Dig-Dug (US Gold)
Reviewed By G.C. In Home Computing Weekly #131
Poor detailed graphics and average sound effects label this as another US Gold release of what is a relatively aged game.
Under joystick control, one or two players control a "miner" whose task is to burrow underground destroying monsters which lurk in small caves - his only weapon being a "bicycle pump"? That's what it seems like, anyway. Several pumps of this and the creatures innate and explode. The miner can also tunnel under rocks and drop these on the monsters for extra points. although this is particularly hazardous.
Physical contact with most things i.e, falling rocks or wandering "nasties", means death. If left alone for long enough, the latter undertake a spiritual transformation and can move through the solid earth. either towards the miner or up to the surface. It was difficult to assess the actual objective of the game as the review copy contained no instructions - it appeared, however, that monsters reaching the surface caused the loss of a life.
Destruction of all the monsters leads on to a further similar, but faster, screen - there being twelve in all!
Overall, this is a poor offering by a company renowned for its graphically pleasant, if not always addictive, games. The standard of graphics was the poorest I'd seen in any Atari programme for some time, and the addictiveness of gameplay - there wasn't any!! - didn't help to reduce the impact of poor presentation.
Not a purchase to be recommended except to the fanatic arcade gamer.