15 Essential PS4 Games Every New Owner Must Play

By Scott Tailford / January 3, 2017

7. Shovel Knight

There are some games that encapsulate pure, unadulterated joy. Crash Bandicoot had it, Super Mario 64 had it, and Shovel Knight has it.

Birthed from a Kickstarter project that saw developers Yacht Club aim to deliver a throwback 2D platformer as a love letter to the old school, every fact of Shovel Knight's production oozes a level of charm and warmth that makes the whole thing genuinely loveable.

The level design, the immaculate chiptune soundtrack - even the way the titular knight forward-flips onto every level before holding his shovel aloft as though gallantly proclaiming he'll tackle anything in his way - it's the best 2D platformer this side of Rayman: Legends, yet one with even more passion beating at its core.