Drill Dozer Review (GBA)

From the studio mostly known for Pokemon, Game Freak unleashed a puzzle platformer onto the GBA that broke down barriers and shook the Nintendo system it was on, literally. Today we're reviewing Drill Dozer!
■► Zackery Wilson - Dressed to Drill
• Zackery Wilson - Dress...
💙 Support the Channel 💚
► Patreon: / aboveup
► Humble Affiliate Link: www.humblebundle.com/?partner...
► Green Man Gaming Affiliate Link: www.anrdoezrs.net/click-884902...
📙📘 Links 📗📙
📗 Review playlist:
kzbin.info?list...
📘 Beyond Dead playlist:
kzbin.info?list...
📗 Ys Reviews: kzbin.info?list...
📘 SaGa Reviews: kzbin.info?list...
📗 News/Industry related videos: kzbin.info?list...
📘 AboveUp on Twitter:
/ aboveup
📗 AboveUp on Twitch:
twitch.com/AboveUp
📘 Aboveup on Instagram: / aboveupgaming
📗 AboveUp's full stream VoD channel:
kzbin.info/door/380j...
📘 Beyond Dead Steam Curator page:
store.steampowered.com/curator...
📗 AboveUp Steam Usergroup:
steamcommunity.com/groups/AboveUp
#DrillDozer #GBA #nintendo

[@Randomizer482]

Top tier, Drill Dozer has been one of my favorite games since it came out, still have the original cart. Guess it's time to replay it again

[@sarthaksingh5480]

This concept is way ahead of their of that time 2005 seriously. I mean that time no android games and now when i play this game on my big screen Android game it fells like it is released on Android now but actually this is 2005 games when phones didn't have games. Salute to developers who created such a creative games how they got ideas of making game like this seriously 😅.

[@aciddownpour2185]

God, seeing and hearing that intro, watching the wall break again after all these years... It sent a chill down my spine. Drill Dozer has always been one of my favorite games, with an astounding soundtrack, fun gameplay, and neat graphics. One of the best hidden gems there is, really.

[@LutraLovegood]

Not my number one GBA game, but certainly a favourite! Wish GF made a similar game or a sequel for the DS or 3DS.

[@setteplays]

Drill Dozer is my absolute favorite platformer and my favorite on the GBA. Thank you for highlighting it. It made me play Pulseman and discover that Game Freak was more than Pokémon. And I'll NEVER forget the way you beat the last boss. That scene is burned in my brain.

[@globox123456789]

Pokemon has been stagnating for 20 years but every other game GF make is bursting with awesome ideas. I know why, but it's really frustrating to see what they're actually capable of.

[@crowiltiziodeltreno4177]

Game Freak is great. And Drill Dozer is a true masterpiece.

[@krayozmines]

Playing through this right now. So glad there's a video on this game on youtube. It's a great game

[@ssdarko1]

This makes me happy that there are people who are still celebrating this game. I have been playing this game since release and it has never been dull. Its a damn shame that the 3ds didn't bring a new dozer game. Replay it in hard mode and don't forget the codes, the nurse costume is my favorite!

[@natescriba3185]

Drilldozer was my childhood

[@chutton988]

Awesome review! Some other reviewers are less complimentary but you obviously know your stuff so now I'm very eager to get this on Wii U VC. Just looked it up and the rumble works in that version too.

[@silasmcgee3647]

I'm a little over halfway into the video up to the point where you go to the ruins but already I can tell you're much nicer about reviewing this game and other people and it's always appreciated by other Gamers to commend it for what it is instead of beating It Down For What It's not and as an owner of this game all the things you mentioned I can see crystal clear

[@mechamax7919]

a hidden gem for sure, and one of my favorite GBA games. I played it with my GBA SP and DS back in the day, and enjoyed playing on both so much. I really hope that Gamefreak or someone adds onto the story with another game to make it a series, something else Gamefreak can lean on in case one of their "bigger titles" hits a roadblock or some bumps. But yeah, I can safely recommend Drilldozer. Fantastic game! You know the drill! 😎

[@wesleybcrowen]

This game was quite a fantastic impulse buy for my GBA SP. Shame the bootleg cart it was in didn't have rumble. Oh well.

[@eyemotif]

i have no idea why i had this game as a kid, but holy shit am i so glad i did. this game is a masterpiece.

[@Ilvocare]

Pretty good review of the game. I didn't really hate the flying segment as much as others because if you use the hovering mechanic as much as humanly possible then it feels more controllable than the swimming IMO. The platforming is aces and the postgame content is a wild ride that's fantastic, and the game itself has fantastic escalation for its setpieces and simple narrative. I'd argue that the moments in the game where you get locked into a single screen to KO a bunch of enemies acts as the weakest parts in the game overall, and basically everything you fight that's NOT a boss is filler, more or less. Also there were a couple of treasures in my 100% collection runs that seemed really dumb in the way they were hidden, but that's minor nitpicks. As for why more people don't talk about this game more often? I'd give that to its incredibly late release date on the GBA (pretty sure DS games were already being made by then), along with a couple of reviewers not seeing the ways it keeps things fresh as... doing that... (looking at you, X-Play).

[@Aboveup]

Yeah, I would agree about the moments it locks you in place to fight a few waves of enemies as the real weak point. Thankfully these never really last too long. Moments like that, as well as the flying, and the way the challenges push things are what makes me wish there was a good iterative sequel to this to really bank on some of the concepts in there. So much is left feeling like there's potential to continue on in this game. Which I can't hold against it by itself. It's a good thing when a game leaves you wanting for more.

[@Ilvocare]

@@Aboveup I can only assume the time just wasn't right, which seems to be the case for quite a few portable game gems... Also not helping matters: all the insane shit locked behind the Training Course combination lock! We're talking multiple costumes, modifiers, a OHK difficulty mode, different window borders and Dozer palettes... all locked behind MULTIPLE codes that were Japan-exclusive in magazines or events or something. Gamefaqs has them all now but it always bothered me how often games of this era and the DS would have codes and stuff locking off content like that... they weren't even cheat codes in the normal sense of the word!

[@cristiancruz1972]

I just got this for the wii u. It was one my favorites on the GBA and didn't realize I could play it again. Really fun game

[@SkunkStarlight]

Another great video, keep up the good work! ♥

[@Yuvia_Rain]

A really true hidden gem... I was trying to get a physical copy my god they go for a pretty high price and had to settled for a Japanese copy which I got with a really god price... man this game is so much fun.

[@doughnut_panda]

For me this is one of the best GBA games and I feel it's really overlooked.

[@vellstationOK]

I have a question, on this game in the forest map the final boss i cant win. Someone can explain me how win to that boss? I dont understad :(

[@markasscop]

10:16 what's cool here is that in this small bit, I crouch slided to get to that next thing, wouldn't have thought to reach it how you did

[@MagillanicaLouM]

This one looks awesome. To think I only knew her as an assist trophy all these years.

[@Ghost-ul8eu]

I thought I was the only one who drew comparisons to steamworld dig when I saw this game.Now I want a drilldozer dig game.

[@XziledBlog]

Thanks, its my favourite GBA game too (After Mega Man Zero)

[@mystak3n]

*omg yes Harmoknight* this is one of the games that’s guilty of getting me hooked on rhythm games and I have no regrets. In terms of Drill Dozer, I wanted to see if it was worth seeking out a copy on eBay because I never got to finish it when we had it a long time ago before the cartridge corrupted ;-; but I must say after seeing this I’m going to go forward on that journey of trying to get my hands on a working copy, physical or emulated.

[@TANKTREAD]

Glad I got this game brand new a few years ago. NOW you have to sell your soul just to get either the cartridge alone or Zeus forbid a complete copy of a GameBoy Advance title.

[@scissordemonsuya7417]

I remember crying in the 4-2 area since the flying mechanic was hard to control

[@ImmortalGodEmperor]

Drill Dozer was a lovely game I got to experience a few years ago thx to mGBA. I'm always impressed at the quality of Game Freak titles that aren't Pokèmon, and how little attention they get.

[@renyuuzu]

It also have the Hoenn trumpets

[@renyuuzu]

@aIysdexia English is not my first language, stop wasting your time.

[@murcielago6964]

Can u talk about gurumin pls

[@packpock4369]

WarioLand 4 has the attention to detail like this game it's special..minish cap is another one.

[@HeavyWeapon44]

👍

[@sebastiantate6041]

the rumble pack on my game still work really well it's very strong it's like the person I bought it from barely used the cart its basically mint i got mu copy back in 2018 for 30 dollars but in 2020 it's like 67 dollars it's crazy

[@harperfunderburg]

now all over ebay and shits its like 120-140 😲

[@warinator2427]

I had this game I been trying to remember it cause it had a weird case

[@julianx2rl]

Game Freak is the most SEGA of Nintendo's Studios.

[@vellstationOK]

I call to this game like "The cute loli with a motherfcker drill boiii"

[@derp7osoup]

Ah Yes

[@wafflemaster59]

I have had this game since I was a little kid. I remember picking it out of the case of pre-owned gameboy games. I only picked it out because the cartridge looked weird. I bought a second one several years ago after I dropped it in some water and nearly broke it. I fucking love this game and if anything ever happens to my copies I'm just going to have to buy more. It just feels wrong to use an emulator for it. Most of the ones on ebay are listed for $80 to $100. It's totally fucking worth it if you want to play the game and enjoy having a physical copy. Honestly I might even buy a third, eventually, just so I'm sure I won't ever be without it. I realize my opinion is far from objective but this game is a prefect master piece!

[@burningphoneix]

I tried Harmoknight. It sucks. (Disclaimer: I have absolutely no sense of Rhythm)

[@colt8748]

Do sonic advance next, do all 3 one by one please!!!

[@MarlonMikami]

Can't say I liked this game much. Was having fun in the beginning but by the end of the game I just felt that every stage was overstaying it's welcome and dragging.

[@theosr93]

This game is hard. Collosobot is one of the worst boss battle i ever fight. So much stress & ridiculous.