Drill Dozer Game Boy Advance

This year's best platformer?

By Yahoo! Shopping User  Mar 14, 2006

Pros: excellent play control

Cons: childish graphics and story

I'll pre-empt this review by saying that I've only played the game's first two stages, so it's really more of a 'hands-on' than anything else. That said, here's what I thought:

Drill Dozer shines because although it relies on a very simple concept (jump, drill, repeat) the developers were still able to add a lot of depth to the gameplay. They did this by allowing drills and attributes can be upgraded throughout the game's many missions. This not only produces replay value but also creates a lot of puzzle solving. Powering the drill clockwise and counter-clockwise also initiates unique move combinations, which can be used to reach places in the game the player couldn't get to before. Good stuff.

I guess the thing I like most about Drill Dozer is that the play control is right on. The touchpad is super responsive, and special moves are neither too easy or too hard to execute. I also liked that the platforming element isn't super critical. If you're half-on-half-off a ledge, the game sides with you.

The only drawback I found with the game is that visually it looks very childish. This of course could or couldn't be a drawback depending on your age. As a 20-something gamer who grew up on sidescrollers, the gameplay made me feel right at home. It's just a little embaressing to play in public.