Platform: Arcade
Region: NTSC-U
Country: United States of America
Developer(s): Namco
Publishers(s): Atari, Inc.
ReleaseDate: 1982-05-17
Players: 2
Co-op: No
Dig Dug is a 1982 arcade maze action video game developed by Namco and released by Atari in the USA on May 17, 1982. The player controls protagonist Dig Dug (Taizo Hori) to eliminate each screen's enemies: Pookas, red creatures with comically large goggles; and Fygars, fire-breathing green dragons. Dig Dug can use an air pump to inflate them to bursting or crush them under large falling rocks. Bonus points are awarded for squashing multiple enemies with a single rock, and dropping two rocks in a stage yields a bonus item, which can be eaten for points. Once all the enemies have been defeated, Dig Dug progresses to the next stage. Enemies chase Dig Dug through dirt in the form of ghostly eyes, only becoming solid in the air where his pump can stun or destroy them. Enemies eventually become faster and more aggressive and the last one then attempts escape. Later stages vary in dirt color, while increasing the number and speed of enemies. The game has 256 stages in all.
Trailer: YouTube
ESRB Rating: E - Everyone
Genre(s): Action