Drill Dozer

"A pink gem shining brightly among the masses..."

Drill Dozer is a 2-D side-scroller platformer who is made by Game Freaks who also created the well known series which is known as Pokemon. It is a nice change of pace seeing that they are able to create something beyond Pokemon, but I didn't know what to expect. While on some level of the game, it doesn't provide anything innovative but it does provide a needed refreshing look at the genre itself.

The story of the game is about Jill, who is the daughter of a gang of thieves known as the Red Dozer. Her father was seriously injured by the Skullker Gang because he was trying to protect the Red Diamond from them. It is up to her and her trusty Drill Dozer Robot and also her crew to steal back the diamond. The story is pretty basic so if you're looking for something that has a lot of depth, I suggest look for another game. However, it doesn't mean the story is bad in any shape or form.The story is presented very well, fill with colorful characters and villains.

At least, it's an entertaining story.

The designs of the game and the characters are very cute looking but it's also some of the better graphics that I have seen on the GBA. The music sounds that it came from a cartoon show but it really works well with the graphics and the atmosphere of the game.

Drill Dozer is your basic side-scroller going left and right of your screen. However, the only weapon that you are able to use is the Drill Dozer. You are using the Drill Dozer to drill through enemies, screws, walls, anything that is considered to be an obstacle. Each level, you would need to find three gears in order to make your drill very powerful. You are able to upgrade your weapon and other various sorts of things. The controls are easy to grasp in the game. However, one of my biggest complaint of the game is that some of the maneuvers that you will be performing are sometimes hard to do. Although it might be somewhat hard, I think part of the reason is because I was playing on the GBA Micro which is very small in my hands. Some people might not have the same problems as mine but it's still somewhat difficult to manage. It's also includes a rumble feature in the game which is pretty nifty and somewhat gimmicky at the same time.

The game is pretty short with only 6 areas with about 11 levels. Also, there are 6 areas you can train in the game. There are some replay value if you're the type of person who enjoys collecting everything.

This is an underrated game that not everyone will enjoy it nor care about it. However, if you're tired of the mainstream games, why not break your old habits and play something out of the ordinary.

You will not be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/16/06