Is Hollow Knight free now?

No, Hollow Knight is a paid game, not free-to-play.

Is Hollow Knight on mobile (Android/iOS)?

No, Hollow Knight is not currently listed for mobile (Android/iOS).

Is Hollow Knight on Nintendo Switch?

Yes, Hollow Knight is available on Nintendo Switch.

What platforms is Hollow Knight on?

Hollow Knight is available on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch.

Hollow Knight - Plorex

Hollow Knight

PSLX

7Full Release

What this is

A hand-drawn insect kingdom where discovery, combat mastery, and movement unlock hidden paths.

What you actually do

You explore interconnected areas, fight enemies and bosses, collect upgrades, and use new movement abilities to open previously inaccessible paths. Progress depends on learning attack patterns, navigating without much guidance, and accepting repeated attempts when challenges defeat you.

Verdict

Exploration Under Relentless Pressure

Hollow Knight turns discovery, precise combat, and movement mastery into a deeply rewarding loop. Its sparse direction, backtracking, and demanding challenges can make the early game feel slow and the wider journey exhausting.

User reviews first

Steam recent first

Is it for you?

What shines

Rich atmosphere and world design
Memorable soundtrack
Rewarding boss pattern mastery
Flexible charm-based combat builds
Detailed hand-drawn presentation

What to know

Limited guidance and unclear progression
Frequent backtracking between areas
Distant checkpoints before bosses
Demanding precision platforming
Occasional hitbox frustrations

Quick facts

Genre

MetroidvaniaSouls-like

View

Side view

Solo

Co-op

PvP

Length

27h

Entry

Can start here

Pricing

Paid

MTX

Account required

Active Support

Crossplay

+Best if

You enjoy getting stronger through new movement abilities and returning to earlier areas with fresh possibilities.

!Skip it if

You want clear objectives, forgiving platforming, and quick returns after difficult fights.

Developer

Team Cherry

Publisher

Team Cherry

Release

Feb 24, 2017

Game DNA

Rhythm

Mixed pace

Depth

Some depth

Mood

AtmosphericChallengingImmersive

Structure

Story-drivenBranching

Also tagged

PlatformerGreat Soundtrack2D

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Your role and how it develops

Your role

You guide a lone adventurer through a vast underground kingdom, choosing where to explore, which challenges to tackle, and how to adapt your abilities.

Learning and mastery

The controls are approachable, but the game expects patience with unclear progression, difficult encounters, and repeated failure.

Replay and variation

Optional secrets, alternate discoveries, and flexible exploration support completion-focused revisits.

Systems you interact with

What you actually engage with

Interconnected exploration

Search branching regions for routes, secrets, and landmarks.

Close combat

Attack enemies at short range while reading their patterns.

Movement abilities

Unlock traversal tools that open previously inaccessible paths.

Boss encounters

Study attack patterns and improve through repeated attempts.

Platforming

Navigate hazards with careful timing and precise movement.

Character upgrades

Improve your capabilities as exploration and combat progress.

Charm builds

Adjust your setup to support different combat and exploration preferences.

topic

Time investment

How long it takes

HowLongToBeat

Main story

focused run

27h

Main + extras

story and side content

42h

Completionist

full clear

66h

Session fit

What the time commitment feels like

When it clicks

The opening can take patience before exploration and combat fully click.

Session constraints

Backtracking, sparse direction, and long returns after failure can interrupt shorter sessions.

Best session rhythm

It works best in focused sessions where you can explore, learn a route, or practice a difficult encounter.

DLC timing

Additional content is best approached after the core exploration and combat have become comfortable.

topic

Review interpretation

Current mood

Recent players are overwhelmingly enthusiastic, especially about the art, atmosphere, exploration, combat, and challenge.

Why it works

A richly atmospheric world, fluid combat, rewarding exploration, and demanding but satisfying challenges give Hollow Knight lasting appeal.

Critic gap

Critics celebrate the world, depth, and rewarding challenge, while some players find the limited guidance, backtracking, and punishing encounters frustrating.

What players value

Atmosphere and art direction

high

Players repeatedly praise the distinctive art, bleak atmosphere, and memorable world.

Combat and movement

high

Players highlight smooth movement, challenging combat, and the satisfaction of mastering fights.

Exploration and world design

high

Players enjoy the interconnected world, discovering new routes, and returning with new abilities.

Bosses and progression

medium

Players describe difficult bosses and progression as rewarding when persistence pays off.

Evidence-backed risks

Limited guidance and frequent backtracking

highreviews and critics

Some players struggle with unclear direction, repeated travel, and finding their way through the interconnected world.

High difficulty and punishing encounters

highreviews

Some players find the combat, bosses, and demanding endgame challenges frustrating rather than rewarding.

Completion-focused goals can require repeated, highly precise challenges

highreviews

Some players find late-game challenges and achievement goals demand repeated near-perfect execution, making full completion especially demanding.

topic

Minimum PC

Playable baseline

OSWindows 10 version 21H1 (build 19043) or newer

CPUIntel Core i3-3240, AMD FX-4300

RAM4 GB RAM

GPUGeForce GTX 560 Ti (1GB), Radeon HD 7750 (1GB)

Recommended PC

Better target

OSWindows 10 version 21H1 (build 19043) or newer

CPUIntel Core i5-3470

RAM8 GB RAM

GPUGeForce GTX 1050 (2GB), Radeon R9 380 (2GB)

Storage and usability

Disk, language and input

Install5 GB

Download1 GB

Free space9 GB

Languages11 listed

ControllerFull

topic

Support status

Developer activity

Actively updated

Last game updateMar 27, 2026 · 4 months ago

Last official postMar 27, 2026 · 4 months ago

Updates (12 mo)2

Posts (12 mo)2

CadenceSteady

SourceSteam

Official Steam news

Latest from the developer

topic

Questions people search

answered from verified data

: No, Hollow Knight is a paid game, not free-to-play.
: No, Hollow Knight is not currently listed for mobile (Android/iOS).
: Yes, Hollow Knight is available on Nintendo Switch.
: Hollow Knight is available on PC, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch.