Cheats & Secrets

Cheats & Secrets

Overview

Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove does not include traditional cheat codes like god mode or level skips as standard features. Instead, Yacht Club Games has packed the game with developer-intended secrets, unlockable bonuses, Easter eggs, and hidden content that reward exploration and completion. This guide covers all known hidden commands, unlockable content via the Feats system, secret areas and Easter eggs across all four campaigns, and platform-specific hidden features. Note that any unofficial cheat codes (e.g., save file editing) are not considered legitimate secrets; only in-game methods are covered.

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Title Screen Cheat Menu (Shovel of Hope Campaign)

On the title screen of Shovel of Hope (the original campaign), you can input a secret button sequence to open a cheat menu. This menu allows you to toggle certain gameplay modifiers—like unlimited magic, invincibility, or all relics—for that session. This code works only in Shovel of Hope (not in other campaigns) and is a legacy feature from the original release. It has been confirmed to work on all platforms (PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, 3DS).

• Input Sequence (PC / Keyboard): Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B (or B, A on some versions). Press these keys rapidly on the title screen. A chime will confirm success.


• Input Sequence (Console): On a controller, input: Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right, A (or B), B (or A). The exact button for “A” and “B” may vary by controller layout (e.g., on Switch, A is the bottom button, B is the right button).


• What it unlocks: A hidden menu titled “Cheat Codes” appears. Options include:

- Invincibility: Player takes no damage.
- Infinite Magic: Relic energy never depletes.
- All Relics: Grants every relic in the game.
- All Feats? (Some versions include a “Unlock All” option, but this is inconsistent.)

• Important: Using this cheat menu disables Feat progress for that save file until you restart the game without cheats. It is purely for fun or testing.

> Note: This cheat menu is not present in Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, or King of Cards campaigns. If you want similar effects in those campaigns, you must complete the game normally or use platform-specific save editors (not officially supported).

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Unlockable Secrets via the Feats System

The in-game Feats (achievements/trophies) unlock real gameplay bonuses when certain milestones are met. These are the primary way to access official secrets. Feats can be viewed from the pause menu in any campaign.

• New Game+ is available for each campaign after beating it once. It features tougher enemies, fewer checkpoints, and altered enemy placement. It does not include any new story content.


• Gender Swap is a toggle found in the Extras menu after you earn all feats. It changes the sprites of Shovel Knight, Shield Knight, and other characters to their alternate designs. It does not affect gameplay.


• Boss Rush mode: Unlocked when you earn the “No Damage Boss” feat for any campaign? Actually, the exact condition is: Defeat every boss in a campaign without taking a single hit (or across multiple runs? No, it must be in one run). This mode lets you fight all bosses back-to-back with limited resources.


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Hidden Rooms and Easter Eggs



The game is filled with cleverly hidden rooms, developer messages, and references to classic games. Here are the most notable ones across all campaigns.

#### Shovel of Hope

• Secret Room in Plains (Stage 1-1: Plains): Near the start, drop down a hidden pit after the third checkpoint. You’ll find a chest containing a Health Upgrade (a green orb). This is missable if you don’t explore.


• Yacht Club Logo Room (The Explodatorium, Stage 3-2): At the end of a series of crumbling platforms, enter a door that appears only when you hit a hidden switch. Inside is a room with the Yacht Club Games logo and a “Thanks for playing!” message. Also contains a small gem pile.


• Duck Tales Reference (The Flying Machine, Stage 3-3): In the area with bouncing springs, bounce off a hidden spring to reach a platform with a treasure chest. The chest contains a Feather relic (a reference to Duck Tales’ pogo cane).


• Mega Man Reference (The Iron Whale, Stage 4-2): In a room with conveyor belts, there is a hidden path that leads to a room with a Met enemy (small helmet) and a health drop. Hitting the Met with the Shovel Blade causes it to drop a “Mega Buster” weapon? No, just a gem.


• The Secret Shop (Various stages): In several levels, you can find a hidden door leading to a secret shop that sells items at half price. Look for walls that look slightly different or have a crack.


• The Apprentice (Boss Fight in The Ring): After defeating the final boss, you can re-enter the arena to fight the Apprentice (the small wizard from the intro). He is an optional boss and drops a large gem.


#### Plague of Shadows

• Hidden Cauldron Room (The Quadrangle of the Crystals): Near the end, there is a breakable wall that reveals a room with a cauldron. Interacting with the cauldron triggers a cutscene showing the Plague Knight’s past. This is part of the game’s lore.


• Secret Ending: To get the true ending, you must collect all Cipher Coins and use them to unlock the secret door in the final level. The true ending shows Plague Knight’s motives and a post-credits scene.


• Boss Rush Hint: A secret message in the room after the Plague Knight’s boss fight hints at the Boss Rush mode.


#### Specter of Torment

• The Lost Room (Lich Yard, Stage 2-1): In the area with the giant bookcase, jump behind the bookcase to find a hidden room containing a Curious Map that leads to a secret collectible.


• The Reaper’s Secret (Final Stage: The Tower of Fate): Before the final boss, there is a hidden path that leads to a room containing a large chest with a Golden Skull (a major gem). This room also has a journal entry from Specter Knight.


• Developer Portrait: In the background of one room in Stranded Ship (level 3-2), you can see portraits of the Yacht Club Games developers on the wall. Attack them to hear a sound effect.


#### King of Cards

• Secret Island (Joustus Adventure mode): In the overworld, there is a hidden island accessible only after you collect all Boss Cards from Joustus. This island contains a secret boss called The Card Master who awards a unique deck.


• The Milk Bar (Level: Smoothie Shop): Inside a barrel in the background, you can find a hidden switch that opens a door to a bar where all the NPCs from previous campaigns are drinking milk. This is a direct reference to the “Milk” joke from the original game.


• Hidden Relic (Level: Mushroom Mine): Drop down a hidden pit after a spike jump to find a Lucky Die relic that increases gem drops but also causes random effects.


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Easter Eggs Across All Campaigns




• The King’s Shield: In various levels, if you stand still for a few seconds, a small sprite of the King Knight will appear and do a dance. This happens in the background.


• The Fishing Minigame: In Shovel of Hope’s Plains, there is a hidden pond where you can fish using the Fishing Rod relic. The fish sometimes drop rare gems. This is a hidden diversion.


• The “Anchor” Room (The Iron Whale): A hidden room contains a giant anchor that you can bounce on to reach a secret chest.


• The Mouth of the Enchantress: In the final boss fight, if you do not collect all relics, the Enchantress will have a different second phase. Collecting all relics makes the fight slightly easier and rewards a different ending cutscene.


• The “Boss” of the Airship: On the Flying Machine level, there is a hidden boss called Tinker Knight’s Tank which is actually a mini-boss that appears if you break certain background objects.


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Platform-Specific Secrets




• Nintendo Switch / Nintendo 3DS: Using the Shovel Knight Amiibo (sold separately) unlocks special functions in Shovel of Hope, such as summoning a fairy companion, a one-time revival, and a custom armour colour. The Amiibo works on Switch and 3DS versions.


• PC Save File Editing: While not a cheat code, players can edit their save files (located in `%appdata%/Shovel Knight/` on Windows) to unlock all feats, relics, or campaign progress. This is not officially supported but is a common exploit for testing. This will disable Feat tracking if you modify the save with cheats.


• Speedrunner Tools: The game includes an official “Speedrun Mode” (unlocked via a feat) that shows a timer and disables certain cutscenes for faster play.


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Safe and Exploit-Free Secrets



All secrets listed above are developer-intended and safe to use without corrupting save data. They were officially included in the game by Yacht Club Games and do not require third-party tools. In particular:


• The title screen cheat code in Shovel of Hope is a deliberate homage to classic Konami codes.


• The Feat system rewards completionists with tangible in-game bonuses.


• Hidden rooms often contain important upgrades or lore items that are part of the intended gameplay experience.


No harmful cheats exist in Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove. The game has no softlocks that are impossible to escape unless you actively try to break it (e.g., by jumping into a bottomless pit with a relic that freezes the game—but that’s just normal death).

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Summary of Hidden Content List




• Title Screen Cheat Menu: Unlock by entering Up, Down, Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Right, A, B on title screen (Shovel of Hope only). Offers invincibility, infinite magic, all relics. Disables feats.


• Feats Unlocks: New Game+, Gender Swap, Boss Rush mode, Gold Medals.


• Hidden Rooms: Over a dozen secret rooms across all campaigns, many containing health upgrades, relics, or developer messages.


• Easter Eggs: References to Duck Tales, Mega Man, Castlevania, and the “Milk” gag.


• Amiibo Exclusive: Special features for Nintendo platforms with the Shovel Knight Amiibo.

Enjoy exploring every pixel of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove—there’s always something new to discover!