10 Best Enchantments For A Shovel (2023 Updated)

I prefer buying physical since it’s harder for things to go wrong, never thought the day would arrive where this is a thing we have to go out of our way or wait for but, here we are. Shovel Knight is a really fun game, it’s a NES aesthetic platformer but with a lot of modern things thrown in, at least from a technical aspect.

This game wouldn’t run on an NES, straight up. I’m not exactly sure what to say with the game since I’m sure 99% of people who are looking at this know exactly what it is; a platformer with a silly story, great music and interesting platforming challenges.

You get all the DLC and options here, multiple characters to play as with their own gameplay styles, adding to the game that’s already pretty dang replayable! The game can be pretty tough but so far not crushingly so.

You have infinite lives with the only punishment for failing is losing coins, which you can get back if you make it back to the. floating bags of money. I did say it’s silly. If it’s of interest you can change the gender of any character in the game, you, the enemies, etc.

What does this change? Nothing gameplay wise. The sprites are quite low res so very little visually changes and the rare times they refer to the gender it’ll pop up. Why this was implemented? IDK, fun? Either way, the game is replayable as heck with just Shovel Knight nevermind the other playable characters which as I said have their own gameplay feel.

You can play as any of them from the start but, it’s probably best to start with the Knight of Shovels himself. So, if you fancy a physical version that actually has all the content on the cart unlike the big AAA publishers who’re too cheap to do so, Shovel Knight is worth getting!.

Shovel Knight takes what was great about the 8-bit generation, and refines it for a modern age. The music is just like the good old chiptunes of old, and the story and gameplay are top notch comparable to games on the NES.

I have only played a bit of it, but the mechanics remind me a bit of the original Ninja Gaiden, but with a slower pace like Castlevania 2: Simon’s Quest. I really enjoyed both of those games, and I am enjoying this one too.

So are my kids!.

Sitting down to play this was like when I was a kid and got a brand new Nintendo game. Definitely see the inspiration from some of the games I played then. Levels and character design are interesting.

I’ve definitely been impressed or surprised by something and haven’t gotten that far into it yet. Playing it for the first time – blind and finding it a bit hard. My kids think games like this are pixelated garbage, but coming from the Nintendo generation I think it’s pretty great.

My daughter purchased a home where oak tree roots and thick root matting had to be removed so various areas could be resodded and ornamentals planted. Various style shovels, 4 prong cultivators, pry bar and loppers just weren’t working.

This shovel is remarkable. It cuts through the matting and smaller roots easily so they can be raked out and helps expose the larger roots that need to be pulled up and cut with loppers. Using it avoids the damage to the irrigation system that a gas-powered machine would have most likely caused.

Being able to hold the round handle enables you to more easily exert downward pressure without putting strain on your back – body weight and the shovel does the work. So glad I found this shovel. Just wish I had found it years ago especially when dealing with palm tree roots that are very invasive.

I love this tool. It’s light weight, easy to use and I’ve been able to dig out really tough weed patches!. As a small 62 year-old woman, I was beginning to think gardening was becoming something I wouldn’t be able to do in the near future.

My yard was overgrown and I wanted to plant new plants, but the digging was so hard and it was all overwhelming. I bought the Root Slayer Spade to give myself a boost with the overgrown weeds. When it arrived, I was still in my pajamas and slippers, but I went out front to try it and I was able to dig up a big clump of weeds easily.

After digging up all the weeds, I discovered it was a great planting and transplanting tool as well. It has transformed my garden and digging in the garden isn’t hard anymore!.

I just received this today. I really wasn’t sure what I was ordering as the pictures that are shown are of two different shovels, but I will be digging up a bunch of older bushes this year and wanted something to help me with the roots I know I will find.

What I got was the narrow shovel version not the wider shovel shape. What I got was not a round “radius” handle, but a handle that is a piece of plastic about 2 inches wide with nothing to grip and very hard to maneuver.

It also appears that it would be hard on the palm of my hand as there isn’t much to work with. The vote is still out on whether or not I’ll keep this as I want to actually try it out and really don’t want to pay the return S&H due to being misled.

The shovel shape is not what concerns me, even though the pictures were misleading. What bothers me is the most ridiculous handle I’ve ever seen for a yard tool that is made to do some heavy work on roots.

There’s nothing to grab or really hold onto! Very misleading. For the price, I would expect a workable handle!! Maybe the longer handle shovels have the “radius” handle, but this one did not! Hope this helps.

Shovel Knight is a game much-touted for bringing the pixelated classics of yesteryear back into the public eye. The consensus among reviewers is that if you were a fan of Megaman or other old 2D platforming titles, this game will give you your nostalgia fix in, well, spades.

*pause for laughter* Seriously, though, while Shovel Knight was made to play off that old nostalgia, you don’t need any of it to appreciate the game. The fact is, Shovel Knight stands up on its own merit- it’s a solid, fun, and appealing experience throughout.

Graphically, the game is masterful. The artists of the game took care to make each area both visually appealing and completely distinct. Foreground and background alike are carefully painted with pixels in a way that makes them gorgeous and memorable.

Great amounts of work were put into sprite design, too- enemies, NPCs, and Shovel Knight himself are all animated smoothly and naturally, with crisp contrasts to help players identify locations. Mechanically, the game is difficult, but sound.

There are a few cheap falls and deaths throughout the game, but Shovel Knight controls very responsively and has a varied moveset thanks to the many items you get throughout the game, allowing a variety of different playstyles.

A further concession to this is in the different equipable armors unlocked throughout the game, which can change Shovel Knight’s abilities or movement. It feels good to control him, and though he does take a little adjusting to at first, you quickly pick up the feeling of distance, timing, and all the rest.

The stages themselves aren’t too long or too short, and definitely provide a lot of variety in the different challenges each room presents. Platforming is rarely obnoxiously difficult, and with certain items the game provides some slightly easier solutions to some of the more egregious spike-filled corridors and the like.

The checkpoints are a welcome feature, and even provide a good risk-reward setup in the way they can be destroyed for a pile of cash, at the cost of setting the player further back with each death. The death mechanic is punishing, but not egregiously so- all collectibles, like music sheets, are kept even in death, negating the need to perform some tricky sections repeatedly.

Sometimes recollecting your gold is frustrating, and other times it’s impossible, so don’t sweat it too much if you lose a lot of it. You can always replay any stage and earn more spoils later. The soundtrack is also composed by the prolific Jake Kaufman, whose work in other games such as Shantae and Crypt of the NecroDancer.

The tracks are memorable, catchy, and all fit the mood of their respective environments very well. If you’re at all a fan of chiptunes, Shovel Knight’s OST will make you feel right at home. Lastly, while the story is nothing too groundbreaking, the world of Shovel Knight is about as immersive as it gets.

Each NPC has distinct, visible personality, and even if they don’t say more than a single line, usually that line is entirely worth the effort of talking to them. There’s a broad array of memorable and colorful NPCs that range from the hilarious to the outlandish.

The villains, too, are unique, and each has a distinct character that can be grasped in their dialogues with Shovel Knight. To sum things up, Shovel Knight may prove a difficult game at times, but the experience of playing through a solid, fun 2-D platformer more than makes up for that and any other flaws the game might exhibit.

Definitely a good buy for anyone interested in the genre, but even more so for people who want to relive the NES’ glory days reimagined and improved upon with a modern take on an established formula.

What we have here is a game whose developers set out to make very faithful to the style of games you’d find on an NES during its heyday. They’ve hit the mark with a bang. The music is charming and might even make old farts in my age group (30s) teary-eyed from how it deeply touches their nostalgic side.

It really immerses you in the feeling of playing a game back in ’89 or ’90 when Nintendo could do no wrong and the big hits were nearly always destined to become all time classics. For those not familiar with the term “Metroidvania” it’s a modern-day gamer slang word for a style of games that emphasize the things that made Metroid and Castlevania such gems in the 80s and beyond.

From Metroid we get an emphasis on extensive exploration of the levels and a fun repertoire of new moves and attacks your character can learn as well as continually upgrade as the game progresses. From Castlevania we get a cool arsenal of items and weapons that can be upgraded as well.

The game also features a nice map screen that allows you to replay levels you’ve already beaten in case you missed any secret items on the first pass or if you just wanna go back and rack up some money by beating enemies or finding treasure chests or other places gold is hidden.

The dialog and non-playable characters add anice touch of whimsy and humor and really round out the game nicely. This game is just something you can lose yourself in for hours while not feeling like your time was wasted at all due to how fun it is.

If you enjoying 2D platformers this game is a must-have.

I had heard that the Shovel Knight series had a big following, and since this version of the game actually includes all of the games, I thought it was worth it to buy for $25 digitally. I looked up what the series was all about before purchasing and have played a bit of the first game so far.

It’s basically an 8-bit retro, indie, 2D platformer like mega man, but not as difficult. If that’s your type of game, you’ll like this series. Definitely worth $25 digitally, but the hard copy sells for $40.

Had an eye on this shovel for a while and excited to finally own myself! Blade is surprisingly tough for how small the shovel is. Extends easily and all 3 pieces come apart (blade, shaft, and shaft with handle).

Not the lightest but strong enough to be chipping at hard pack snow and ice inside a quinsy as well as small and versatile in a close space. Saw a vehicle get stuck in some deep snow in a turning lane and fortunately had this on hand.

Moved a decent amount of snow quickly and was able to get them moving again.

I bought this shovel for use in the PNW to dig tent platforms. It’s the first shovel I’ve ever bought so my experience is limited in this realm. It packs really well and is built solid and strong. The handle extension is the typical telescoping shaft and buttons that pop up through holes to hold the extended handle Tolerances are good so the handle is rigid when fully extended.

In the snow, I am not a fan of how much snow will stick to the blade. It is frustrating to have a pound of snow return to the hole after every bite. This has happened at a few temperatures and in different kinds of snow.

I may spray it with silicone to see if that helps, but BD could also put a non-stick finish in the scoop.

I have used this shovel to move about 8 tons of topsoil and it is still in excellent condition. Highly recommend excellent! excellent! product!

we are builder so use the tubrug shovels like a large dustpan to pick up rubble, they work really well and they don’t tear the floor protection like metal shovels do plus are lighter to use so saving back.

Good quality but I needed a larger one and longer handle My fault should have checked the dimensions

Im a huge fan of Black Diamond products, having said that Im also a fan of value and light weigh products. I own another small shovel that I purchased at another retailer and made by a different company and I widely compared the two while using.

So, I can’t comment on price comparison, but I will say this shovel was weightier than my other, and I was perplexed as to why they made it that way, it has full blown welds on the blade which is made from steel.

Then I used it and I got it, it cuts through layers of packed snow like digging a pit for forecasting, snow caves or wetter denser snow or god forbid digging someone out after a slide really well. In essence like having a heavier boot to drive skis, this heavier blade helps drive it through dense snow.

The blade is a bit wider than other shovels I’ve used; the handle is really comfortable in my hands very ergonomic, I like the rectangular shape which would appear to cut down on space and gives it a little more strength for prying in packed stuff.

Probably the only con was in the wet sticky stuff, the snow often sticks to the blade which i’ve never seen in any of my other shovels. For me this is the right shovel in the right situation, and that is back country skiing, for all the above reasons I listed.

If I was doing a climbing trip, and weight is an issue, id maybe look to a lighter shovel, and ounces quickly become pounds and pounds of food and fuel are more important. So what you lose in weight, you gain in durability id day and if you are using a shovel a lot, then this might well be for you.

I think, BD could make a few more cut outs in the blade to trim ounces and still maintain its rigidity. It neatly fit into my REI Flash day pack which is a bonus.

The Transfer has a solid feel and is well balanced. The handle extension is easy and the simple T-grip handle is comfortable. The blade size is small, but that lends itself to faster shovel strokes. In use, the Transfer is able cut through significantly compacted snow and some ice, although thicker ice blocks proved tricky, and while the blade is durable, if you were to try and leverage ice blocks it felt as though it would bend.

Compacted and uncompacted snow shoveled very easily. In field testing, the Transfer cut 6 stairs in significantly compacted snow. Downward strikes were very effective. Leveling strikes were also effective and the blade cut accurately and did not deflect upward or downward from the intended direction.

In a second round of field testing, the Transfer cut a trench in mildly compacted but warm snow quite easily. Because of the smaller blade size it took slightly longer than anticipated. Comparing the Transfer to a different Black Diamond shovel model [Evac 7], the smaller blade size was easier to throw although the Transfer has a shorter handle and its blade only attaches in a single orientation.

The Evac 7, on the other hand, has a longer handle that leads to less stooping over during shoveling and the loop handle was more comfortable.

This shovel from Black Diamond is a great snow tool to have in the backcountry. It scoops above its size as long as the snow is compact at all, however in the super fluffy powder it could seem small in the face for moving a lot of snow.

Weather you are building jumps in the backcountry or just digging out a snow shelter this shovel feels precise in the hand and well built. I did manage to dent the blade very slightly by thinking it could help me break a branch off a tree that was in my way, but given its weight, intended use, and size that’s hardly a fault.

The T-handle feels good and cuts/scoops were easy to make. The scoop size when disassembled made it so you can place it in the bottom of a 25l pack and still fit a lot of other stuff above/around it.

I was provided this shovel at no charge from REI in exchange for my honest oppinion about it after testing it. This allowed me to be quite rough with it and it fared well. Will pack it with me when I need a shovel in the future.