You’re not done with Shovel Knight Dig after defeating the Drill Knight. There’s more to uncover — including a fifth difficult biome to conquer. If you’ve got the digging skills, you can unlock the true ending path in this tough little roguelike. Here’s all the steps you need to truly master Shovel Knight Dig. It’s a lot of steps, so let’s get started. The path to the true final boss requires multiple resets, some tricky challenges, and acute knowledge of secrets. It is possible to discover all these steps on your own, but if you want to save yourself some time and energy, here’s a quick rundown of the process. Even a total roguelike novice can complete these steps — they’re difficult but hardly impossible.
More Shovel Knight Dig guides:
Beginner’s Guide | How To Make The Game Easier | How To Get A Wyvern Companion | How To Save The Armorer
How To Unlock Crystal Core | True Ending Guide
The following steps are required to unlock the Crystal Core, the final biome of Shovel Knight Dig which leads to the true final boss encounter. There are multiple steps, and many of these steps only need to be completing once on a run. We’ll divide the steps by what you need to complete per run.
- Step #1: Get The Owl In The Well
- Shield Knight’s Owl buddy is sitting on the sigh on the surface to the right of the well. Smash the owl to make it start flying, then bounce off its head to force it into the well.
- After pushing the owl into the well, it will appear in the well for all subsequent runs. You don’t need to keep knocking the owl into the well!
- Step #2: Locate The Owl
- The Owl will point out secrets and clues in the well that are related to the true ending.
- Enter the well and check side-rooms in the Mushroom Mine biome.
- Once you find the well near a chest, open it and continue to the bottom. Defeat the boss and the owl will reunite with Shield Knight.
- Step #3: Use The Cog On A String
- Progress into the Smeltworks / Secret Fountain and find a Chester’s Shop in a side-room. The owl will be flying near Chester.
- Purchase the “Cog On A String” item from Chester. This is a bonus cog that can replace the gold cogs.
- Find all three Gold Cogs in the level — so that way you use all four cogs on the reward drill at the end of the level.
- This causes the reward drill to break and malfunction. It will be permanently destroyed for the remainder of the biome.
- Complete the biome with the broken reward drill. Defeat the boss and you’ll complete this step. You won’t have to repeat it again after this.
- Step #4: Getting The Skeleton Key
- Cycle the run. Next you’ll need to reach Smeltworks / Secret Fountain and reach side-rooms.
- On each level of the biome, there will be a Griffin Sacrificial Statue. Sacrifice one of your accessories to the statue to unlock the gate.
- You’ll need to find three Griffin Sacrificial Statues — one on each level — and unlock them by sacrificing an accessory. Once you complete all three, Shield Knight will drop down.
- Defeat the boss of the biome and Shield Knight will give you a Skeleton Key.
- Step #5: Using The Skeleton Key
- For this step, travel to the Magic Landfill / Hive. A skull door will spawn that matches the Skeleton Key. Use it to enter.
- Through the Skeleton Key door, you’ll find the Omega Driver. This is a unique relic you’ll need for the final battle.
- Defeat the boss of the biome to talk to Shield Knight again.
- Step #6: Unlocking The Path To Drill Knight’s Castle
- Shield Knight will give you a bomb. On the way down, reach Magic Landfill / Hive and look for a side-room passage that’s covered in unbreakable dirt.
- Place the bomb to blast open the room. Enter and you’ll find a pipe leading to Drill Knight’s Castle.
- The Owl will take the Omega Driver relic down for you.
- Step #7: Destroying The Drill
- Finally, reach Drill Knight’s Castle — the Owl will give you the Omega Driver relic. Keep this relic for the final battle.
- Next, fight Drill Knight until he retreats and summons his giant drill. Use the Omega Driver on the giant saw to destroy it!
Once the giant saw is destroyed, a new cutscene will play out — and that leads to the final biome. The Crystal Core is finally unlocked. Now you’ll just need to reach the bottom of the Crystal Core and defeat the true final boss. Goodluck!
