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[gamewhooper]

The Good
Tons of stuff to collect and obsess over; Namco fans will enjoy the minigames and cameos;
The Bad
Serious lack of stylus use; Tries to futz too much with the original gameplay; The core game doesn't last all that long;
If you came in looking for a throwback to the arcade days of Dig Dug, you should probably look elsewhere.

When all is said and done, Dig Dug: Digging Strike isn't a terrible game, but it's not all that great, either. The nods to the Namco back catalog certainly add to the charm of the game, but it ends up playing awkwardly, and comes across as rather tossed together. If you're in the mood to collect every last item in the game and revel in the wacky story, you'll find some charm in the experience. If you came in looking for a throwback to the arcade days of old, you should probably look elsewhere.

6.0

http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/digdugdiggingstrike/review.html?sid=6136007

 

[Rlan]

He complains that the game strays from the original Dig Dug formula too much for his liking, and then complains that the stylus isn't being used? You need to know which direction you're going, idiot! Moving the character around via Stylus would be horrible, as you'd have to point which way to go, AND make sure you harpoon the enemies!

What a crap review. Anyone picked the game up?

 

[Crazymoogle]

I'm picking it up tomorrow along with Colossus and Fear.

The review is an odd one though, the guy holds Dig Dug up with almost holy reverence, and he doesn't seem to realize that the up top gameplay is from DD2, rather than being some new concoction to make the game complicated. His score could be entirely right for all I know, but something still smells funny about it.

 

[Drinky Crow]

Serious lack of stylus use

How the hell is that a MINUS?

Digging Strike sales +1

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Has anyone actually read the review? Does he go into any detail about a specific area where the stylus would have been useful?

 

[Rlan]

No. This is all it reads as:

Given that this game appears on the Nintendo DS, one might expect some kind of interesting use of the stylus. Aside from tapping the screen at the menus and skipping past story sequences, this is the most tactile the game gets. While this is somewhat of a disappointment, the game does have a fun,

And never mentioned again.

 

[SpiffyG]

How the hell is that a MINUS?

Digging Strike sales +1

I don't know. Not every game has to use the touch screen.

 

[Parallax Scroll]

No. This is all it reads as:



And never mentioned again.

Damn, that's stupid. Extensive use of the touch screen shouldn't be a requirement for a DS game to be good.

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

And the reviewer never mentions the similarity of the top screen and island sinking gameplay to Dig Dug 2, so I assume he's never played it and thus thinks it's "futzing" with the original gameplay. It might be an average game, but that review is one of those ones that tells you nothing about the game.

 

[fresquito]

Most critics still don´t realize the features given in the DS are not an obligation for developers, but open doors. One year after its release, they still try to justify all DS features. I can´t understand why all this hate :-/

 

[Parallax Scroll]

Most critics still don´t realize the features given in the DS are not an obligation for developers, but open doors. One year after its release, they still try to justify all DS features. I can´t understand why all this hate :-/

It reminds me of reviews of 2D games on a 3D-capable system, where the reviewer constantly apologizes for the game not being 3D.

 

[fresquito]

It reminds me of reviews of 2D games on a 3D-capable system, where the reviewer constantly apologizes for the game not being 3D.

Exactly my thoughts. Some people...

 

[the year 20XX]

I'm glad it doesn't use the stylus.

Has anyone played this? I'm VERY intrigued by the "Simultaneous Dig Dug 1 and 2" gameplay. I really don't want this game to suck.

 

[bummyhead]

when is anyone gonna learnt that games review are about AS useful as movie reviews?

it never fails to amaze me how often one mans opinion is taken as gospel.

 

[bobbyconover]

it never fails to amaze me how often one mans opinion is taken as gospel.

Taken as gospel? It looks to me like we all think he's full of shit.

 

[Sho Nuff]

Taken as gospel? It looks to me like we all think he's full of shit.

Because nobody could ever dislike a Namco DS game.

 

[SpiffyG]

Because nobody could ever dislike a Namco DS game.

How could we? Pac-Pix, Pac n' Roll, Ridge Racer, Mr. Driller and Dig Dug are all games of the highest quality. And Pac Man World 3 is going to be even better than Super Mario 64 DS!!

 

[Rlan]

No, we think he's full of shit because he's complained about stuff which doesn't make sense. His complaints are that the game is the lack of Stylus ability, which is just stupid as you wouldn't be able to play Dig Dug with a stylus, and that it screws with the original Dig-Dug too much, when it's a fair melding of Dig Dug 1 & 2. He's clearly not played 2.

 

[bobbyconover]

A second opinion, courtesy of Toastyfrog:

http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3144876

 

[Unison]

Sounds exactly like I hoped it would...

Gamespot makes mulitplayer mode seem a little short on features though. :-(

 

[bobbyconover]

Sounds exactly like I hoped it would...

Same, though it's curious that he didn't mention the music at all outside of the "awkward sound design" comment. Both the original Dig Dug and the Driller series have great music, and the brief clips in the promo videos for Digging Strike seemed pretty solid (though the eurobeat tune was kinda wacky), so I'm hoping for something great in that department.

 

[Rlan]

Much better review, 1UP

Wonder what the unlockables will be. Perhaps Dual Screened Dig Dug,l ike Pac 'N Roll had Pac-man? Looking forward to it.

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

1up: Digging Strike is a perfect portable game. Better still, it's an entertaining attempt to revive an old favorite without straying too far from what made it so good in the first place.

Gamespot:Tries to futz too much with the original gameplay

*brain explodes*

The whole reason I want this is because it seems like dig dug 1 and 2 simultaneously. Seems like a neat idea, considering how different the two games are (and for the record, I like dig 1 but only like dig 2 in theory; in practice it's a pretty annoying game and I'm hoping its ideas were used better here.)

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

Same, though it's curious that he didn't mention the music at all outside of the "awkward sound design" comment. Both the original Dig Dug and the Driller series have great music, and the brief clips in the promo videos for Digging Strike seemed pretty solid (though the eurobeat tune was kinda wacky), so I'm hoping for something great in that department.

I believe he's referring to the fact that Digging Strike has the same start n stop music as the original Dig Dug - importers have reported that it's cool but sounds more awkward with more complex music than it did with beep beep boop music. Nice homage though.

 

[ToastyFrog]

I believe he's referring to the fact that Digging Strike has the same start n stop music as the original Dig Dug - importers have reported that it's cool but sounds more awkward with more complex music than it did with beep beep boop music. Nice homage though.

DING DING DING WINNER

It's a clever nod, but yeah, it sounds glitchy with something more than a one-line melody. It took me a few levels to realize why the sound kept cutting out. Fun game otherwise, though.

 

[Rlan]

Any other reviews up yet? Or any impression?

 

[Rlan]

IGN have their review up:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/659/659798p1.html

4.5 Presentation
Really poor, lazy execution of the game's story. The art style sticks with the Mr. Driller theme, but the cartoon is clunky and uninspired.
5.0 Graphics
Anyone who says Dig Dug looks good is a liar. It's kept at a minimalist appearance to fit the retro theme, but it's almost TOO retro for its own good.
6.0 Sound
The audio is better than the visuals, but a lot of the tunes and melodies feel like they've been stolen out of a Best of Super Mario mix.
6.5 Gameplay
It's solid action with a clever twist on an old theme. But it's a little too cluttered and sloppy, and the game doesn't have enough variety to extend beyond its arcade roots.
5.0 Lasting Appeal
Why the multiplayer wasn't offered in single cartridge mode is a mystery considering the simplicity of the game's presentation. At any rate, there's enough level challenges to keep players going.
6.0 OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)


So Basically:

Gamespot: Too Different from the original
IGN: Too much like the original
1UP: Like the original, makes it good

:lol :lol

 

[Unison]

Any other reviews up yet? Or any impression?

Yeah, I am a little disappointed by it so far, but I only played like 30 mins. It's totally decent, but it's not as awesome as I had hoped to combine the two game styles. The need to completely dig under the ground spikes seems kind of excessive. The tiniest bit of ground needs to be removed, which means you have to run back and forth under ever single spike about ten times.

The powerups, which see you playing as Mr. Driller in a helicopter, don't really flow well with the main game. The whole thing seems kinda cut and paste together.

Maybe it will feel better when I play again...

 

[Mega Man's Electric Sheep]

Sorry for bumping this, but I'm stuck (stuck, in dig dug!) and my question doesn't need a new thread. I'm on the desert level, and there are supposedly hidden holes, but I don't know how to get to them. Every time I walk past these blue lumps on the ground, the bottom screen shows what's inside the hidden holes, but no matter what I try, I can't do anything to them. Someone must have this game. What do I do?

 

[Shard]

IGN have their review up:

http://ds.ign.com/articles/659/659798p1.html

4.5 Presentation
Really poor, lazy execution of the game's story. The art style sticks with the Mr. Driller theme, but the cartoon is clunky and uninspired.
5.0 Graphics
Anyone who says Dig Dug looks good is a liar. It's kept at a minimalist appearance to fit the retro theme, but it's almost TOO retro for its own good.
6.0 Sound
The audio is better than the visuals, but a lot of the tunes and melodies feel like they've been stolen out of a Best of Super Mario mix.
6.5 Gameplay
It's solid action with a clever twist on an old theme. But it's a little too cluttered and sloppy, and the game doesn't have enough variety to extend beyond its arcade roots.
5.0 Lasting Appeal
Why the multiplayer wasn't offered in single cartridge mode is a mystery considering the simplicity of the game's presentation. At any rate, there's enough level challenges to keep players going.
6.0 OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)


So Basically:

Gamespot: Too Different from the original
IGN: Too much like the original
1UP: Like the original, makes it good

:lol :lol

I am compelled to listen to the Frog of Toast when it comes to Dig Dug: DS.