A fuel injector comprising: an injector body defining a nozzle supply passage, a nozzle outlet connecting with the nozzle supply passage, a control passage, a low pressure space, at least one fuel inlet connecting with the nozzle supply passage, a plunger cavity, a pressure intensification passage connecting the plunger cavity with the nozzle supply passage within the injector body, a pressure recovery conduit, and at least one drain; a direct control needle check positioned within the injector body and movable between a closed position blocking the nozzle outlet from the nozzle supply passage and an open position, the direct control needle check having an opening hydraulic surface exposed to a fluid pressure in the nozzle supply passage and a closing hydraulic surface exposed to a fluid pressure in the control passage; a check control valve movable between a first injection control position at which the control passage is blocked from the low pressure space and a second injection control position at which the control passage is open to the low pressure space; a pressure intensifier positioned partially within the injector body, the pressure intensifier including a tappet and a plunger configured to move between a first plunger position and an advanced plunger position within the plunger cavity; an injection pressure control mechanism having a first pressure control configuration and a second pressure control configuration, the injection pressure control mechanism blocking the plunger cavity from the at least one fuel inlet and fluidly connecting the plunger cavity with the low pressure space in the first pressure control configuration, and the injection pressure control mechanism fluidly connecting the plunger cavity with the at least one fuel inlet and blocking the plunger cavity from the low pressure space in the second pressure control configuration; and a pressure recovery mechanism having a first pressure recovery configuration and a second pressure recovery configuration, the pressure recovery mechanism blocking the low pressure space from the pressure recovery conduit and fluidly connecting the low pressure space with the drain conduit in the first pressure recovery configuration, and the pressure recovery mechanism fluidly connecting the low pressure space with the pressure recovery conduit and blocking the low pressure space from the drain conduit in the second pressure recovery configuration. an injector body defining a nozzle supply passage, a nozzle outlet connecting with the nozzle supply passage, a control passage, a low pressure space, at least one fuel inlet connecting with the nozzle supply passage, a plunger cavity, a pressure intensification passage connecting the plunger cavity with the nozzle supply passage within the injector body, a pressure recovery conduit, and at least one drain; a direct control needle check positioned within the injector body and movable between a closed position blocking the nozzle outlet from the nozzle supply passage and an open position, the direct control needle check having an opening hydraulic surface exposed to a fluid pressure in the nozzle supply passage and a closing hydraulic surface exposed to a fluid pressure in the control passage; a check control valve movable between a first injection control position at which the control passage is blocked from the low pressure space and a second injection control position at which the control passage is open to the low pressure space; a pressure intensifier positioned partially within the injector body, the pressure intensifier including a tappet and a plunger configured to move between a first plunger position and an advanced plunger position within the plunger cavity; an injection pressure control mechanism having a first pressure control configuration and a second pressure control configuration, the injection pressure control mechanism blocking the plunger cavity from the at least one fuel inlet and fluidly connecting the plunger cavity with the low pressure space in the first pressure control configuration, and the injection pressure control mechanism fluidly connecting the plunger cavity with the at least one fuel inlet and blocking the plunger cavity from the low pressure space in the second pressure control configuration; and a pressure recovery mechanism having a first pressure recovery configuration and a second pressure recovery configuration, the pressure recovery mechanism blocking the low pressure space from the pressure recovery conduit and fluidly connecting the low pressure space with the drain conduit in the first pressure recovery configuration, and the pressure recovery mechanism fluidly connecting the low pressure space with the pressure recovery conduit and blocking the low pressure space from the drain conduit in the second pressure recovery configuration.