Diamond Digger Saga Review

Have you enjoyed King’s other casual puzzle games? Well, you’ll like Diamond Digger Saga then. That’s a cliched line for any review but it’s so very true when it comes to these kind of things. Diamond Digger Saga is going to be very familiar in structure and in terms of slowing you down at certain points. It’s either going to draw you in despite your better judgment, or make you sigh.

Slightly different from the usual way of doing things, you have to dig a path by clearing away groups of three or more matching diamonds. This enables water to travel from the top of the screen to the bottom, leading you to new areas and potential opportunities for treasure. Each level has a different objective, such as to hit a certain score or collect up some scattered fireflies along the way. It’s simple enough with each stage not taking long to finish - and that’s where King gets you.

You see, while early levels are pretty simple, you’re eventually going to get stuck on one, thereby using up your lives and having to wait for the timer to recharge. You’ll be tempted to pay up to get past the wait, which is where Diamond Digger Saga turns predictably expensive. You’ll pass the level, and then soon enough you’ll be stuck again and so on.

It’s an idea that’s both cynical and sometimes beguiling. Diamond Digger Saga is just so easy to play that casual gaming fans will be drawn in again, enjoying the simplicity of just tapping to clear, without any fears of a time limit. Diamond Digger Saga doesn’t have as many levels as some other Saga games and it doesn’t offer the same level of strategy that some titles have, but it offers enough to draw you in.

Is Diamond Digger Saga a classic? Far from it, but it does have a certain something about it. Even if it is probably a little too simple for comfort.