Developer: Rare Publisher: Milton Bradley Release: 12/90 Genre: Platformer
In total Rare developed 60 games for the NES. That is incredibly prolific and their games spanned almost every genre, from sports to action to even game show adaptations. But with that many titles under their belt some were bound to fall through the cracks. We all remember Taboo the Sixth Sense for how stupid it is. But how many have even heard of Digger T. Rock? Not me. This is an interesting little game but it is worth playing?
From the title I assumed Digger T. Rock was a maze/puzzle game like Dig Dug or Boulder Dash. My assumption was partially correct. Digger T. Rock is a hybrid between Spelunker and the aforementioned titles. You travel through a series of caves with the goal of finding the exit somewhere on the map. But that is only part of the journey: first you must find the pillar that opens the door. Then you have sixty seconds to exit before the door closes and you have to repeat the process. It sounds simple but it is anything but. Like Dig Dug you can dig through dirt but must avoid accidentally dropping boulders on your head. The Spelunker comparison comes from the game’s layout. In most levels you are descending downward and there are height limits you can fall before taking damage. Luckily that is as far as the comparison goes.
Digger only has his shovel to protect himself. With it you can whack enemies and dig through dirt. You can also use it hit ceilings or tap the ground to find hidden items. During the game you will find a number of items that you can keep in inventory. Rocks are for ranged attacks, the ladder allows you to safely climb down gaps without falling and dynamite can either blow up walls or kill enemies. Diamonds have multiple uses. For the most part they grant points. But you can use them to distract certain enemies (*hint, hint*) for an easy kill. If you search hard enough there is a vendor in two of the levels you can buy items from as well.
The caves vary in size. Some are side scrolling and only a few screens long. Others are gargantuan and span multiple heights. The game is absolutely riddled with secrets everywhere. You can tap some part of the environment every few feet and something is liable to drop. Most often it is rocks or diamonds but you will also find temporary invincibility gems too, perfect for blitzing the annoying dinosaurs. I like that you can largely chart your own course through the levels. True there are some levels where there is only a single path. But the bigger stages allow you to dig and prepare a path to the exit once the door is open. In fact you pretty much have to do so as the time limit is so tight. This is the best aspect of the game but like many of Rare’s NES games there is a big caveat.
Digger T. Rock is difficult and has a steep curve. Enemies respawn infinitely and there is no way to restore health outside of completing levels. Like Spelunker it is effortless to fall a great distance and die instantly. It is not as egregious as that game but still. Some of the maps are massive in size and without optimal plotting you will never reach the open exit in time. The number of dinosaurs increases per level and feels unfair. But worst of all there are no means to save progress. This is not a long game overall. But it would have been nice to go at your own pace and not all in one sitting. Completing the bonus game after each level without dying is the only way to earn extra lives too. Good luck with that. The curve does not ruin the game but it is off-putting. Classic Rare.
In Closing
Digger T. Rock is mostly forgotten now and to be honest I can see why. The gameplay is decent enough but like usual Rare does not know when to let up on the difficulty. I had some fun with the game but not enough that I would say that this is an essential purchase. Once you have played a few levels you have seen all it has to offer. All that is left after that is frustration.
