A Game From The Near Future With The Spirit Of The Distant Past
The first thing that caught me off guard was that Yacht Club Games — the studio that built its reputation on Shovel Knight — wasn't content to rest on its laurels. They came back and said: we're doing this again, but better. Mina the Hollower dropped on May 29, 2026 across PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Mac, and Linux. It's indie in every sense of the word, yet it feels like it came from a major studio.
Digging Into The Depths And Hunting For Secrets
The premise is simple and irresistible: you're Mina, a girl wielding a whip and possessing a strange ability — the power to tunnel underground. The world around you is packed with puzzles, enemies, and secrets, and you've got to crawl through pitch-black caves and explore every corner. The design channels memories of the old Game Boy Color, but with a modern polish that never makes you feel like you're playing something dated — instead, it feels like a brand new game speaking the language of the past with grace.
Fast Combat With Real Depth
Honestly, the actual combat here is damn sweet. 60 frames per second of tight, controlled fighting — every crack of your whip feels intentional, never sloppy. The digging isn't just some secondary move; it's woven into both combat and exploration. Going underground isn't just to dodge an enemy — it's to crack a puzzle or reach hidden treasure. The design pushes you to experiment and explore rather than blindly follow one path.
Critics Voted It 91 Out Of 100
When an indie game lands a 91 average score, you know it touched something real. This wasn't just nostalgia with nothing behind it. Critics praised how the game balances charm and challenge, and how Yacht Club Games respected their players' memories without falling into the trap of mindless imitation.
Who Is This Game Actually For?
I'd strongly recommend it if you're into platformers and indie games that have personality and soul. I'd also recommend it if you played Shovel Knight and dug what you got. But if you're looking for a tight narrative, complex characters, and long dialogue scenes, Mina the Hollower might feel like it leans harder into the action and exploration than storytelling drama.
Honestly, what impressed me most is that the game knew its own size and what it wanted to be — it didn't try to be everything. A pixel adventure game with fast combat and deep exploration, and that's more than enough.
