Crypt of the NecroDancer is one of my favouritest of all the video games, and so I’m always eager to see something new from Brace Yourself Games. Today I’m happy to share not one but two groovy content drops from the developer.
To be fair, they’re not DLCs for the same game, one is for Crypt of the NecroDancer, while the other is for Rift of the NecroDancer, which shares the same essence as the original but is reworked into something more akin to Guitar Hero.
What these DLC expansions have in common is their shared focus.
Enter The Shovel Knight
It has been a while since I last played Shovel Knight by Yacht Club Games. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to call it one of the very best contemporary platformers, probably because the developer made great use of 16-bit nostalgia and fused it with super-addictive action-platforming.
Now the iconic leading character from that series is making the two-footed pogo-bounce onto both Crypt and Rift in the form of two very different DLCs.
In Crypt of the NecroDancer, Shovel Knight is a Character DLC and you can grab him for $1.99 USD, which is the same as the Hatsune Miku DLC (you can read our thoughts on that right here).
For that modest sum you are able to instantly unlock the errant knight, and immediately start bouncing your way through the game’s main content.
In terms of controls, Shovel Knight can hop on top of his enemies, before bouncing off to deal damage. That means it’s so not important where you are, but rather where you’re bouncing next…
Being able to hop on a monster’s head and then onto the next, well… it completely changes the flow of combat, but it’s a really distinct change of pace from previous characters and I enjoyed my first runs.
Head over to the main Steam page for Crypt of the Necrodancer, where the game is currently heavily discounted, if you want more details or to check on regional pricing for this DLC and all the rest.
The Shovel Knight Music Pack
The second DLC is a music pack for Rift of the NecroDancer, the musical counterpart to Crypt. This makes sense because a big part of Shovel Knight’s appeal is its wonderful chiptune soundtrack.
It’s a great fit for Rift, too, and you should totally read our review of the base game right here, if you’re not already in the loop.
As for the the new Shovel Knight Music Pack, it includes six tracks by original SK composer Jake Kaufman, with the main theme available for free to one and all.
- Main Theme (FREE for all to download!)
- La Danse Macabre (Lich Yard)
- Strike the Earth! (Plains of Passage)
- In the Halls of the Usurper (Pridemoor Keep)
- High Above the Land (The Flying Machine)
- An Underlying Problem (The Lost City)
Every other song costs $1.99 USD each, or they can be purchased as bundle with a 25% discount. Head over to Steam for more details.
