Ahead of the Shovel Knight: Steel Thy Shovel live concert series in New York and LA, I spoke with Yacht Club artist Nick Wozniak about the legacy of the indie game and today’s gaming landscape. Wozniak voiced his thoughts on maintaining an authentic retro art style, underscoring that genuine nostalgia is not enough on its own.

Wozniak stated, “I can tell when I’m playing a game made by people who are well versed in the game type they are making. The people who are making an NES game should play a ton of NES games and be experts on the topic.”

He added that real knowledge of what made the NES era special is crucial for developers to connect with players. With Shovel Knight, Yacht Club maintained an NES-authentic color palette, using only approved 55 colors of the original hardware. Wozniak shared, “We justified our addition of 5 colors to aid the NES palette’s limitations, enhancing the visual experience for modern displays.”

Wozniak also praised recent games like Bloodborne PSX Demake and Nightmare Kart for successfully capturing the essence of their respective eras without leaning solely on nostalgia.

Reflecting on the evolving landscape of platformers, Wozniak concluded, “There’s always new and interesting ways to make platformers appealing to players of any age or experience.”

For those in New York or LA, the upcoming live concert series promises a nostalgic experience celebrating Shovel Knight. Image credit: Yacht Club