August 17^th, 2005 (9:35am) - Namco has officially announced that Dig Dug Digging Strike is headed to the Nintendo DS this Fall in North America. This 3D adventure, which was previously announced for a release in Japan only, combines the classic arcade digging action with new baddies, environments, weapons, mini-games and strategies to deliver the most action-packed "Dig Dug" game to date.

Whether tackling the underground alone or wirelessly with a friend, gamers will discover 15 stages with more than 80 areas in Dig Dug Digging Strike. Players will explore 3D environments on the top screen of the DS, then plunge underground on the bottom screen to dig and connect fault lines that will trap monsters. Only by sinking enemy bosses do players move to the next level – and they will encounter some familiar faces along the way. The dreaded Pooka and Fygar are back to threaten Dig Dug, along with a host of never-before-seen bosses. Dig Dug is armed with a series of thrilling weapons to combat monsters as well as elements from the environment including rolling rocks, quicksand and flowing lava.

"Dig Dug Digging Strike is more than a tribute to the 1982 classic drilling action game," said Yoshi Niki, Business Unit Director at Namco Hometek Inc. "This new installment in the franchise optimizes the dual-screen action of the Nintendo DS to deliver the most thrilling and entertaining ’Dig Dug’ adventure to date."

Two additional features in Dig Dug Digging Strike are an item collection challenge – special items help the player navigate difficult levels – and a set of new mini-games. The mini-games such as Horivalou and Hori X are light-hearted parodies of classic Namco games. Successful completion of the mini-games helps Dig Dug break up the islands and defeat the monsters once and for all!