From one of the most off-putting titles in its level design to the one that's damn-near magical. Yacht Club's Shovel Knight absolutely nails the magic of old-school early 90's gaming in the most exquisite of ways, chucking out an immediately iconic character in the titular night, a wicked sense of humour through certain dialogue exchanges, level designs that test you just enough to master the mechanics available without being annoying, and a chiptune soundtrack that gives the whole thing more charm than a Pixar marathon. The devs even take a page from Dark Souls' Book On Death Mechanics, meaning whenever you die you'll leave behind bags of gold in the world that can then be recovered if you get back to than point in one piece. In addition there's a string of bosses all with unique patterns and personalities to conquer, tied up with an old-school 'save-your-lover' story that ends on an unexpectedly emotional note. All in all there's a very good reason Shovel Knight is one of the best games you'll ever play, and therein lies a perfect sense of difficulty entire generations haven't come in contact with for far too long.
