Mr. Driller DrillLand
Developer: Infinity Co., Ltd.
Release date: 25-June-2020
Standard price: $19.99/19,99€
Genre: Arcade
I remember the first time I stumbled upon Mr. Driller DrillLand on my Switch late one evening, there I was, a little bleary-eyed, half hoping for a quick puzzle fix, and instead I found myself beneath the surface of a long-buried GameCube gem. What hit me immediately was the lift of nostalgia: this wasn’t just another neon puzzle game, but a lovingly hand-polished remaster of a title that never even left Japan back in 2002. Seeing it finally in English with crisp HD cutscenes felt like unearthing a secret time capsule of early 2000s arcades (yes I never played it on arcade, but nostalgia creates this feeling), one that I could carry in my pocket.
DrillLand’s story is gloriously simple: Susumu Hori and his quirky crew have been invited to the grand opening of an underground theme park, where each “ride” is a different drilling challenge. Between levels you get these delightfully goofy anime-style cutscenes, full of Japanese voice acting and charming subtitles, that tease at a lurking mystery, there’s a park creator named Flüid with motives as slippery as shifting sand. It’s that blend of goofy camaraderie and low key intrigue that makes every attraction feel like more than just a puzzle stage.
Compared to the original GameCube release, the Switch version sprinkles in modern comforts without ever diluting the core experience. Every sprite and background has been up rezzed, so those bright, blocky layers pop in handheld and docked modes alike. The Japanese audio remains intact, now with first time English subtitles, and a new Casual difficulty takes the edge off that classic, arcade-style ruthlessness. You’ll also spot online leaderboards, tiny breadcrumbs of 2020’s connectivity, while your save files never again fall prey to region checks or weird copy-protection lockdowns.
Playing DrillLand feels like bouncing through five distinct puzzle worlds: the straightforward sculpting of World Drill Tour, the whimsical chaos of Star Driller’s random power ups, the treasure hungry jungle romp of Drindy Adventure, the ghost-busting puzzles of Horror Night House, and the unexpected little RPG quest in The Hole of Druaga. Every ride reshapes how you think about color matching, gravity, and air supply, and yet it all snaps back into that one more dig loop that makes your heart race whenever you smash through a perfect combo.
For a retro lover like me, and probably you, there’s something deeply satisfying about honoring the game’s arcade roots while enjoying modern polish. I find myself pausing mid dig just to admire the vector style art and bouncing chip-tune score, a vibrant reminder of how playful pixel art and simple mechanics once ruled our afternoons. And on Switch, whether tucked into my backpack for a quick tram commute session or sprawled out on the couch for an evening grind, DrillLand captures the pure, unfiltered joy of discovery that made those old school puzzlers so addictive.
In the end, Mr. Driller DrillLand on Switch is a blast of nostalgia, but it’s also a tiny monument to careful remastering. It preserves the earnest challenge, the colorful flair, and that hang on until you crack it spirit you loved in the early aughts, while wrapping it in an interface and stability that make it feel right at home today. If you live for retro puzzles and crave the thrill of unearthing a forgotten classic, I promise this little underground theme park will keep you happily digging for hours.
