Welcome to the Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon Instruction Manual! Here, you will find the basic information for how to play Pocket Dungeon. If you want to read more about the game, check out our game page HERE.

What is Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon?

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is an all new adventure through the world of Shovel Knight in a completely unique, action-packed puzzle adventure mashup like none other! If you want to read about a different game or feature, go to the main Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove manuals page.

The Legend Begins!

Long ago, the lands were untamed, and roamed by legendary adventurers! Strangely, the strongest warriors have been vanishing lately, trapped inside a confounding cube contraption. Puzzle Knight, a renowned puzzle prodigy, has created a camp for Shovel Knight and his fellow adventurers to team up and solve their way out of this riddle. To escape, they must work their way through the dungeon and defeat its ultimate ruler - the Pocket Dungeon Master.

Controls

Control Pad

Press left, right, up or down to make Shovel Knight move around. Bumping objects results in different outcomes: bumping enemies will trade damage, bumping NPCs will begin a conversation, and bumping items will equip them for later use.

Ability Button

Press the ability button to your character’s special ability.

Tip: Shovel Knight doesn’t have a useable special ability! You must find and switch to a character that has a usable ability.

Item Button

Press the Item button to use an item currently equipped.

Tip: You first need to equip an item by bumping into it. Discover items by collecting keys and using them to unlock chests.

Turbo Button

Press the Turbo button to increase the speed in which enemies drop.

Examine Button

Press examine to take a peek at the stats for any enemies or items next to you.

Delve into Gameplay Basics!

*Warning: The Instruction Manual contains gameplay, item, and relic spoilers!*

The Pocket Dungeon realm functions quite differently from Shovel Knight’s past adventures. The goal is to defeat enough enemies in the dungeon so that a door drops that leads to escape. If at any time Shovel Knight falls in battle or the dungeon completely fills up, all progress from that run will be lost. So make sure you master the basics in order to make it out intact!

Movement:

Time works differently in the Pocket Dungeon! It rushes forward whenever you move, and passes by slowly if you stand still. Enemies & objects will drop at this rate too. Remember, don't rush - take time to plan your next step, but be quick & divisive!

Combat:

In Pocket Dungeon, you battle enemies by bumping into them. Each attack trades damage so, keep an eye on your health. Make sure to frequently grab potions so you stay in tip top shape!

Chains:

Chaining allows you to attack multiple matching monsters at once! You can chain together adjacent foes, blocks, & even potions! Some knights, like Shovel Knight, get bonuses for attacking chains!

Taking Damage:

Though damage in Pocket Dungeon is unavoidable, you can predict it! Do you see the bubbles below Shovel Knight & Beeto? They indicate HP & damage. They'll flash to show how much damage you'll inflict! The panel on the right displays the Beeto's HP & attack!

Notice that fatal blows do not cause Shovel Knight damage. Use that to your advantage!

Recovering health:

Low on health? Pick up a potion to refill your health! Potions are essential for your survival- you’ll get 2 HP back with every potion, giving you more opportunities to take the offensive!

Examine:

It’s easy to forget what’s all around you when you’re in a rush. Use the examine action to investigate further.

Stock Mode:

When the game ends depends on which stock option you choose.

Single Stock Mode’s gameplay is similar to a roguelite! when you fall in battle or your board fills up, your adventure is over and you’ll return to camp.

Infinite Stock Mode’s gameplay is similar to a puzzle game! When you fall in battle, you’ll respawn! When the board fills up, your adventure is over and you return to camp. Now, the only way to lose is if the board fills up.

Tip: This setting (and others) can be changed any time in the Adventure Game Options!

Dungeon Discoveries

Each dungeon is full of items and mysteries to uncover. Here’s a small sampling of what to expect:

Chests & Keys:

The Pocket Dungeon is full of chests and keys. Chests always have something good inside. Make sure to grab those keys and unlock any chests you find. Their contents might be just what you need to wipe the board clean!

Items:

The Pocket Dungeon has an arsenal of powerful items to aid you in your quest! Certain items administer their abilities automatically. For example, the Ice Axe will freeze foes as you shovel slash through them. Others, like the Chronos Coin, are executed when you activate it! Items have limited durability, so make the most of them.

Here are some Items you'll encounter while exploring the Pocket Dungeon:

Relics:

Relics give you powerful passive abilities while on a run in Pocket Dungeon. To grab a relic during your run, you'll have to find Chester’s shop mid level and spend some hard earned gems. Make sure you save all you can to afford them- grabbing the right relics to suit your playstyle and needs is key to survival.

Relics aren't all unlocked by default! Purchase them from Chester at his campsite to make them discoverable during your adventure.

Here are some Relics you'll encounter while exploring the Pocket Dungeon:

Doors:

After enough enemies are defeated, a door will appear leading you out of the stage. Simply unlock it, and step through. If the Door has a skull on it, be prepared to take down a boss!

Portals:

Stay on the lookout for mismatching blocks. Breaking them will reveal a hidden portal. These portals can transport you to a variety of places. Where they take you is random... so best of luck!

At the Campsite

The campsite is your home base while trapped in the Pocket Dungeon. There's plenty to do in between runs- change costumes with Myriad, get advice from Tipp, visit with your companions, and more. There are a ton of fun secrets to unearth so check out every nook and cranny before heading out!

Playable Characters:

In Pocket Dungeon, you'll encounter foes both familiar and new - like the delightfully dandy King Knight! Defeating him will recruit him to the campsite! Switch to play as him by bumping into him twice. Each character has a special ability for you to master!

While everyone is forced to fight for their life in the Pocket Dungeon, at the camp foes become friends.

Bank:

Though you lose your progress when you fall in battle, any gem you collect will be brought with you back to camp.

Chester:

Chester brought his famous Bohto wagon and has set up shop in the campsite. Any relics you purchase from him here will be made discoverable throughout your adventure. Do stop by and make a purchase when you’ve got the cash!

Percy:

Everyone’s favorite equine physicist, Percy, has landed a sweet job as the Shortcut Practice Cannon Operator in the Pocket Dungeon.

500 gems for a "smooth" flight! What a deal! It's also a great way to practice before a run, or if you’re frustrated from losing progress. Skipping ahead will save you time but might leave you short on equipment & secrets.

Feats:

There are 50 feats to complete in Pocket Dungeon! They range from completing a game with a certain character, to using relics, items, & abilities in challenging fashions, and everything in between!

Guidebook:

The Guidebook keeps track of all monsters, knights, relics, and items that you've encountered in the Pocket Dungeon. You can access it in the pause menu!

Explaining the HUD

Info Panel:

See the panel containing your portrait on the left? It keeps track of everything: your attack power, health, death count, items, relics, gems & more! It should give you full context of your character's current items and abilities - keep an eye on it!

Mini-map:

Did you know that all Pocket Dungeon levels have a mini-map on the top of the screen? Each defeated foe will bring you one step closer to the dungeon's exit. Items crucial to your journey will drop in chests along the way, so use the mini-map to your advantage and escape unscathed!

Gem Meter:

The Gem Meter at the bottom of the screen amplifies your gems attained from each encounter in Pocket Dungeon! Quickly knockout chains to fill up your meter! A bigger meter rewards more Gems!

Modes

Adventure Mode:

Delve into the Pocket Dungeon’s single player mode! You’ll take down ferocious foes, battle bosses, unearth relics and treasure, unlock hidden secrets, and recruit playable versions of your favorite characters from the Shovel Knight universe.

VS Mode:

Go head-to-head with your Player 2 or a CPU in VS Mode! Take control of any of the unlocked characters & delve into a match. Like in Adventure mode, the game will end when the board fills up or when you run out of stock!

In VS Mode, the Pocket Dungeon will collapse if it fills up! Chains send garbage blocks over to your opponent! So, try to make as many chains as possible to bury the competition! To defend yourself, quickly chain while blocks are incoming to prevent receiving garbage. Bury the competition!

Daily Challenge Mode:

Everyday you will get one chance to test your Pocket Dungeon skills on a randomized level. Compete with players around the world for the daily top score. You can check the top scores by selecting Leaderboard on the title screen. The Leaderboard will reset daily, so every day is a new opportunity to conquer it! Beware- all content is unlocked in Daily mode...so if you don’t want to spoil anything, head out to adventure first.

Game Options

Adventure:

In the Adventure section of the options, you can customize how you play your puzzle action-adventure! Here, you’ll be able to switch between Single Stock and Infinite Stock mode, turn off bosses, randomize levels, make foes more difficult, turn off items & relics, and more! Some options will disable feats. You can switch back to the original settings by selecting “Set Defaults”!

Game:

In the “Game” section, you can switch rumble, feat pop-ups, and damage numbers on or off! You can also set a pause on lost focus and toggle a timer for speedrunning!

Video & Audio Settings:

Use these sections to set your preferred screen size, volume, and more! You can reset your preferences by selecting “Set Defaults” in either section!

Play Tutorial:

Need a Pocket Dungeon refresher? Select “Play Tutorial” in the Options menu to go over the basics with your pal, Puzzle Knight!

How to Save:

Your progress will save automatically throughout your adventure! If you quit mid-run, you’ll lose any progress achieved from that run!

Helpful tips!

• Start with Infinite Stock

  

  When playing Adventure and learning the ins and outs of the game, most players have an easier time with Infinite stock mode. Try Single stock mode for the full Roguelite experience.

• Level Clear!

  

  Taking out all of the foes & blocks in a stage will give you “level clear” and award a gem bonus! You can also clear side rooms.

• Stay above the fray!

  

  It can be hard to keep your cool when enemies surround you. If you can stay above them, you have more control to move freely about the dungeon.

• Relish Your Relics!

  

  Chester shows up in every stage after Plains...don’t miss one of his shops. Every relic you buy causes the prices to rise...so pick what works best for you.

• Consider Chains

  

  Chains are key in Pocket Dungeon, but Shovel Knight can't move enemies into groups! Sometimes, it's best to focus on a loner block, potion, or monster, to ensure others fall and form a chain in their place.

• Increase your Speed

  Take time to plan your next step, but be quick & decisive! Once you’re comfortable, moving fast keeps your gem meter closer to max!

• Talk to your pals

  

  If you are having trouble, talk to Tipp, Puzzle Knight, and Kee...they have lots of advice! There’s a lot to learn, so expect it to take some time to master the intricacies of every stage.

• Play it Your Way

  

  Don’t be afraid to mess around with the options- that’s what they are there for! Randomizing the levels can really change the feel of the game. Changing the Stock option can have a big impact on whether the difficulty feels right for you!

• Let Growth Gems Grow

  

  The longer you wait for a Growth Gem to grow, the more valuable the gem payout becomes! You'll know its at its max value when it reaches its pink crystal form. It pays to be patient!