Colosseum - Percy's Targets is a stage in Shovel Knight Showdown as well as a separate game mode. The standalone Targets Mode can be accessed by pressing right when hovering over Story, but otherwise the stage is visited during the fifth battle of any Story Mode.
It features a colosseum arena, where an illusory Percy uses with two levers to move the targets across the screen, and two mini catapults, which he uses to throw himself on certain big targets, making them harder to destroy.
Like with the other modes of Showdown, Targets Mode also support Co-op, up to two different players.
Basic Guide (from Yacht Club)[]
- The timer begins with 30 seconds. When it runs out, the game is over! Completing a Target's group, eating Food or destroying a Clock Target restore some of the lost time.
- Targets appear in groups from the sides of the screen. Hit all the targets in a group to get a “Chain Bonus” score and earn some more seconds on the timer. Getting chains is the best way to earn a high score!
- As you destroy targets, your combo meter fills. Each time it fills up, your score multiplier goes up to 2x, 3x, all the way up to 5x.
- If you take damage or hit a bomb, your combo goes back down to 0!
- As your score increases, the stage begins to become more perilous! Try to survive the many hazards that Percy tosses your way!
- Tip: You can play Targets with a friend in co-op mode too!
Editors' Guide[]
The stage begins with all platforms intact. Normal hay Targets begin to move in from outside the screen, slowly moving across. The goal is to destroy as many targets as possible before time runs out, trying to achieve a high score or, in the Story Mode version, a certain preselected score threshold, 10,000 points on Easy, 25,000 points on Medium, and 40,000 points on Hard.
Also in the Story Mode version, a different number of Life Stocks is at the player's disposition, with 9 on Easy, 3 on Medium and 2 on Hard, while in the standalone Targets Mode only 1 Life Stock is available. In Story Mode falling into a pit has also the added detriment of losing 10 seconds.
As the earned score increases, more and more difficult challenges begin to appear in the stage, such as different target types, sudden rain of either Bombs or Beetos, the targets suddenly stopping, Percy himself being on a target, a complete blackout, platforms that begin to move, and most importantly the floor begins to fall out, making falling into the Pits (and therefore insta-losing in Targets Mode) far easier, even going as far as taking out the whole floor at a certain point. Furthermore the targets also move faster, with even seldom temporary accelerations.
Target Types[]
Hay Target: These targets are very easy to destroy. Get 'em all in a row for a chain bonus! These are the most basic types of targets and the bulk from which the majority of the score is derived from. Their base value is 10 points each.
Bomb Target: Leave Bomb Targets alone! You'll earn points if they leave the screen unharmed. These targets are the ones you HAVE to avoid, as hitting them in any way will subtract 500 points and completely reset the combo multiplier. They will be mixed in with other targets, so you need to be very careful how you break the safe targets. Their base value, if left alone, is 5 points.
Clock Target: Clock targets refill about 10 seconds on the timer. Similar to the Bomb Target, these will also be mixed in with other targets. Hit these if you can, as more time is always useful.
Bonus Target: This flashing target is like a smart bomb that destroys all targets on-screen, and awards you all the points! Sometimes a platter can be flashing, too. These targets look like normal Hay Targets, except for the constant flash in rainbow color. By hitting it, all targets on-screen will be destroyed (including Bomb Targets) with no penalties and all the rewards. Wait until there are a lot of targets, then hit the Bonus Target. Your points and streak bonus will skyrocket. Their base value is 50 points.
Goo Target: These targets bounce you around when hit. Plan accordingly and don't fall in a pit because of the knockback! These targets act similarly to their counterparts in the main games. When hit, they either bounce back the fighter away or stop projectiles right then and there. Their base value is 20 points.
Percy: Whoops! Sometimes Percy gets caught in his own contraption and appears clinging to a target. Smack him a few times for a big bonus. Look out, Percy! Percy takes a few more hits to take down but is bigger to compensate. When destroyed, he will give a larger bonus of 200 base points.
Platter: Yum! Someone is servin' up a hot helping of something! Open with caution: the contents may be dangerous! The platters can contain apples, chickens, and bombs. They can also be flashing, acting the same as a Bonus Target. The Food eaten not only replenishes lost health, but also restores 2 seconds to the countdown.
Beetos: These critters will sometimes begin to rain down, then begin to prowl any platform they land on. Once eliminated, each Beeto rewards 50 points. Unlike other obstacles they are not cleared by a Bonus Target.
Good Fighters[]
Fighter choice is a large factor in how easy it is to earn a high score. Some good fighters to play as are Specter Knight, either Reize or Dark Reize, and generally anyone who can perform a good air recovery, as the ever-increasing bottomless pit will prove itself to be one of the biggest obstacles as the score continues to raise.
Feats[]
There is one Feat that relates to Targets mode, as reaching a high score of 100,000 points, unlocks the stage Explodatorium - Potion Drains as a reward.
Exclusive Cheat Code[]
With the last update patch of Treasure Trove, Yacht Club Games introduced another input cheat code for Showdown, called Character Gauntlet. This code, only available during Targets Mode (not in the Story Mode version), makes so that the playable character is randomly swapped for another one each time a flashing Bonus Target is hit. This increases the difficulty even further, as it demands a competent understanding of every single fighter's moveset. Also supported for cooperative play, this mode is only usable through this cheat code:
- After unlocking all characters in Targets mode Hold [left parry] + [subweapon] while the VS Screen disappear.