action game
Dig Dug
By Namco, released 1 Jan 1982
- Microsoft Windows
- Commodore 64
- Famicom Disk System
- Nintendo Entertainment System
- Game Boy
- Atari 2600
What it is
Dig Dug is an action game from Namco built around tunneling through the ground and defeating enemies underground. You dig in four directions, then use a harpoon to inflate and pop foes or drop rocks to crush them. Tunnels can also funnel enemies beneath rocks, letting one fall take out several at once. Clear every enemy on a screen to move to the next stage. The controls use four directions and one button, with techniques such as the rock drop and pump-and-stall. The Steam release includes scanline and sound settings, plus an option to switch between old and new versions. Steam features include single-player, achievements, leaderboards and Family Sharing. Dig Dug first appeared in arcades in 1982; this release is available for Windows. Its other listed platforms include Commodore 64, Famicom Disk System, NES, Game Boy and several Atari systems.
What players like, and what they don't
- Tunnel layouts help set up rock attacks.
- Enemies can be defeated with harpoons or rocks.
- Includes achievements and leaderboards.
- Offers old and new versions.
- Listed Steam platform is Windows only.
- Single-player only; no multiplayer listed.
Who it suits
Dig Dug suits players who want a compact, single-player action game centered on tunneling, enemy timing and stage clearing. Its four-direction and one-button control scheme is straightforward.
Dig Dug centers on simple directional controls and tactical use of tunnels, harpoons and falling rocks. Its Steam feature list includes achievements and leaderboards.
