Mining Mechs is the latest title to be unearthed from budget indie publishers Eastasiasoft, as we previously reported. The game has been developed by one-man game dev Delayed Victory, AKA Barry Young. Although the game was initially released on Steam over a year ago, it has now tunnelled its way onto consoles, and it’s the Switch version that we’re reviewing for you.

Following its aforementioned previous release on Steam last year, Mining Mechs was released onto all major consoles yesterday (Wednesday 4th September 2024) digging its way onto not only the Nintendo Switch, which we’ve reviewed, but also the PS4 & 5, and Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S.

In the game, strange noises have ben heard emanating from underground, and you’ve been tasked with commandeering a digging mech to investigate these subterranean disturbances, and to mine for valuable resources while you’re down there. Anything of value that you mine can be sold once you’re back on the surface, which gives you the cash you need to upgrade to bigger and better mechs.

The game is a story-driven resource-management puzzler, which plays somewhere between a point and click adventure and Boulder Dash, or perhaps like a cosier take on SteamWorld Dig. The game initially isn’t especially intuitive in terms of what you’re meant to do, but once you burrow deeper into it, it becomes a relaxing way to spend your time, with your motivation being to earn as much as you can by mining as much as you can!

Mining Mechs is a very well-designed game, albeit one that not everyone will “dig”, but it’s a huge success on its its own terms, so if the concept of the game appeals to you, it’s well worth investing in at less than a fiver. Mining Mechs is also a beautiful-looking game, presented in a charmingly colourful pixel art style that gives the game something of a 90s PC/Amiga retro feel. The game’s cast of characters has also been well realised.

Mining Mechs is an exceptionally well presented game, especially so when taking its budget price into consideration. In addition to charmingly colourful visuals, Mining Mechs also boasts an enjoyable electro pop influenced soundtrack.

Mining Mechs isn’t the game for you of you’re looking for frenetic arcade action, but if you’re in the mood for something a little more laid-back, then you may well dig it. While Mining Mechs initially looks like a simple arcade-style puzzle game but dig deeper and you’ll find something a little more cerebral.