Welcome back to Famicom Fridays, our weekly stroll into the pixel-dusty corners of retro gaming history. Usually this series highlights something from Nintendo's world of hardware and mascots, but this week we’re taking a fun side path. Because the game in our spotlight did cross paths with Nintendo fans back in the arcade days, and it’s one of those titles that you don’t hear about nearly as much as its older sibling.
Let’s talk Dig Dug II, released by Namcot for the Famicom in 1986.
A Sequel That Took Some Risks
The original Dig Dug was a smash arcade hit: tunneling underground, inflating enemies with an air pump like some kind of cheerful pest control agent from a cartoon fever-dream. Dig Dug II flips that idea completely. Instead of digging under dirt, you’re now running around the surface of a single island, trying to defeat enemies by either:
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Using your classic air pump to inflate them until they pop, OR
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Chipping away at the island itself, causing entire chunks of land to drop into the sea, taking enemies with it.
This second mechanic is the real star of the show. It turns every level into a tiny strategy puzzle. Do you take the risky, up-close pumping route? Or do you reshape the island like a devious landscaper with ocean access?
Familiar Faces, New Chaos
Your old foes return:
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Pookas (red, goggle-eyed troublemakers)
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Fygars (dragons who breathe fire and absolutely do not care about your personal space)
But now, with so much open space and no tunnels to hide in, the pressure feels different. Enemies swarm fast, and corners are dangerous. It’s a game of quick thinking and fast legs.
Console Version Notes
While the original Dig Dug showed up on various Sega platforms (like the SG-1000) and in many arcade rooms where Sega cabinets stood tall, Dig Dug II’s Famicom release is where most home players experienced it.
Things to know:
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Published under the Namcot label, Namco’s Famicom branding.
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Features 14 rounds of play, each island with its own shape, danger zones, and opportunities.
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The manual art (pictured above) is chef-kiss charming. Tiny island explorers, bold lettering, and that classic late-80s graphic style that looks like it was designed in a room full of graph paper and caffeine.
Why Dig Dug II Deserves a Replay
Dig Dug II sometimes gets overshadowed by its older brother, but it’s one of those sequels that tried something new instead of just repeating what worked. It rewards experimentation. It lets you fail in spectacular ways. And every island collapse feels like a small victory dance with geology itself.
Also: nothing beats sending a Fygar tumbling into the ocean like yesterday’s compost.
Final Thought
Whether you first discovered Dig Dug in a Nintendo-filled arcade lineup, or through a cartridge on the Famicom shelf, Dig Dug II stands as a clever twist on a beloved classic. Bright, bold, tricky, and surprisingly strategic.
Next week, we return to more straight-up Famicom love, but for now, enjoy this clever island-popping oddball in the retro family tree.
Until next Friday:
Keep your pump ready and your escape paths open.
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