When comparing Secret Panchos vs Shovel Knight, the Slant community recommends Shovel Knight for most people. In the question“What are the best split-screen PS4 games?” Shovel Knight is ranked 26th while Secret Panchos is ranked 77th. 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
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Active community
Secret Panchos has a growing active community that has helped the developer refine the game over the course of early access this last year.
Pro Indie developer
The Indie developer group Switchblade Monkeys is a small group of friends working on this game over the last 6 years, creating quality content. They put a importance on player feedback and have used the community to refine the game over the last year, and are very active and vocal in the community.
Pro Outlaw customization
Play to earn perks, skins, and reputation classes, all while seeing your outlaw grow in notoriety with a bigger bounty on your head! 10 Outlaws with different abilities, weapons and play styles make for diverse team make-up!
Pro Spaghetti Western setting
Secret Panchos is set in a Spaghetti Western universe with colorful settings and characters.
Pro Fast and fun gameplay
Secret Panchos is an isometric top down PvP shooter that pits teams of 3 against each other in several different modes of play. Games are quick, and the game mechanics are based on skill shots using a primary or secondary weapon that differs depending on which character you use.
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.
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.