Among currently releasing indie games, there are very few that call back to the 8-bit, retro style of the first The Legend of Zelda titles from Nintendo. Those 2D classics of dungeon delving and adventure are hard to imitate, usually making some sacrifice in gameplay, direction, or art to emphasize some unique quality rather than everything that made those nostalgic games great. However, the creators behind the highly praised Shovel Knight have a newly released title that pulls no punches, creating a truly wonderful action-adventure experience.
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Among the many upcoming indie games to look forward to, the one that has just been released by Yacht Club Games might be one of the most promising. After going through at least one devastating delay, this indie title seeks to continue the developer’s mastery of pixel-perfect sprite art, as players may remember from Shovel Knight and its spin-offs. Fans who are already fans of Shovel Knight‘s connection to classic Castlevania will appreciate Yacht Club Games’ newest project and its emulation of old Legend of Zelda icons.
Mina The Hollower Takes Inspiration From Classic Legend of Zelda Games For A New Pixel-Perfect Adventure
Mina the Hollower released on May 29, 2026, creating a modern title with all the visuals you would expect from a retro Legend of Zelda-like game. This action-adventure title is not only handcrafted with wonderful Game Boy Color style visuals, but also features an incredibly detailed world full of secrets to discover and explore. Here, you take control of the titular character Mina, a renowned Hollower who is known for being an adventurer ready to brace the dangers of a brave new world.
This game has you thrust into a dangerous mission to rescue a cursed island by diving into a variety of dungeons and burrowing toward some much-needed answers. With a trusty whip at your side, much like Indiana Jones, you’ll leap, dodge, and burrow through the world, battling a variety of monsters along the way. Beyond your whip, you can gather an arsenal of other tools, including new gear and weapons to help deal with the biggest obstacles you come across.
Totally unique play styles for specific weapons adds layers of personalization to Mina the Hollower‘s gameplay, along with the rest of the surprisingly deep combat. Your Nightstar whip provides a good introduction to fighting in this game, but unlike other action-adventure classics, you have far more variety in how you can approach fights. More akin to Hollow Knight: Silksong, Mina the Hollower provides a number of Sidearms that provide different advantages in combat situations. With Trinkets and other items giving Mina passive benefits for different “build” loadouts, the way you play is totally up to you.
Dungeon Crawling & Retro Graphics Create A Unique Feel From The Team Behind Shovel Knight
Part of the joy behind Mina the Hollower is how fun the game is to simply explore, as it contains a number of regions rendered incredibly well through pixel-perfect graphics. Exotic locations are packed with memorable characters to talk to, with other secrets you can find by poking around the corners of certain areas. Quests will take you to tons of new places, with a Victorian gothic aesthetic creating an interesting atmosphere to investigate at your leisure.
Levels have a good amount of inter connectivity too, with some places bleeding into one another similar to the original Dark Souls or other action-adventure masterpieces. Despite the top-down nature of Mina the Hollower, there is a shocking amount of 3D aspects to its world, giving you far more flexibility than you might expect. Unlike the Game Boy Color experiences of Pokemon: Blue, Red, or Gold/Silver, Mina the Hollower allows for more multi-directional movements rather than using its pixels to create odd environmental restrictions.
For example, players can jump into the air, or roll under projectiles, and use other solutions to get around 2D obstacles. By doing all of this alongside an excellent retro-style soundtrack, Mina the Hollower is easily on par with other amazing action-adventure titles that adapt a pixel-perfect style. Fighting bosses in this game is far more detailed than in something like the original Legend of Zelda, as the modern interpretations of a retro world add far more interactable pieces for players to use.
Much like Shovel Knight, the tight control scheme of this game also allows for a lot of personal player freedom, removing many of the pains usually seen in older retro titles. Mina the Hollower is a fantastic new game from Yacht Club to try in 2026, calling back to the visuals of old Legend of Zelda while re-inventing past features into something brave and new.
What do you think about Mina the Hollower now that it has officially released? Leave a comment below or join the conversation in the ComicBook Forum!
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