Review
Release Date: 10.11.2006
Platform:
Xbox Live ArcadeDeveloper:
Namco Bandai Games, Inc.Publisher:
Namco Bandai Games AmericaReviewed by
Luke Campbell on 5.14.2007
Back in 1982, many arcade games were set on black backdrops and featured colored characters.
Namco's Dig Dug was released that year, and was one of the first high-profile titles to feature color on the majority of the screen. This set it apart from other titles of the day, so the game was a big hit and its characters have become synonymous with Namco, having made cameos in many Namco games since.
The object of
Dig Dug is pretty simple: as Dig Dug, the main character, your're to dig a path through the colored layers of earth and kill all of the monsters on each level. To kill the monsters, Dig Dug can launch a harpoon into enemies, which is connected to a pump. By pumping repeatedly, the monsters can be inflated until they pop. Alternately, digging underneath rocks found on each level will cause them to fall, making it possible to crush foes with rocks. The difficulty increases with each level, but the objective remains the same.
Dig Dug has come to Xbox Live Arcade, and plays just like the arcade version. The visuals and music appear unchanged from the original, with the only addition being Xbox 360's Achievements. 12 Achievements can be earned by playing
Dig Dug for a total of 200 Gamerscore points, ranging from the simple "crush an enemy with a rock" to the tricky "dig through an entire level." A scoreboard is also available online, so players can see how they stack up against their friends, or against everyone on XBLA.
Unfortunately, even though it is a fun game, it's hard to justify
Dig Dug as a purchase on XBLA. It is inexpensive at 400 Marketplace points, which translates to roughly five dollars. But
Dig Dug can also be found on many Namco arcade collections, which normally cost twenty dollars and include anywhere from five to ten titles.
Dig Dug XBLA is recommended only to diehard diggers who wish to challenge the XLBA scoreboard's greatest, but casuals can stretch their gaming dollar longer by picking up a collection of Namco classics elsewhere.
