# Dig Dug: translating arcade routines and modeling triple-Z80 hardware

> Dig Dug translates routines from the 1982 arcade game's Rev 2 ROMs into Rust and models its three Z80 processors and Namco I/O, video and audio hardware. It includes a disassembler, memory-map report, native windowed port and differential checks against a separate Z80 interpreter. The author states that translation coverage and full hardware equivalence remain incomplete.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: Game
- Category: Independent reconstruction cases
- Relationship: Independent reconstruction project
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-08
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-09
- Original resource: <https://github.com/Suspence00/digdug-decomp>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/Suspence00/digdug-decomp/blob/c3282c557b0f531213458d2bcad578c0ac783725/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/digdug-decomp-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/digdug-decomp-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/digdug-decomp-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** Stable Rust and a user-owned Dig Dug Rev 2 arcade ROM set are needed for gameplay.
- **Testing evidence:** ROM-dependent regressions require the original ROMs; ordinary tests use synthetic data.
- **Limits:** Timing, custom I/O and gameplay coverage remain incomplete.
- **License:** MIT License.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/Suspence00/digdug-decomp/blob/c3282c557b0f531213458d2bcad578c0ac783725/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/Suspence00/digdug-decomp/blob/c3282c557b0f531213458d2bcad578c0ac783725/disasm/REVERSE_ENGINEERING_REPORT.md>
3. <https://github.com/Suspence00/digdug-decomp/blob/c3282c557b0f531213458d2bcad578c0ac783725/docs/KNOWN_ISSUES.md>

## More in Games

- [Digimon World 2 PC port: native Windows and Linux builds](https://awesomerea.org/resources/digimon-world-2-pc/index.md) · Case study
- [Digimon World 2003: a handheld port of the matching decompilation](https://awesomerea.org/resources/dw3-handheld-port-case/index.md) · Case study
- [Digimon World 2003: a native PC port from decompiled C](https://awesomerea.org/resources/dw3-native-port-case/index.md) · Case study
- [DinoPad: bringing Dinosaur Planet Recompiled to Apple devices](https://awesomerea.org/resources/dinopad-dinosaur-planet-case/index.md) · Case study
- [DishSoap: an Android port of The Dishwasher: Dead Samurai](https://awesomerea.org/resources/dishsoap-dishwasher-android-port-case/index.md) · Case study
- [DK64: Recompiled — an Android port of Donkey Kong 64](https://awesomerea.org/resources/dk64-android/index.md) · Case study

## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.