After weeks of rumor, speculation and an early-leak, Nintendo has confirmed that Yacht Club Games' indie darling Shovel Knight will be getting its own amiibo at a pre-PAX event in Seattle.
Purchasing the amiibo will unlock exclusive content in Shovel Knight for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. On Wii U, the amiibo will unlock a brand new co-op mode, making the entire game playable with two players for the first time. Using the amiibo on the Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS will unlock challenge stages (with some of these stages exclusive to 3DS) as well as the ability to customize your Shovel Knight's look.
Even more interesting is that the Shovel Knight amiibo will unlock content in future, as of yet unannounced, Yacht Club games as well. This isn't the first time a non-Nintendo character has received an amiibo (like Pac-man in Super Smash Bros., for instance), but it is the first time an amiibo is usable in a non-Nintendo game. When rumors about a Shovel Knight amiibo began to hit the web, many assumed the character might be making his way to Super Smash Bros. simply because the idea of a non-Nintendo game amiibo was unheard of.
Nintendo says the Shovel Knight amiibo will not have functionality in any Nintendo game for the time being, though it is considering the feature. Nintendo goes on to say that numerous other developers have pitched Nintendo on the idea of amiibo since the interactive figures were announced back in the summer of 2014.
Adding to the fun is the announcement trailer for the figure as well. Nintendo and Yacht Club games brought the stars of the popular Game Grumps YouTube Channel in to help craft the trailer, and it's filled with the usual video game related absurdity that Game Grumps is known for. You can check it out below.
No pricing or release date details have been announced yet, with Nintendo only saying the figures are "coming to stores soon." Considering these are amiibo we are talking about, expect these Shovel Knights to be in limited quantities. If you want one, best keep an eye out and be ready the moment the figures are available for pre-order.
In other Shovel Knight news, the game will be getting a physical release in October on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, with a free expansion to the game expected to come in September.
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