HOLLOW KNIGHT: A TINY BUG IN A HUGE DARK KINGDOM

9.5 of 10 bananas. A hand-drawn kingdom full of secrets, hard fights, and quiet sadness. One of the best ever made.

By the Alpha. Nintendo Switch physical edition listing. Updated Oct 2026.

Platforms: The US Nintendo Switch physical edition, published by Fangamer, is the Amazon button. PC on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One versions exist too. This page sells the Switch cartridge only. At my check it was sold by a third-party seller and shipped by Amazon, and the cartridge cost more than the Steam digital version. Buy the cartridge if you want it on your shelf.

Sit with me a moment. I spent an hour lost in the dark with no map. Then I heard someone humming. I followed the song and found Cornifer, the map maker, sitting in a corridor. I bought his map and felt like a rich ape. Two hours later I died to a boss and lost every coin I had. I loved every minute.

What It Wants To Be

Team Cherry's 2D action exploration game, the first full game from a tiny Australian team, released on PC in February 2017, on Switch in June 2018, and on PS4 and Xbox One in September 2018. You play a small silent knight exploring Hallownest, a ruined underground bug kingdom. You fight with a nail, heal with soul, equip charms, and unlock new movement that opens new paths through a huge connected world. The free expansions are part of the package. On the Switch cartridge, the last one, Godmaster, may need a free download.

What Works

The world is huge, connected, and full of secrets. Every area has its own look and music, from the rainy City of Tears to the glowing Crystal Peak. Combat is tight and precise. The charm system lets you build your own playstyle. There are dozens of hours of content, at a small price on Steam. The bosses are some of the best in the genre, from the Mantis Lords to the final secrets. The hand-drawn art and Christopher Larkin's music make the kingdom feel sad and beautiful.

What Breaks

Listen well. It can be very hard. Losing your coins when you die, then running back to fight your shade, hurts. You have to find and buy maps, and you can get lost for a long time. Some late content, like the Path of Pain, is built for masochists. Early movement is slow until you unlock upgrades. Lots of backtracking.

Who Should Play

Play if you love exploration, hard fights, and discovering secrets on your own. Skip if you get frustrated by getting lost or losing progress. When you finish, read my Hollow Knight: Silksong verdict for the sequel.

Related: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Dark Souls III, Hades.

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