Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is a 2D action-exploration game set in the connected world of Hallownest. You move between regions, fight enemies with a nail (sword), learn new abilities, and open shortcuts that loop areas together. Progress depends on skillful combat and on collecting movement upgrades that unlock new paths, which is the classic “ability-gates open the map” structure. Charms modify your build (damage, survivability, mobility), letting you tune the Knight for bosses or exploration. Benches act as save points and loadouts spots, and you spend Geo to unlock some conveniences and routes.
Combat loop
Fights reward precision: close-range nail strikes, short invulnerability windows on dashes, and careful management of SOUL—a resource gained by hitting foes and spent to heal or cast spells. Bosses test spacing and pattern recognition; nail upgrades and specific charm sets shorten fights but do not replace execution. The Dream Nail adds another layer, letting you access dream areas and collect Essence.
Movement and exploration
Exploration expands as you acquire tools such as dash, wall-jump, double-jump, and a long “super dash,” opening hidden routes and sequence options. Stag Stations form a fast-travel grid so you can revisit vendors and bosses without backtracking through entire zones.
Controls at a glance 🎮
- Hollow Knight supports remapping on keyboard and controllers. Actions you will use constantly:
- Jump / variable jump for precision platforming and pogo attacks.
- Attack (Nail) for melee strikes and pogoing off enemies/hazards.
- Dash for repositioning and invulnerability timing.
- Focus / Cast to heal or use spells by spending SOUL.
- Quick Cast / Quick Map / Inventory for fast access to abilities and navigation.
- Dream Nail for entering dream interactions and collecting Essence.
(Names are consistent across devices even if the actual button differs.)
Mapping and checkpoints
You assemble your map as you explore. After finding the area cartographer and buying the quill/charms, the map updates when you sit at a bench, which encourages short exploration loops between benches and new landmarks.
Note on the web version on itch.io
An independent creator, bog (aukak), uploaded an unofficial web port of Hollow Knight on itch.io, published August 27, 2025. The page states the author is not affiliated with Team Cherry and focuses on making web ports of games they like.
