The magical fairies who let me play video games before they come out in the U.S….
…tell me that you should keep an eye out for Drill Dozer, the American title of Gamefreak’s Screw Breaker. Made by the same… well, “game freaks” who created Pokemon, this game plays absolutely nothing like Pokemon. Instead it’s a side-scrolling adventure, more like a cross between Klonoa and Mr. Driller. You control a little girl who rides around on a big grinning drill-tank, using its drills in tons of clever ways. Along with the “destroying stuff with the drill” you’d expect, you also use it to navigate threaded tunnels, turn cranks, propel yourself underwater, and numerous other things. The zany graphics, gigantic bosses, and excellent controls make it feel VERY Treasure-like, so fans of games like Astro Boy: Omega Factor, Silhouette Mirage, and Dynamite Headdy will feel right at home. The weird “gear and gauge” overlay you see in most screenshots of the game (including this one) appears whenever you use the drill; the gauge shows you how much longer the drill will run, and the number on the gear indicates the drill’s current speed/power.
Incidentally, I couldn’t figure out why they changed the title until I heard myself say the words “Screw Breaker” out loud. I felt kind of dirty.
Update: Curses!! According to Kotaku, the game won’t be coming out states-side until February. (As opposed to Gamespot’s previous guess of November.) If you just can’t wait that long, an import is certainly viable, since it’s entirely playable with no knowledge of Japanese (you just won’t have any idea what’s going on). The only sticky point I can think of would be the combination lock; post in the comments here if you have trouble with it, and I’ll help you out.