Review
Release Date: 10.18.2005
Platform:
Nintendo DSDeveloper:
Namco, Ltd.Publisher:
Namco Hometek, Inc.Reviewed by
Luke Campbell on 4.18.2007
| Review Rating: 7/10 | User Rating: 4.5/10 |
Namco's Dig Dug was a big hit in the early 80's.
Dig Dug 2, not so much. But in
Dig Dug: Digging Strike, elements of both games have been combined to make use of the DS' dual-screen format.
Dig Dug DS follows the exploits of Taizo Hori, also known as Dig Dug. Taizo is jealous of the fame his son, Susumu Hori, also known as Mr. Driller. An island country called Horinesia calls Susumu in to handle a monster crisis, but Taizo decides to go instead and prove that he still has what it takes, and Susumu follows his father shortly after.
The core gameplay in
Dig Dug DS is similar to what
Dig Dug veterans are familiar with: on the bottom DS screen, dig around levels and pump enemies until they pop. However, many new items can be employed this time around. For example, instead of only having rocks that fall vertically to crush enemies, there are spiked balls and round rolling rocks that will follow cleared paths on the play area, as well as water and lava that can kill certain types of enemies and stun others.
Players of
Dig Dug 2 will remember that game's jackhammer system: each level was an island, and by using a jackhammer on certain points of the play area, fault lines could be created to sink entire portions of the island. Victory on each level was achieved by either killing all the enemies by inflating them or sending them to a watery grave. In
Dig Dug DS that idea returns, but is slightly altered. Each level is still an island, and there are still normal enemies that can be killed by inflation or by drowning, but the object of each level is to kill the boss monster on each island. So instead of making sure to kill every Pooka, Frygar, and any other variety of new smaller enemy found, in order to clear a level, the boss monster must be sent into the drink.
On each island, there are many stakes protruding from the ground on the overworld map, which is viewed on the top DS screen. On the bottom DS screen, in the familiar
Dig Dug screen, the bottom part of the stakes can be seen. To kill the boss monster up above, the stakes must be lowered through to the bottom of the screen, which creates the fault lines and causes portions of the island to sink. This is done by simply digging underneath the stakes. Each stake is the same width as two squares of earth, so causing a stake to lower is easily done. The trick is to make sure the stake will create a fault line in the correct direction as some stakes are situated to make vertical fault lines while others are horizontal. If done correctly, and at the right time, the boss monster will be sent, screaming, down to Davy Jones' locker. It's far more involved than merely killing everything in sight, but still true to
Dig Dug's original formula.
There are also power-up items that can aid Taizo on his quest, such as a magnet that can attract enemies to it, a boxing glove to hit enemies and knock them back. Some level-specific items also come in handy, such as the snorkel for underwater levels. Also, certain items can summon Susumu to help his father out; his items include a screwdriver that can twist the stakes and thereby alter the direction of the fault lines they will create, and a bomb that can stun the boss in one place, making him easier to sink. However, the most useful items are Weapons, which are created by picking up certain items across multiple levels. Weapons can be used by completing a level and playing a roulette game and landing on the icon of the Weapon of choice. The Weapons that can be constructed grant faster speed while digging, a harpoon with a longer reach, and various other advantages. Only one Weapon can be used per island, but all Weapons are useful and worth trying out.
The only problems with
Dig Dug DS lie in lack of stylus function and with its item collection system. The stylus can be used on the title screen and menus, as well as the roulette game, but appears useless aside from that, and the entire game can be played without the stylus at all. As far as item collection goes, the game's box states that it features 15 levels. However, normally playing the game will only reveal 12 levels, and then an end sequence can be viewed. To unlock the remaining 3 islands, which are clearly visible on the game's map, all of the hidden fossils must be unearthed. Fossils are littered throughout each level, but it is impossible to tell where they are hidden, which means the only way to find them all is to dig every square of dirt in the entire game. This is tedious when only one fossil is left to find on an island, but the island has six or seven areas to explore completely.
Also, after clearing all 15 levels, the Weapons menu will still show two Weapons as incomplete, even if every Weapon part in all 15 levels have been picked up. So where are they? In the hard mode that unlocks after beating level 12, scattered among the islands once again. But by the time the final Weapons are earned, there's no real reason to even use them, since the entirety of the game has been explored and defeated. It seems to be there as an incentive to trudge through hard mode and for no other reason. At least there are no hard mode fossils to be found.
Fans of
Dig Dug will probably enjoy this game for offering a new take on the game's style while still remaining faithful to the original, but new players may see this as a shallow arcade game with a tacked-on scavenger hunt to extend game length. Also, anyone looking for some groundbreaking use of the DS' touchscreen will be sorely disappointed with
Dig Dug DS. So if you're a fan of the series, buy it. But if not, your mileage may vary.
