Drill Dozer: Discussing the Localization Process with Nintendo of America's Treehouse

Matt Litten: Most people think of Pokémon when Game Freak is mentioned, yet the company has done a number of other great titles over the years, now including Drill Dozer. With Drill Dozer, what stood out the most that made Nintendo decide to bring the game to the US?

Erik Peterson:Drill Dozer is a totally original side-scrolling platformer-it manages to keep the old-school side-scrolling vibe while staying fresh. It's a totally different kind of game than Pokémon, and it's clear that the Game Freak team is really talented. In Japan, Drill Dozer got a lot of love from the Japanese press - it received a Famitsu score of 33 out of 40, which is fantastic. Here in the U.S., the game is already getting some really great reviews.

ML: Briefly explain the localization process that took place behind Drill Dozer, or any Japanese title for that matter?

EP:Drill Dozer was a great title to work on and Game Freak made the entire process enjoyable. As with any Japanese game, there were some cultural references that needed to be changed. In Japan, games tend to be very connected with popular culture and there are some things that just don't translate-that's when I go in and rewrite it to make it understandable and entertaining to gamers in the U.S. We have a very thorough creative process through which we rename the game, the characters and the various stages.

A writer and translator usually work together as a team. I'm the writer, so it's my job to go in after the game is translated and rework and polish all of the text in the game. I work hard to make the games as understandable, funny, interesting, witty and entertaining for gamers here in the U.S. But it is more than just translating the text and inserting American humor - we do everything we can to make sure the game feels right to the gamers in our market. If all goes well, as with Drill Dozer, the game ends up even better than the original.

ML: Though their genres are completely different, Drill Dozer and Namco's Mr. Driller have a similar theme and cutesy nature. Was any inspiration drawn from the Mr. Driller franchise in the creation of Drill Dozer?

EP: You'd have to ask Game Freak that question - I'm only involved with the later stages of development.

ML: What is the storyline behind Drill Dozer and how many levels can players expect to drill through? Are there any special bonuses or unlockable goodies to go back and hunt down once the game is finished?

EP: The lead character of the game is Jill, a girl that pilots a hulking Drill Dozer robot. Her father is in critical condition after being beaten up by a bunch of Skullker gang thugs, so it's up to her to take over as the boss of the Red Dozer gang. Drill Dozer is armed with two powerful drills that enable it to bore through walls, doors, evil henchmen and just about anything else that gets in Jill's way. Of course there are bonus levels and secret treasures, but you'll have to play through the game to find out! Some of the treasures can't be collected unless you've beaten the game. I will say that if you're a hardcore platformer fan, you'll go crazy for some of the bonus stages.

ML: Just by looking at screenshots or the back of the game's box, Drill Dozer appears to be a fairly straightforward side-scrolling platformer, but when actually played that's not exactly the case. What can you tell me about what makes Drill Dozer unique from other GBA platformers?

EP: A lot of gamers around here that have played it tell me it reminds them of the platformers they played back in the day. Everything about the game is well executed - you can see all of the effort Game Freak put into the title. I think the drill mechanic and the rumble feature give the game a unique twist. A lot of the puzzles revolve around drilling clockwise or counter-clockwise-it can really start to mess with your mind during boss battles.

ML: Built into the game cartridge, the game's rumble pak is certainly one of the more interesting features Drill DozerDrill Dozer brings to the GBA. Was implementing the rumble feature planned from the get go, or did that decision come later on in the development process? What does the force feedback bring to the game experience in 's case?

EP: The built-in rumble feature is a pretty unique feature - it let's the player get a feel for the devastation they're causing. It's just so satisfying to the feel the game rumble when you slam through a concrete wall. Once you pick it up, you won't want to put it down.

ML: Having played and loved Drill Dozer, it seems that the game could've just as easily made for a great title to take advantage of the DS's unique hardware, such as the touch-screen controls and the already-available DS rumble pak accessory. Was Drill Dozer ever planned as a DS game by chance? If the game does well, might we see Drill Dozer become a franchise for the GBA, or possibly offshoot to the DS?

EP: I guess anything is possible, but you'd have to ask Game Freak about that.

ML: Finally, are there any other titles Nintendo is currently in discussion to localize from Japan that you could speak on?

EP: I wish I could tell you about all the cool stuff floating around here, but all I can say is that it will be a huge year for Nintendo.