When comparing Shovel Knight vs Super Time Force Ultra, the Slant community recommends Shovel Knight for most people. In the question“What are the best indie games on Steam?” Shovel Knight is ranked 34th while Super Time Force Ultra is ranked 57th. The most important reason people chose Shovel Knight is:
Shovel Knight has very colorful pixelated graphics, a decent chiptune soundtrack, excellent 8-bit sound effects, and the controls feel really fluid and responsive. So whether you’re just running through a castle, shoveling away at gems in a tunnel, or even jumping on a dragon’s head, Shovel Knight is a blast to play.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Feels great to play
Shovel Knight has very colorful pixelated graphics, a decent chiptune soundtrack, excellent 8-bit sound effects, and the controls feel really fluid and responsive. So whether you’re just running through a castle, shoveling away at gems in a tunnel, or even jumping on a dragon’s head, Shovel Knight is a blast to play.
Pro Great for couch co-op
Because Shovel Knight can be pretty hard at times, bringing a friend along can help out a lot. The two of you can work together to take down enemies and communicate the best ways to handle jumps and special skills. Plus, if one of you is more experienced with the game, that player can help the newcomer along and teach them the ropes instead of leaving them to figure out everything on their own, possibly to the point of frustration. Playing this game with another person is a fun way to bring back the feeling of couch co-op on the older retro systems.
Pro A unique experience
Shovel Knight has 2D pixel art, a simple gameplay, and a retro feel. It stands out in an era dominated by 3D titles with super detailed graphics and convoluted gameplay because of its influences from classics like Zelda, Castlevania, Duck Tales, and even Super Mario Bros. It’s not just trying to cash in on the nostalgia of older players because it’s a game that can be enjoyed by anyone thanks to its polish.
Pro Pretty fun risk versus reward system
In each stage, there are multiple checkpoints you can revive at if you die. The twist is that you can destroy the checkpoints for extra treasure. Doing this also means you’ll have to start from the beginning of the stage if you die. It’s a pretty cool way to increase difficulty and add tension to a playthrough, especially because it’s never forced on you.
Pro Humorous story
The plot of Super Time Force Ultra consists of the main characters going back in time to alter events in history. The twist is that most of the reasons they do so are petty and selfish. This gives the game a light-hearted tone that can be laugh-out-loud funny at times.
Pro 4 different soldiers to play
There are four different soldiers the player can use on each time rewind playthrough, each with their own weapon. Some soldiers are required to get past certain areas, which creates the need for a bit of planning for each and every level.
Pro Pixel artwork and sound design are well done
The pixel artwork and chiptune sound design complement each other and call to mind the 8-bit style. Super Time Force Ultra incorporates some modern touches by taking advantage of newer technology that allows for more sounds at once as well as including more detailed and cleaner sprite work.
Pro Single player co-op
The co-op in Super Time Force Ultra is actually only single-player. Players co-op with themselves by rewinding time and then playing that time over with what are now two players on the screen.
Cons
Con Can be frustrating
While Shovel Knight captures a lot of SNES era’s good parts, it also brings back some of the bad parts. It's mostly the hidden enemies that attack you as soon as you approach their hiding spots, causing you to take needless damage or even die. This adds a really tedious trial and error aspect that forces you to memorize all enemy placements just so you can beat a stage. In addition to dealing with the enemies, the timing of jumps or using special skills at the right moment adds to the frustration. Press the button too early or too late and you'll end up back at the start of a platforming section or worse, dead.
Con Single player
Con Short
The game can be completed in only a couple of hours.