Shovel Knight Board Game Returns to Kickstarter

Shovel Knight: Dungeon Duels is taking a second pass at Kickstarter. Yesterday, Panda Cult Games re-launched their crowdfunding campaign for Shovel Knight: Dungeon Duels, a tabletop board game based on the Shovel Knight video game franchise with a unique side-scrolling board mechanic. Players will take on the role of a Shovel Knight trying to collect the most gold from a dungeon that shifts every round. Players will also have to deal with various bosses from the Order of No Quarter, who attack using an AI deck. The new board game incorporates classic characters from the Shovel Knight games, including Shield Knight, King Knight, and Plague Knight.

Shovel Knight is a hit indie video game franchise that was initially funded by a successful $311,000 Kickstarter campaign. The game has a retro 8-bit aesthetic and received wide praise for paying homage to classic Nintendo games while finding ways to innovate the 2D sidescrolling genre. Shovel Knight has released periodic new campaigns and free downloadable content and is now available on all major gaming platforms.

Panda Cult Games first launched Shovel Knight: Dungeon Duels back in July, but pulled down the campaign after fans complained about the game costing $70 due to the number of miniatures in the game. The retooled Kickstarter gives backers two game options - a version that uses 2D cardboard standees and a more expensive version with 3D miniatures. Stretch goals are also planned, including an option to convert various boss characters into playable heroes.

As of press time, Shovel Knight: Dungeon Duels is just over halfway to its initial $70,000 goal. You can check out the full Kickstarter here.