Reviewed: October 22, 2006
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Namco Bandai Games
Developer
Namco Bandai Games
Released: October 11, 2006
Genre: Arcade
Players: 1
ESRB: Everyone
8
7
4
6
7.8
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
Moving right along through the 80’s we now come to Dig Dug, originally released to arcades in 1982 and one of my personal favorites…probably because I was very good at it. Dig Dug was one of the more original releases of its time and its gameplay still holds up even today, even if the repetitive music will send you to the rubber room before the game is over.
This is one of those classic games that is already available in countless compilations on numerous systems, so chances are you’ve already played Dig Dug, but the 360 does a decent job of bringing this classic oldie to the big screen while taking moderate advantage of power of the 360 and Xbox Live leaderboards.
You play as Dig Dug, a little tunnel digger who looks like a space man or possibly a deep-sea diver…I’m not sure which. The game is built around the same design as Pac-Man, a lone hero being chased by enemies, but unlike Pac-Man, this game doesn’t have an established maze. Instead, you tunnel your way through multiple levels of solid dirt, creating a unique maze each time you play while trying to lure Pookas and Fygars into your deadly traps.
Dig Dug can dispatch enemies by either blowing them up with his air pump until they pop or better yet, lure them into a vertical shaft and drop a rock on them. This is the preferred (and highest scoring) method with bonus points awarded for crushing multiple enemies at once. If you get really good you can lure the entire cast of enemies from a single level into one shaft and crush them all for huge points.
Both of the enemies have the ability to pass through solid dirt, although they will follow your tunnels when convenient. Pookas need only touch you to kill you while Fygars also have the ability to roast you with their flame breath that can even pass through thin dirt walls.
There is definitely a bit of strategy involved in Dig Dug, especially if you are going for high scores. You’ll want to lure the enemies to the lower levels for more points and try for combos. You’ll also want to watch for fruit and vegetable pick-ups that appear in the center of the screen after you have dropped two rocks in each level.
The enemies do follow patterns of a sort, so you can learn how to dig certain paths and lure the most enemies to the rocks scattered about the level. I can probably draw maps for the first 3-4 levels on how to get three or more enemies under a single rock, along with back-up plans when one manages to sneak out.
When you get down to the last enemy it will try to flee to the surface and escape off either edge of the screen. This is something to keep in mind when you are about to burst the next-to-the-last enemy. You can also inflate enemies without bursting them. This causes them to freeze in place momentarily until they deflate allowing you time to put some distance between you and them or drop a rock on their head.
The game really isn’t on a timer, but the enemies will start to move faster the longer you take to complete the level. They also become more aggressive, shifting through dirt and using their flame breath. It really is a fun game with a nice progressive challenge that will keep you entertained for weeks and months to come.
No HD support here, just a nice classic retro game perfect in its arcade roots and design. Like many games of the 80's, this one played on a 90-degree rotated screen, so if you are playing on a widescreen TV (or even a 4:3 TV) there are some nice artistic borders that capture the original arcade cabinet design.
The in-game graphics are simple and very 2D with sprite characters that feature minimal and repetitive animation. It’s simple but still great fun, especially watching the enemies inflate like balloon animals before popping. The levels never really change but they do mix-up the various colors of the strata ever four or five levels to keep things fresh.
Dig Dug probably has some of the most annoying music (if you can call it that) of any 80’s game. The tempo is actually keyed into the pace of the gameplay so as the enemies start to get faster, so does the music. Other than the sound of you pumping air and the gentle pop of enemies, there isn’t much to hear in this game.
Like any other arcade game from the 80’s, there is no end to Dig Dug. You play until you lose then you play again to beat your previous score. Fortunately, Dig Dug is fun and addictive enough for this premise to hold true even today. I must have played for at least 3-4 hours my very first session just trying to unlock the achievement points, which are quite challenging.
There are 12 achievements that range from merely picking up the fruit in each level to getting combo kills with a single rock. One of the hardest objectives is to dig away ALL of the dirt in a single level. This means you have to walk across every vertical and horizontal row in the playing field while keeping at least two enemies off your back for several minutes.
I was a bit disappointed that there was no two-player support like the original arcade version, but then again, who likes taking turns. Just play your game and compare scores on the leaderboards.
I really enjoyed Dig Dug, probably more than I should if for no other reason than it brought back a flood of memories from my post-high school days hanging out at the arcade. For a lot of younger gamers it might be too simple a premise, but if you give the trial version a shot you should find enough challenging gameplay here to warrant a purchase.