EPISODE · Jul 6, 2020 · 1H 24M
234: Mr. Driller Drill Land
from The Short Game · host The Short Game
This week guest host Anna Anthropy joins us to discuss an unexpected HD remaster of a beloved but obscure Japan-only GameCube game! The Mr. Driller series burned brightly but briefly from 1999 through the early 2000s, and Drill Land is by far its most elaborate and varied entry. The game includes the classic Mr. Driller arcade-puzzle-action game, along with several variations that keep the same basic mechanics but transform the game in fun ways. We discuss everything that Drill Land brings to the table, from its gameplay to its wonderful soundtrack to its totally unnecessary, wildly elaborate lore. Thanks again to Anna Anthropy for joining us on this strange descent. You can find more of Anna’s work on her Twitter, at her itch.io page, and this month as part of A Needle in a Gay Stack – A PRIDE Bundle Mr. Driller Drill Land is available on Nintendo Switch and Steam for $29.99 (but if you’re really hardcore you’ll play an import copy in Japanese on a GameCube via a boot disc.) Length is open ended, but most players will complete the story mode on level 1 difficulty within about 5 hours. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestlAnna Anthropy – @adult_witch (00:00) - Mr. Driller Drill Land (11:42) - What Is A Driller? (23:27) - Y2K Design (26:43) - Characters and Lore (32:57) - Dig A Chance! (35:32) - Wait, More Lore (44:49) - The Incredible Soundtrack (50:31) - Horror House Mode (55:49) - Hole of Druaga (01:05:05) - Drindy Adventure (01:10:55) - Wrap Up (01:14:32) - Tavern at the End of the World and the Needle in a Gay Stack Pride Bundle (01:21:49) - Outro
What this episode covers
This week guest host Anna Anthropy joins us to discuss an unexpected HD remaster of a beloved but obscure Japan-only GameCube game! The Mr. Driller series burned brightly but briefly from 1999 through the early 2000s, and Drill Land is by far its most elaborate and varied entry. The game includes the classic Mr. Driller arcade-puzzle-action game, along with several variations that keep the same basic mechanics but transform the game in fun ways. We discuss everything that Drill Land brings to the table, from its gameplay to its wonderful soundtrack to its totally unnecessary, wildly elaborate lore. Thanks again to Anna Anthropy for joining us on this strange descent. You can find more of Anna’s work on her Twitter, at her itch.io page, and this month as part of A Needle in a Gay Stack – A PRIDE Bundle Mr. Driller Drill Land is available on Nintendo Switch and Steam for $29.99 (but if you’re really hardcore you’ll play an import copy in Japanese on a GameCube via a boot disc.) Length is open ended, but most players will complete the story mode on level 1 difficulty within about 5 hours. The Short Game is supported directly by our listeners on Patreon! Supporters at any level get access to our Discord, where we discuss games, plan episodes, and talk about what we are playing in real time. You can also support us by writing a review on Apple Podcasts! You can follow our show on Twitter at @_shortgame Your hosts this week were: Raygan Kelly – @raygankShane Kelly – @8bitShaneNate Heininger – @natestlAnna Anthropy – @adult_witch (00:00) - Mr. Driller Drill Land (11:42) - What Is A Driller? (23:27) - Y2K Design (26:43) - Characters and Lore (32:57) - Dig A Chance! (35:32) - Wait, More Lore (44:49) - The Incredible Soundtrack (50:31) - Horror House Mode (55:49) - Hole of Druaga (01:05:05) - Drindy Adventure (01:10:55) - Wrap Up (01:14:32) - Tavern at the End of the World and the Needle in a Gay Stack Pride Bundle (01:21:49) - Outro
NOW PLAYING
234: Mr. Driller Drill Land
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Mar 19, 2026 ·34m
Feb 18, 2026 ·11m
Feb 11, 2026 ·45m