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If the video game industry lives long enough to be the subject of proverbs, than a possible candidate would be as follows: A handheld system without a puzzle game is like a day without sunshine…Or a college dorm without cheesy posters. Puzzle games have been an integral part of a handheld’s software lineup due to the fact that they are traditionally easy to pick up and play, are fun in short time spans, and are less technically demanding than their console brethren, making them easier to translate to the smaller screen. Yet the genre’s greatest challenge lies in coming up with something even remotely original.

It’s Driller Time

As a result, most puzzle games fall into one of three areas: fit doodads together to make a bigger doodad, remove doodads by matching colors, or shoot at the doodads to clear the screen. Mr. Driller, which began life as a coin-op game from Pac-Man-publisher Namco, is a mixture of the latter two. The goal is to tunnel your way down through a series of colored blocks by drilling them. There is the requisite bright, bouncy, cheerfully sweet protagonist, Susumu Hori, and a cast of five equally cute characters, who each possess different drilling speeds and air consumption rates.

Taking Mr. Driller for a Spin

The remaining characters must first be unlocked in the single-player mission driller mode, which involves drilling at different depths in order to reach the goal, all while maintaining your air supply by running over air capsules and avoiding collapsing blocks from your tunneling. Other modes include pressure driller, which involves destroying a large drill that is forcing its way down the vertical playing field, and time attack driller, where the object is to complete a stage as quickly as possible. For each meter your character drills, you’ll receive a mileage point that can be used to purchase power-ups like barriers, extra lives, and speed boosts.

Double Your Pleasure 

One of the most compelling reasons to own Mr. Driller on the Nintendo DS is its use of two screens to show more vertical space than would otherwise be impossible. This allows you to quickly see upcoming air capsules and solid blocks to give you a fighting chance when planning your route. Another plus is the multiplayer feature, which supports up to five people in a simultaneous drilling race filled with unique power-ups. The only catch is that the game requires everyone to have the game on their system, which may put five-player competition out of the reach for most audiences.

Attention Deficit Drilling

Mr. Driller feels different than its puzzle peers because of the blistering speed at which the game unfolds. While games like Tetris and Bust-A-Move start at a leisurely pace and gradually build momentum, Mr. Driller is constantly under pressure from the start, literally, requiring players to make split-second decisions. In this game you can’t get yourself out of a jam by working around it--unless you purchase a special power-up or play as a specific character with a special ability (such as to absorb a hit). Succeeding at Mr. Driller often relies on blind luck due to the game’s fast-action style.

Tunnel of Love?

Because the frantic action doesn’t allow you to think much more than a nanosecond in advance, Mr. Driller probably won’t appeal to those desiring a puzzle game that emphasizes careful strategy or one that offers the immediate satisfaction of clearing an entire board. Those who loved the arcade version or the earlier console ports should not hesitate in taking the plunge with Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits. It may not have the same depth as other puzzle games, and it’s certainly not a showpiece for DS technology, but it will keep your heart racing and mouth smiling for short doses, which is often all you are looking for in a portable game.