Dig Dug Deeper is a Digging Game, developed by Creature Games as a remake of the original Dig Dug, done in 3D and published by Infogrames for the PC during November 2001.
It retains the traditional gameplay of tunnelling underground and implements an overworld similar to Dig Dug II. The remake also calls the protagonist Dig Dug (instead of Taizo Hori as the Namco-developed games usually do) and he continues to bring his airpump into his monster hunting quests with them being taken on an intergalactic level where he explores planets and exterminates various monsters living underground with Dig Dug needing to find the holes leading to their lairs where the classic 2D gameplay takes place.
As usual, the enemies can turn into disembodied faces as they go into the walls and travel through them and if one enemy remains, it will retreat at twice the pace of the usual enemies. Once there are no more monsters, Dig Dug will continue to the next level, but if the last enemy escapes the 2D level, Dig Dug must eliminate it on the surface, but it will take advantage of the 3D surface by travelling in 8 directions rather than four. There are a variety of levels such as a volcano, an ice world, a city, and a couple others.
Tropes:
- 2½D: The characters have become 3D models, but the game is still mostly a 2D side view.
- Adaptation Name Change: Instead of being named Taizo Hori, the protagonist is named Dig Dug.
- Alliterative Title: The game's initials are all the letter D.
- Canon Discontinuity: Namco does not seem to regard this game as being canon to its vision.
- Lantern Jaw of Justice: Dig Dug is depicted here with a jawline fit for the heroic monster hunter he's been similar to his original counterpart.
- Lethal Lava Land: One of the levels in the game is set on an active volcano area.
- No Plot? No Problem!: The game lacks story beyond Dig Dug going on an interplanetary monster hunt, but he has no problem with his usual monster hunts.
- Palette Swap: In addition to red Pookas and green Fygars, there are also blue Pookas as well as red and purple Fygars.
- Protagonist Title: Played straight as the protagonist is named Dig Dug here.
- Shifting Sand Land: Several of the levels in the game are set in deserts where Dig Dug can drill into the sand.
- Slippy-Slidey Ice World: The game has several levels set in an artic tundra where Dig Dug can tunnel through the snow as well as the ice.
- Video Game 3D Leap: The game goes from 2D sprites from the previous few games to 3D models and world maps. The game is still 2D for the tunneling aspects.
- You Don't Look Like You: Dig Dug for the most part looks like his original incarnation did in the original game, except he's a bit tanner and has a Lantern Jaw of Justice.
