On Nintendo Switch, Shovel Knight's Amiibo Offers An Adorable New Feature

Shovel Knight is among the games that will be available at launch for Switch. If you already have the existing Shovel Knight Amiibo or plan to pick one up, you'll find it offers a new perk when used on Switch.

With co-op support being added as a standard feature for certain versions of the game, scanning the Amiibo won't be necessary to access it on Switch (as was the case on Wii U). But doing so will let you carry over your custom character and its levels from other versions of the game.

More significantly, it gives you an option when talking to the new NPC Madame Meeber, who can be found in three places: the Village, Potionarium, and Tower of Fate. Speaking with her allows you to summon the Fairy of Shovelry, a flying, miniature version of Shovel Knight who accompanies you as you play through any of the three campaigns.

The Fairy doesn't affect anything gameplay-wise, instead serving as a sort of cosmetic-only companion. It'll try to attack enemies and pick up treasure, for instance, but won't succeed in actually doing anything (besides looking adorable).

This functionality won't be limited to the Switch version forever. With the release of the Treasure Trove update in April on 3DS and Wii U, Amiibo owners will be able to summon the Fairy on those platforms.

You can see the Fairy in action in the gif above, as well as more on developer Yacht Club's website. One shows the summoning process, which involves specifically selecting the Fairy of Shovelry. It makes it look as if there could be other companions to summon, unless Yacht Club simply opted to use its existing store interface. If there are more, it isn't saying so yet.