Mr. Driller Great (and the series in general)

[BrianC]

Thanks for reminding me this existed. I ordered Mr. Driller G for PS1 from a US seller.

I avoided it for awhile. I read about an issue with the air being scrolled off screen, not realizing that that quirk was inherent from the AC version (though maybe not to the same extent, telling from other posts), which uses PS1 based hardware.

edit: It's on a more powerful version of the hardware, though. According to system 16, despite the name, the System 10 hardware came out after system 11 and system 12. Mr. Driller 1 uses the same hardware as Tekken 3? Is the DC version a simple port of the PS1 version?

[Cannonballs]

DrillLand will be one the switch June 25th in USA. Unfortunately it looks like there is no online play.

[mikehaggar]

Hey all,

My new Mr. Driller streaming show premieres tomorrow at 7PM!
BANNER

twitch.tv/djmikehaggar

For any fans of the series that want to learn more, come watch me play and chat with others!

[EmperorIng]

Sounds like fun! I really enjoy the series (though I've only really played the first and the DS game, Drill Spirits). I am really excited for the re-release of Drill Land on modern systems.

[Cannonballs]

Drill Land is out on Switch tomorrow.

[Cannonballs]

Hmmm not available yet it says release June 25...

[Cannonballs]

Out now! Looks like there is a demo available too.

[BrianC]

I bought it. Impressions are good so far, controls feel nice and snappy, graphics seem to be in HD rather than upscaled, and JP voices are intact.

[EmperorIng]

I'm having a phenomenal time finally playing this. Some of these modes are just so fun and cool and really spice up the Driller formula. I even like the weird RPG Hole of Druaga stuff, but that's just my blind love for the Druaga series there.

I wasn't prepared for the music in this game to be as good as it is. It's pretty nuts.

[guigui]

Downloading the demo of DrillLand right now.

Pretty surprised to see that the game is 20€ in EU, and $30 in US ? Or is the Deku Deals site mistaken ?
https://www.dekudeals.com/items/mr-driller-drillland

[BrianC]

Downloading the demo of DrillLand right now.

Pretty surprised to see that the game is 20€ in EU, and $30 in US ? Or is the Deku Deals site mistaken ?
https://www.dekudeals.com/items/mr-driller-drillland

Not mistaken. It was 30 dollars US.

[guigui]

Well, for once the EU shop is better. It is quite easy to set up an account for a new region and get some points cards from online sites, so some $ can be saved here.

[Sumez]

I'm devastated!

Due to Bkroo's recent praise of the Mr Driller vs. modes I decided to give the series another chance over the past weekend while visiting a friend's small arcade.
I recall just dismissing the game when I got the Dreamcast one way back when, but this time the gameplay finally managed to click for me. Played a bunch of games on Mr. Driller G, and managed to get a driller bonus (I assume triggered by perfect air + no-miss?) on the India stage (easy mode, 500m) fairly quickly, as well as a couple of clears on the America one (normal mode, 1000m).

So here I am, 20 years too late, finally ready to dig into this, and it's basically impossible to find any good strategy resources on the internet. There are a couple of good score videos, but the rest is just articles explaining how "underrated" the series is (having so many iterations on so many platforms I'd have to imagine it's fairly popular though).
What happened to misterdriller.com? Do you still have the contents from that website, mikehaggar? I think it would be cool to see at least see its resources archived somewhere (I can help with that if it's too much work to bother).

Although I'm a massive fan of Tetris, there are very few (or really no other) puzzle games that have been able to click with me in a similar manner, but Mr. Driller comes as close as I can possibly imagine. Though it doesn't have the same insane depth to the potential situations you can be put into (no other game really has), it does hit that same experience of on-the-fly fast paced pattern recognition forcing you to occasionally resort to creative solutions while staying afloat. It really is brilliant. I can see this being a game you can play over and over for months if not years, to continuously hone your reaction skills just a bit more.

It also hurts reading about all those cheap Driller G PCBs I missed out on. If anyone comes across a spare one somewhere, hit me up.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I recall just dismissing the game when I got the Dreamcast one way back when, but this time the gameplay finally managed to click for me.

I actually had the same experience when I was introduced to Mr. Driller G at a shmupmeet. It was... weird, and kinda interesting? But I didn't really "get it" until later when I was getting used to finally understanding how blocks would drop and latch onto one another that it really clicked with me and became one of my faves. It takes a lot of practice though for it to make sense and for your eyes to adjust naturally to seeing when you're in danger of having something fall on you, and when a block will harmlessly latch onto the same colour as it drops (or will latch and clear blocks, potentially putting you in danger).

It's also interesting how the arcade version simply doesn't allow for using continues, making it an example of an arcade game that taught players that a 1CC is a reasonable clear expectation.

It also hurts reading about all those cheap Driller G PCBs I missed out on. If anyone comes across a spare one somewhere, hit me up

Keep checking Tops; it must have been a fairly popular game that got printed widely as it regularly seems to show up there (very inexpensively for such a good game, too).

[Sumez]

Tops has a massive cost overhead for any purchase, so I hope I won't have to get it here. I have some orders I can consolidate from Buyee, so hopefully one just shows up on YAJ or something. But these things seem to go fast, it might not be able to find a reasonably priced one anymore.

It's also interesting how the arcade version simply doesn't allow for using continues, making it an example of an arcade game that taught players that a 1CC is a reasonable clear expectation.

I guess you could argue the same for a lot of arcade games that do have continues, but I don't think it would even make any sense for Mr. Driller to have that. It's a largely abstract game, centered entirely around (very short) score runs. It's a performance test through and through, and a casual player doesn't get to "see" anything interesting with a continue.
I couldn't imagine a traditional Tetris game having a continue feature either, though maybe with a progressive structure going through individual gimmicky challenges it could make sense (like Atari Tetris). I guess Driller G's time attack mode could make an argument for it.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

Tops may be pricier than other places, but their reliability and service have always been top-notch the times I've bought from 'em. I don't mind paying a bit more knowing I don't have to worry about what I'm receiving. I've had more hit or miss success on auction sites, so I guess I'd rather spend a bit more than take a potential gamble.

I'm currently working on clearing the Egypt course of Driller G and getting a 1-miss/no miss of America with Taizou Hori for score. Getting back into Mr Driller G also reminds me I need to get back to some of Namco's other stuff, I've been meaning to try and 1CC Pac-Man Arrangement and Dig-Dug Arrangement. I've come close on the former, but the latter is insanely hard and lengthy for a clear...

[XtraSmiley]

It also hurts reading about all those cheap Driller G PCBs I missed out on. If anyone comes across a spare one somewhere, hit me up.

I think I have a line on one, but I'm not sure what you mean by cheap. They tend to be $75-125 plus shipping, so if that's what you're thinking, PM me!

[mikehaggar]

I'm devastated!

Due to Bkroo's recent praise of the Mr Driller vs. modes I decided to give the series another chance over the past weekend while visiting a friend's small arcade.
I recall just dismissing the game when I got the Dreamcast one way back when, but this time the gameplay finally managed to click for me. Played a bunch of games on Mr. Driller G, and managed to get a driller bonus (I assume triggered by perfect air + no-miss?) on the India stage (easy mode, 500m) fairly quickly, as well as a couple of clears on the America one (normal mode, 1000m).

So here I am, 20 years too late, finally ready to dig into this, and it's basically impossible to find any good strategy resources on the internet. There are a couple of good score videos, but the rest is just articles explaining how "underrated" the series is (having so many iterations on so many platforms I'd have to imagine it's fairly popular though).
What happened to misterdriller.com? Do you still have the contents from that website, mikehaggar? I think it would be cool to see at least see its resources archived somewhere (I can help with that if it's too much work to bother).

Although I'm a massive fan of Tetris, there are very few (or really no other) puzzle games that have been able to click with me in a similar manner, but Mr. Driller comes as close as I can possibly imagine. Though it doesn't have the same insane depth to the potential situations you can be put into (no other game really has), it does hit that same experience of on-the-fly fast paced pattern recognition forcing you to occasionally resort to creative solutions while staying afloat. It really is brilliant. I can see this being a game you can play over and over for months if not years, to continuously hone your reaction skills just a bit more.

It also hurts reading about all those cheap Driller G PCBs I missed out on. If anyone comes across a spare one somewhere, hit me up.

hey man, great to see somebody that "gets it". Throughout my life, I've recognized that the games that I've gotten most addicted to are exactly action-puzzle games that generate randomly. Panel de pon, Tetris the Grandmaster, and Mr. Driller are my three favorites, and I've put many thousands of hours into each one of those. Unfortunately, all of these games have a steep wall/learning curve, and most people write them off after playing a few times (just like you did when you first played it). Even though I got the playstation version of Driller 1 right when it came out and liked it immediately, it took years even for the game to click with me. I didn't start sinking a lot of time into it / gaining true skill till about 2007 or so. They are unfortunately very niche. Mr. Driller is by far the least appreciated of all of the puzzle games I mentioned, and it is really sad because it is also one of the best/deepest games I've ever played.

Don't be bummed, you have a long rode of fun ahead of you! Trying to get perfect clears (no miss & perfect airs) of all modes requires years of practice. (To this day, I think I'm the only western player who cares enough about the game to have done it). The site I created was eventually taken down, since very few people visited and maintaining a forum is not exactly how I like to spend my time. I am a great gamer, but terrible at maintaining websites.

Feel free to ask me any questions you want about the series, or come to my weekly Monday streams and ask questions! I play many modes (hard and easy), and am happy to discuss strategies. Or you can always PM me if you have ANY questions about the series. I love getting people into these games!

[wiNteR]

Trying to get perfect clears (no miss & perfect airs) of all modes requires years of practice.

I only played the original one and it wasn't that difficult. So, I figure that the later games in series are (much) harder? I made a post*** in late 2016 mentioning clear of arcade mode. As I remember, some time later I got a no-miss on arcade mode (expert, 5000 ft.). Then some time later (like few weeks or month or two), as I re-call, I got around ~10,000 depth on the free-play style mode (expert difficulty setting). Though I didn't complete (or play it substantially) the stage mode.

Edit: I noticed the link to game's videos in your signature. Looks interesting ... I will watch them later.

***Link to post:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53088&p=1219483#p1219483

[Sumez]

Haven't played the original since it came out, but judging from videos it seems largely the same (with 5000ft being the equivalent of 1000m). Mr. Driller 2/G does make the later sections on 1000m a lot harder thanks to an awkward distribution in the random colors, rather than just switching between 2, 3 or 4 colors (800-900m especially is a bitch), and I can't really tell if that's in the original game too, or if it just speeds up?

Feel free to ask me any questions you want about the series, or come to my weekly Monday streams and ask questions! I play many modes (hard and easy), and am happy to discuss strategies. Or you can always PM me if you have ANY questions about the series. I love getting people into these games!

Thanks a lot for the thorough response, I'm glad that there's someone around who's still willing to push the series, it definitely deserves a lot more recognition! I feel like it's a game most people are aware of, but few really understand the brilliance of. Honestly, even Tetris is kind of the same, but still on a much bigger scale.

I'll probably take you up on your offer, and message you about further details into the game, and hopefully some time down the road I'll be able to openly discuss gameplay strategies XD

[mikehaggar]

Trying to get perfect clears (no miss & perfect airs) of all modes requires years of practice.

I only played the original one and it wasn't that difficult. So, I figure that the later games in series are (much) harder? I made a post*** in late 2016 mentioning clear of arcade mode. As I remember, some time later I got a no-miss on arcade mode (expert, 5000 ft.). Then some time later (like few weeks or month or two), as I re-call, I got around ~10,000 depth on the free-play style mode (expert difficulty setting). Though I didn't complete (or play it substantially) the stage mode.

Edit: I noticed the link to game's videos in your signature. Looks interesting ... I will watch them later.

***Link to post:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=53088&p=1219483#p1219483

Yes, later games are much harder. North Pole in arcade Mr. Driller G is the hardest mode out there, and takes years to earn a perfect game. Give it a shot!

The next hardest mode is Mr. Driller 2 2000m.

[EmperorIng]

I've continued to love Mr. Driller Drill Land since its HD release. I've gotten through Level 2 on all the attractions and am hitting some sizable roadblocks on Level 3. The one I'll probably clear first is Horror Night House, as that one is generally easier than the others.

Hole of Druaga Lvl 3 seems like it'll be totally luck dependent on what Dristones you get, and with such a large maze I'm not sure how to best go about conserving air/HP and using Dristones.

Of course, the hardest will be the old-fashioned Driller World Tour, without gimmicks to rely on. Usagi the rabbit helped out very much in Lvl 2 in getting a quick and dirty clear, so I wonder if he'll avail me if I 'give up' using the normal characters.

[BareKnuckleRoo]

I was actually playing Hole of Druaga Lvl 3 on the Switch ver the other day and, after a fairly dicey situation, I got the key and was well on my way to recovering and being able to try tackling the boss... only for the game to softlock on me when collecting a Dristone. Just completely froze, music still playing. :/

[BrianC]

Not sure if that is exclusive to the switch, but I remember some odd physics happening in Horror Night House on the original GCN version. I might be remembering wrong, though.

[Sumez]

Does anyone have a clear idea what the requirements are for excellent stamp on each attraction in DrillLand?

I'm guessing World Tour is perfect air + no-miss? Or can you afford some leeway? I did a perfect air with several deaths on level 2 and didn't get it.
For Drindy I'm guessing at least perfect gold, and for space I'm sure the item bonus is involved. For Druaga and the ghost house I have absolutely no idea.


In other news I think I finally have a Driller G board on the way in the mail. Limpan from Sweden helped hook me up with one. Another one just appeared on YAJ though, I'm curious if it'll end up just as expensive as the previous one.

[Klatrymadon]

I've been getting massively into the series recently, too. My experience with Mr. Driller was similar to Sumez's - I played the Dreamcast port of the original very briefly about 15 years ago, and liked it but clearly failed to identify any particular 'hook' to it; it felt like playing aimlessly in a sandpit. I didn't really touch the series again until recently, when I picked up a cheap copy of Drill Spirits for the DS on a whim, and decided to revisit the original on the Namcollection while I was at it. All it took to dispel my misconceptions was quickly noticing the point increases for 'chained' blocks, and that every air capsule is worth 100 points more than the last (all the hook I need, really), but once I started learning to (partially) control the playfield rather than merely react to falling blocks the game became deeply compelling. It's an audiovisual delight and the reward of digging through each new 100m threshold is almost enough to keep me going in itself. I've watched mikehaggar's 2000m EX run in Mr. Driller G and it's a great tutorial and motivator, if slightly daunting - I can see rudimentary layers of strategy that I've already been implementing but also lots that I haven't grasped yet and should aim to get a handle on. Really wishing I'd spent more time with the Dreamcast one years ago.

This eureka moment has kicked off an obsession with the series that I'm worried will lead to burnout! I haven't seen any PCBs for sale yet but I've been foolishly splashing out on every home port and original game I can get my hands on (currently I'm missing the Wonderswan game, A/Ace on the GBA, and the PC versions of 1 and 2, but I don't need the PC ones and they'd be pretty frivolous purchases at this point). What's impressive about the series is that almost every iteration manages to bring something new and interesting to the table, adds some wrinkle to formula that makes it worth playing – sometimes just portability or multiplayer, of course, but then there’s Ace's Wondeful Pacteria mode, the various Dristone modes and the entirety of Drill Land, which all make really robust revisions to the original formula without ever losing its core appeal in all the gimmickry.

[lewisit]

[...] currently I'm missing [...] the PC versions of 1 and 2, but I don't need the PC ones and they'd be pretty frivolous purchases at this point [...]

Driller 1 PC (European version) still is rather cheap though:

eBay link for under 7£

[Klatrymadon]

Ah right, thanks for that! I've set up all kinds of automatic searches but hadn't seen that one, hehe.

[Sumez]

It's funny how much Klatrymadon's post feels like it could have been written by me XD. I share the newfound obsession.

I managed to check out a few of mikehaggar's weekly streams too, and I really recommend joining in if you find the time. Since you're European like myself, it might be a good idea to do what I did and just check in really early in the morning before I go to work (though I take the train, so it's easy for me to chill out with a stream on the way).

I was just one death at around ~900m from getting a no-miss perfect air 1000m on Driller G Arcade, so hoping to do that soon when I get the PCB. But I really just want to clear 2000m first. I've been stupidly close too many times now.

[aerobert]

This is a newly found obsession of mine.

I got both Driller 2 and G boards and I'm battling with some friends for high score. Insanely difficult games (and fun). I haven't cleared medium on 2 yet but I'm almost there. I have cleared easy perfect run, it took me about a month, off and on playing, I'm no powerplayer lol