Steamworld Dig: A Fistful of Dirt Review
Steamworld Dig: A Fistful of Dirt Review
I still really dig this game!
Published on October 7, 2014 6:07 PM
3 minute read
4594 Views

It’s been roughly a year since SteamWorld Dig first hit the scene on the 3DS eShop. Now, Nintendo fans can experience the game on the Wii U in full 1080p HD, with some exclusive content. If you didn’t catch it, I had an opportunity to review the game when it released last year and I absolutely adored it. Digging back through the mines on the Wii U has only solidified the strong love I already felt for the game.

Once again, the game’s progression loop is the key to the experience. The cycle of heading down into the mine to make a path and extract as much mineral as possible before returning to the surface to cash it in for new gear to make mining easier, longer, and more productive is unbeatable. It’s a highly satisfying routine that encourages progressive exploration that ultimately leads you to the game’s story objectives.

Caves within the mine hold new abilities for Rusty or rare minerals and orbs. Finding them is a treat and solving their platforming or puzzle challenges is always engaging. On the Wii U in particular, one of the caves now contains a secret area that harkens back to Nintendo’s past. It’s a fantastic easter egg that only serves to make SteamWorld Dig more endearing.

Steamworld Dig: A Fistful of Dirt Review Screenshot

The Wii U also has an edge on the other platforms thanks to its multiple control options, inventory and map management on the Wii U GamePad, and Off-TV Play. Oh, and the beautiful 1080p graphics it boasts.

If you didn’t take the plunge on SteamWorld Dig yet, I highly suggest the Wii U version. It easily trumps the 3DS release, and is more feature rich than its PC, PS4, and Vita counterparts. However, if you have both a PS4 and a Vita, you might be best served grabbing it there thanks to the game’s support of cross buy. Regardless, SteamWorld Dig is a must-have game that begs to be played on any platform.

Box Art
Release Date:
08/08/2013
Developer:
Image & Form
Publisher:
Image & Form
Genre:
Action, Platformer, Adventure, Puzzle
Number of Players:
1
ESRB Rating:
E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older
Our Verdict
Score: 4.5/5 Stars
For Everyone.
Comments
5
Posted on October 7, 2014 6:28 PM

I need to play more of the 3DS version but I keep digging myself into a corner and am forced to shut the game down because I'm stuck. 

Posted on October 7, 2014 6:38 PM

I want to say there's a self-destruct option somewhere in the game so that you can get back to the surface. However, I generally find that the best way to make your way down through the mines is to dig straight down on the sides, occasionally cutting across to make a horizontal pathway to maximize your ability to extract minerals.

On my Wii U playthrough, I made sure to be quite regimented using the aforementioned approach in it worked out incredibly well. Towards the end of the game there are a lot of open spaces, so it falls apart a bit there, but it's not really a big deal by the time you get there thanks to the equipment you've got.

Posted on October 8, 2014 1:57 AM

Got the PC version in a humble bundle recently. It did not disappoint. Damn Awesome game. And awesome review too!

Posted on October 10, 2014 5:52 PM

I'm sure this looks fantastic on the Wii-U. One day I'll have one and check SD out.

Posted on October 10, 2014 9:02 PM

Like Blake, I got the PC version of the Humble Indie bundle. Haven't started it, but it looks sweet and i'm fine with missinf the extra on the Wii U version.