Retro Game of the Day! Dig Dug

Retro Game of the Day! Dig Dug

Dig Dug by uber-developer Namco - arcade release in 1982. Yeah, I suspect a "couple" of people might remember this little game.

For the 6 of you out there who don't know what a Dig Dug is, let me explain. You're a little fella wearing a spacesuit-looking outfit. Your goal is to kill all of the enemies on each level (or die trying!) Your main weapon is an air-pump, which you shoot into your rivals - puff them up until they pop. Gruesome, eh? Who the heck thinks of this stuff, anyway?

Your enemies are known as Pooka (red blobs with ski masks) and Fygar (dragons). Touching either means instant death (which is really the best kind of death, if you think about it) - additionally, the Fygar can shoot a short-distance flame if you cross his path. So, don't!

Mr. Dig Dug gets his name from the fact that he spends each level below the earth's crust, digging away with his trusty drill, or shovel, whatever. Somehow, gravity has no pull here - so if you dig a hole, you will not ever "fall," you can just move all over the screen. When you clear pathways, it becomes accessible to your enemies. Otherwise, they may turn into intangible ghosts and just pass through the dirt as apparitions (still deadly to the touch). Also, of note are the presence of rocks - dig beneath these, and gravity will take effect. Unseat a rock and remain under it, and you get squished. Do the same with your enemies under it, and you rack up bonus points!


That's really all there is to tell of Dig Dug, for the most part. An innocent (even boring) looking game in screenshots, it is actually quite a fun title which has held up through the years. The game starts of rather slow and easy but quickly ratchets up to become a true test of stamina and maneuvering.Truly one of the greats of retrogaming - if you've not played Dig Dug in some years, I recommend you give it a spin. If you're a noob to the whole Dig Duggery scene, you just might find a new game to be in love with!