DIGGING JIM

Somewhere deep in the Internet lies a game called Digging Jim. It’s an action and puzzle game about a guy named Jim who decides to dig his way through the earth and into space, because he’s bored of living on the surface of the planet.

A story with a protagonist like that has got to be playful and whimsical—the question is whether or not the gameplay can live up to that same standard.

Play it for yourself and find out: you can download it as abandonware here.

According to Wikipedia, “abandonware is a term for computer software that is no longer under copyright or for which no viable means of distribution exists.”

The game Digging Jim was published in 1999 and has been abandonware since then. You can still get it here.

When someone tells you about a great game they played back in the day, you might feel that it’s not worth your time to check out. That’s what I thought when my friend told me about a game called Digging Jim. But after doing some research, I found that this game is totally still available and playable!

DIGGING JIM IS ACTUALLY BEAUTIFUL. You play as a little guy, who digs his way down through the earth, avoiding all sorts of unpleasant creatures and baddies who try to stop you. The graphics are gorgeous: everything is made out of clay, and the artwork is really well done.

The music is also lovely—it reminds me of when I was a kid and my mother used to put on the classical radio station in my room. I had so much fun playing this game as a kid, and it’s great that it’s still around!