Pepper Grinder! Retro-Style Digger Arrives March 28
You’ll be doing more digging than platforming in this excellent 2D action game coming soon.
Pepper Grinder
Here at Retro Dock we’re not just covering the latest in emulation and emulation handhelds. We also love modern retro-style games! So every now and then we are highlighting a new indie that we think that retro gaming fans will love.
Our first pick: Pepper Grinder, a unique pixel platformer set to release March 28, 2024.
Developed by Ahr Ech and published by Devolver Digital, Pepper Grinder sees you using a giant drill to burrow through the dirt to move through levels, solve puzzles, combat hostile creatures, and face down bosses. It’s technically classified as a 2D platformer, but instead of leaping from one platform to the next you’ll spend most of your time diving, swooping, and leaping into the air like a whale breaching the surface of the ocean.
Check out the game’s trailer to see Pepper Grinder in action:
Here’s how Devolver describes the game:
Pepper Grinder is an action-packed pirate adventure starring the titular Pepper, a seafaring soul with a passion for prospecting, and Grinder, her super-powered drilling device. Shipwrecked and robbed of her treasure, Pepper must spin up her trusty sidearm to reclaim what the mischievous Narlings stole. Armed with Grinder, Pepper burrows through terrain & water, controls machines, and pulverizes all enemies blocking the way towards recovering her missing fortune – with interest! Pepper’s progress will not be that simple, however, as mysterious beings begin to emerge from the shadows…
Devolver Digital
The demo is a whole lot of fun (it runs great on the Steam Deck, as expected), with fluid movement and surprisingly tight controls. Drilling through the ground and picking up rows of gems, targeting enemies, and timing your leap to the next dirt mound — it all feels great. Time your button press just right to leap out of the ground with an extra speed boost. And be on the lookout for broken rock faces that might hide secret treasures as you look to 100% every level.
Pepper Grinder is out March 28 on Steam, Windows, and the Nintendo Switch. You can check out the 3-level game demo on Steam or the Switch to feel that drilling feeling for yourself.
