I saw Mr. Driller 2 pop up on the Nintendo Switch Online GBA collection the other day and wondered why the first game wasn’t there. Apparently, it was meant to be a continuation of Dig Dug, which evolved into Mr. Driller. Though the 2nd apparently plays almost exactly like the original.

The game is super cute in its graphics and design. Mr. Driller looks like a simple boy and has a cute little puppy. It’s all so very kawaii, to be honest.

He transforms into Mr. Driller and travels through various countries drilling downward for reasons I can’t quite explain.

Imagine Dig Dug meets Tetris, and that’s what this game is essentially about. You start at the top and make your way down. But how does he get back up?

You can destroy almost any block at any time, but blocks fall according to their colors. Like most puzzle games, the falling blocks and combos can either make or break your progress. You must rely on collecting oxygen since it’s nearly impossible to reach the bottom without it, even if you tried speedrunning with perfect luck.

But honestly, I got really sick of Mr. Driller 2 on GBA. This may be a classic series for Namco, but I don’t think it’s a very good game. The oxygen tanks ruin the experience, and I kept dying and dying and dying and dying. I don’t play video games to be frustrated, I play them to be enjoyed, with just the right amount of challenge.