Digger is one of the truly classic computer games. As with most classics the premise is simple - you control a tractor-like machine that can burrow through walls, collecting emeralds and gold while avoiding monsters - but the gameplay is addictive, fun and has lasting appeal. Written way back in the Olden Days (1983) by Windmill Software this game was an instant hit, but when computers better than XTs arrived, Digger wouldn't run on them. It was eventually ripped and remastered by a guy called Andrew Jenner, and released under the name of Digger Remastered.

The aim of the game is to collect all of the emeralds, which are buried in the dirt that fills most of the screen, while avoiding the evil green Nobbins and Hobbins that try to catch you. You can dig through the dirt to grab the emeralds or escape the monsters, but this leaves an open path that the monsters can follow. As well as emeralds there are sacks of gold that you can push around. If you dig underneath them they will wobble and fall down, and split open revealing gold that you can collect. They can also kill monsters if you drop one on their heads, but can kill you the same way. Monsters can also be killed by shooting them with a clod of dirt, but this takes a long time to recharge. Periodically a cherry will appear that you can eat, which temporarily gives you the power to eat the monsters.

Your enemies come in two varieties. Nobbins can't move through dirt and have to follow existing paths. From time to time a Nobbin will turn into a Hobbin, which is far more dangerous. These guys can dig just like you can, which means they can chase you directly. They also destroy any emeralds and gold sacks they encounter, depriving you of the points you would have got for collecting them. Scoring is rather simple; you get 25 points for an emerald and 500 for a broken bag of gold. There are also bonus points for collecting eight emeralds in a row, eating monsters while invulnerable and other things. Every 20,000 points gives you an extra life, so grab that treasure!

Andrew Jenner has added updated VGA graphics, but nothing really compares to the charm of the originl CGA which date back to times when programmers had to do a lot with only a few pixels. The sounds are adequate too- the original PC-Speaker sounds now come through the more modern sound equipment, but sound just the same as ever.
 
Digger Remastered boasts a few new features that the original didn't have such as two-player cooperative play, which involves two players sharing a keyboard and swearing at each other, and a "Gauntlet Mode" that gives you infinite lives but only limited time. You may find that Digger Remastered runs a bit too fast but it can easily be slowed down, either in the game itself or by using something like DosBox.

This game is an absolute must-have for fans of the grand old classics. It has withstood the test of time, remains as addictively playable as ever, and deserves to be recognized as one of the finest computer games of all time.