holedown

About

"Holedown is an arcade-style game that challenges players to dig deep underground by shooting balls and breaking blocks. With limited shots per round and various upgrades to choose from, players must strategize and aim for maximum impact. The game features six planets to dig through, local multi-player options for up to two players, and a stunning original soundtrack. Immerse yourself in the mesmerizing gameplay and satisfying digging experience with over 5 hours of content."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 720 reviews

gameplay42 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game is highly addictive and offers satisfying gameplay mechanics, making it enjoyable to play for extended periods.
The visuals and sound design are charming and well-executed, enhancing the overall experience.
The game is simple to pick up and play, making it a great casual option for short bursts of entertainment.

The game is relatively short, with many players completing it quickly and feeling a lack of content afterward.
Once players reach the endless mode, the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks meaningful progression or goals.
There are several frustrating design choices, such as the inability to restart levels or mute sound effects, which detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
35%
4%
The gameplay is widely praised for its addictive and satisfying mechanics, complemented by appealing graphics and sound design. However, many players express disappointment with the game's brevity and lack of progression, as it quickly transitions to an endless mode that lacks new challenges or depth. While the core gameplay is enjoyable, the absence of varied mechanics and levels leaves some feeling that the experience is ultimately too short and repetitive.
- “The core gameplay is fun and the game is not an endless money sink or ad-ridden nightmare.”
- “The gameplay experience is just so fun and easy to get into even for a quick minute.”
- “Amazing addictive gameplay!”
- “The choice to stop progression mechanics and to have so few levels really baffles me.”
- “The mechanic is literally the same from the start to the finish and the only thing that changes throughout each level is that the numbers get bigger.”
- “It sadly fails to build upon its mechanics in any meaningful way, not very fun past the first half hour.”
graphics
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
31%
9%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their minimalist yet charming aesthetic, featuring smooth and clean visuals that enhance the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the crisp animations and the beautiful art style, which, combined with engaging sound design, create a satisfying and immersive atmosphere. While the visuals are noted for their quality and appeal, some reviews mention that the game's content feels limited and can become repetitive.
- “Graphics are satisfying and minimalist, and gameplay mechanics are very fun and addictive.”
- “Visuals and animations are crisp.”
- “Beautiful simple graphics and rewarding gameplay.”
- “Single mechanic game with cute 2D graphics... way too simple and short though, feels incomplete.”
- “Plinky plonky graphics and sound design are on par with past grapefrukt.”
- “Graphics are minimalist but charming.”
monetization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
17%
22%
The monetization model of the game is highly praised, as it features no ads or in-app purchases, providing a seamless and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the absence of microtransactions and exploitative systems, highlighting the game's fair pricing and engaging gameplay. However, some users express concerns about potential grind mechanics that may hint at a future push for monetization.
- “Either way, fully worth asking price for a fun experience and endless gameplay loop with no ads or in-app purchases.”
- “No ads, no currency, no microtransactions, just a fun and simple game.”
- “A fun game with no ads or exploitative microtransactions!”
- “Also feels like it has been built to sell microtransactions due to the grind.”
- “I don't know if since it is free with the pass it is made harder without extra in-app purchases revenue.”
- “Or if it is rigged against you from the start for ads in the non-play pass version.”
replayability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
33%
27%
Overall, the reviews present a mixed perspective on replayability, with some players praising the game's fun and complexity while others criticize its lack of content and limited replay value. Many users express disappointment over the absence of new levels or upgrades after completion, suggesting that the game could benefit from additional content to enhance replayability. Despite these criticisms, a few players still find the game enjoyable enough to warrant multiple playthroughs.
- “This game is fun, complex, and has high replay value.”
- “So simple, only fairly short but great replay value.”
- “So fun and replayable!”
- “However, I am surprised by the lack of content and replayability, especially for its price.”
- “Not much replayability once you get to the final (never-ending) level.”
- “Once completed, there is slightly limited replay value as there are no new levels or upgrades to unlock, so any crystals you get are for nothing.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
38%
23%
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and hypnotic qualities, complementing the visuals and gameplay effectively. While many players enjoy the soundtrack and sound effects, some express a desire for more options to customize audio settings, particularly the ability to turn off sound effects. Overall, the minimalist approach to sound design enhances the addictive gameplay experience.
- “Soundtrack is soothing and hypnotic, and so are the sound effects and visuals.”
- “Animation, sound, and music all great, simple addicting gameplay, wish there were more levels and different upgrades.”
- “Really fun game with great music and sound and gameplay.”
- “Only grievance is that while you can turn off the music in the options, there's no option to turn off sound effects?”
- “You can only turn off the music.”
- “You can kill the music, but not the sound effects.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The story aspect of the game is perceived as lacking depth and humor, with players feeling that the planetary missions are short-lived and the progression system feels forced. While the infinite mode offers extended gameplay, many users express a desire for more content, such as additional missions and a richer narrative experience, especially given the game's price point. Overall, the conclusion of the story leaves players wanting more in terms of plot and mechanics.
- “Becomes very difficult after the story reaches its conclusion.”
- “I hope new missions (galaxies, planets, etc) are released.”
- “While the planetary missions didn't keep me occupied for terribly long before I'd beaten them all, the infinite mode held me for hours and hours.”
- “It's fine, though I'd expected it would have more humor, mechanics, plot, or levels since it's a paid game.”
- “Becomes very difficult after the 'story' reaches its conclusion.”
- “You constantly need to upgrade your stats to just complete a single mission/planet; progression limiting feels forced.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling stuck in a cycle of leveling up only to face increasingly resilient enemies without any significant gameplay changes. Despite some improvements over similar titles, the grind can lead to frustration and a lack of motivation, as the experience becomes monotonous and drawn out. Overall, while the game has potential, the grinding detracts from the enjoyment.
- “This game managed to fix a lot of the problems that people had with games like Ballz, but it ultimately suffers from the same major issue of dragging on endlessly until you sigh and ask yourself, 'What is even the point?' The gameplay doesn't change as you progress, and all progression does is make all the blocks have more health, so the game gets even more tedious.”
- “Good idea, but it feels like grinding from the start.”
- “For a short game, it gets grindy really quickly.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The game's stability is marred by frequent glitches and freezing issues, which can disrupt gameplay and require reinstallation to resolve. While players enjoy the overall experience and find the game fun, these technical problems significantly detract from its overall quality.
- “Excellent game that runs great, fun progression, and can be played with one hand.”
- “If it ever freezes, you have to uninstall to play again.”
- “If your game glitches, you're stuck in a loop.”
- “Gameplay is solidly fun, but I have noticed a few glitches.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of satisfying moments, such as chaotic ball ricochets, and frustrating experiences, like unexpected bounces that lead to failure. However, some players feel that the humor lacks depth, particularly in relation to the game's digging theme.
- “While there's nothing quite as satisfying as a volley of balls ricocheting like mad and clearing the screen, there's also nothing quite as frustrating as when your last volley of fifty-odd balls hits a block at a funny angle and bounces uselessly back home. 😅 Do give it a try!”
- “To me, what holds it back is the lack of depth, funny for a game about digging.”