How Kratos Got Into Shovel Knight
Video game crossovers are nothing new. In fact, some titles are born from wanting to cross over numerous franchises (Mario Kart, Marvel vs. Capcom, Super Smash Bros., Etc.). Yet sometimes, a crossover happens that amazes gamers. One of those happened recently when Kratos, from God of War, was added to the amazing retro-style game Shovel Knight. The two games could not be more different in some ways, yet the inclusion worked well, and gamers were happy to have Kratos in game. But how did he get in there in the first pace? Well, David D’Angelo talked with Santa Monica Studios (creators of God of War) about the whole process.
Well, apparently the team talked about what to do with Shovel Knight next, and the idea came up to have Shovel Knight go up against people of a different land…or video game franchise. Wanna guess who their first choice was?
“From style, combat, and overall intensity, Kratos was first on our list,” says D’Angelo, “as a chance encounter we wanted to see make the jump over to 2D! We couldn’t be more honored to have Shovel Knight take part in God of War’s incredible history!”
But obviously the Shovel Knight team didn’t have the rights to Kratos, so they went and talked with those who did.
“After we laid the foundation with the team, Yacht Club Games went into development mode and start crafting gameplay, music, and the look of the character. It was quite a challenge to pack all of Kratos’ muscles into so few pixels! Every time we saw a new attack or animation go in-game we thought ‘This has to be even more intense!’ to match the spirit of the series. I think because of that, Kratos ended up as a well-rounded and hearty boss battle — and of course contains no shortage of screen shakes! We definitely got an appreciation for how much work Santa Monica Studio has put into the franchise, and why Kratos is so beloved. It was an absolute pleasure to work with everyone!”
The Yacht Club Games crew admitted they wished they could’ve used Kratos more in the game, but they’re happy with what they did. Remember, after beating Kratos, you get a special item that’ll make you feel like a God of War.