Official Strategy Wiki

Mina the Hollower Wiki

Complete guide to weapons, trinkets, bosses, and Tenebrous Isle exploration

Descend into Tenebrous Isle. Whip foes, burrow through darkness, and restore the Spark Generators.

Release Date: May 28, 2026
Developer: Yacht Club Games
Genre: Action-Adventure
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, Nintendo Switch...

Game Overview

Mina the Hollower is a top-down 2D action-adventure from Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Shovel Knight. It combines Game Boy Color-inspired pixel art with modern widescreen visuals, tight controls, and a gothic horror narrative set on the cursed Tenebrous Isle.

You play as Mina, a renowned Hollower and inventor of Spark technology. When the island's power fails, Mina must burrow beneath hazards, lash enemies with her whip Nightstar, and uncover a conspiracy behind the darkness engulfing Ossex.

Main Quest

Restore all 6 Spark Generators scattered across Tenebrous Isle. Each generator powers a region of the island; repairing them illuminates the darkness and advances the story toward the truth behind the curse.

25+ bosses and mini-bosses with multi-phase patterns
60 Trinkets for deep build customization
5 weapons with unique move sets and upgrades
Hollowing — burrow underground for invincibility and traversal
Interconnected world design with secrets and optional content
New Game Plus and extensive 100% completion goals

Beginner Guide

Your first hours on Tenebrous Isle set the tone for the entire adventure. These eight tips help you avoid common mistakes and build momentum before your first major boss.

01 Configure controls first

Set up your controller or keyboard bindings before pushing into dangerous areas. Responsive Hollowing and Plasma use depend on comfortable inputs.
02 Pick Nightstar for a calm start

The whip offers the safest distance against early Goopers and slimes. Whisper & Vesper reward aggression; Blaststrike Maul demands patience — choose based on your comfort with spacing.
03 Spend Bones before risky routes

Bones drop on death and must be recovered at your death site. Convert excess Bones to Bone Stone at vendors, then spend before attempting tough rooms or bosses.
04 Save Sidearms for real problems

Sidearms consume Joules and are lost when you die. Use them for boss phases or overwhelming groups, not routine exploration.
05 Break objects after fights

Destructible objects often hide Bones, Plasma refills, or hidden paths. Clear a room, then sweep for breakables before moving on.
06 Change one Trinket at a time

After dying, identify the exact cause — burst damage, fall pits, ranged pressure — then swap one Trinket to address it. Test for a few rooms before committing.
07 Retreat when a route costs too much

If an area drains your resources repeatedly, backtrack to safer zones, farm Bones, upgrade at a Bone Up station, and return with a adjusted loadout.
08 Explore before advancing

Mina the Hollower rewards thorough exploration. Optional NPCs, Trinket chests, and side quests often provide permanent upgrades that make the main path easier.

Core Mechanics

Mastering these five systems separates smooth progression from repeated deaths. Each mechanic interacts with weapons, Trinkets, and Sidearms.

Hollowing

Burrow underground for a short time. While underground, Mina is invincible and can pass beneath enemies, hazards, and certain obstacles. Use it to reposition in combat, cross gaps, and escape pressure.

- Emerging behind enemies sets up whip strikes
- Essential for navigating trap-heavy rooms
- Some Trinkets extend burrow duration or add effects

Plasma

Mina's healing resource, similar to Estus Flasks in Souls-like games. Drink Plasma vials to recover health during or after combat. Plasma capacity can be upgraded throughout the game.

- Do not heal panic-style — learn boss patterns first
- Iron Lung and similar Trinkets extend Plasma reserves
- Vascular Syrup gives a rolling health bar for recovery windows

Bones & Bone Stone

Bones are the primary currency of Tenebrous Isle. Enemies drop Bones on death. You lose carried Bones when you die and must recover them at your death location. Convert Bones to Bone Stone at vendors to bank progress safely.

- Bank Bones into Bone Stone before boss attempts
- Extra Spark upgrades help retain Bones on death
- Proto Spark Trinket is a must-have for bone retention

Joules & Sidearms

Sidearms are single-use combat tools powered by Joules. You carry one Sidearm at a time. Using a Sidearm consumes Joules, and dying causes you to lose your current Sidearm.

- Purchase Sidearms only when Joules are full
- Save explosive or healing Sidearms for boss fights
- Bone Up Sidearm Damage increases Sidearm effectiveness

Bone Up

Spend Bone Stone at Bone Up stations to level Attack, Defense, and Sidearm Damage. Each stat caps at level 10. While stats help, permanent upgrades like max health, extra Trinket slots, and Spark capacity matter more long-term.

- Prioritize max health and Trinket slot upgrades from vendors
- Attack level 10 makes clearing groups faster
- Defense helps but does not replace pattern knowledge

Weapons Guide

Five main weapons define your combat rhythm. Three are available at game start; Battery Buster and Hollower's Shield unlock later. Swap weapons at the blacksmith in Ossex City. Each weapon upgrades twice by collecting duplicates.

Weapon	Description	Playstyle	Starter	Upgrade
Nightstar	A crushing mace on a flexible chain. Press attack to strike from a distance with excellent reach.	Safe spacing, beginner-friendly, strong range control	Yes	Dread Mace — increased damage at the weapon tip
Blaststrike Maul	A hammer with explosive force. Hold attack to charge; move while charging to roll.	Slow, heavy hits; read enemy tells and reposition with Hollowing	Yes	Explosive Charge — enhanced charged strike
Whisper & Vesper	A pair of nimble daggers. Mash attack for rapid successive stabs.	Fast, mobile, close-range aggression; high skill ceiling	Yes	Throwing Dagger — ranged dagger throw option
Battery Buster	A dynamic blaster. Switch modes with jump + attack; strike foes to power up, fire with attack.	Hybrid melee/ranged; mode-switching for varied encounters	No	Charge Shot — powered blaster fire
Hollower's Shield	A sturdy shield. Tap attack to bash, hold to block. Bash on hit timing to parry.	Parry-focused defense; counter-window mastery	No	Shield Toss — throwable shield attack

Tip: New players: start with Nightstar for range. Experienced action fans: Whisper & Vesper for speed. Patient players who read tells: Blaststrike Maul. Unlock Hollower's Shield for parry-focused play and Battery Buster for hybrid ranged combat.

Trinkets Guide

Trinkets are passive items that define your build. Yacht Club Games confirmed 60 Trinkets across Tenebrous Isle. Equip and swap them at any Trinket Chest. You start with limited slots and unlock up to 6 total through progression and purchases.

Unlocking Trinket Slots

Start with a small number of Trinket slots
Purchase additional slots from vendors using Bones/Bone Stone
Six total slots available — plan combinations carefully
Each slot represents a permanent build choice for your current route

Build Philosophy

Do not chase a perfect build early — adapt to your latest death
Name the exact cause of death, then swap one Trinket to counter it
Test changes for several rooms before a boss attempt
Combine Trinket effects with your weapon's strengths, not against them

Must-Have Trinkets

These Trinkets address common early-game pain points. Some are missable — grab them as soon as conditions allow.

Name	Effect	Priority
Ferrying Wisp	Hold jump while airborne to float and extend your fall	recommended
Proto Spark	Retain bones on death — found after escorting the Duke in the Crypt	essential
Vascular Syrup	Rolling health bar — health drains slowly after damage, giving time to heal	essential
Iron Lung	Extends Plasma reserves for longer sustain in tough fights	recommended
Pit Preserver	Walk on spike hazards without taking damage	situational
Flybait	Attracts or affects flying enemies — useful in specific zones	situational

Sidearms Guide

Sidearms are consumable combat tools found in shops, chests, and quest rewards. They provide burst utility — damage, healing, or crowd control — but carry real economic cost through Joules and death penalties.

You carry one Sidearm at a time
Using a Sidearm consumes Joules from your reserve
Dying causes you to lose your currently equipped Sidearm
Sidearm Damage stat from Bone Up increases their effectiveness

Common Sidearm Types

Type	Use
Throwable weapons	Axes, hatchets — interrupt enemies at range
Healing deployables	Vial pouches and similar — sustain during long fights
Explosives	Area damage for groups or stagger windows

Sidearm	Use
Volt Hatchet	Throwable electric hatchet; good for interrupting ranged enemies
Vial Pouch	Deployable healing vials in combat zones
Explosive Sidearms	Area damage for grouped enemies or boss openings

World & Areas

Tenebrous Isle is a large, interconnected gothic world inspired by Victorian horror and classic action-adventure design. Regions connect through shortcuts, and darkness hides secrets until Spark Generators are restored.

Ossex City

The island's major hub. Home to the blacksmith, Trinket vendors, Bone Up stations, and key NPCs who offer upgrades and side quests.

The Crypt

Early story region. Escort the Duke to his casket to obtain the Proto Spark Trinket — do not miss this reward.

Nox's Bayou

A poisonous swamp hosting one of the six Spark Generators. Environmental hazards demand Trinket and Hollowing mastery.

South Oix

Rescue the kidnapped Hollower Reine here to unlock Underlab upgrade purchases — optional but valuable for long-term progression.

Tips

Fully explore each region before moving to the next major story beat
Look for destructible walls and burrow-only passages
NPC side quests often reward unique Trinkets or permanent upgrades
Spark Generators mark major progression milestones — prepare before each

Bosses & Enemies

Yacht Club Games confirmed more than 25 bosses and mini-bosses. Boss fights feature multi-phase patterns inspired by Souls-like design — learn tells, punish openings, and adjust Trinkets between attempts.

Story Bosses

Gate progression through Spark Generator regions. Require preparation, upgraded health, and tailored Trinket loadouts.

Mini-Bosses

Optional or gating encounters within dungeons. Often drop significant Bones or unlock shortcuts.

Optional Bosses

Hidden or quest-locked fights with unique rewards. The blacksmith's brother duel unlocks Hollower's Shield access.

Regular enemies scale by area and color variant. Later regions feature tougher color schemes with modified stats and attack patterns. Groups of weak enemies like Goopers can overwhelm you — prioritize crowd control or range.

Recommended Builds

These starter builds address common playstyles. Swap Trinkets as you discover new ones — 60 Trinkets enable endless combinations.

Safe Beginner

Weapon: Nightstar
Trinkets: Proto Spark + Vascular Syrup + Iron Lung
Playstyle: Maintain distance, bank Bones safely, survive mistakes with rolling health

Speed Assassin

Weapon: Whisper & Vesper
Trinkets: Speed-on-hit Trinket + Ferrying Wisp + damage boosters
Playstyle: Aggressive close combat, chain attacks, use Hollowing to reposition

Heavy Hitter

Weapon: Blaststrike Maul
Trinkets: Defense boosters + Vascular Syrup + charge damage Trinkets
Playstyle: Patient charged strikes, roll while charging, punish boss openings

Parry Master

Weapon: Hollower's Shield
Trinkets: Counter damage Trinkets + Proto Spark + Iron Lung
Playstyle: Block and parry timing, bash counters, high skill reward

Difficulty & Accessibility

Mina the Hollower is challenging by design, drawing from Souls-like boss pacing and resource tension. Yacht Club included accessibility modifiers from launch so you can tailor the experience.

Accessibility Modifiers

Adjust damage taken and dealt
Modify resource loss on death
Tune combat timing windows
Customize challenge without locking out content

When to Retreat

Repeated deaths on the same boss mean your build or preparation is insufficient
Backtrack to farm Bones in safer earlier areas
Purchase max health and Trinket slots before retrying
Swap one Trinket to counter the specific attack that kills you

100% Completion & New Game Plus

Beyond the main quest, Mina the Hollower offers extensive optional content for completionists.

Collect all 60 Trinkets across Tenebrous Isle
Max all Bone Up stats and permanent upgrades
Discover every optional boss and secret area
Complete NPC side quests for unique rewards
Achieve 100% map exploration beyond story requirements

Demo Progress Transfer

Progress from the official Steam demo carries over to the full game at launch. Use the demo to learn controls, test weapons, and explore the opening stage through the first major boss.

New Game Plus

New Game Plus is confirmed by Yacht Club Games. Expect remixed enemy difficulty and opportunities to experiment with builds using full knowledge of the world.

System Requirements

Mina the Hollower is modest in storage (860 MB) and runs on a wide range of hardware. Steam supports Windows, macOS, and Linux with Steam Cloud and Remote Play.

Spec	Windows	macOS	Linux
OS	Windows 8 or later (64-bit)	macOS 11 or later	Modern Linux distribution
CPU	Intel Core 4th gen (Haswell, 2013) / AMD Bulldozer (2011)	Apple M1 or later	Intel Core 4th gen (Haswell, 2013) / AMD Bulldozer (2011)
RAM	4 GB RAM	4 GB RAM	4 GB RAM
GPU	Intel HD 5000 (2013) / Radeon HD 7000 (2012) / Nvidia 900 Series (Maxwell, 2014)	Integrated (Apple Silicon)	Intel HD 5000 (2013) / Radeon HD 7000 (2012) / Nvidia 900 Series (Maxwell, 2014)
Storage	860 MB	860 MB	860 MB

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Mina the Hollower release?

The game releases on May 28, 2026 on Steam, consoles, and official storefronts. Check the Steam page for exact regional unlock times.

What is the best starting weapon?

Nightstar is recommended for beginners due to its range and safe spacing. Whisper & Vesper suit aggressive players; Blaststrike Maul suits patient, heavy-hit playstyles.

Do I lose progress when I die?

You lose carried Bones and your equipped Sidearm on death. Bone Stone banked at vendors is safe. Proto Spark and Spark upgrades help retain Bones.

How many Trinkets are in the game?

Yacht Club Games confirmed 60 Trinkets. You can equip up to 6 simultaneously once all slots are unlocked.

Does demo progress carry over?

Yes. Progress from the official Steam demo transfers to the full game at launch.

Is there New Game Plus?

Yes. New Game Plus is confirmed and offers additional challenge after completing the main story.

External Resources

Official sources and community references for deeper research.