Greetings, Gamers – Greg here to talk about Mr. Driller DrillLand from Bandai Namco entertainment. If you’ve been gaming from since the at least the early 2000s, you probably remember Mr. Driller from its original release in 1999 where it came out originally for arcade machines and then later on Nintendo Game Boy Color, Playstation, Sega Dreamcast, WonderSwam Color (I’ve never heard of this lol), Windows, and even mobile phones.
I, for one, remember playing this in arcades in my hometown and if it made it all the way to my small hometown with a population of only 3,000 people, I’m sure it must have been a hit around the world. So, if are like me, you are nostalgic for the Mr. Driller franchise since there were many subsequent releases, this might just be a fun drill down memory lane. Especially if you were in Japan or Europe for this game’s original release on Nintendo GameCube, but this new version has HD graphics and a very well done stunning intro cutscene.
In Mr. Driller DrillLand, the collection of drilling heroes are on a brand new adventure in an underground theme park called DrillLand, much like a Disneyland, but themed for the drilling heroes. There are five attractions featured in DrillLand; World Drill Tour, Star Driller, Drindy Adventure, The Whole of Druaga, and Horror Night House. Each level presents a whole host of different looks and challenges keeping your drilling adventure different and feeling like fresh soil. Though, if you want some other ways to keep your game play feeling fresh, there are 6 Iconic characters to choose from: Susumu Hori, Puchi, Anna Hottenmeyer, Holinger-Z, Ataru Hori, and Taizo Hori. All these playable characters have unique abilities and play styles ranging from faster drilling to a bonus chance to survive a rock falling on your head.
Mr. Driller DrillLand offers multiple modes for people wanting to play solo or with friends. Solo mode offers individuals the opportunity to play in the classic mode or casual mode for a more leisurely paced version of the game. If you want to play with other people, you can play competitive multiplayer with up to 4 players on one console. Race to the finish or battle in either Free for All mode or Pairs.
Overall, the gameplay of Mr. Driller DrillLand is pretty simple but it brings back memories of simpler games. This is a game that someone at any age or skill level can jump into without a lot of experience in this puzzle class or explanation. This is a fun take on the block puzzle games encouraging players to use their speed to escape falling blocks and make it through levels before their air or time runs out. Giving players just enough pressure to keep game play challenging but still not so much to discourage players from even picking up the game. That’s not to say that Mr. Driller DrillLand is without challenges, as some levels of this game were so challenging I found myself playing the same level over and over again with growing determination. Since Mr. Driller DrillLand dug its way into my heart again, I’m going to give it a 8/10.
For more information about Mr. DRILLER DrillLand or other titles from BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment America Inc., please visit; https://www.bandainamcoent.com, follow on Facebook, or join the conversation on Twitter.
I've been a life long nerd and video game junkie known to associate with the likes of Link, Nathan Drake, Batman, and Master Chief. I'm a filmmaker by profession, but spend lots of time behind a controller escaping the real world. @GregVelde on Instagram/Twitter/YouTube
More Stories
REIGNS BEYOND Review for Steam
FINAL FACTORY Review for Steam Early Access
Yu-Gi-Oh! MASTER DUEL Review for Steam