Shovel Knight: King of Cards

Released Dec 2019

Step into the gilded boots of King Knight in the biggest and most regal Shovel Knight game of them all! Leap, Shoulder Bash, gather new subjects, and strategize your way through this prequel in your quest to become King of Cards!

90% positive · 209 reviews

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Done

All announced content has been released

High confidence

Where to buy

Steam Updated 12 Oct 2026 $9.99

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Evaluation

Shovel Knight: King of Cards launched on December 10, 2019 as a standalone, self-contained prequel to the Shovel Knight saga. The store description presents it as a complete game with no mention of planned expansions, seasons, or additional content. All four developer news posts since launch are maintenance-focused: two bug fixes in the days immediately following launch, a feature patch on February 19, 2020 (update 4.1 "Terra Firma") that added minor quality-of-life features like a pixel scaling mode and a hidden local Joustus free-play mode, and a final Mac OS compatibility fix on March 2, 2021. No major content releases, no announced DLC, no roadmaps, and no developer statements about future content have been posted. The last developer communication of any kind was on March 2, 2021. The game was also released as part of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, the complete collection of all Shovel Knight campaigns, which further signals that King of Cards is a finished component of a completed anthology. This game launched as a complete product and has received only polish and maintenance updates since.

Evidence

Store description presents King of Cards as a complete, self-contained prequel with no mention of planned DLC, expansions, or future content. Explicitly noted as part of the finished Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove collection.

description · Dec 10, 2019 source content shipped

high

Final developer post: a Mac OS Big Sur compatibility fix with no new content or announcements. Last official communication from Yacht Club Games regarding this game.

news post · Mar 2, 2021 source development ending

medium

Media

Details

Developer

Yacht Club Games

Publisher

Yacht Club Games

Achievements

Platform

Windows, macOS, Linux

Controller

full support

Steam Deck

Playable

Players

Single-player

Indie Action Adventure Platformer Pixel Graphics Card Game 2D Retro Great Soundtrack

About this game

Disclaimer: If you own Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, you will NOT need to purchase Shovel Knight: King of Cards separately. This title is included with all versions of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Make way for Shovel Knight: King of Cards, the grandest adventure in the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove saga! Step into the gilded boots of King Knight as you leap, Shoulder Bash, and twirl your way to a kingdom of your own in this regal prequel. Gather cards, take on challengers, and build a deck in the all-new card game, Joustus! Travel through strange worlds, gather new subjects, best the Joustus Judges, and become King of Cards! World-class platforming, exquisite visuals, a story with heart, action-packed stages, masterful music, glorious new bosses, and more await you in Shovel Knight: King of Cards.

Features:

See how the royal saga begins! Encounter some familiar faces, meet some new ones, and learn how King Knight came to sit upon the throne at Pridemoor Keep in the most ridiculous Shovel Knight adventure yet!
Smash enemies and obstacles head-on with your Shoulder Bash! King Knight’s showy play style is all about crashing, bouncing, and throwing his heft around.
Take part in Joustus, a brand new collectible card game created specifically for King of Cards! Build a deck, search for over 120 unique cards, defeat challengers, and become the Champion of each House of Joustus.
Collect tons of treasure, heirlooms, armors, abilities, and followers as you sail the skies in your quest for the Joustus Crown.
Test your skills with new Feats and Challenge Stages featuring boss rematches, custom-created platforming challenges, and more.
Enjoy Yacht Club Games’ finest visual presentation ever! The beautiful, 8-bit inspired style bridges the gap between yesterday and today.
Another masterful soundtrack by Jake “Virt” Kaufman!
Balanced gameplay is a warm welcome to newcomers and an old embrace for experts.
Take on a new challenge and multiply your wealth with New Game+!