Digger - MAME machine

Arcade Video game published 44 years ago:

Digger © 1980 Gremlin Ind.

Digger is a game that requires you to dig strategically placed holes within a maze format so you can capture and fill in over the invading creatures before they can attack and destroy your man. The maze format changes with every round played.

The creatures are confined behind a wall. In the first of three rounds of game play, four creatures are let out of the holding area through a gate. You must conquer these four before advancing to the next round, where you face six creatures. Your third round has you battling eight creatures. This process is repeated and the point value increased with each three-round victory. Also, creatures' speed increases each round. Any contact at all with the creatures will be fatal to your man.

While you are busy digging holes and entrapping creatures, the rest are behind the retaining wall scurrying back and forth. After about three minutes, the gates at each end will open and all of the remaining creatures will stream into the play area at once. However, a skillful player will conquer all of the creatures of each round and the gate will not be a threat.

TECHNICAL
Game ID: 684-691

Main CPU: Zilog Z80 (@ 1.93356 Mhz)

Screen orientation: Vertical
Video resolution: 224 x 256 pixels
Screen refresh: 60.00 Hz
Palette colors: 64

Players: 2
Control: 4-way joystick
Buttons: 2
→ [A] DIG, [B] FILL

TRIVIA
Digger was released in June 1980.

A hidden message can be found in ROM chip 691.u20, starting at 0x19E:
WRITTEN BY DAVID L. EVANS, 4535 TAFT AVENUE, LA MESA, CALIF. 92041
AND BEAT OUT ON THE KEYBOARD OF A NOVAL 765!
THANK YOU TERRY, BARBARA, CRAIG AND LARRY FOR SOME DEBUGGED SUBROUTINES...
JUNE 25, 1980 GREMLIN/SEGA INC.

SCORING
The point value per creature increases with each three-round phase.
The first phase awards 300 points per creature, decreasing to 100 points if not filled over promptly.
The second phase awards 500 points per creature, decreasing to 300 points.
The third phase awards 700 points, decreasing to 500 points.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• A double score bonus is awarded if you capture and fill in over the RED creature before any of the GREEN ones. But, this must be the FIRST creature defeated, or the RED creature becomes GREEN and no bonus is awarded.
• A 1000 points bonus is given if you capture four creatures in a row at full point value during any one round.
• When a creature is captured, 8 squeaking sounds are heard before the creature escapes from the hole. 5 squeaks are required to cover a creature, so you must hurry to the hole and Fill before the 4th squeak, or the creature will emerge and devour your man.

STAFF
Written by: David L. Evans

CONTRIBUTE
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