Dig Dug II

Dig Dug IIBuy this gameThe Game: Dig Dug is back, and he’s still got a hoarde of Pookas and Fygars to exterminate – or else they’ll ruin his new island garden. Blowing the beasties up with Dig’s trusty pump will still work, but as a last resort, he can also drill into his island’s irrigation pipes and actually sink a part of the land into the sea, taking any enemies with it (and Dig too, if you’re not careful!). (Namco, 1985)

Memories: This sequel to one of the most beloved titles from the brief Namco/Atari licensing alliance is virtually unknown, primarily because Dig Dug II hit the arcades after the great video game industry crash of 1983. Honestly, I hadn’t even heard of it until MAME came along.

Dig Dug II is actually a very worthy successor to the extremely addictive (and almost painfully cute) Dig Dug, with one minor setback – the viewpoint is a pseudo-overhead view with shadows, unlike the original game’s purely 2-D graphics. Sometimes, when one is desperately trying to sink part of the island before it’s too late, this perspective problem 3 quarterscan get your protagonist killed while you sit there helplessly thumping the drill button.

The islands change shape, sometimes at random, and sometimes spelling out N-A-M-C-O, the manufacturer.