Pepper Grinder is a fast-paced platformer for the Nintendo Switch. Developed by indie studio Ahr Ech, it takes Dig Dug’s classic tunnel-building concept and fuses it with the platforming nuances of Mario’s best adventures. The result is something very unique, with beautiful graphics, tough levels and intense boss fights.

Things kick off when our heroine wakes up on land to find her treasures stolen. She discovers a handy drill and sets off on an adventure to reclaim what’s hers, taking down every creepy monster that stands in her way. There isn’t much in the way of dialogue, but that’s fine. Things are moving fast and we are quickly entering the first stage.

Learning the basics doesn’t take long. You can run and jump as with any standard exit, while holding down the ZR button allows you to use your drill. You can use this oversized tool at any time, crushing all sorts of objects and enemies. However, the digging part of the game only works on certain types of terrain. These areas are differentiated by a lighter tone, indicating a sandy texture in contrast to the rocky ground or grassy areas you walk on.

Pressing B while digging increases speed. This comes in handy when you need to cross gaps between sandy patches or take out an enemy patrolling on top of your digging section. Things escalate quickly and it’s soon apparent – ​​from level 2, in fact – that this is a tough little platformer.

Controlling your character as you dig is difficult. he moves fast and can’t stop until he gets out of the sand. It takes some getting used to, but pulling it off is rewarding. Enemies become the least of your worries as you navigate thorny branches and molten lava, among other things. It keeps you on your toes, that’s for sure.

To help, you are given four life bars. This means you can take four hits before restarting the level. You’ll occasionally get extra bars, giving you up to eight hits. Let me tell you, you will need all eight. Fortunately, there are checkpoints in each stage, similar to Mario’s mini-flags halfway through his adventures. This creates the need to move on to the next checkpoint, a sense of relief that washes over you now that you’re done with the previous section.

Of course, there are collectibles that entice you to play again anyway. These come in the form of pirate coins, of which there are five scattered throughout each stage. Some are clearly visible in hard-to-reach places, while others are hidden in rocks that are not visible to diggers. Exploration is key, another Mariotism I liked reflected here.

If it sounds like there are some inspirations for platformers of the past, there are. But there is also a lot of ingenuity. In addition to drilling in the sand, there are other props on stage that you can discover, such as keys and weapons. Running through enemies is just as satisfying as tunneling under them. Another addition is the hooks, from which you can swing like Spiderman. These require good timing to jump from sand to hook and back to more sand without falling to your death. Oh, and then there are the boss fights.

Did I mention the Pepper Grinder is tough? Well, the boss struggles to explain this concept exponentially. Even the first encounter at the end of the first world took me over 20 tries to beat. I felt accomplished, sure, but would I have persisted if I hadn’t reviewed the game? That’s a question best left to you, dear reader. If you like a challenge, Pepper Grinder has it in spades.

Graphically, this is a charming title. The slightly muddy graphics speak to retro titles from the 1990s, with pixelated characters that somehow exude charm despite being so small and smudgy. The backgrounds and foregrounds are both great, giving it a playful, colorful look that leaps off the screen. The audio is equally impressive, with a fantastic variety of tunes that vary between levels. There was never a dull moment both aurally and visually.

Overall, Pepper Grinder is a platformer that wears its inspiration on its sleeve, with collectibles, checkpoints and more. It adds a unique spin to the formula with the addition of a mechanical drill, creating a fun yet tough experience that is rewarding to master. It’s not a very long game, but the challenge will keep you busy for a while regardless.