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Sunday Comics: Dead Island
Namco Bandai’s Zippo lighters may not hold a candle to similar — OK, far superior — recent combustible offerings from Sega, but if you’re a huge Xevious fan, Banpresto has a lighter for you, buddy.
The same folks who brought you Inglourious Plummers now bring you Dig Dug, a slasher-flick reimagining of the arcade classic that pumps you up with suspense, waiting for that moment when Pooka’s overinflated ego to finally go pop.
Namco Networks and J2Play announce the launch of Namco All-Stars Pac-Man and Dig Dug, two classic games for your PC with built-in hooks to the Facebook community.
This week in Wii downloadables we are given a choice between new collectible goodness and old inflatable badness as Nintendo releases one new game for WiiWare and two classic titles on the virtual console.
First and foremost, WiiWare gets one of its most eagerly anticipated titles with My Pokémon Ranch (1,000 points), the prequel to My Pokémon Creamy Caesar. This relaxing title lets your Miis and Pokémon hang out together on a ranch, which sounds like a splendid way to spend an afternoon. Players will be able to link up with Pokémon Diamond and Pearl for the DS and deposit up to 1,000 Pokémon onto your ranch, leaving you up to your neck in Pokémon droppings.
On the older games front we have two NES games at 600 points each, Dig Dug, which involves inflating your enemies until they are dead, and the Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa, a game never released outside of Japan that involves inflating your enemies and riding on top of them. Two games whose heroes truly blow.
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board has issued new rulings on a slew of still unconfirmed titles, giving us a look at what’s next for the Wii’s Virtual Console. The list is very SNK heavy, as Art of Fighting 2, Fatal Fury 2, Samurai Shodown and Burning Fight all are planned as Wii releases. That’s a lot of 2D fighting.
Dig Dug, presumably the NES version, is also coming to the Wii.
In addition, PlayStation 3 ratings for The Last Guy and WipEout HD have appeared, hopefully a good indication that both will be hitting the PlayStation Network soon. Finally, Freddi Fish: Kelp Seed Mystery is apparently a video game about a fish who’s also a detective. Who knew fish were so smart?! I think we’ve all learned a lot today.
Gamers may not have the same fond memories of Dig Dug II, as it nixed the flat plane underground digging for a top-down island view, but, hey, this was the heady 80s, when you never knew what you were going to get out of a sequel. Arcade gamers who were raised on Namco and Bally Midway fare were just pleased as punch to not be on the receiving end of a pinball-only sequel. Fortunately, for those who have lust in their hearts for more Dig Dug II style gaming, Namco Bandai games has partnered with Verx to produce an online PC follow up named Dig Dug Islands.
First, it’s Japan-only for now and will most likely stay that way. The story behind Dig Dug Islands, as I gather from the game’s intro, is that a menacing, pineapple-stealing vortex has transformed a series of tropical islands to climates more sinister. To the rescue are a bunch of drill and pump wielding bobbleheaded boys and girls who must dispatch the swarm of Pookas and Fygars who threaten some sort of disaster.
I don’t expect Dig Dug Islands to make its way out of Asian markets, but for those in Japan, let us know how it is, okay? More pics at Game Watch and a trailer at the official site.
Dig Dug Islands [Impress Game Watch]
