A Short Guide to Crypto Mines

The phrase provably fair and crypto games go hand in hand. As likely everyone checking out our website knows, dice pioneered Bitcoin gambling in the early-2010s. That was a time when crypto exchanges had just gotten birthed, and the world was starting to familiarize itself with virtual currencies.

Though no history book exists outlining the evolution of provably fair games, going by memory, crash and hi-lo followed dice, and the mines game was in the next batch of crypto gaming options to hit the internet. Slots and live dealer games were probably available to get enjoyed via cryptos before mines’ inception, but this was still a product vital to the growth of the coin-based gambling sphere. Today, the mines game is a provably fair mainstay, and multiple game developers have branched out to explore its elementary concept, coupling it with advanced graphics and bonus rounds.

Below, we provide the low-down on crypto mines and if it’s a quality choice for casual gamblers or something that only niche digital coin fanatics should play.

What Is Mines?

Simply put, the mines game is an even more rudimentary version of Microsoft Window’s legendary minesweeper, which debuted as a part of the company’s flagship operating system in 1990. What virtually everyone does not know about Microsoft’s minesweeper is that it did not invent its featured gameplay. It actually took its main inspiration from a 1983 game called Mined-Out, released by Quicksilva, a British publisher. Mined-Out became first available for the ZX81 system, and then it showed up for purchase for the Dragon 32, the British Broadcasting Corporation Microcomputer, and the Acorn Electron.

Mined-Out, like Minesweeper, is a puzzle game where players must use logic to win. The difference between these two and the mines gambling pick is that the latter is entirely chance-based. Nothing other than some good fortune can guide players to snag rewards on it. Like most gambling products found at online casinos, it does not incorporate a skill element.

How to Play Mines

The vast majority of proprietary mines games, and those created by renowned game developers, utilize a 5×5 grid. That means their layouts have twenty-five positions, boasting pick-em-style gameplay.

You start a round in mines by clicking on one of the twenty-five opaque-covered spots. That action will either reveal a multiplier symbol underneath or a mine. In most games, three mines get hidden in the twenty-five-field setup. Selecting one ends the round and causes you to lose your stake.

Usually, a non-mine field will display a diamond token. That is a popular symbol operators/providers use in these gambling products, and with each uncovered diamond, the round’s multiplier swells, often shown in the middle of the button configuration. In an ideal world, with luck on your side, you will uncover all the diamonds, leaving only three positions covered, the ones holding the mines. In that scenario, the game will payout its max prize.

Pretty much all mines gaming choices follow the gameplay described above. Since you can cash out at any time, the best way to think of mines games are like an iteration of crypto Crash, but where you get to make decisions that affect your progress. Given that these choices get based on intuition alone, it is all still chance-based. Yet, at least you can take your time before deciding which spot to select, as few mines games have a running clock between picks.

Popular Provider Mines Versions

For most hard-core crypto gamblers, proprietary mines games implementing provably fair algorithms are the only option. Nevertheless, many casual players like to get familiarized with this interactive gaming genre with choices that are visually more akin to slots and not ones that barely have any graphics. Hence, here are a few online gambling variations of mines that have hit the Web in recent years, striking a chord with gamblers.

Hacksaw Gaming is a provider whose games we have reviewed before, as this Malta-based company is responsible for more than a few slots with novel gameplay features. Hacksaw originally started as a developer for online scratchers, so creating a version of a game similar to minesweeper was no stretch for them. Mines: Dare 2 Win is a title that Hacksaw unleashed in March 2022. It has an RTP of 98%, offering a max reward of x1,000 on a max bet of $1,000. The visuals here are nothing to write home about, and they barely differ from proprietary mines games. Though, you get the option to adjust the grid size in play here, selecting from four options. These are 3×3, 5×5, 7×7, and 9×9.

BGaming is another Malta software gaming provider, but it is one that has based its development offices in Georgia and Poland. BGaming has a mines game called Minesweeper, which is probably the most eye-pleasing title that features this theme. The gameplay here is also somewhat different than what we previously discussed, as you get to walk through a minefield, one row at a time, picking from five blocks, one of which contains a mine. With each successfully passed row, your round multiplier grows. The RTP in play here is 97.8%, and the max bet is $100. BGaming has another variation of this product called Minesweeper XY, where the RTP is lower, set at 98.4%, while the rest of the specs remain the same.

Spribe has a mines game, and other celebrated titles from this category are Coin Miner from Gaming Corps, Mines from Turbo Games, and Coin Field from 1X2 Gaming.

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