SteamWorld Dig

SteamWorld Dig is a action platformer developed by Image & Form for the Nintendo 3DS as a part of the SteamWorld series. The game takes cues from classic Metroid games and combines them digging mechanics. The game later received a release on Wii U.

Gameplay
SteamWorld Dig revolves around delving into the ground, mining pieces of dirt and stone to collect minerals and other resources and then climbing back to sell them to unlock upgrades which can let Rusty dig deeper. Several of the power-ups require water since they are steam powered, but, the water consumption can be reduced with other power-ups. There are additional power-ups hidden in hidden mineshafts that give Rusty new moves like a dash, a powerful punch and a super jump which makes diving into the dirt easier. There are various enemies underground but, they are relatively simple to beat especially with falling boulders. If Rusty gets broken while underground, he'll drop all his loot, pay a fee and restart from the opening town. If he dies before recovering the minerals, the minerals will be lost forever. There is generally enough minerals that this shouldn't be an issue if it happens a couple times.