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Dig Dug for Atari 2600 FAQ

by BHodges

Version  1.0
Created  07/06/2020

This document Copyright © 2020 by Brian Hodges.  It may not be placed on
any web site or otherwise distributed publicly without advance written
permission.

Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is
strictly prohibited, and a violation of copyright.

All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned by their
respective trademark and copyright holders.

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Table of Contents

I.     Introduction
II.    Background Story
III.   Getting Started
        A.  Game Select
        B.  Beginning the Game
        C.  Continuing
IV.    Basic Gameplay
        A.  Objective & Basic Gameplay
        B.  Controls
        C.  Lives
        D.  Vegetables
        E.  Enemies
              1.  Pooka
              2.  Fygar
        F.  Tips
V.     Scoring
VI.    Version History
VII.   Contact Information

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I.     Introduction

This is a FAQ for the Atari 2600 game Dig Dug.  It contains information
on how to play, an explanation of the scoring system, and tips for getting high
scores.

Dig Dug for the Atari 2600 is an excellent port of the arcade classic.  In Dig
Dug, you take on the role of the titular character as you travel underground
collecting veggies and battling Pookas & Fygars.

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II.    Background Story

Here is the background story from the instruction booklet:

"You are Dig Dug, the underground miner.  With your jet-powered shovel, you
create intricate, subterranean mazes.  Ever on the watch for vegetable prizes,
you must also look out for the fierce Fygar and mean Pooka that lurk
underground.  Their touch kills!  Worse, these two meanies can transform into
spooky ghosts that will appear out of nowhere and haunt you to death."


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III.   Getting Started

..............................................................................
A.  Game Select

On the Title Screen use GAME SELECT to toggle between Normal or Easy mode.  A
teddy bear head will appear in the center of the Title Screen to indicate when
Easy is selected.

EASY
-  Maze never changes
-  Only two baddies per round
-  Baddies never turn into ghosts
-  Prize vegetable will always be a carrot

NORMAL
-  Maze changes each round
-  Number of baddies increases each round (to max of 7)
-  Baddies can turn into ghosts
-  Vegetable prizes increase in value as you progress

..............................................................................
B.  Beginning the Game

Press the Fire button when you are ready to begin playing Dig Dug.

..............................................................................
C.  Continuing

After a Game Over, press the fire button within ten seconds of returning to the
Title Screen to restart the game on the last round played.

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IV.    Basic Gameplay

..............................................................................
A.  Objective & Basic Gameplay

The objective of the game is to get the highest score possible.  You score
points by killing enemies and collecting vegetables.

Dig Dug is armed with an Air Pump that can be deployed using the Button on the
Joystick.  An enemy will become stunned when you strike it with the Air Pump,
keep hitting the Button to inflate the enemy until he pops!

Dig Dug can also kill enemies by dropping rocks on them.  Dropping two rocks
will cause a vegetable to appear in the starting spot for a few seconds.

When there is only a single enemy left, he will turn into a ghost and attempt
to flee via the top left of the screen.  The round ends when the last enemy
is either killed or successfully escapes.

..............................................................................
B.  Controls

Joystick     Move Dig Dug
Button       Use Air Pump

..............................................................................
C.  Lives

Dig Dug starts the game with four lives.  He earns a bonus life at 20,000,
50,000, 100,000, 150,000, and 200,000 points.

Dig Dug loses a life when:

-  He is touched by an enemy
-  He is hit by Fygar's fire
-  He is squished by a rock

..............................................................................
D.  Vegetables

Dig Dug can collect vegetables to earn bonus points.  One vegetable will appear
each round for a few seconds after two rocks have been dropped.  The vegetable
will always appear in the same spot where Dig Dug began the round.

Please note that the vegetable will not appear unless there are 6 or fewer
baddies remaining.

..............................................................................
E.  Enemies

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.  Pooka

Pooka is the round, orange enemy.  He is capable of turning into a ghost so he
can travel through soil.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.  Fygar

Fygar is the green enemy that looks like a dragon.  Not only is Fygar capable
of turning into a ghost, he can also breathe fire!

..............................................................................
F.  Tips

-  The last enemy will always try to escape via the upper left of the screen

-  Collecting vegetables is a key strategy to achieving a high score

-  Build a long, vertical tunnel under a rock then wait for baddies to approach
  before moving left or right and dropping the rock

-  Fygar can only breathe fire horizontally so it's safer to attack him from
  above or below


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V.     Scoring

/===================================================\
|                  Killing Pooka                    |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| Top Soil Layer                  |         200 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 2nd Soil Layer                  |         300 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 3rd Soil Layer                  |         400 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| Bottom Soil Layer               |         500 pts |
\===================================================/

/===================================================\
|         Killing Fygar (from above or below)       |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| Top Soil Layer                  |         200 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 2nd Soil Layer                  |         300 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 3rd Soil Layer                  |         400 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| Bottom Soil Layer               |         500 pts |
\===================================================/

/===================================================\
|         Killing Fygar (from the side)             |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| Top Soil Layer                  |         400 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 2nd Soil Layer                  |         600 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 3rd Soil Layer                  |         800 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| Bottom Soil Layer               |        1000 pts |
\===================================================/

/===================================================\
|                    Vegetables                     |
|------------+--------------------+-----------------|
|  ROUND(S)  |       PRIZE        |      POINTS     |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 1          |  Carrot            |         400 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 2          |  Turnip            |         600 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 3          |  Mushroom          |         800 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 4 & 5      |  Cucumber          |        1000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 6 & 7      |  Eggplant          |        2000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 8 & 9      |  Bell Pepper       |        3000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 10 & 11    |  Tomato            |        4000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 12 & 13    |  Onion             |        5000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 14 & 15    |  Watermelon        |        6000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 16 & 17    |  Galaxian          |        7000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 18+        |  Pineapple         |        8000 pts |
\===================================================/

/===================================================\
|          Squashing Baddies with Rocks             |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 1 Baddie                        |        1000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 2 Baddies at once               |        2500 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 3 Baddies at once               |        4000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 4 Baddies at once               |        6000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 5 Baddies at once               |        8000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 6 Baddies at once               |       10000 pts |
|---------------------------------+-----------------|
| 7 Baddies at once               |       12000 pts |
\===================================================/

Notes:

-  You earn 10 points for every two chunks of dirt you dig
-  Point values for killing Fygar from the side are double those earned from
  above or below!


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VI.    Version History

1.0   07/06/20 Completed FAQ.

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VII.   Contact Information

You can contact me at [email protected]

Please leave constructive comments.  I especially appreciate emails letting me
know if I have made a mistake, missed anything, or if you have any ideas for
improving this FAQ.



End

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