We are in a
generation of handheld gaming marked by new and different hardware, and with
this new hardware comes new and different software. Perhaps one of the best
examples of this is the large number of puzzle and other “thinking” games
available on the Nintendo DS, specifically Nintendo’s Touch Generation games.
Brain Age tested your basic math and perception skills. Planet Puzzle League
challenged your reflexes and maybe even provided a bit of nostalgia for Tetris
Attack matches so many years ago. And now Picross DS can challenge your
learning and logic skills – in a fun way, of course!
For the unfamiliar, Picross
is a logic game in the same vein as Sudoku. The game is played by examining a
grid anywhere from 5×5 to 25×20 squares in size. Numbers line each row and
column, and you must use these numbers to logically deduce which squares should
be punched out and which should be crossed out. When the puzzle is solved, the
punched squares reveal a picture as a nice little bonus.
Gameplay begins by first
choosing one of the game’s many modes of play: The timed Normal mode puzzles
offer you a hint when starting and will penalize you by adding time to your
score when you make a mistake. The goal is to simply finish the puzzle within an
hour. This works well for the most part but is kind of odd in that it allows you
to complete the puzzle for partial credit if you go over time. Unfortunately,
this takes away some of the fun when you go back to finish it fully knowing what
the solution is.
Free mode puzzles are more
advanced than Normal mode puzzles. They do not offer hints and will not let you
know when you make a mistake, so if you discover an error late in the puzzle it
can be incredibly hard to fix. These puzzles include an “overlay” mode which
allows you to test for contradictions and other things you may not be able to
see normally. You simply turn on the overlay which is like a second layer
allowing you to test different possibilities. This works very well because if
you like what you come up with, you can add it to the real puzzle. If you don’t
like what you come up with you can simply discard the overlay instead of riddle
the grid with errors.
Normal and Free mode provide
the bulk of the gameplay including more than 150 puzzles each, but there are
more great modes of play to keep you busy.
“Daily Picross” tracks your
daily performance on specific tasks such as completing five puzzles as fast as
possible or searching for errors in an already filled in puzzle. These are a
great way to quickly and easily get some Picross time in each day as well as
improve your skills for online play. “My Picross” is an outstanding feature that
allows you to draw and create your own puzzles. The game will let you know
whether or not your puzzle is solvable, so your creations are never wasted
effort.
Finally, there are many
multiplayer options available. With local play, up to five players can compete
to see who can complete puzzles the fastest. The best part is that you only need
one cart to do so. Wi-Fi play is the same as local play but is one-on-one and
tracks the number of matches you’ve played and how many you’ve won. In addition,
you can exchange created puzzles both locally and over Wi-Fi, so if you can find
some friends around the world that have the game, you could potentially have an
endless supply of puzzles! However, there could have been more variety in the
actual multiplayer games. A multiplayer adaptation of some of the Daily Picross
modes would have been great.
Visually, Picross DS
is slick but very basic. You can change the visual style depending on the theme
of the puzzle’s solution if you want a break from the default blue on white.
Unfortunately, some of the themes are hard on the eyes and make it hard to
differentiate between blank squares and crossed out squares which can result in
unnecessary errors.
Sound in the game is also
basic including just a few sound effects for moving the cursor, selecting
objects, punching or crossing out squares, and making errors. The effects sound
nice but are not necessary for the experience. Similarly, there are only a
handful of music tracks in the game which, while perfect for the game’s style,
are perhaps a bit short and can become repetitive, especially on the longer
puzzles. To remedy this slightly, Normal and Free mode each have three tracks
you can change between on the fly, or you can turn off music altogether.
Realistically, the game can easily and effectively be played with no sound at
all.
Like Sudoku, Picross DS
is insanely addictive. However, it requires more techniques than Sudoku and
can take much longer to master, which can make a first-timer feel a bit
intimidated. Luckily, the game offers tutorials for learning the basic
techniques needed to solve most of the puzzles. In addition, puzzle difficulty
progresses smoothly and ranges from very easy to very hard making this game good
for novice and veteran players alike. To top it all off, the $20 price tag makes
this a game DS owners can’t pass up.
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Gameplay: 9.5
Outstanding gameplay that
requires patience and careful thought in some cases, and fast reflexes and
frantic puzzle solving in other cases. Many modes of gameplay will keep you busy
for a long time whether playing by yourself, with friends, or creating your own
puzzles.
Graphics: 7.5
Visual are clean and smooth
but are very basic, overall. They get the job done.
Sound: 7.0
Sound effects and music are
high in quality but low in quantity and can become somewhat repetitive. They are
largely unnecessary as the game requires no sound to play or enjoy.
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Puzzle difficulty ranges
from very easy to very hard with the majority providing a moderate challenge
once the basic techniques are practiced for a while, but you will have to become
a Picross master to finish the highest level puzzles.
Concept: 9.0
One of the best and most
unique puzzle experiences available today for the online play options, daily
play, puzzle creator, and touch-screen controls. Few in the genre have pulled
off this much this well.
Multiplayer: 8.5
You can challenge friends
locally or over Wi-Fi in a race to finish puzzles before they do, or send custom
puzzles among one another for endless gameplay. A larger variety of multiplayer
games would have been nice.
Overall: 9.0
This is Picross at its
finest. If you are looking for something to keep you busy for those long bus
rides or even while relaxing at home, Picross DS offers nearly endless,
addictive gameplay, and with a $20 price tag you can’t go wrong.
