The 50 Best Xbox One Games Right Now

Best Xbox One Games List – #8 Shovel Knight

Developer: Yacht Club Games

Publisher: Yacht Club Games

Xbox One Release Date: April 29, 2015

It’s hard to think of a game that looks and sounds like an 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System title to represent the best of the Xbox One, but you’d be damned not to give Shovel Knight the respect it deserves. It follows the story of the titular character as he embarks on a journey to save shield knight from the clutches of The Order of no Quarter. It’s pretty cool that Yacht Club, as of the Plague of Shadows content, has also offered the gameplay option to reverse the gender roles, where Shovel and Shield Knight, plus the boss characters, can see their genders switched.

Shovel Knight mixes the action of Ducktales, the overworld exploration of Super Mario Bros. 3, the platforming slant of Mega Man and the visual style of Castlevania to make their own charming amalgamation. The game is decidedly born out of appreciation for the classics while offering up their own to fill in the decades-long gap in output from such prolific companies that birthed the genre. One of the best soundtracks in gaming, it mixes MIDI sounds of the era in a way that opens up its possibilities due to advances in technology.

Periodic content updates, the inclusion of Zitz, Pimple and Rash from Battletoads as an overworld boss, the ease of access in play; Shovel Knight showcases that you don’t need a budget in the tens of millions to craft an excellent gameplay experience in the modern era.

Next: #7 Forza Horizon 2