STACK Nov #133

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visit FEATURE GAMES
076 NOVEMBER 2015
S hovel Knight owes its existence to a small
team of passionate developers and public
recognition through a successful
Kickstarter campaign. While it certainly does evoke
the nostalgic memories of the classic 2D platformer
era, the game is so much more than just a trip down
memory lane. We caught up briefly with Yacht Club
Games director, Sean Velasco.
Were you surprised that
gamers are still so keen to
play 2D platformers?
No. 2D platformers are the
best! Gracefully controlling
an avatar is one of the most
gratifying feelings in video
games, so it's no surprise that
players are drawn to games
with fun and responsive
mobility.
What's the inspiration behind the game?
Our inspiration with Shovel Knight was to create a
game that was true to the 8-bit era of our collective
childhood, but fused with modern design sensibilities.
Shovel Knight pulls influences from NES classics like
Mega Man, Zelda II, and Castlevania, but also modern
games like Dark Souls. Everywhere, really!
Can you talk about the Kickstarter experience?
How long did it take to green light the project?
Kickstarter was probably the only way Shovel
Knight could ever have gotten off the ground, but it
was a massive amount of work. We were completely
out of money near the end, having to resort to our
own savings as we toiled away without pay for three
months. Development took
16 months in total. However,
it's all been worth it because
our fans and backers have
supported us every step
of the way. Hopefully we
can make Shovel Knight a
household name and continue
to make good on all of our
promises.
Do you intend to expand the franchise? Can you
talk about any plans or ideas?
We're already expanding Shovel Knight with
its first free expansion – Shovel Knight: Plague of
Shadows. It's a new campaign featuring Plague
Knight, who has totally new gameplay and story.
But we don't plan on stopping there. We'd love
to see more content for Shovel Knight; a sequel,
more Shovel Knight amiibo figures, maybe even a
transition to 3D platforming some day. And don't
forget the cartoon, movie, and fruit snacks! But
maybe a vacation first...
Any advice for would-be developers looking to
get their projects off the ground?
Listen to your audience. If
people don't like your game, it's
your fault. Find a great team of
like-minded people and work on
it and make it better. It doesn't
have to be huge. Once you have
a great game, don't forget to
market it and tell
everyone in the
universe that
it exists. And
never, ever
give up!
The music was
composed by Jake
Kaufman, who used
a FamiTracker – a
program that creates
music for the NES.
Shovel Knight was
developed by a team
of five (six including
Kaufman).
The Kickstarter
campaign attracted
14,749 backers who
pledged a total of
$US311, 502.
Kickstarter pledgers
of $200 got their
portrait in the game.
The studio also ran
a concurrent PayPal
donation account and
raised an additional
$US17,180 from 935
backers.
With a grand total
of $US328,682, work
commenced on the
game. It wouldn’t take
long for the money to
run out.
The employees at
Yacht Club Games
went three months
without being paid.
the
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