In the Halls of the Usurper

**In the Halls of the Usurper** is the nineteenth extra level of *Just Shapes & Beats* and the forty-fifth level overall. It is unlocked in the Playlist by getting 1800 Beatpoints or by using the Shovel Knight amiibo figure. It is one of the four levels introduced at Update 1.3.

## Description

This level has a royal, kingly theme to it, with the level being focused on trumpets with confetti blown off from it, scepters, a crown and cauldrons.

Like all of the levels featured in Update 1.3, *In the Halls of the Usurper* features elements (of varying degree) from one the four protagonists/antagonists in *Shovel Knight*'s campaigns, with this level motif based on King Knight.

## Layout

Segment 1
The level begins with one trumpet popping up from the right which bursts out little gravity-affected rectangles and disappears. it is then followed by even more trumpets that do the same thing. After the fourth trumpet, they appear on both sides of the screen, and they double the amount of them appearing. After a period of this, the transition into the second segment begins with multiple black holes in the middle, and lots of lasers on the sides. After the black holes fill up, the crown and scepter appear in their place.

Segment 2
The crown starts moving up and down, while the scepter rotates in a circle around the centre of the stage, gradually building up speed. During this, trumpets will also appear and fire the rectangles. Lasers will occasionally appear on the sides.

Segment 3
The crown and scepter disappear. 5 lasers more appear on the far right, and a pot drops down from the ceiling as the lasers fire.. This repeats to the left of the pot, and again until they reach the far left of the screen, in which case they will start the cycle again at the far right. After a delay, the pots spills its contents. Occasionally, black holes will appear at the top. During the second cycle, a scepter spawns at the bottom portion of the screen that move from right to left while spinning. Another scepter appears in the middle after the first reaches the far left. For the last wave of pots, they only spawn in the middle and none are on the sides. Lasers appear on the left alongside black holes in the middle, transitioning into the fourth segment.

Segment 4
This segment is basically the second segment, but there are wiggling circle tracks guarding the bottom and ceiling. Instead of lasers on the side, black holes take their place. Halfway during this segment, the wiggly tracks disappear and another takes its place, backed up by a wave of black holes. Before this segment ends, the crown and scepter disappear, and 3 pairs of trumpets fire one pair by one, making their way from the top to the bottom.

Segment 5
Some black holes appear on the top, with a pot dropping in the center (without the lasers), and black holes appear on the left and right sides, backed up by wiggly tracks. Trumpets will appear on both sides of the screen. After the center pot, a pot to the left of the center one appears. A scepter appears on the bottom of the screen, behaving like the ones in segment 3. A pot appears to the right. Another scepter appears at the top where the pots are. A new pot appears in the center. Two scepters appear in the middle and the top. A new pot appears to the left. The level finishes off with a bunch of vertical lasers in the center.

**Hardcore Changes*** Trumpets appear more briefly, and fire more rectangles.
* Most lasers and black holes are more brief.
* In segment 2 and 4, two trumpets appear at a time instead of 1.
* Segment 2 and 4 scepters spin faster and build speed faster.
* The crown moves faster.
* At the beginning of segment 2, some extra lasers appear on the sides.
* Pots spill more of its content.
* Segment 3 scepters move faster, and spin faster.
* Wiggly tracks are more... wiggly.
* In segment 5, more scepters spawn.

## Trivia

* This level mirrors the ingame first appearance of the track featured in *Shovel Knight*, which is heard during the game's early stages as opposed to *Just Shapes & Beats*' last unlocked Update 1.3 level.
* *In the Halls of the Usurper* is the theme for Pridemoor Keep in where King Knight is fought in the main campaign. Additionally, the trumpets that appear in several segments of the level are based on the trumpets in King Knight's boss battle, Also, the cauldrons are from parts of the stage in Pridemoor keep..

## External links

* In the Halls of the Usurper on the Shovel Knight wiki.