RetroHub games
Taupe
Dig, collect, and never end up under a bag.
Dig your way through the earth.
Collect every emerald to clear the board.
Shoot the monsters, or crush them under a bag.
What is in the earth
The vehicle
That's you. It digs through the earth as it goes, and faces the way it is heading.
The emerald
50 points. Eight in a row, without dawdling in between, pay 250 more.
The gold bag
Dig under it and it falls. It crushes whatever is below — you included. It can also be pushed sideways.
The gold
A bag that falls more than one row bursts open. The gold is worth 500 points, but it does not stay long.
The green monster
It follows the tunnels to come and get you. Given time, it can change shape.
The purple monster
This one digs through the earth, straight for you. A green monster can turn into one, then back again.
The fireball
Your shot, in the direction you are going. A monster hit is worth 250 points. It takes a moment to recharge.
The cherry
It shows up top right once every monster of the board has come out. 1000 points, and bonus mode.
Lives
Three to start, one more every 20,000 points, up to five.
Digging
Every board opens with the vehicle drawing the first tunnels, while the theme plays. After that, it is your turn.
The arrows drive it, and it digs wherever it goes. Green monsters only travel through tunnels: every passage you open is also a path for them.
Gold bags
A bag whose underside you dig away wobbles, then falls. If it drops more than one row, it bursts into gold: go and pick it up before it vanishes.
A falling bag crushes monsters on its way — often safer than shooting. But it crushes the vehicle too: never stay under a wobbling bag.
Shooting
✓ fires a fireball straight ahead. It travels along tunnels and stops in the earth. A headlight comes on on the cab when the shot is ready; held, ✓ fires as soon as it has recharged.
The cherry and bonus mode
Once every monster of the board has come out, a cherry appears top right. Grab it: a siren sounds, the screen flashes, and for a while, you are the one eating the monsters.
When the siren comes back, the bonus is nearly over: get to safety.
Clearing the board
The board is cleared when every emerald has been collected, or when all its monsters are gone. The earth then covers everything, top to bottom, and the next board is drawn.
There are eight layouts. The further you go, the faster and more numerous the monsters, and the shorter the gold lasts.
Touched by a monster or crushed by a bag, the vehicle leaves a gravestone, and starts again with one life fewer.
Controls
Phone and tablet
| ▲ ▼ ◀ ▶ | drive, dig |
| ✓ | fire; held, fire whenever ready |
| ✱ | leave the game |
Touching the earth on screen fires too.
Computer
| ↑ ↓ ← → | drive, dig |
| Space Enter | fire; held, fire whenever ready |
| Esc * | leave the game |
2 4 6 8 drive too, and 5 fires.
Television
| the arrows | drive, dig |
| OK | fire; held, fire whenever ready |
| Back | leave the game |
Once the game is over, the check mark starts a new one. Taupe is ranked: your final score goes to the masters' board, and the best one shows top right, under To beat.