Gold Miner

A hook swings steadily overhead and can be released only once per pass. Release it into empty ground and you must wait while it winds back up and starts swinging again, which costs several seconds for nothing.

That turns the game into waiting for the correct angle rather than aiming at anything. You do not choose direction; you choose the moment. The right moment is when the hook happens to point straight at whatever you want. Beginners release on sight, while regulars count the swing in their heads.

The items buried below do not weigh the same. The biggest lumps drag up so slowly that they occasionally cost more time than they return. Collecting several medium pieces near the surface often totals higher than committing an entire round to the one prize that looks most exciting.