
a	O
third-party	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nitrome	O
was	O
chosen	O
as	O
a	O
developer	O
for	O
the	O
new	O
game	O
,	O
with	O
both	O
studios	O
conceiving	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
as	O
an	O
arcade-style	O
game	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
continuously	O
moves	O
downwards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
teams	O
cited	O
Downwell	B-Application
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
earliest	O
inspirations	O
,	O
and	O
drew	O
further	O
influence	O
from	O
Spelunky	B-Application
and	O
Dig	B-Application
Dug	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
was	O
announced	O
without	O
a	O
release	O
date	O
on	O
August	O
28	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
delayed	O
in	O
November	O
2021	O
for	O
a	O
2022	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
launched	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
Windows	B-Application
,	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
and	O
iOS	B-Application
(	O
via	O
Apple	O
Arcade	O
)	O
on	O
September	O
23	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
free	O
DLC	B-Protocol
update	O
called	O
Fate	O
and	O
Fortune	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
PC	O
on	O
March	O
17	O
,	O
2023	O
,	O
introducing	O
quality-of-life	O
changes	O
,	O
a	O
music	O
track	O
from	O
Jake	O
Kaufman	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
"	O
Knightmare	O
Mode	O
"	O
available	O
to	O
players	O
who	O
had	O
already	O
completed	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
described	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
a	O
worthy	O
successor	O
to	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
,	O
and	O
found	O
its	O
gameplay	O
to	O
be	O
unpredictable	O
and	O
intense	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
compared	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
Downwell	B-Application
,	O
and	O
appreciated	O
the	O
platforming	O
gameplay	O
,	O
finding	O
it	O
reminiscent	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
PCMag	O
echoed	O
this	O
sentiment	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
Dig	I-Application
did	O
not	O
feel	O
unique	O
in	O
an	O
indie	O
game	O
market	O
saturated	O
with	O
the	O
roguelike	O
style	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
liked	O
how	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
the	O
graphics	O
and	O
musics	O
compared	O
to	O
games	O
of	O
the	O
16-bit	B-Device
era	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
it	O
felt	O
like	O
an	O
upgrade	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
’s	O
8-bit	O
inspired	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
other	O
hand	O
,	O
PCMag	O
wrote	O
that	O
levels	O
would	O
become	O
less	O
and	O
less	O
interesting	O
once	O
the	O
player	O
learned	O
their	O
unique	O
mechanics	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
original	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
,	O
"	O
Dig	O
feels	O
a	O
bit	O
like	O
a	O
step	O
back	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
