Drill Dozer

Drill Dozer for Game Boy Advance is a 2D action-platform game developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. It arrived in Japan in 2005 as Screw Breaker: Goushin Dorirurero, then reached North America in February 2006. The adventure stars Jill, a young member of the Red Dozers, whose gang has been targeted by the rival Skullkers. When the Red Diamond connected to Jill's family is stolen, she takes command of the gang's powerful Drill Dozer machine and heads out to reclaim it.

The GBA game builds its platforming around the dozer's rotating drill rather than a conventional attack button. The left and right shoulder buttons turn the drill in opposite directions, letting Jill smash enemies, bore through marked surfaces, operate machinery, and tighten or loosen enormous screws. The cartridge's built-in Rumble Pak responds while the drill is active, giving this Game Boy Advance release a physical jolt that mirrors the machine's momentum. A drill gauge shows how long it can keep spinning before it needs a moment to recover.

Each stage introduces obstacles designed around that basic toolset. Jill can clear fragile blocks, use the drill to move through tunnels, and manipulate mechanisms whose direction matters. Collecting sprockets during a level lets the Drill Dozer shift into higher gears, extending its drilling ability and allowing it to break tougher barriers. The increased power is temporary, so new stages begin with the machine back in its basic state and invite players to build momentum again as they explore.

The campaign mixes side-scrolling traversal with enemy encounters, environmental puzzles, and boss fights. Treasures are scattered through the stages, and recovering them improves Jill's standing as a thief. Money gathered on the journey can be spent from the game's menu on useful items, including extra health capacity, maps for bonus areas, and special drill bits. Those bits open up additional kinds of destructible obstacles, encouraging a closer look at the routes and secrets threaded through the game's colorful locations.

The Drill Dozer also gains special equipment for particular situations. Some sections send the machine underwater, while others give it the ability to fly, changing how its weight, speed, and drill controls are used. The story's pursuit of the Skullkers and their leader Croog supplies a playful backdrop for the missions, while Jill remains the pilot at the center of every set piece. After completing the adventure, players can unlock a tougher mode, adding another challenge beyond the first run.

Drill Dozer is notable as a non-Pokemon project from Game Freak during the Game Boy Advance era. Ken Sugimori directed the game, and the team used the drill concept to create a platformer where attacking, movement, puzzle-solving, and interaction with the scenery are closely connected. Its North American release is also distinguished by the integrated rumble hardware in the Game Pak. Nintendo later brought the game to Wii U Virtual Console in Japan and North America, while European players first received it through that service in 2016.