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Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits

EMAIL PRINT ds

8.8 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 35 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 7 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Namco

Developer: Namco

Genre(s): Action, Puzzle

Players: 5

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Release Date: November 30, 2004

Summary

Master the art of drilling and take advantage of the dual screen and wireless connectivity of the Nintendo DS. Your fellow drillers are trapped underground and it's up to Mr. Driller to dig through the blocks and rescue them. Play anytime, anywhere with quick play features or duel head-to-head with other players through the wireless capabilities. Tap the stylus on-screen and Mr. Driller will dig in the indicated direction. Whether it's racing to avoid falling blocks or scrambling for an air capsule, Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits brilliantly blends puzzle-solving with white-knuckle action. Battle head-to-head with as many as four players via the DS wireless capability (multiple game cards required). Dual screen support: The lower screen is the main play screen. The upper screen will display the rest of the map, so you can now see how far down you have drilled. Escape the Earth Destroyer Drill in DS Exclusive Pressure Mode. You're on the bottom screen, with the the humongous E.D.D. bearing down on you from above. Go underground with Time Attack and Race modes. Unlock various playable drillers in the Mission mode. [Nintendo]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: 1UP Preview GameSpot Hands-On GameSpy Preview IGN Hands-On Nintendojo Preview Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

RewiredMind

Absolutely essential twitch gaming, and the perfect way to wear in your new DS.

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eToychest

I think the game may pose a greater challenge for adults than the young, but both will find the game frantic. Oddly, I never found the game frustrating, even after losing countless times.

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Worth Playing

Somewhere between the halfway psychotic 2D graphics and the incredibly innovative, if slightly dated, gameplay, Mr. Driller comes extremely close to “classic” status.

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Gamestyle

Niggles aside, Mr Driller: Drill Spirits is excellent fun. It's addictive as hell and if you've got friends with the game - or at least people willing to challenge your high scores - there's almost limitless fun to be had.

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Nintendo Insider

It's really a shame that the best mode (Pressure Driller), and the one that should be the justification for buying the DS edition of this game, is also the shortest.

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Eurogamer

Drill Spirits may not use the DS's new features to conduct a symphony orchestra whilst penning sonnets and bringing democracy to Cuba, but when the underlying game is this gripping we refuse to sit around using its relative lack of invention as a stick to beat it with.

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Game Chronicles

Totally fun and totally addicting. It’s easy to pick-up and impossible to put down. I literally played until my battery died and then I plugged in my DS and played some more.

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Detroit Free Press

The two screens work together to create one large, two-story game screen. Wireless play is available for up to five players, also using one game card.

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Play Magazine

Pressure Driller adds a nice twist to the standard formula. [Jan 2005, p.85]

1UP

Drill Spirits is classic Namco through and through: like "Katamari Damacy" and "Taiko Drum Master," it's a straightforward idea that succeeds on the strength of its addictive gameplay and hyperactive personality.

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Electronic Gaming Monthly

Dual screens don't do much for the original game, but Pressure mode makes you constantly switch focus between screens, ratcheting up the intensity and confusion. [Jan 2005, p.141]

Nintendo Power

The game is simple fun. Ironically, though, it's not incredibly deep. [Feb 2005, p.114]

GMR Magazine

It's hard to ask for more from a portable puzzler, which makes Drill Spirits a tasty (if not completely filling) morsel of gaming goodness. [Feb 2005, p.111]

Pelaaja (Finland)

Driller is a simple and really fun arcade game, which is very addictive even if it really doesn’t take advantage of the DS’s capabilities. [May 2005, p.83]

PALGN

An addictive game, but nothing we haven't seen before.

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NintendoWorldReport

If you like skin-of-your-teeth puzzle games, Mr. Driller is an excellent choice. However, this version's stinted multiplayer, minimal single player modes, and high difficulty will leave the game lacking in the eyes of all but the most dedicated puzzle-heads.

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Game Informer

It's nothing spectacular, but all systems need good puzzle games and this seems to fit the bill nicely. [Jan 2005, p.149]

GameSpy

Even with the minimal use of DS technology and the glaring gameplay omissions, Drill Spirits is a very fun game. It's definitely not the deepest game out there (and no, that wasn't meant to be a pun), but the simplicity is what makes it great.

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GamePro

If you like to think just a bit more and still have a good time, then dig yourself a hole with Mr. Driller.

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NTSC-uk

There are no major improvements over any of the previous iterations and very little reason to pick this up for those who already own the superior "Mr Driller G" or "Mr Driller: Drill Land." Having said that, this is easily the best handheld version of the young classic. [JPN Import]

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GamerFeed

I just wish the stylus control had been tweaked a bit more, because while controlling characters with it is a lot of fun, when I die I know that I would've lived had I been using the d-pad.

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Yahoo! Games

While Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits feels very different from your average block puzzle game, it doesn't offer much depth. However, its fast-paced action and tension will keep most entertained.

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Armchair Empire

It doesn’t break any new ground but it is a challenge.

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GameSpot

Fans of puzzle games will find a passable but somewhat shallow game in Drill Spirits, but fans of this specific series will find that it really hasn't changed much over the years.

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IGN

While making some use of the dual-screen, touch-screen format of the DS, Drill Spirits feels neither revolutionary nor new.

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Nintendojo

While this game has more single player potential than some other DS puzzlers, it lacks the multiplayer fun of titles like Bomberman DS and Puyo Pop Fever.

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GameBiz

Overall we gave it a 6.5 because it does have a fair bit of life in it, but there’s a few things about the game that are just too annoying to put up with for very long.

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Sydney Morning Herald

Most puzzle games are slow-paced but Driller is lightning fast, requiring quick thinking and sharp reflexes. It can be stressful and addictive, and is more complex than it seems.

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Edge Magazine

Drill Spirits is a well-rounded introduction to the series, but falls far short of its greatest successes. [Feb 2005, p.82]

Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)

It's good stuff, even if tactics tend to be beyond all but the most talented of players at the kind of speed the game reaches. And because it's so fast, the touch screen in pointless. [NGC Pocket]

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G4 TV

It may not have the same depth as other puzzle games, and it’s certainly not a showpiece for DS technology, but it will keep your heart racing and mouth smiling for short doses, which is often all you are looking for in a portable game.

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Gamer.tv

Overall Drill Spirits comes across as fun, if a bit samey.

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DS Central

The concept is simple, but the gameplay can easily be very deep. However, a noticeable flaw in the game is perhaps its overemphasis on simplicity, which can turn off a lot of people at first glance.

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N-Insanity

Words can’t describe the boredom I feel just thinking about Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits, let-alone playing it.

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RealGamer

Everything here is too frantic, too rushed. You’re given a split second to make a decision that should take a multiple of three or four more time therefore you rush, you make mistakes unnecessarily and then you get mad. Avoid.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.8 (out of 10) based on 7 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Bill S. gave it a9:
Are the graphics cheesy? Yes. is the concept a little boring?(get from the top to the bottom) Yes. But there is something about this game that just sucks you in. It is a pain in the butt to get down to your goal and it makes you want to get further than your last time. I bought this with hopes of a game that may keep me busy for a while. I is not one of my top games in my library. A definite buy and at the discounted prices most stores are pricing it at Get it

Matt M. gave it a7:
A fun frantic title that lacks depth. Luckily its replayability makes up for it. If it had single cart multiplayer it would have snagged another point from this fan.

Jordan E. gave it a10:
This game is a groundbreaker!!!! No seriously it is,up to Wario Ware, Wario Ware shouldn't even exist.This game is just one of my fave's.Amazing Features action packed (like every game should be) and well presented. HIGHLY Recommended for any DS owner.

Kurt A. gave it an8:
Great game, well established title, good game to own for the ds despite its lacking "dual screen" functionality. Little usage of the touch screen, very optional but that shouldn't interfer with the quality of gameplay which I believe is crucial in rating a games quality. Helps get through monday morning math class. B+

Aazlain gave it a9:
Metacritic's score for bomberman is pretty acurate but if you are a puzzle fun, like myself, this game will rank closer to 90% to you. A must buy for puzzle game fans.

Jose L. gave it a 9:
Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits is an excellent puzzle game. Fast-paced and action packed, it's a good buy for any fans of action games and / or puzzle games.

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Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits

Game Info

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What The Critics Said

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