GAMES: GameSpot | GameFAQs MUSIC: Last.fm | MP3.com MOVIES: Metacritic | Movietome TV: TV.com
Home | About Metacritic | About Metascores | What's New | Wireless Versions | Discussion Forums | Advertising Inquiries | Contact Us | RSS
Metacritic.com: We Deal With Criticism
     Help
> Switch to Advanced Search  
Film Video/DVD Music Games TV

Games

Playstation Reviews
PS3 | PS2 | PS One | PSP

Xbox Reviews
Xbox 360 | Xbox

Nintendo Reviews
Wii | DS | GBA | Cube | N64


PC | N-Gage | Dreamcast

How Metascores Are Calculated
Discuss Games In Our Forums

 

Upcoming & Recent Releases

sort by name sort by score

xx Animal Crossing Calculator
xx Animal Crossing Clock
69 Art Style: AQUIA
xx Art Style: BOXLIFE
77 Art Style: CODE
xx Art Style: KUBOS
xx Art Style: NEMREM
82 Art Style: PiCTOBiTS
xx Asphalt 4: Elite Racing
70 Avalon Code
xx Big League Sports: Summer
71 Bird & Beans
60 Black Sigil
72 Boing! Docomodake DS
69 Brain Age Express: Math
xx Brave: Shaman's Challenge
78 Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars - Director's Cut
xx C.O.R.E.
xx Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles
44 Challenge Me: Maths Workout
xx Clubhouse Games Express: Card Classics
69 Dark Spire, The
xx Dawn of Discovery
xx Desktop Tower Defense
60 Dokapon Journey
71 Don King Boxing
76 Dr. Mario Express
xx Emergency! Disaster Rescue Squad
75 Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time
66 Football Academy
xx G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
60 Gardening Mama
54 Ghostbusters: The Video Game
xx Giana Sisters DS
93 Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars
xx Grey's Anatomy
74 Guitar Hero On Tour - Modern Hits
xx Hannah Montana: The Movie
xx Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
xx Harvest Moon: Frantic Farming
82 Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure
42 History Great Empires: Rome
xx Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
xx Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings
xx Jagged Alliance
xx Jake Hunter Detective Story: Memories of the Past
xx Jake Power: Handyman
xx Jewel Quest Solitaire
xx Junior Classic Games
78 Knights in the Nightmare
77 Legendary Starfy, The
67 LEGO Battles
48 Lux-Pain
70 Magician's Quest: Mysterious Times
xx Mario Calculator
xx Mario Clock
85 Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!
xx Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche
xx Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face
xx Master of Illusion Express: Shuffle Games
xx Mega Man Star Force 3: Black Ace
xx Mega Man Star Force 3: Red Joker
56 Miami Law
85 Mighty Flip Champs
xx Military History Commander: Europe at War
xx Mixed Messages
47 Monsters vs. Aliens
59 My Pet Shop
64 MySims Party
67 MySims Racing
50 Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Council 4
48 Naruto: Ninja Destiny II
xx Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
xx Nintendo DSi Browser
57 Overlord: Minions
51 Paper Airplane Chase
xx Pass Your Driving Theory Test
52 PDC World Championship Darts 2009
71 Personal Trainer: Walking
xx Photo Clock
82 Pokemon Platinum
xx Pop Superstar: Road to Celebrity
73 Puchi Puchi Virus
xx Puzzle City
67 Puzzle Kingdoms
75 Real Soccer 2009 (DSiWare)
83 Rhythm Heaven
xx Roogoo Attack
xx Science Papa
xx Scrabble
68 Secret Files 2: Puritas Cordis
85 Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
xx Shorts
xx Space Bust-A-Move
xx Space Camp
63 Steal Princess
xx Sudoku 50! For Beginners
xx Sudoku Master
76 Suikoden Tierkreis
74 Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier
57 Tokyo Beat Down
54 Touch Mechanic
xx Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Autobots
xx Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - Decepticons
xx Treasure World
xx Up
74 Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
53 WarioWare: Snapped!
xx World Championship Games: A Track & Field Event
55 X-Men Origins: Wolverine
73 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's Stardust Accelerator: World Championship Tournament 2009
75 Zubo

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.



Printer-Friendly Version Email This Page Discuss In Our Forums
Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits ds Game Reviews
Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits
Critic Score
Metascore: 70 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
8.8 out of 10
based on 35 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 7 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game

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]

PUBLISHER: Namco
DEVELOPER: Namco
GENRE(S): Action, Puzzle
PLAYERS: 5
ESRB RATING: E (Everyone)
RELEASE DATE: November 30, 2004

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.
Read Full Review
90
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.
Read Full Review
85
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.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
80
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.
Read Full Review
77
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.
Read Full Review
75
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.
Read Full Review
75
Play Magazine
Pressure Driller adds a nice twist to the standard formula. [Jan 2005, p.85]
75
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.
Read Full Review
73
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]
72
Nintendo Power
The game is simple fun. Ironically, though, it's not incredibly deep. [Feb 2005, p.114]
70
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]
70
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]
70
PALGN
An addictive game, but nothing we haven't seen before.
Read Full Review
70
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.
Read Full Review
70
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]
70
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.
Read Full Review
70
GamePro
If you like to think just a bit more and still have a good time, then dig yourself a hole with Mr. Driller.
Read Full Review
70
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]
Read Full Review
70
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.
Read Full Review
70
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.
Read Full Review
68
Armchair Empire
It doesn’t break any new ground but it is a challenge.
Read Full Review
66
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.
Read Full Review
65
IGN
While making some use of the dual-screen, touch-screen format of the DS, Drill Spirits feels neither revolutionary nor new.
Read Full Review
65
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.
Read Full Review
65
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.
Read Full Review
60
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.
Read Full Review
60
Edge Magazine
Drill Spirits is a well-rounded introduction to the series, but falls far short of its greatest successes. [Feb 2005, p.82]
60
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]
Read Full Review
60
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.
Read Full Review
60
Gamer.tv
Overall Drill Spirits comes across as fun, if a bit samey.
Read Full Review
60
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.
Read Full Review
54
N-Insanity
Words can’t describe the boredom I feel just thinking about Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits, let-alone playing it.
Read Full Review
46
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.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! 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.

Discuss this game in our forums

Return to top of page
Home | FILM | DVD/VIDEO | MUSIC | GAMES | TV | Forums | About Metacritic metacritic.com

Popular on CBS sites: iPhone 3G | Fantasy Football | Moneywatch | Antivirus Software | Recipes | E3 2009

About CBS Interactive | Jobs | Advertise

© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use