
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,225
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Exceed: Seventh Cross – Hunters vs. Demons Box
- 2 players
- 5–30 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2018

2020
Rules assistance for Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box is a board game released in 2020 for 2 players, 15–25 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by D. Brad Talton, Jr. and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Point to Point Movement.
Exceed Fighting System digs up four brand new fighters from the popular video game Shovel Knight. Bring the fast-paced action of head-to-head arcade fighting games to your tabletop. Choose your fighter from an ever-growing roster of diverse characters, each with their own deck of special moves and supers. Play your cards to unleash fireballs, dragon punches, and deadly combos on opponents! This box contains 4 fighters and everything you need to play: Shovel Knight & Shield Knight - It’s dangerous to go alone! Shield Knight joins Shovel Knight to fight together as a team once again. Work together with your partner to double-team foes! Propeller Knight - Swoop and dance through the arena, striking with grace and precision as you dismantle your foes! If things prove too tough, send in your artillery crew to blow away the competition! Mole Knight - Undermine your opponents by tunneling across the arena, attacking from every angle and giving no quarter! When the going gets tough, turn up the heat with even more burrowing power! Tinker Knight - It’s time to put your master plan into play! Though you begin each duel frail, use this time to build up your mech, then unleash havoc in the second phase of the battle! With the Exceed Fighting System, any fighter can battle against any other, regardless of their origin! —description from the publisher
Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box is 15–25 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Point to Point Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box are: D. Brad Talton, Jr.. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Exceed: Shovel Knight – Hope Box as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.