Spades at the ready

It’s one of those “classic” arcade games that you probably won’t ever remember playing but thanks to the option with a DS release to add another screen, Namco reckons its digging puzzler Dig Dug is due an update.

Called Dig Dug: Digging Strike, the game sees you performing actions such as digging tunnels underground and, more peculiarly, firing harpoons into monsters and then exploding them by pumping them full of high-pressure air. Doesn’t sound like the sort of thing we should be encouraging but actually Dig Dug handles the action in a very cartoonish manner, so this is a game that shouldn’t be getting an 18 rating.

One new feature for the DS version is that the action won’t just be underground this time. The DS top screen will display a map of your home island which has been invaded by nasty monsters (well if they’re nasty, blow them up then!). Anyhow, you move around the island on top, looking for tunnels you can enter. This takes you underground to the bottom screen where you have dig through various fault lines to break apart the islands and sink the monsters. You also get to dig tunnels to pick up useful items and drop rocks on your enemies.

Over 80 levels of digging action are promised, with new weapons, items and abilities made available as you go. You can unlock new modes such as mini-games as well and there will be a head-to-head multiplayer version.