Crypt of the NecroDancer is celebrating a big milestone in proper indie style. Brace Yourself Games is marking the rhythm-action dungeon crawler's 11-year anniversary in 2026 with a new crossover DLC pack, and it is available now for players ready to step back onto the beat.
The guest star is Shovel Knight, who joins the game as a playable character after the crossover was first talked about late last year. On Switch, the DLC is listed on the eShop for £1.69, making this a small add-on with a very familiar blue helmet at the center of it.
In his Crypt form, Shovel Knight brings over the move that feels most like him: the Shovel Drop. Instead of simply swinging a weapon around, he can bounce from foe to foe in time with the music. He can also spring off walls, which gives his runs a lively, arcade-like rhythm that fits neatly into NecroDancer's grid-based flow.
What The DLC Adds
- Play as Shovel Knight, using the Shovel Drop to attack enemies and rebound off walls.
- Move in all eight directions while keeping the beat.
- Skip regular weapons and power up with stronger shovels instead.
- Build Shovel Drop combos to create shortcuts down to deeper floors.
- Dig up treasure while Jake Kaufman's original Shovel Knight music plays alongside the action.
This is not Shovel Knight's first recent dance with Brace Yourself Games. Earlier in the year, he crossed into Rift of the NecroDancer through his own Music Pack. Now the crossover has gone the other way, bringing Yacht Club Games' retro-flavored hero into the older dungeon crawler that helped define the studio's musical style.
The timing also lands while Shovel Knight fans are watching Yacht Club's next moves. Mina the Hollower has finally gone gold, and Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope DX is still on the radar after its 2024 reveal. For now, though, this DLC gives fans a simple reason to dust off Crypt of the NecroDancer and start digging on the downbeat again.
