Top 10 Video Game Mine Levels

Those Delta boys sure know how to get into trouble. Midway through this third-person shooter, consummate soldier Marcus Fenix leads his team into a series of mine carts, which they intend to ride to their next objective. Unfortunately for Marcus and Delta Squad, the Locust aliens that have been pursuing them previously also know their way around a mine – cue tense firefights and a need for faster-moving carts. Still, once the bullets start flying, it's a fun little excursion.

Though by no means essential to the plot, this little locale rewards the eagle-eyed among gamers. Gloombound Mine, one of two ebony ore mines in the land of Skyrim, can be found to the southeast of the city of Windhelm. If a player chooses to enter themine, they'll find a wealth of iron and ebony deposits ripe for the taking – and the deposits even regenerate after several in-game days. Though be warned: the other miners are a little... weary of non-orcs.

Seems like more than one role-playing game has toyed with the idea of optional mines. In “Dragon Quest II”, players can venture to an isolated lake where an entrance to a subterranean dungeon lies. This leads into the Lake Cave, a two-level zone guarded by hostile monsters and sporting the occasional treasure chest. The real prize, though, is the special Silver Key hidden in the cave's basement – so keep your eyes open and your party well-equipped.

Whether alone or with friends, these tunnels are bound to please... and challenge. According to the lore, The Deadmines were once home to a massive human-run gold mine, before a war caused mass evacuation and the catacombs were abandoned. In the game proper, the prominent Defias Brotherhood haunt the minesalongside various beasts, battling any who dare pass through. Fortunately, with strength of numbers, players can get a chance to admire the mines' expansive Mast Room and Foundry.

Sometimes we wonder how such a cute game can have such lethal traps. In the fourth zone of “LittleBigPlanet”, Sackboy and company are tasked with entering a mine in order to chase down the rogue Sheriff Zapata. This means hopping over pits of spikes, riding speeding carts down fiery ramps, and even gripping for dear life onto a rotating spinner or two. To top it off, the level closes with a giant flaming wheel chasing Sackboy, requiring quick reflexes and determination to survive.

Lara Croft's first outing was packed with fun levels, and this one is no different. Towards the end of the game, Lara swims her way into a series of caves... which turn out to be part of an abandonedmine. Exploring the various tunnels and vast rooms of the level is quite a treat, particularly if you can find the secret items scattered about. Plus, the level delivers on some light puzzle-solving and the occasional climb over lava-filled chambers. The priority may be relaxed fun, but we find that works here.

It's odd to see a mining facility in Zelda, but its approach to the concept is quite fun. As the third dungeon of “Skyward Sword”, the LanaryuMining Facility initially offers light resistance in the form of reasonably small insect enemies. However, past the first door, the challenge increases. This is mainly thanks to the Time Warp Stones, which warp the facility from a desolate ruined mineshaft to a technical marvel of laser turrets, hover mine carts, and missile shooting drones. Sci-fi in a Zelda game might seem like an odd mix, but it definitely switches things up from the standard minecarts and pickaxes.

For a bear and a bird, this is quite the place to explore. Glitter Gulch Mine, the second world visited on Banjo and Kazooie's noble quest, consists of a large number of interconnected tunnels and mounds of untapped gem deposits. Though largely abandoned, it's got its fair share of enemies patrolling the area, forcing the bear-and-bird team to run along rail tracks and jump up ascending levelsof the mine. There's even some obstacles that require the magical touch of the great shaman Mumbo to overcome.

In a game all about action and spectacle, this level delivers the goods on both counts. Our ever-focused government agent Leon Kennedy descends into a series of underground tunnels, continuing to battle the Ganado villagers harassing him since the game began. Things begin to shift, though, when Leon discovers a minetrack; he proceeds to jump on-board a mine cart and ride along the track. What follows is a short but sweet sequence of on-rails gunplay, as Leon keeps the Ganados at bay while steeling himself for quite the split-second leap to safety.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

Armored Armadillo Stage
“Mega Man X” (1994)
Coal Mines
“Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars” (1996)
Wario's Gold Mine
“Mario Kart” series (2008-)
Gaptooth Breach
“Red Dead Redemption” (2010)
Escape the Mines
“LEGO Indiana Jones” (2008)

The ape with a tie knows what's up. Donkey and Diddy Kong, the inseparable monkey pair, elect to jump into a mine cart and ride along an abandoned rail in this short level. We get some brief glimpses of the broken cart rail and vast emptiness of the mine, but the real draw is the thrill of timed jumps – you have to have Donkey and Diddy's cart hop at specific points to cross broken sections of rail. Add to that the threat of oncoming carts driven by the crocodile-like Krashes, and you have a brief but worthy challenge. Mine Cart Madness, which appears later in the game, steps up the difficulty even more by affixing your cart to the tracks, but that was almost too frustrating to even consider…

Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite mine level from gaming? For more tunnel-centric Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.