GOTY 2020 - NUMBER FIVE
Video version
Right, we’re through the iffy half. Now I’m just talking about games I really like. Here’s a belter.
Maybe you saw this on the eShop and thought, “Oh, that’s nice. Mr Driller’s on the Switch. I’m sure the fans are happy”. No! This is far more than that. This is the game that delivers on the potential of Mr Driller.
DrillLand doesn’t feel like it was meant to spend 18 years as a Japan-only Gamecube game. It’s a much bigger deal than that. It’s Namco, reflecting on their key strengths in the arcade scene, and figuring out how to utilise that in an industry that had shifted focus towards home consoles. These kinds of welcoming, attractive, high skill-ceiling games have been a bedrock for Namco in Japan, both in arcades and on console, but apart from Tekken, and perhaps Soulcalibur, Namco hadn’t really managed to convince most western console-owners that these games justified their prices. It’s a side of the company that has become much quieter since those days, as they’ve got through the last decade or so on the back of Bandai licenses and handling international publishing duties for smaller Japanese companies like Level-5 and From Software. The Nintendo Switch has given them much more confidence to explore their roots though.
With Katamari Damacy Reroll and Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun, Europe finally became acquainted with two quintessentially “Namco” Namco games. Unique gameplay concepts explored through colourful, attractive visuals and backed by top-tier soundtracks. Mr Driller is one layer closer to the core of Namco. A sort of sequel series to maybe my favourite Namco game – Dig Dug – Mr Driller is born of 80s arcade design philosophy.
It’s a skill-based score attack game that rewards quick decisions and skillful action, and presents a concept that’s entirely its own. A cute wee game about drilling down through sets of coloured blocks without wasting too many actions, or you’ll run out of air. It’s a simple and inviting concept, but I didn’t really know how good it was until DrillLand explored all the different dynamics through its 6 main modes. Creating big block groups, navigating your way to alluring items, and avoiding overhead threats. It’s all stuff that gets richly explored in their own modes and develop your skill as a player. They’re not tutorials. They feel every bit as rich as the main game, and the ludicrous difficulty of the harder levels show how much there is to learn. Drindy Adventure is a personal favourite, bringing over Susumu’s dad, Taizo Hori from Dig Dug and presenting an Indiana Jones-inspired dig site filled with treasures and rolling boulders. It’s tense, cautious and thrilling, and it’s just one wee aspect of the game.
And the soundtrack? I’ve celebrated the mid-2000s Namco soundteam before, and the DrillLand music is every bit as good as anything you’d get from a Taiko no Tatsujin or Katamari Damacy game. It’s fantastic and shouldn’t be overlooked.
DrillLand is so far beyond the rest of the series. It’s the only Mr Driller game worth talking about now. Maybe you’re a little nervous, and you think you won’t get enough out of it. Want my advice? Dig a chance.
Video version
Right, we’re through the iffy half. Now I’m just talking about games I really like. Here’s a belter.
Maybe you saw this on the eShop and thought, “Oh, that’s nice. Mr Driller’s on the Switch. I’m sure the fans are happy”. No! This is far more than that. This is the game that delivers on the potential of Mr Driller.
DrillLand doesn’t feel like it was meant to spend 18 years as a Japan-only Gamecube game. It’s a much bigger deal than that. It’s Namco, reflecting on their key strengths in the arcade scene, and figuring out how to utilise that in an industry that had shifted focus towards home consoles. These kinds of welcoming, attractive, high skill-ceiling games have been a bedrock for Namco in Japan, both in arcades and on console, but apart from Tekken, and perhaps Soulcalibur, Namco hadn’t really managed to convince most western console-owners that these games justified their prices. It’s a side of the company that has become much quieter since those days, as they’ve got through the last decade or so on the back of Bandai licenses and handling international publishing duties for smaller Japanese companies like Level-5 and From Software. The Nintendo Switch has given them much more confidence to explore their roots though.
With Katamari Damacy Reroll and Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum ‘n’ Fun, Europe finally became acquainted with two quintessentially “Namco” Namco games. Unique gameplay concepts explored through colourful, attractive visuals and backed by top-tier soundtracks. Mr Driller is one layer closer to the core of Namco. A sort of sequel series to maybe my favourite Namco game – Dig Dug – Mr Driller is born of 80s arcade design philosophy.
It’s a skill-based score attack game that rewards quick decisions and skillful action, and presents a concept that’s entirely its own. A cute wee game about drilling down through sets of coloured blocks without wasting too many actions, or you’ll run out of air. It’s a simple and inviting concept, but I didn’t really know how good it was until DrillLand explored all the different dynamics through its 6 main modes. Creating big block groups, navigating your way to alluring items, and avoiding overhead threats. It’s all stuff that gets richly explored in their own modes and develop your skill as a player. They’re not tutorials. They feel every bit as rich as the main game, and the ludicrous difficulty of the harder levels show how much there is to learn. Drindy Adventure is a personal favourite, bringing over Susumu’s dad, Taizo Hori from Dig Dug and presenting an Indiana Jones-inspired dig site filled with treasures and rolling boulders. It’s tense, cautious and thrilling, and it’s just one wee aspect of the game.
And the soundtrack? I’ve celebrated the mid-2000s Namco soundteam before, and the DrillLand music is every bit as good as anything you’d get from a Taiko no Tatsujin or Katamari Damacy game. It’s fantastic and shouldn’t be overlooked.
DrillLand is so far beyond the rest of the series. It’s the only Mr Driller game worth talking about now. Maybe you’re a little nervous, and you think you won’t get enough out of it. Want my advice? Dig a chance.