Mr. Driller W Review (Wiiware)

Puzzle games are big sellers for downloadable services. Classic puzzle games are making a comeback in a big way. Put those two things together and you've got the recipe for a hit. Mr. Driller W is the latest classic puzzle game to get another shot at life, this time on WiiWare. This game is very similar to, and even stars the main character from, Dig Dug. The basic premise of the game, like most puzzle games, is very simple. You start at the top of the world and must make your way down to the goal at the bottom without dying. You have to be careful though, because you've got a limited supply of air. There is a meter on the right portion of the screen and when that air runs out you lose a life. You can dig straight down or to your right or left. While you're digging you have to watch out for blocks falling from above. If an area is cleared and there are loose blocks above that spot they will fall. If you happen to be occupying the space they fall to you will be crushed under the weight of those blocks.

There is some chance for relief though. If four or more blocks of the same color come in contact they will fuse together and disappear earning you more points to your overall score. You can use this to your advantage to string together large combos of blocks and rack up huge scores while you make your way down. There are also darker colored blocks that take a number of attempts to break them up. These blocks also take 20% of your oxygen level making them a gamble to go through. Scattered throughout the level are a number of air "pills" that you can use to replenish your oxygen supply allowing you more time to reach your goal. All of these elements combine together to make a very solid puzzle game that has a wide amount of challenge for differing skill levels. You can dig mostly straight down with a few deviations, but you won't score many points. You can look for large combos that will generate a huge number of points for you, but you run the risk of being crushed to death. There are a number of different difficulty levels that change up the toughness and depth you need to dig through to complete the level. Beginner difficulties have you digging down 300 meters with a few columns worth of width to play with. The more advanced settings have you digging down 900 or more meters and increase the width of the play area.

The visual style of the game is, for a lack of better description, very Japanese. All of the characters have exaggerated features that make them look ridiculously cute. There are a number of different characters to choose from that can vary up the play style a bit and add another layer of challenge on top of the already challenging game play. Some of the characters are faster than others, making them great for evading falling blocks. Others, such as the robot, are sturdier than others and allow you to be crushed up to two times before succumbing to death. Another character, a dog, allows you to climb up two blocks, rather than the standard one giving you more options for getting yourself out of trouble. They all vary from each other and allow you to choose a different character to suit your play style.

The play field itself looks like someone took their box of crayons and was told to have fun. There are many different blocks all very brightly colored and patterned that for the most part don't' have different effects. There are the one mentioned previously that are tougher than others. There are also crystal blocks that once you get within a certain distance of them will vanish which may or may not be beneficial to you. It's quite disheartening to be working solidly down a level only to have a block vanishing causing the entire play field above you to fall and crush you. You have to remember the path you have been taking because every inch of the play field is always in play and combos could be working themselves out where you can't see them. It really makes you choose between racing falling blocks to the bottom of the play field or trying to combo your way to safety.

For those control junkies out there, Mr. Driller W allows you to use any control scheme available for Wii, but the standard Wii Remote on its side is probably the one that you would want to use since the only controls necessary are the D-pad and the dig button. If you just like the feel of one of the other controllers those options are available for you and don't change up the game any, it will simply be a matter of preference.

Mr. Driller W is a very unique puzzle game that has been ported to a number of different platforms and for good reason. The game play is extremely addicting and you'll find yourself retrying levels over and over again. The patterns are not set and will randomize slightly between play through's, so every experience will be a little different. For hardcore puzzle gamers the length might be a bit of a turn off. There are only six main levels with three different difficulty levels and you'll blow through them in about an hour. The brilliance of a game like Mr. Driller comes not in the length, but in the game play itself and it definitely warrants playing if you've got just a few minutes to spare or you just want to work your brain for a little bit. There is something here for every skill level or age and it's well worth the 800 Point asking price.

Final Score: 4/5