Hollow Knight Guide#
Game Information#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Game | Hollow Knight |
| Developer | Team Cherry |
| Publisher | Team Cherry |
| Release Date | February 24, 2017 |
| Platforms | PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One |
| Genre | Metroidvania / Action-adventure |
| Length | 30-60 hours (first playthrough) |
| Difficulty | High |
| Completion | 112% |
| Series | Hollow Knight (+ Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Godmaster) |
Why You Should Play Hollow Knight#
Hollow Knight is a hand-drawn Metroidvania action-adventure game from Team Cherry, an independent studio based in Australia. It launched on PC on February 24, 2017, and later arrived on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. With its exquisite hand-drawn art, deep world-building, challenging combat, and enormous map, the game has earned overwhelming acclaim and is widely regarded as one of the greatest achievements in indie gaming history.
Game Features#
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Hand-drawn art style | Every frame is hand-drawn by the developers, rich in color and unmistakably distinct |
| Vast, interconnected map | More than 10 stylistically distinct areas, tightly linked by lifts, shortcuts, stag stations, and hidden passages |
| Challenging combat | Nail attacks at the core, supported by Soul spells, charm builds, and a wide range of movement techniques |
| Deep, fragmented narrative | Hallownest’s history emerges piece by piece through NPC dialogue, background scenery, item descriptions, and dream conversations |
Characters, environments, and enemies all brim with lively animation and a distinct design language, and Hallownest itself radiates mystery and the urge to explore. The map follows classic Metroidvania logic — you will constantly hit areas that are out of reach for now, and only new abilities let you double back later. Boss fights are meticulously designed, each with its own attack patterns and rhythm to learn and master, while the main story tells of a fallen kingdom and the plague that once ravaged it: a grand, melancholy tale told in fragments.
Core Combat and Exploration#
| System | Description |
|---|---|
| Nail | Your primary weapon — every strike builds Soul |
| Soul | The shared resource behind healing, spells, and Nail Arts |
| Soul Spells | Offensive abilities powered by Soul |
| Nail Arts | Charged Nail techniques that consume Soul |
| Charms | 45 equippable charms that shape your fighting style |
| Movement | Double jump, wall climbing, dashing, and their upgrades open new routes |
The Core Loop and the Soul System#
The core loop can be summed up in a single sentence: explore Hallownest, defeat bosses, gain new abilities, then return to old areas to discover new routes — repeat until you have gathered every upgrade and uncovered the truth behind Hallownest’s fall.
Soul is gained by striking enemies and collecting the soul fragments scattered across the map. It is the shared resource pool for healing, casting spells, and using Nail Arts, and managing it wisely is one of the clearest markers of a skilled player.
FAQ#
How many endings are there?#
Five endings in total, counting DLC content. Which one you reach depends on your Dream Nail’s upgrade state and how far you have progressed in the Grimm Troupe questline.
What is the recommended charm build?#
Early on, run Fragile Strength + Mark of Pride + Steady Body. Later, switch to Strength + Quick Slash + Mark of Pride + Spell Twister.
How do I farm Geo fast?#
The second trial of the Colosseum of Fools in Kingdom’s Edge pays out roughly 2,000 Geo per minute.
What happens if I die in Steel Soul mode?#
Your save file is deleted. You can export a backup from the main menu with a specific button combination.
Where do I find Pale Ore?#
There are six pieces in total: Ancient Basin, Crystal Peak, Deepnest, the Colosseum of Fools, a Grimm Troupe quest reward, and the Dreamshield location.
Recommended Charm Builds#
| Build | Charm Loadout | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nail-focused | Strength + Quick Slash + Mark of Pride + Longnail + Nailmaster’s Glory | High-DPS melee, ideal for boss fights |
| Spell-focused | Spell Twister + Shaman Stone + Soul Catcher + Fragile Heart | Amplified spell damage, great for clearing crowds |
| Survival-focused | Quick Focus + Shape of Unn + Grubsong + Hiveblood + Fragile Heart | Higher margin for error when exploring new areas |
| Summon-focused | Glowing Womb + Fragile Strength + Fragile Heart + Lifeblood Heart | Automated damage, handy while collecting on the move |
| High-risk | Strength + Quick Slash + Mark of Pride + Shaman Stone + Spell Twister | High reward, high risk — for experienced players |
Area Quick Reference#
| Area | Suggested Order | Key Rewards | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forgotten Crossroads | 1 | Map, Gathering Swarm, Mothwing Cloak | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Greenpath | 2 | Mothwing Cloak, Dream Nail | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Fog Canyon | 3 | Salubra’s Blessing, acid swim | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Fungal Wastes | 4 | Mantis Claw, down-strike tutorial | ★★★☆☆ |
| Crystal Peak | 5 | Crystal Heart, Super Dash | ★★★☆☆ |
| Royal Waterways | 6 | Isma’s Tear, sewer entrance | ★★★☆☆ |
| Soul Sanctum | 7 | Shade Cloak, Shade Soul | ★★★★☆ |
| Ancient Basin | 8 | Shade Cloak, King’s Brand | ★★★★☆ |
| Queen’s Gardens | 9 | Love Key, The Hive | ★★★★☆ |
| Deepnest | 10 | Dreamshield, Weaversong | ★★★★★ |
| Kingdom’s Edge | 11 | King’s Brand, Colosseum of Fools | ★★★★★ |
Boss Difficulty Tiers#
| Difficulty | Representative Bosses | Suggested Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| ★☆☆ Easy | False Knight, Hornet (1), Mawlek | Master the basic attack rhythm and you are set |
| ★★☆ Medium | Soul Master, Mantis Lords, Dung Defender | Use your spells flexibly |
| ★★★ Hard | Troupe Master Grimm, Watcher Knights, Uumuu | Optimal charm build and perfect dodge timing |
| ★★★★ Very Hard | Pure Vessel, Nightmare King Grimm | Impeccable execution and muscle memory |
| ★★★★★ Nightmare | The Radiance, Absolute Radiance | The ultimate test on a standard run |
Key Collectibles#
| Item | Count | Purpose | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mask Shards | 16 | Every 4 shards adds one mask of health | Across from Queen’s Station — requires a double jump |
| Vessel Fragments | 9 | Every 3 fragments adds one vessel of Soul | At the top of Crystal Peak — requires Super Dash |
| Pale Ore | 6 | Upgrades the Nail to its final level | Behind the dream tree in Deepnest — hidden passage |
| Grubs | 46 | Rewards and an achievement once rescued | Some hide inside walls — listen for their calls |
| Dream Warriors | 8 | Defeating them grants Essence | Find each dream entrance; the fights cannot be repeated |
Collection Summary#
| Collectible | Count | Reward Path |
|---|---|---|
| Mask Shards | 16 | Raises maximum health |
| Vessel Fragments | 9 | Raises Soul capacity |
| Pale Ore | 6 | Nail upgrades |
| Grubs | 46 | Charms, Pale Ore, Mask Shards, and more |
| Essence | 2400+ | Awakens the Dream Nail and charms |
| Charms | 45 | Customizes your combat style |
All of these collectibles feed into the 112% completion goal. Completion depends not only on main-story progress but also on charms, abilities, Dream Warriors, and Pantheon challenges — the ultimate measure of how thoroughly you have explored Hallownest.
Version Update History#
| Version | Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 (Launch) | 2017-02-24 | Initial release, featuring the main Hallownest campaign |
| 1.1 (Hidden Dreams) | 2017-08-03 | Added the Dream Warriors and new Colosseum trials |
| 1.2 (The Grimm Troupe) | 2017-10-26 | The Grimm Troupe DLC — new charms and bosses |
| 1.3 (Lifeblood) | 2018-04-20 | AI improvements, UI optimization, and new map details |
| 1.4 (Godmaster) | 2018-08-23 | The Godmaster DLC — added the Pantheon of Hallownest and its five-pantheon endgame challenges |
| 1.5+ | 2018-present | Platform ports and bug fixes |
Game Statistics#
| Stat | Data |
|---|---|
| Maximum completion | 112% |
| Total charms | 45 |
| Total bosses | 47 (including Dream and Pantheon variants) |
| Map areas | 17 |
| NPCs readable with the Dream Nail | 20+ |
| Achievements | 63 (Steam) |
| Suggested length | 30-60 hours (first playthrough) |
About This Guide#
This guide is written by fans and based on the latest version of the game, including all DLC. All information here is original, created to help players better understand and enjoy Hollow Knight — a masterpiece of the genre. The guide is updated continuously to keep pace with game version changes.
Recommended Reading Order#
If you are new to Hollow Knight, we recommend reading this guide in the following order:
- Beginner Basics — learn the controls and early survival strategies
- Area Exploration — get familiar with the layout of Hallownest
- Combat System — master the combat mechanics
- Skills and Upgrades — learn where abilities are found and how they upgrade
- Collectibles — track down the key upgrade items
- Charm Compendium — build the charm loadout that suits you
- Boss Strategies — take on Hallownest’s most dangerous enemies
- Story Analysis — dig deeper into what the story means
- Endgame Content — tackle the DLC and high-difficulty modes
Whether you are a speedrunner, a completionist, or a lore seeker, this guide has the information and strategies you need. Wishing you a pleasant journey through Hallownest, little Knight!
Related Games#
- Dave the Diver — an ocean adventure blended with sushi restaurant management
- Disco Elysium — a dialogue-driven detective CRPG
- Baldur’s Gate 3 — the CRPG revival built on D&D 5th Edition rules
- NieR: Automata — a philosophy-themed action RPG
- Persona 5 Royal — a JRPG that mixes school life with dungeon crawling
Related Rankings#
Best Indie Games of All Time: Top 10 · Best Soulslike Games · Hardest Bosses of All Time
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — beginner basics, area-by-area exploration, the combat system, the full charm compendium, boss-by-boss strategies, every collectible location, story analysis, and endgame content — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Hollow Knight section.