Mining Mechs puts you in the pilot seat of giant mining machines in a quest to investigate strange noises from deep underground. While the game is a simple concept there is a very relaxing appeal to just hopping in your mech and digging down to see what you find.

Let’s Dig Deeper

The game starts with you piloting a basic mech and assigns you the main quest to uncover the mysteries of the subterranean world. Your mech features several upgradeable stats: Digging Speed, Flight Speed, Inventory Size, and Dirt Storage. Upgrading these stats as soon as possible is crucial for making your underground expeditions more efficient. As you mine dirt, ore, and minerals, you’ll need to periodically return to the surface to empty your inventory.

On the surface, you’ll find several NPCs to interact with. One of them allows you to offload all the dirt you collect, which you’ll do frequently. An older NPC gives you the main quest and occasionally offers side quests, requiring you to gather specific ores or minerals in bulk. Although these quests are straightforward, they provide extra cash for upgrading your mech or buying new ones. Another vendor buys your mined minerals, ores, and valuables. There's also a vendor where you can purchase new mechs and upgrades. Finally, a frog vendor sells bombs, dynamite, teleporters, and boosters to help you dig through tough materials and return to the surface more quickly.

Show me the Money

A key aspect of the game involves connecting mines to a pipeline as you dig deeper. The pipeline is located in the center of the map, so it’s advisable to start your dig from this point. To extend the pipeline, you’ll need to pay $100 for each square you dig downward. Every 40 squares, you’ll discover a new mine, which will be located either to the left or right of the main pipeline.

Part of the game’s charm lies in the exploration encouraged by expanding your pipeline. The more mines you connect to the pipeline, the more passive income you generate. When you find a new mine, you’ll need to clear a path from the pipeline to the mine and purchase a left or right T-connection to link them. You can also upgrade the pipeline at the surface to increase your passive income. This method is one of the easiest ways to earn money in the game.

One additional tip is that your mech can only dig downward or sideways and cannot dig while flying. Therefore, as you dig down and expand your pipeline, remember to occasionally dig to the left and right to create exploration lanes. This will help you uncover new areas and maximize your efficiency.

Conclusion

There are no enemies or dangers in this game, which makes it an easy pick up and go experience. The fun lies in digging deeper and discovering what awaits at the bottom. Additionally, there is a DLC available called Magnetic Mystery, which introduces a new map and storyline, along with new mechs and ores to explore.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this game and I would definitely recommend checking this indie game out. While simple in nature, Mining Mechs is a game that anyone can easily pick up and enjoy.

Developed and published by Delayed Victory and EastAsiaSoft Limited, Mining Mechs was released on Xbox on September 4, 2024. The game initially launched on October 27, 2023, and is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and Microsoft Windows.

A review copy was provided by EastAsiaSoft Limited and played on an Xbox Series X. All achievements available on Xbox were earned during this review.