Dig Dug Overview
Dig Dug is an action game where one or two players take turns controlling a character who must clear underground stages of monsters. The play area consists of dirt that can be dug through to create tunnels in real time as the character moves.
Two enemy types are present: Pookas, which are red and goggled, and Fygars, green dragons. Both chase the player through the tunnels, but if they lose sight of the player, they can briefly become ghosts to travel through solid earth to reach another passage. The primary tool for defeating them is an air pump, which inflates an enemy until it bursts for points. This process can be halted, causing a partially inflated monster to deflate and resume its attack.
Environmental hazards offer another tactical option. Large rocks are scattered throughout each stage; digging out the earth beneath them causes the rocks to fall. They can crush enemies below for bonus points, or the player if they are caught underneath. Dropping rocks also opens new tunnels, and dropping a certain number makes bonus vegetables appear for collection, with their point value increasing in later stages.
The game's pacing becomes challenging as enemy speed increases in later stages. Fygars present an additional danger with their ability to breathe fire horizontally along tunnels, which defeats the player instantly. Points are awarded for various actions, including consecutive ghost kills and crushing multiple enemies with one rock. A round is completed once all monsters are eliminated.
Various home ports and modern re-releases have altered the original arcade experience to different degrees. Changes have included adjustments to graphics, sound, maze layouts, and enemy behavior. Contemporary digital versions typically emulate the arcade rules while adding features like display options, saved high scores, and online leaderboards.
