Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove campaigns guide: what Treasure Trove includes and where to start
Compare the five included games and their different movement systems.
Edition covered
Treasure Trove collects the 2014 Shovel of Hope adventure and the later Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, King of Cards and Showdown releases, completed in 2019. These Steam gallery captures show Shovel of Hope. Showdown and co-op availability differ on 3DS and PS Vita; Shovel Knight Dig and Pocket Dungeon are separate games.
Start with Shovel of Hope for the original adventure
Shovel Knight’s campaign establishes the cast, shovel drop and map structure. It is a straightforward starting point before the other heroes reinterpret familiar places.
| Included game | Playable focus | Main distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Shovel of Hope | Shovel Knight | Shovel drop, relics and original quest |
| Plague of Shadows | Plague Knight | Configurable bombs and burst movement |
| Specter of Torment | Specter Knight | Dash slashes, wall movement and prequel story |
| King of Cards | King Knight | Shoulder bash, spinning bounce and Joustus |
| Showdown | Multiple characters | Local platform battles and story encounters |
Learn each new movement system
Plague Knight’s bomb burst, Specter Knight’s dash slash and King Knight’s shoulder bash demand different habits. Do not assume a Shovel Knight jump route works for all four heroes.
| Player goal | Good starting point | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Learn the series’ basic cast | Shovel of Hope | Original adventure |
| Experiment with a loadout | Plague of Shadows | Bomb-part combinations |
| Focus on flowing movement | Specter of Torment | Dash-slash traversal |
| Explore card puzzles | King of Cards | Joustus is part of the campaign |
| Play local competitive matches | Showdown | Built around platform fighting |
Treat Showdown as a separate mode
Showdown is a platform-fighting game with local battles and character stories. It is not a fifth linear traversal campaign using Shovel of Hope’s upgrade economy.
Check the edition before following a feature guide
Treasure Trove is distinct from standalone campaign purchases and later spin-offs. Handheld editions also have feature exceptions, so match the platform as well as the title.
Shovel Knight Dig and Pocket Dungeon are separate releases, not missing Treasure Trove campaigns.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove publisher listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Yacht Club Shovel of Hope instruction manual | old.yachtclubgames.com |