A beautiful swansong and a last hurrah for the GameBoy Advance.
Drill Dozer came out of nowhere and onto the Game Boy Advance just as the system was taking its final bow. Perhaps due to this the game became a bit of a commercial failure; it did however win numerous awards (including NP GBA game of the year) and through word of mouth, became something of a cult hit.
Story: Drill Dozer is also particularly special because it comes with a mini comic book that outlines the plot, how cool is that! I once bought a game that came with a fish taco coupon but this is decidedly more awesome. Anyway, the story goes that Jill, the female lead is the daughter of Doug, the leader of a criminal gang known as the Red Dozers, and unlike the coward Sly Cooper, they actually do rob banks! (Joking, his games aren't half bad). However, one night a rival gang known as the Skulkers were on a revenge mission, they attacked Doug by surprise, crippling him and stealing a Red Diamond the Red Dozers hold dear. Jill then takes up the reins as leader and, with help from Gearmo the mechanic and Grutch, an old guy who doesn't do much but drive, they set out to crush the Skulkers and rob a few banks while Carmelita Fox.... I mean inspector Carrie is in pursuit. They also come across mysterious diamonds similar to Chaos Emeralds... Okay, I admit the story, while solid, is not a strong point. Still, there are still enough twists to keep you interested, and it never gets to the point where you're ignoring the story while trying to play the game, like so much other games I've seen in this genre.
Controls and Gameplay: Basic yet ingenious, the controls are easy to use. Holding the R button rotates the drill with a clockwise spin, hold the L button for a counter clockwise spin, press A to jump and B to look around. A level of the game usually revolves around breaking in, solving puzzles, stealing Chips (currency) and treasure, as well as finding the 2nd and 3rd gear hidden in every level that allows the drill to move at a more powerful speed. The primary skill mechanic is shifting up to a higher gear each time the drill reaches max revolution, if you miss, the drill slows to a stop. I also like how you can lock into a block and then eject out of it to get onto a higher platform.
One can easily conclude during play that Drill Dozer is meant to be more of a puzzle platformer, that being said, there is action and the bosses are fantastic, but otherwise the combat is dull. And unless you have the 3rd gear, the Dozer can be awkward to fight with as it's not very manoeuvrable, but it can take a lot of punishment so things even out. If not, there's always the shop where you can buy more health and stronger drill bits. Collecting the treasure is really a fun addition to the game, as you upgrade your drill you gain access to areas of previous levels that you couldn't explore before, thus adding replay value. I also must note that, unlike a bevy of other games out there, the underwater levels are quite fun.
Graphics/FX: Being a game that's launched at the end of the systems run, the graphics have to be great, and they are. It's mainly sprite based, so it's basically a smoother, cleaner SNES esque graphics. But there are times where the game reaches new heights, like the getaway truck animation following the completion of a stage, or the massive explosions at the end of a boss battle, as well as some other things I don't quite want to ruin. Drill Dozer's cartridge also comes with a (surprisingly thin) built in rumble pack, thankfully they don't go overboard with the rumble effects, allowing you to get used to it, I only really noticed the extra depth and difference it makes when I decided to play the game without it!
Music/Sound: As expected from Game Freak, the music is brilliant and easily reminiscent of the good old days of Mega Man and the like, especially this one catchy tune that plays after you nab the 3rd gear. The sound is average for the GBA, but I encountered no sound dysfunction.
End Note: As of writing, Drill Dozer is Game Freak's last non Pokémon game, and it's a shame, because the games' ending heavily hints a sequel! A sequel that may never come. Oh well, at least this fantastic game is here to stay, and you can find it real easily in box at bargain bins and at stores that still sell GBA games. In fact, the only real complaint I have is that all the L + R tapping makes it tricky to use with the stubby shoulder buttons on the GBA SP, while using the original DS also solves this problem, my favourite arrangement for it is using the GBA with the optional wing grip, but that's just me.