Item: Keep on Mining!
Rating: 82
Author: Dinsun

Our Site Score

82/100

Keep on Mining is the digital equivalent of a stress ball. There is something fundamentally satisfying about the rhythmic 'crunch' of the drill moving through the soil. Unlike many idle games that feel like spreadsheets with graphics, this title actually gives you a sense of exploration. Every time the screen transitions to a new color palette representing a different geological strata, you feel a genuine sense of discovery.

The progression curve is expertly tuned. You never feel 'stuck' for too long, as there is always a minor upgrade within reach that makes the next few meters of digging just a little bit easier. The visual design is clean and the UI doesn't clutter the screen with ads, which is a breath of fresh air in the mobile market. It's a perfect 'second screen' game—something to tap on while watching TV that provides a steady stream of small victories.

Reviewed on: Wed Dec 04 2024

Dinsun Review

Look, it’s an idle game. You click, numbers get bigger, you buy an upgrade so you can click less. At least this one doesn't pretend to be an epic RPG. The skill tree is actually quite decent—it offers a few different paths that actually feel like they change your efficiency. The developer, Simon Eftestøl, clearly understands the 'hook' of incremental games.

However, it’s short. You’ll see everything it has to offer in a weekend. For $6.99, that’s a tough sell when the market is flooded with free alternatives that have years of content. It’s honest work, but it lacks the 'one more upgrade' magic that the greats of the genre possess. It’s 'fine.' It’s a solid C-tier experience for those who need a distraction while watching TV.

Overall Stats

Pros & Cons

Focused progression
No intrusive ads (Premium)
Deep skill tree

Very short lifespan
High price point for the genre
Lacks visual flair

Technical Report

Performance: Perfectly optimized for mobile; zero frame drops even with thousands of particles.

Accessibility:

Button Remapping

Audience Fit

Buy if: You love filling out skill trees and want a premium experience without IAPs.

Skip if: You want a game that lasts longer than a few days or has meaningful graphics.

Similar Games:

Cookie Clicker
Idle Miner Tycoon

Reviewer Context

Reviewer: Dinsun, 40yo male, appreciates clean math but hates lack of content
Hardware: iPhone 15 Pro
Playtime: 12 hours
Status: Maxed out the skill tree

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

6751413449

$3.99 4+★4.8 28 reviews

Author : Simon Eftestøl

Pubish Date : Invalid Date

Last Update Date : Invalid Date

Support Languages : English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish

Genres :

Version Invalid Date

Requires iOS 13.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Keep on Mining! is a short incremental mining game. Mine rocks, gather materials, craft pickaxes and spend your materials on permanent upgrades inside the big skill tree!
Mine rocks!
Keep on Mining! is a simple incremental game. Hover your cursor over rocks to automatically mine them. Any rock inside the mining area will spawn pickaxes that mine for you!
Gather materials!
Mined rocks drop ores, which are crafted into bars. There is a variety of different material rocks to be mined!
The skill tree!
Spend your material bars to unlock upgrades inside the skill tree. These upgrades permanently boost your stats, letting you mine rocks with more power!
Craft pickaxes!
Use different materials to craft new pickaxes. Each new pickaxe has better stats, helping you mine faster and hit harder!
Talent cards!
Every time you level up, you earn a talent point. Spend talent points to reveal 3 random talent cards — pick one to keep! Choosing a card increases the talent level, but also increases rock HP.
The Mine!
Once you unlock the mine, it will automatically mine rocks and instantly craft bars for you. The Mine is the idle mechanic of Keep on Mining!

Ratings & Reviews

4.8 out of 5 with 28 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 4+

Keep on Mining is a captivating idle-adventure game that challenges players to explore the depths of the earth. Starting with a basic drill, you must excavate through various geological layers to find gold, gems, and ancient artifacts. Each mineral collected can be sold to fund powerful upgrades for your drilling rig, allowing you to penetrate tougher rock and endure higher temperatures. With a satisfying progression loop and discoverable secrets buried deep below, the game offers a relaxing yet addictive experience for players who love to see their empire grow from the ground down.

Features

Infinite drilling depth with procedural layers

Over 50 unique minerals and artifacts to find

Deep upgrade tree for your drilling rig

Satisfying haptic feedback and sound effects

Offline progress tracking

Tips

Efficient Excavation

Focus on upgrading your drill's cooling system early on. This allows you to stay underground longer and reach the more valuable mineral veins found in the deeper, hotter layers without having to resurface frequently.

Gameplays

Resource Management

Balance your spending between raw power and cargo capacity. There is no use having a drill that can hit the core if you can only carry ten pieces of gold back to the surface!