Mining cryptocurrency is slowly getting regulated due to energy concerns with how much power farms can draw but what if you’re able to mine in a game instead to receive crypto? Then you’d have Mines of Dalarnia. Can this action-adventure platformer make mining for crypto enjoyable while avoiding the large energy consumption?

Background

Mines of Dalarnia is a 2D action-adventure game where players dress as miners in cool astronaut-looking suits as they delve deep into the dungeon looking for valuable ore. It’s developed by both Workinman Interactive and Chromia Studios. It’s also built on the Ethereum and Binance Smart chain.

Mines of Dalarnia has been out for quite some time now as their 1st version was released on April 26 of 2022. The mobile release was expected Quarter 3 of 2022 but now that we’re past that with no word, this may raise some alarms for people who are interested to try it. It’s also worth noting that information surrounding the developers are not easily visible on their website or even their litepaper so I’d suggest proceeding with caution.

Gameplay and Graphics

Mines of Dalarnia has a unique mixture of 2D backgrounds with 3D elements for its graphics while its gameplay feels like a platformer like Super Mario with action-adventure elements like Minecraft whereas you go deeper into the game’s dungeons (which are mines) you get increasingly valuable ores and items as well as the chance of battling creatures with varying strengths the further you explore.** 
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You collect various materials from different planets as you mine which can be used to upgrade your character and their equipment such as their pickaxe, boots, oxygen, and backpack. This’ll make your digging sessions easier by being able to break through harder blocks, jump higher or have more oxygen to mine longer. 

Although the game is advertised as Free-to-play, you can’t level up past level 3 if you play without purchasing their characters which are Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). Your earning power will be hampered. You’ll also be limited to the Terrestrial planets and not be able to earn certain world-specific minerals. 

There’s also a land system where you can own land that other players can mine on. They’ll have to give up some of the resources they acquire as taxes.

Earning Potential

$DAR is the primary token used in Mines of Dalarnia and can be earned from completing different tasks such as completing in-game objectives, referring friends, and winning in-game competitions. There’s also land gameplay which can give you passive income.

As a game built around NFTs, there’s a player-owned economy where you can trade your characters, items, and land to other players on open markets. The in-game marketplace also has a ‘rent’ option if you want to try out the items but not fully commit to them yet.

Final Thoughts

Although the mechanics are simple, you may find yourself immersed as the art and gameplay are enough to keep you glued onto your device for quite some time. I guess the more easy and not-so-stressful environment the game puts you in is the primary source for this although you still need to keep watch as there are various threats and traps in the dungeons and this is what makes it fun to play. 

As much fun as Mines of Dalarnia is, there are still some things that need to be kept in mind. Like the aforementioned lack of information with the team behind the development of the game and the “friend referral” mechanic that may make it look like a pyramid scheme of sorts. This can lessen the appeal that otherwise Mines of Dalarnia has. If you are looking for a fun casual sidescroller with the added power of play-to-earn but can also accept the risks attached to it or just want to try a more fun way of crypto mining, then I recommend you try Mines of Dalarnia.