Dig Dug
Nintendo Entertainment System · 1985
About this game
Dig Dug is a single-player or alternating two-player action game.
The player controls a character tasked with eliminating underground monsters across a series of stages.
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Each level is a cross-section of dirt with tunnels dug in real time as the player moves.
The two types of enemies encountered are Pookas, round red creatures wearing goggles, and Fygars, green fire-breathing dragons.
Both pursue the player through tunnels, and after a few seconds of losing sight of the player, they can transform into ghostly forms to move through solid earth until they reach another tunnel.
To defeat enemies, the player carries an air pump that can be attached by pressing the action button.
Pumping inflates the monster until it bursts, awarding points.
Pumping can be interrupted, but partially inflated enemies will revert to normal and continue attacking.
An alternative method of attack is luring enemies under large rocks scattered throughout each stage.
Digging beneath these rocks can cause them to fall, crushing anything below, including the player.
Rocks falling also open tunnels, and dropping multiple rocks in a stage grants bonus points.
Scoring incentives are built into the system.
Vegetables occasionally appear in the middle of the screen once two rocks have been dropped in a round.
Collecting these vegetables grants bonus points, and the type and value of the vegetable increase in later rounds.
Bonus points are also awarded for consecutive ghost kills or for crushing multiple enemies with a single rock.
Each round ends when all enemies have been eliminated.
Enemies increase in speed as stages progress, and Fygars add the additional threat of breathing fire horizontally across tunnels, which can instantly defeat the player.
Later versions and home releases varied in presentation and features.
The arcade original allowed two players to take turns, while console and computer ports often adjusted graphics and sound to suit hardware limitations.
Some versions altered maze size, e
About Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System (1983 in Japan, 1985 in the West) revived the North American video game industry after the 1983 crash and established conventions — cartridges, licensing seals, save systems — that shaped the industry for decades. NES collecting is one of the most established retro markets: common titles remain cheap, but a well-known handful of low-print-run games (many from smaller third-party publishers) are among the most expensive video games in existence.
Gamevaro tracks Dig Dug for Nintendo Entertainment System with separate market values for loose, complete-in-box (CIB) and factory-sealed copies, sourced from real eBay sales. Prices also vary by region — PAL, NTSC-U and NTSC-J releases of the same game often sell for different amounts due to print run sizes and regional collector demand.
Adding Dig Dug to a Gamevaro collection takes seconds — search by title or scan the box barcode, and the app fills in cover art, release details and current pricing automatically. This NES release dates back to 1985.
Price history
Market values by condition
NTSC-J
Recent sales
| Date | Type | Region | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-16 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €20.52 |
| 2026-07-16 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €12.83 |
| 2026-07-16 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €180.34 |
| 2026-07-16 | Item only | NTSC-J | €19.28 |
| 2026-07-16 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €51.29 |
| 2026-07-16 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €163.95 |
| 2026-07-14 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €12.81 |
| 2026-07-14 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €51.21 |
| 2026-07-14 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €180.06 |
| 2026-07-14 | Item only | NTSC-J | €19.25 |
| 2026-07-14 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €20.48 |
| 2026-07-14 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €163.69 |
| 2026-07-13 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €20.47 |
| 2026-07-13 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €51.18 |
| 2026-07-13 | Item only | NTSC-J | €19.24 |
| 2026-07-13 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €179.97 |
| 2026-07-13 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €163.60 |
| 2026-07-13 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €12.80 |
| 2026-07-12 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €179.97 |
| 2026-07-12 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €51.18 |
| 2026-07-12 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €20.47 |
| 2026-07-12 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €163.60 |
| 2026-07-12 | Item only | NTSC-J | €19.43 |
| 2026-07-12 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €12.80 |
| 2026-07-10 | Graded New | NTSC-J | €179.89 |
| 2026-07-10 | Complete in Box | NTSC-J | €51.16 |
| 2026-07-10 | Manual Only | NTSC-J | €12.79 |
| 2026-07-10 | Box Only | NTSC-J | €20.46 |
| 2026-07-10 | New (sealed) | NTSC-J | €163.53 |
| 2026-07-10 | Item only | NTSC-J | €19.42 |
Market insights
Rarity & condition
Dig Dug has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning enough copies circulate to establish a reliable market price.
Complete-in-box (CIB) copies typically command a premium over loose cartridges/discs because the original box and manual are more fragile and get discarded or damaged over time — fewer complete sets survive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Dig Dug worth?
Gamevaro hasn't tracked a market sale for Dig Dug (Nintendo Entertainment System) yet, so no current value is available. Prices are sourced from real marketplace sales, and this page will update automatically once sales data comes in.
Is Dig Dug rare?
Dig Dug has a steady sales history on the tracked marketplaces, meaning it trades hands regularly and isn't considered particularly rare.
What's the difference between loose, CIB and sealed for Dig Dug?
Loose means cartridge or disc only, CIB (complete in box) includes the original box and manual, and sealed means factory-sealed and never opened. These are tracked as separate market values because the price gap between them can be significant, especially for older releases.
Ratings & Reviews
Also on other platforms
More Nintendo Entertainment System games