Knack is a platforming beat 'em up game in which players control the title character, Knack. Game director Mark Cernydescribes the gameplay as "a little bit like Crash Bandicoot, and a little bit like Katamari Damacy", with "a touch of God of War in there".[1] Players control Knack through a series of long, linear levels, journeying from start to finish, while battling enemies, such as humans, robots, and vehicles, finding secret hidden objects that give Knack upgrades, climbing, destroying objects, and completing jumping and switch-based puzzles.[2] The perspective in which the game is played is similar to that in the God of War games. Players only control Knack and do not control the camera. The camera follows Knack in a combination of third-person and 2.5D angles.[3][4]
Players guide Knack through many levels in many different locations. Each location is different and players follow the objectives played out in the story. The environments are brightly coloured, consisting of bright and vibrant greens, oranges, blues, and greys. Locations visited in the game include mineshafts, forests, factories, mansions, gardens, mountains, cities, laboratories, castles, rock formations, and caves. Gameplay is focused on brawling fighting combat and platforming.[3]
Knack is essentially a large Relic which attracts many small Relics to itself to create a living organism. Knack varies in size; he can be the size of a human child when only a few Relics are incorporated around the big Relic, the size of a gorilla when a moderate number of Relics are incorporated, or the size of small skyscrapers when a very large number of Relics are used. Knack has different abilities for each of his states, even though the player primarily utilizes punching, jumping, and dodging abilities; a small Knack jumps higher, moves faster, and is weak, breaking in a small number of hits, while a large Knack can walk over enemies to defeat them, and pick up or break large objects, such as vehicles and buildings. Apart from the Relics, Knack can surround the large central Relic with ice, metal, wood, and other substances. Knack may use the energy absorbed from Sunstones to unleash powerful tornado attacks, shockwaves, and projectiles. Knack gains new abilities from level to level; for example he can lift up and throw cars in his large form, and use specific objects involved in the story. Knack's voice also changes with his size; Knack's voice is nonexistent when in his smallest form, while in his largest form, his voice is deep, loud, and intimidating.