a quick guide to 2026’s best new Zelda-like and GOTY contender

One of the most anticipated games of 2026 is finally here. Mina the Hollower is a new Zelda-like from the celebrated developer behind Shovel Knight. Here’s everything you need to know about the latest 2026 Game of the Year contender, including where and when you can play it — and even if you should.

What is Mina the Hollower?

Mina the Hollower is the new game from indie developer Yacht Club Games, which is best known for retro action-platformer Shovel Knight (and spinoffs Shovel Knight Dig and Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon). Mina the Hollower is an action-adventure game where you control the mouse Mina, a renowned Hollower on a desperate mission to rescue a cursed island. “Explore a vast world filled with pixel-perfect graphics, masterful gameplay, beastly bosses, and infectious music,” says Yacht Club Games in an official description. “Encounter a cast of bizarre characters, search out secrets in an array of exotic locales, and illuminate the omnipresent darkness in Mina the Hollower, a brand-new game from the developers who brought you Shovel Knight!”

Visually, Mina the Hollower is inspired by the graphics of the Game Boy Color. The game features a story inspired by Victorian Gothic horror, and features music from Jake Kaufman (Shovel Knight, Shantae).

Mina the Hollower release date and platforms

Image: Yacht Club Games

Mina the Hollower will be released on May 29. The game is available on Linux, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X. The PC versions are available on Steam, Humble, and GOG. Mina the Hollower costs $19.99 at launch.

The Steam release of Mina the Hollower supports the Steam Deck. According to its store page, Mina the Hollower is Steam Deck Verified. It also supports Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud, and PlayStation and Xbox console controllers on PC.

Mina the Hollower review scores

Mina the Hollower is already one of the highest rated video games of 2026. On Metacritic, Mina the Hollower has received “universal acclaim” and currently has a 93 average Metascore. On Opencritic, the game has a 92 top critic average, with 97% of reviewers recommending it.

In Polygon’s review of Mina the Hollower, we praised the game for its gameplay and smartly designed secrets. “Its pixelated world is so densely packed with delightful discoveries that you can’t trek more than a few screens without getting rewarded for your curiosity,” wrote reviewer Giovannia Colantonio. “Yacht Club’s adventure game transcends homage status by getting at the very heart of what makes video games so pleasurable, connecting 40 years of design, mechanics, and story in the process.”

Games like Mina the Hollower

The most obvious example is top-down 2D action-adventure games like The Legend of Zelda, which is a clear source of inspiration for Mina the Hollower. Given its Game Boy Color-era aesthetic, fans of The Legend of Zelda games like Link’s Awakening DX, Oracle of Ages, and Oracle of Seasons should play Mina the Hollower.

Mina the Hollower also draws inspiration from or shares game design ideas with titles like Bloodborne, UFO 50, Castlevania, Öoo, and (if you can believe it) the 2016 reboot of Doom. That’s very good company to keep.

Mina the Hollower gameplay video and screenshots

For an in-depth look at Mina the Hollower gameplay, music, and screenshots, check out the media below.