App Review No. 22 Pocket Mine

Strong Points: 

Addictive, simple gameplay

Lots of content

Great music

Nice aesthetic upgrade changes for cards and picks

Chests enable you to get premium content for free (if you spend your time unlocking them, of course)

Characters add even more collectibility
More mines add more variety

Weak points: 

Graphics and animations are a bit boring

You end up getting a lot more chests than the keys needed to unlock them or you can have loads of keys but no chests

Missions can be frustrating

There is no message asking if you want to pay your premium cash (if you press the item accidentally it buys it for you)
You can only ask for artifacts through Facebook and not through Game Centre

Characters cost a lot of rubies

In-depth Review:

Release Dates:
World Wide: 7th July 2013

Controls:
Tap to dig down or go up/left/right

This is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most addicting apps, I've ever played. With a very simple gameplay and pick up and play style, this game will keep you coming back for more. The premise is very simple, dig down as fast as possible with only a limited number of taps you can perform. Added on to this is the ability to upgrade your pick (with aesthetic changes that make it feel you are doing something other than adding ordinary numbers) as well as get powers that you can use to get further. These powers are presented to you in yet another addictive method, trading cards, which, if they are the same card, can be fused together to level up said card to a maximum of five, adding a competitiveness to the addiction of this game. This competitiveness is heightened further by enabling you to be able to challenge Gamecenter friends, easily and many times.

Another collective aspect to the game are artifacts which you find in certain crates in game and can be traded in (if you have the whole set) for cards. This also adds to the competitive aspect as you gain stars for completing sets as well as being able to ask for artifacts through Facebook.

The last gameplay feature in the game are the chests, which are found in game and consist of wooden, iron, gold and diamond varieties. These chests enable you to get money (wooden), common cards and rubies, which are the premium currency, (iron), uncommon and rare cards (gold), rare, mythical and legendary cards (diamond). They are unlocked by gaining keys which you get by completing missions that vary from destroying so much dirt to using 5 gas chests. The chests are a great edition to the game as they let you get premium content for free.

Overall this game is amazingly addictive and consistently competitive which makes for a very good app. Now, I think it's time to beat my friends. 

Rating: 92%

Goodbye for now, Harry

Update: you can now find characters with special powers from durability to x2 cash. One problem: they cost a lot of rubies. 10 is OK but 110? I don't think so. One thing I had liked about the game was that you didn't have to pay any money to be good at it. But no longer it seems. Oh well.

Update: calling all miners! The factory is now open! Give us your excess cards and artifacts and we will combine them into new and improved versions! Fancy a diamond touch bomb? Or perhaps a card granting you a better chance to find both cash and artifacts? Well, give us the corresponding cards and your dreams will come true! Also available are new blocks, including: the Bank, Shuffling Explosives and Explosive Arrows!

Update: have you reached the end of your picks life? Are upgrades no longer available? Then reset your pick to do it all again! But, not only that, you get an extra 10 durability added to your pick for no extra cost to you! Also, our miners have uncovered more, rare, ore! These ores are Emerald, Topaz, Spinel and Sapphire and are all very rare. But can you dig deep enough to find them? Finally, there are some more card packs as well as a confirmation for Ruby transactions and a slider for long menus. Because the games helpful like that.

Update: are you bored of the classic mine? Do you want another three mines with a difference? Of course you do. And now you can! Get your daily dose of rubies in lucky hit mode, in which you hit one of three spots, get a chain reaction and (possibly big rewards). And for the hardcore miners, why don't you try acid caves where every hit counts as two and it costs two energy to mine. Don't worry, more rewards and exp are available in this mode. And, if this isn't exotic enough for you, why don't you take a trip to the space? Just collect all the space related artifact's and turn them into a space ticket in the factory for a chance to go on this once in a lifetime trip! And finally, new characters have arrived, Jane, Brock and Sassy have joined the mining party, release them today! (for a fee, of course).

Update: have you ever gotten annoyed when you haven't gotten the cards you wanted before a dig? I know I have! Well, be annoyed no more, with the new Deck system! This revolutionary system lets you make custom decks before a dig which you can then choose to use (For a small fee)! Isn't that amazing? Also, another trip has appeared! Unlock your ticket today and go to the White Gardens (return journey not included).
Edit: the Space Mine and White Gardens (and any other ticket based mines) are limited edition and disappear when their timers finish to be replaced by a new mine. For instance, the Space Mine has been changed to the Leprechaun mine.
Edit: there is also the option to erase cards in the factory which you can then use to get better cards. For example, five erased mythical cards plus a magic cube makes a legendary card. This is used rather than selling cards once they reach their top level of fusion.

Update: level 299 is now available for all you addicts out there!

Update: new weekly mines and challenges for the miners and bug fixes for the bug splatters (technical term).

Update: added a shop tab for much quicker access to card packs, energy and other goodies!

Update: many bug fixes and improvements as well as optimization for iOS 9