SteamWorld Dig
2013 · Image & Form
Has it aged?Why ↓
In this 2D mining platformer, you're Rusty, a robot digging beneath a Wild West town, selling ore and spending the proceeds on better tools. The clever part isn't finding treasure: it's cutting a route you can climb back up before your lantern fades.
SteamWorld Dig is an action-adventure puzzler with strong Metroidvanian influences set in the SteamWorld Universe. You’ll need to dig deep into the earth, gather resources to upgrade your tools and abilities, take on enemies, solve challenging puzzles and uncover the secrets to save a dying town.
The publisher’s description, from its Steam store page.
What it looks like
the trailer, then the store's own shots
The verdict
Play it for the pleasure of making a mine navigable, not for sprawling adventure. Drills, wall-jumps and portable teleporters turn each descent into a small planning problem, and the finite campaign stops the ore-selling routine from swallowing the game. Its modest scope still suits it; the slow opening is the bit to tolerate. The 2013 PC version preserves the 3DS game's substance with sharper graphics.
Play it if
You enjoy plotting a safe route through dangerous terrain, then using better tools to reach what you left behind. You want mining with an ending, rather than an excavation project that consumes every evening.
Skip it if
If repeated trips to sell ore and replenish supplies feel like chores, this is the wrong game. Those journeys are the structure, not an optional distraction.
Common questions
- Can I dig a hole Rusty can't climb out of?
- Yes: the blocks you remove stay removed, so careless digging can strand you. In the 2013 PC version, teleporters provide an escape; self-destructing rebuilds Rusty at the surface but costs half your cash.
- Are the mines different on another playthrough?
- Yes, the original SteamWorld Dig generates its mine layouts procedurally for each new playthrough. SteamWorld Dig 2 instead uses a more handcrafted layout.
- What are the blue orbs for?
- Certain upgrades require blue orbs, not just cash from selling minerals. Underground puzzle rooms often reward them, giving you a reason to test Rusty's abilities rather than only dig for ore.
What everyone else said
we link, we don't reprintHas it aged?
How does it hold up today? Based on recent reviews, how opinions have changed since launch, player activity and updates.
% positive each month, last 4 years.
Reviews via Steam ↗Peak: 414 in Jun 2025.
Player counts via SteamCharts ↗As well liked as at launch.
The developer posts no update notes on Steam, so we can't tell.