

When Jill's father Doug is attacked and robbed of a precious family heirloom by a rival bandit game called the Skullkers, Jill sets out to take back the stolen treasure and defeat their wicked plans in the process. This backtracking element is not necessary to complete the main game, but is required for players who wish to collect all of the hidden treasures and unlock the game's secret features. Similar to games in the Metroid series, some areas in Drill Dozer cannot be explored when they are first encountered, but can be revisited later once the Dozer has been enhanced with stronger drill bits. Additionally, spinning the drill clockwise or counter-clockwise can have different effects based on the situation, so players will need to correctly switch between using the R or L shoulder buttons on the GBA to succeed. This means the Dozer needs a little time to reach higher drill speeds which can be vital for breaching certain barriers, and though the timing required is fairly simple, it keeps the player more actively involved than simply holding down a lone button. Once the Dozer has additional gears installed, players can shift up by releasing the button and quickly repressing it again with the right timing. When the drill is activated, an RPM meter appears on the screen to show how long it can run for.
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However, since the Dozer's movement is restricted while the drill is running at full power, players will still need to time its use carefully. The start of each new level restricts the drill to spinning only for a few brief moments, but by locating the gear boxes hidden in each area, Jill can increase its power and duration to the point where it can run indefinitely. In addition to defeating enemies and demolishing barriers, revving the drill in the proper direction can deflect incoming projectiles, spin turbines, release screws, propel the dozer through special vents, and even to swim and fly. The Drill Dozer can jump and scoot through narrow openings to explore the level, but the game's primary drilling mechanic has been woven into every facet of the game. "Chips" collected by defeating enemies, opening treasure chests, and discovering hidden areas can be used between levels to purchase better equipment for the Drill Dozer, such as stronger drill bits for penetrating tougher materials and energy tanks to extend Jill's life bar. GameplayĪs Jill, the pink-haired pilot of a mechanical exo-suit called a Drill Dozer, players navigate through seventeen adventure levels filled with enemies, platform-style puzzles, and encounters with boss characters at the end of every stage. In addition to its colorful graphics and fleshed out drill-based game mechanics, it is also noteworthy for including force feedback in the game cartridge itself to provide players with tactile feedback similar to that of a modern console controller. Drill Dozer is a 2D platforming adventure game developed by Game Freak for the Game Boy Advance.
