$4.49 (−70%)Hydroneer Dig, wash, get rich
Pan for gold, build hydro-powered machines and grow a mining empire at your own pace, alone or with friends.
Is Hydroneer worth it?
Hydroneer is worth it if…
- you want a mining game with no timers, no combat and nothing that can kill you
- you love automation and would happily spend an hour rerouting pipes
- you like games where every item is a physical object you carry with your own hands
- you want a sandbox to play in short, unhurried sessions, alone or with one friend
Screenshots
From shovel to industry
You start the old-fashioned way: dig dirt with a shovel, scoop it into a pan, swill it in the river and brush out the nuggets. Every upgrade is earned, and it shows. First a pickaxe, then a drill, then conveyors and harvesters that chew through the ground while you stand back and watch the money pile up. The jump from panning by hand to running a machine that sorts your ore for you is the whole point of the game, and it lands. There is no timer and nothing to punish you, so you dig, build and tinker entirely at your own pace.
Terrain you can actually reshape
The ground is fully diggable. Carve out cave networks, cut quarry pits into the hillside, or pile the leftovers into a mud mountain if that is more your style. The deeper you dig, the better the rewards, with relics of the past waiting down in the dark. Water is the engine behind it all: your machines run on hydro power, so you lay pipe networks and manage pressure to keep everything flowing. When a clog brings your line to a halt, fixing it is part of the fun rather than a chore.
More to do than just mining
If you like the loop of starting with nothing and building up a homestead, this covers it without the survival pressure. There are no hunger meters or monsters here, nothing that can kill you. Instead you choose a plot of land to settle, each with its own trade-offs: deeper digging spots, prettier views, or a shorter trip to the shops. Beyond the mine you can grow vegetables, cook soup for the villagers, fish, forge weapons and jewellery at your anvil, and melt your ore into bars. Pick the parts you enjoy and ignore the rest.
Digging with a friend
Two players can share one screen and one operation. You can run the whole mine together, or split the work so each of you keeps your own money, machines and orders while working the same site. One of you runs the dig site while the other hauls goods to town, or you both just make a mess of the terrain and see what happens. The physics give plenty of room for things to go sideways: buckets spill, pipes clog, and a truck loaded with fifty loose pipe pieces is its own kind of adventure. Note that the co-op is split screen on one machine, not online.
What should you know before playing?
Can you play it solo?
Yes, and most people do. Singleplayer is the main way to play, with a split screen option for a second player on the same machine. There is no online multiplayer, so a friend has to be on the same couch.
Is there a story or a goal?
No story, and no fixed objectives. The game is a pure sandbox: you set your own goals, whether that is a fully automated mine, a mountain of jewellery or the deepest pit in the world. Once your operation runs itself, the money keeps coming and what you do with it is up to you.
How does the no-inventory system work?
Everything in the world is a physical object. Your money is a stack of coins in your truck, your map is a paper you carry, and pipes come off the shop shelf one piece at a time. It makes the game feel hands-on and a bit absurd, but it also means hauling goods takes real effort, especially in the early hours before machines do the carrying for you.
Is it family friendly?
Yes. There is no violence, no danger and nothing scary: you dig, build, fish and cook soup for villagers. The wobbly physics and cheerful, colorful look make it an easy game to play alongside kids, and two players can share one screen.
