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SteamWorld Dig

Review · Action · Nintendo Switch · Nintendo 3DS · Xbox One

SteamWorld Dig

Reviewed: 30 Apr 2026

Nintendo Switch · Nintendo 3DS · Xbox One · PC · macOS · Linux · Wii U · PlayStation 4 · PS Vita

Image & Form · 2013

Ludograph rating

C

Mixed

55 /100

Automated review

SteamWorld Dig is an action-adventure game that builds problem solving and spatial awareness through resource management and exploration.

06010030Benefit →Low risk →B 39 · R 9
The Ludograph reading, plotted from the published benefit and risk sub-scores.

Growth (BDS)

39

Risk (RIS)

9

Daily limit

120min

Age guidance

7+

Developmental benefits

B1Cognitive
0.56
B2Social-emotional
0.03
B3Motor
0.50

SteamWorld Dig offers a rich single-player experience focused on exploration, resource management, and problem-solving within its procedurally generated mines. Players will develop spatial awareness, strategic thinking, and hand-eye coordination as they dig deeper, upgrade their gear, and uncover the mysteries of the underground world.

Design risks

R1Compulsion-loop pressure
0.20
R2Monetization
0.00
R3Social risk
0.00

The game presents minimal risks. While losing collected loot upon death can be frustrating, it is recoverable, and the game lacks manipulative monetization or social pressures. The E10+ rating suggests mild cartoon violence, but no other significant content risks.

Content (not in risk score)

R4.1Violence Level
0.33
R4.2Sexual Content
0.00
R4.3Language
0.00
R4.4Substance References
0.00
R4.5Fear / Horror
0.00

Content risk is displayed separately and does not affect the time recommendation.

Regulatory design checks · DSA — Assessed: meets criteria·GDPR-K — Assessed: meets criteria·ODDS — Assessed: meets criteria

  • DSA:What Ludograph checks: whether the game's design gives minors the transparency the EU Digital Services Act expects: plain terms, honest defaults, and clear reporting routes.: Estimated from review data. No dark pattern or child-targeting concerns found.
  • GDPR-K:What Ludograph checks: whether age assurance and consent flows are designed for under-16s, in the spirit of GDPR Article 8.: Estimated from review data. No privacy or child-targeting concerns found.
  • ODDS:What Ludograph checks: whether paid random-reward drop rates are disclosed, as required in China, Japan and South Korea.: Estimated from review data. No paid random-reward mechanics found, so drop-rate disclosure requirements do not apply.

These reflect Ludograph's assessment of the game's design practices against each framework's criteria, not a legal compliance determination.

Avg playtime~4 hReviewedApr 2026Report a data error →How scores are calculated →

Parents ask…

Is SteamWorld Dig safe for kids?

Ludograph gives SteamWorld Dig a rating of 55/100, recommended for ages 7 and up. It delivers genuine benefits but carries design risks that deserve a close look.

What age is SteamWorld Dig appropriate for?

Ludograph's rubric recommends a minimum age of 7+ for SteamWorld Dig, based on benefits, risks, and content review. That is more lenient than ESRB E10+: industry ratings reflect content intensity, while ours also weighs how the game is designed to be played.

How long should kids play SteamWorld Dig?

Our session recommendation for SteamWorld Dig is up to 120 minutes per day. It is derived from the game's own structure (natural stopping points, compulsion-loop design, monetization pressure, and social dynamics), not from a universal screen-time dose.

Session recommendations are design-based heuristics. Evidence linking specific daily durations to child outcomes is limited, and context matters as much as time; treat this as a starting point for household rules, not a clinical threshold.

What are the main risks of SteamWorld Dig?

The game presents minimal risks. While losing collected loot upon death can be frustrating, it is recoverable, and the game lacks manipulative monetization or social pressures. The E10+ rating suggests mild cartoon violence, but no other significant content risks.