Drill Dozer combines platform elements with fun new mechanics to make for one of the last, great experiences for the GBA
For most of the game, Jill rides around in a small mech called a Dozer. The Dozer can plod slowly forward, and has some limited jumping and sliding ability. But its main feature is the giant drill mounted on its front, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what you should be doing with that. You control the drill’s spin in both a clockwise and counterclockwise fashion (controlled by R and L shoulder buttons respectively), and you can drill through most of the things in your environment. Drill Dozer has you drilling through walls, floors, giant screws, ceilings, robots, bombs, blocks, zombies, corrupt Police, air ducts, and just about anything else you find in your way as you fight against rival gang The Skullkers and search for the mysterious Colored Diamonds. Another snazzy addition Game Freaks thought to include was a built in rumble feature. There are option settings if you don’t like that sort of thing, but the buzzing rumble adds a surprisingly visceral element to boring through walls and enemies. The only down side, though, is it means the ugly red cartridge is about twice the size of a GBA cart. And for you hardcore gamers out there, don’t be fooled by it’s simplistic and cartoony façade, Drill Dozer provides a hard mode that will test the skills of even the staunchest gamers. Gameplay in Drill Dozer follows a somewhat linear formula – You’ll enter into an area and stage, progresses through the level, drilling, jumping and smashing your enemies. Along the way, you’ll need to find two gears that will be hidden somewhere in the area. These upgrades are required to progress, as they bestow additional drilling power to your Dozer and allow you to drill through increasingly tougher obstacles and enemies. The level will usually end in a boss of some sort, and these fights are especially fun. Each has a puzzle element to them as you try to figure out the enemy’s weaknesses. You can bet you’ve got to drill something, but where and when is not always so easy to determine. Each boss has you using your Dozer in a fun new way, and they end up being the highlight of the game. Once the stage is completed, Jill returns to a mobile repair unit, where her spent gears are discarded. You can use chips (read: currency) to purchase upgrades for your Dozer, unlock new levels, and consult your list of found treasures and items. When you’re ready, you can proceed on to the next leg of the story. Each new chapter expands on the maneuvers and puzzles you faced in the previous levels, and each is just new enough to keep the game fresh and interesting the whole way through. The characters and story of Drill Dozer are over-the-top and cartoony complete with cheesy dialogue and corny jokes. But there is a tender story here, at the heart of it, about a broken family trying to get on with their lives. There are some memorable characters, and some very unlikely situations in the multiple cut scenes that further the plot along. It’s really an unusual attention to story for an action platformer. Visually, Drill Dozer is about as good as you can expect from a GBA game. The colors are bright, and rich, and the backgrounds have a surprising amount of detail. The game looks especially great when played on a DS, or DS Lite. Musically, Drill Dozer’s score is good but not great. Each area and level has its own theme, and they appropriately spooky, or industrial. There is a fatal flaw though – whenever Jill collects her third gear (and this occurs at some point in every level), the level’s theme music stops, and it’s replaced with a zippy “triumph” song that will continue to play until you’ve completed the level. This means that about a third of your time playing will be scored by the same looping fanfare. It’s really a minor gripe, but it’s the kind of thing you have to wonder about from such a prominent developer.
As a complete package, Drill Dozer is terrific. It’s fast, fun entertainment and it’s easy to pick up and play for a few minutes or an hour – ideal for a hand-held. The story is light, but touching and the drill mechanics bring a fresh new twist to platforming and provide numerous opportunities for puzzles and fun boss fights.