License to Drill

Barbarius is a violent monster with a savage beard, glaring eyes, and a kickass helmet, but his defining feature is the trio of drills that are affixed to his left arm. Although he’s relatively slow-moving when he’s above ground, he’s much harder to track when he employs his subterranean battle tactics. After burrowing beneath the surface, Barbarius can attack his opponents from below or use chunks of broken ground as a weapon. He can also cover his drills with ice in order to extend his range. When Barbarius isn’t using his drills to inflict damage, he’s likely using them for psychological warfare. He constantly spins his drills in an apparent effort to intimidate his enemies, and they sound just as horrific as you’d expect them to. Barbarius is a ferocious beast with a cruel disposition, but he wouldn’t be nearly as imposing without his drills.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 was overflowing with creativity, and its stages were filled with unique gameplay mechanics. The Spin Drill, as an example, was completely unlike any power-up Mario had ever used in the past. This item allowed Mario to drill through the ground, and it provided him with a quick way to travel through the small planets that he visited during his adventure. The item could be used to uncover hidden areas, and it also gave Mario a way to attack his enemies from below. The Spin Drill opened the door to all kinds of unique spacial puzzles, and it changed the way you looked at the game’s spherical planetoids. It was only used in a handful of levels and it’s not nearly as iconic as some of Mario’s other power-ups, but that only makes it seem more special. I’d love to see the Spin Drill return in a future game.

Mondo Zappa is an American assassin who travels the globe and eliminates all kinds of supernatural troublemakers. His weapon of choice is a simple katana, but his cybernetic arm is a lot more compelling. Mondo has no memory of how or why his arm was modified, but it has something to do with growing up on the dark side of the Moon with a magical unicorn. (It’s kind of a long story.) In any regard, Mondo is able to use the arm with lethal efficiency. The arm can be upgraded in creative ways, and it can even change form! It can be used as a machine gun, so the drill mode is admittedly limited in comparison. It’s still extremely useful in the right situation, however. It’s powerful enough to pierce the armor of enemies who are otherwise impenetrable, and it can even break through walls to reveal hidden passages.

There were a couple of Mega Man characters that could have been chosen for this list. Ground Man burrows underground and attacks with a large drill that splits into several smaller drills. Drill Man has similar digging abilities as Ground Man, but he has seniority over his fellow Robot Master and the robot union would probably fine me if I left him off of this list. Besides, it would be hard for me to ignore a guy who literally has a drill for a head! Drill Man was originally intended to be used on construction sites, but he was converted to a battle robot instead. He’s virtually invincible when he drills underground, and he loves to ambush his opponents from below. As if his built-in drills weren’t dangerous enough, his trademark “drill bombs” can break through obstructions and be detonated remotely for maximum effectiveness.

Rhydon is a powerful Pokémon that could be described as a cross between a rhinoceros and a dinosaur. It’s protected by durable armor-like hide, and its horn can bore holes through solid rock or topple buildings with a single blow. It might seem like I’m bending the rules by mentioning Rhydon on this list, but keep in mind that its horn looks and functions exactly like a drill bit. The horn has a unmistakable spiral pattern, and it can somehow spin independently of its body. Rhydon is formally known as the Drill Pokémon, and its patented Horn Drill maneuver is one of only four moves that can lead to a one-hit knockout. If someone stabbed you with a drill and proceeded to spin you around, you’d probably be put out of commission too! Rhydon was the very first Pokémon ever created, and its drill-for-a-horn made a lasting impact.

In the underwater city of Rapture, young girls called Little Sisters are used to harvest sought-after stem cell compounds. The girls have no offensive capabilities, so they rely on Big Daddies for protection. These monstrosities are genetically-enhanced humans who were grafted into enormous diving suits. The walking behemoths can use weapons ranging from rail guns to proximity mines, but the drill is obviously their coolest weapon. (It’s highly visible in promotional artwork, and it’s even featured on the cover of the first two Bioshock games!) The drills were apparently intended to be used for construction work, but Big Daddies mostly use them for melee attacks. They can also slam their drills into the ground to create tremors and disorientate their enemies. What they lack in creativity, they make up for with raw power.

Parin is an adventurous young girl who goes to live with her grandfather after her parents are called away on an excavation mission. Upon arriving in her new town, she quickly befriends a monster that only children can see. When Parin learns of a hidden monster village that is under attack, she feels compelled to defend her new friends. After unearthing a legendary drill from a stone slab, Parin sets of on her quest to restore the village. Parin can obtain various outfits and fashion accessories during her adventure, but the aforementioned drill is the only weapon she really needs. She can even increase its efficiency by purchasing various upgrade parts. Elemental effects can also be added to the drill, and Parin will be able to learn new combo attacks along the way. Her drill is almost as dangerous as her sarcastic wit.

Dig Dug is a classic game that was released during the golden age of the arcades. The object is to burrow through the ground and clear the screen of enemies, and you have to be mindful of how you dig the tunnels along the way. You’re not only making a path for yourself, after all, you’re also clearing the way for falling boulders and setting up potential traps for your adversaries. Young Taizo drills through the ground like a hot knife through butter, and nothing seems to slow him down. The only reason why he’s not ranked even higher on this list is because he makes things look too easy. Digging tunnels for Taizo is as easy as walking is for Mario. Taizo has a reputation for pumping his enemies full of air and making them explode, so his drilling escapades seem relatively tame in comparison. The drilling aspects of his adventures are effortless.

The eponymous star of Mr. Driller is the son of of Dig Dug protagonist, Taizo Hori. I typically follow a “one character per franchise” rule, but I’ll make an exception in this case since Taizo wasn’t playable until the third Mr. Driller game. We didn’t even know that the Dig Dug protagonist had a name until he appeared in Mr. Driller series, so a case can be made that he was riding his son’s coattails. Susumu is an energetic young man who’s tasked with drilling though onslaughts of colored blocks as quickly as he can. He’s in constant danger of being squashed or running out of air, but he was the only one in his party with enough courage to chase a massive destruction drill to the Earth’s core. He earned the right to be named Mr. Driller, and his lofty position of this list is well deserved.

Jill (known as Dori Kururi in Japan) is the plucky star of Drill Dozer. After her father is put out of commission, Jill assumes leadership of a group of righteous bandits known as the Red Dozers and sets out to retrieve a stolen diamond from a rival gang. To that end, she jumps into a multipurpose mecha suit called a Drill Dozer. The main reason why Jill has such a high position on this list is because of how versatile she is. In most games, drills are used as weapons or simple burrowing devices. Jill can certainly plow through enemies and cause massive damage, but her drill can also be used to deflect bullets, work combination locks, or reverse the direction of oncoming missiles. It has more uses than a Swiss Army knife. Jill demonstrates a complete mastery over her Drill Dozer, and she apparently rode one as an infant instead of a baby carriage.