Dig Dug
Dig Dug brought the beloved Japanese concept of digging through the underground to the Atari 800, where the player, as a miner, cuts tunnels through layers of earth and hunts two strange creatures, the shark-like Pooka and the dragon-like Fygar. To eliminate enemies, the player uses a special inflating hose, which is stuck into the opponent and inflated by repeatedly pressing the button until it bursts; alternatively, an enemy can be crushed by a falling rock released by digging underneath it. Fygar can also breathe fire at limited range, so fighting it requires a different approach than fighting Pooka.
The playing field fills up with earth again with each new level, so the player must dig their own paths every time, making the game a combination of action and spatial planning. The Atari version tried to keep pace with the arcade original's colorfulness and smoothness, though the 8-bit hardware forced small compromises in graphical detail. As the game progresses, both the number of enemies on screen and their aggressiveness increase, so the pace of the game noticeably rises with each level.
In the mid-1980s, Dig Dug was part of the standard repertoire of arcade conversions that owners of Atari computers picked up alongside the platform's own exclusive titles, and its simple but inventive principle of eliminating enemies by inflating them became one of the recognizable symbols of the early arcade era. It is still praised today for how elegantly it combines digging, evasion, and offense into one coherent whole, and even after all these years it offers clear, satisfying gameplay. There is also a particular charm to the visual contrast between the calm blue sky above ground and the dark tones of the underground tunnels, which nicely underscores the difference between the safety of the surface and the risk awaiting the player every time they venture deeper into the earth for more points and a new wave of enemies, and this contrast remains one of the most memorable elements of the whole game.
Why play it: Anyone looking for a clear, satisfying arcade game built on a single idea will appreciate how elegantly Dig Dug combines digging, evasion, and attack into one coherent whole.
Game 104 of 124 for Atari 800 / 8-bit
The same title elsewhere (4)
The arcade cabinet relied on bold, saturated colors and smooth animation for Dig Dug and his enemies, something home conversions struggled to match. The Atari 2600, limited by its hardware, had to settle for simplified graphics, a narrower color palette and blockier animation, so the pace and feel of tunneling come across noticeably stiffer than in the arcades. The Atari 5200 had more capable chips than the 2600, and its version offered richer colors and smoother movement, closer to the arcade original. Anyone after the truest experience should pick the arcade version, while the Atari 5200 stands as the sturdier home alternative compared to the older 2600.
