The war will forever wage on; 2D platformers, or 3D? Everyone has their favourite, and although the nearest thing to a truly great modern 3D iteration is Grow Home or the upcoming Yooka-Laylee, Shovel Knight is flying the flag higher than ever for 2D being the way to go. Man, I really can't recommend Yacht Club's gorgeous little retro-romp enough. Everything from the Knight himself who forward-flips onto every level - accompanied by a delightful music cue - to his bounce attack that has just the right amount of bounce and precision, the string of enemies and boss battles you'll encounter that are old-school formula-learners and an unexpectedly emotional ending; it's a landmark release. Had Shovel Knight seen the light of day in the 80s, it would easily be regarded as one of the true greats, but thankfully now stands out as a testament to how timeless this genre really is.
