Pokémon Picross Review

The Verdict

At its core, Pokémon Picross is a clever execution that injects the Picross formula with touches that make puzzle-solving more directed and ultimately more alluring. The Pokémon IP has not been used superficially, which in itself is commendable. But most surprising is that even with the suspect microtransactions, it’s not as bad of a money trap as it could have been. What’s more, the standard established at the outset is great for its transparency, which, when coupled with measures to ease the player in without feelings of obligation, make for a relatively comfortable entry point. At the same time, it’s sad to see that the support systems are so restrained that it dulls a sense of reward, causing microtransactions to overpower the further you get into the experience. Ultimately, reflecting on the game’s defined variables and fun, experimental mechanics will work to disarm the future battle against microtransactions, should you decide to continue with it.

The Positives

• The early experience is relatively friendly to get into. A small sample of puzzles is designated for tutorial purposes, and some of the techniques that advanced players gradually learn through play have been distilled for beginner-level comprehension.

• If you’re accustomed to getting dinged for your mistakes in other Picross titles, you’ll be surprised to learn that no time penalties are incurred for such actions. Players have flexibility to go about their own process of deciphering clues without feeling penalized for it.

• The starting hint system seen in other Picross titles has essentially been assigned to Pokémon, with a surprising number of variations including pattern reveals (e.g., scattered, diamond-shaped), time adjustments (slow, freeze) and correctional measures. With those abilities, there are also variables that govern usage, when they can be activated (before or during gameplay) and range. Coupling these with a ranking system that limits some Pokémon to only standard puzzle grids, such elements help distinguish one Pokémon from the next, and it’s a smart way of ensuring that players don’t rely on the same party members throughout the entire experience but are instead encouraged to experiment as the need arises.

• Larger-size puzzle grids are gradually added to routes, often creating branching paths so that you’re not forced to complete them in order to move forward. This gradual movement away from linear routes effectively prevents such hurdles from being momentum killers, giving players the choice to tackle more difficult puzzles when they feel they’re up to it.

• Every puzzle you attempt has a series of missions to complete, often of the same variety – namely, take a particular Pokémon into battle, take only a certain type of Pokémon, use a particular ability. For example, the puzzle that will add Jigglypuff to your team asks that you bring Poison-type creatures into battle, which makes sense seeing as the creature is particularly weak to Poison. So strictly from that point of view, there’s logic behind the design choice.

• Some of said missions require you to have Pokémon that you won’t get until later, which forces you to continue moving forward with the intention of returning later, rather than using your current party to plan a consistent offense. What’s surprising is that this was an opportunity for exploitation on Nintendo’s part, but in truth the rewards are not big, and this gives credence to the view that microtransactions are not done to an abusive degree.

• Mega Picross is also a part of the experience, but so as to prevent feelings of stasis from setting in, the game doesn’t wait until the very end to introduce it to you. After clearing several areas, you’ll be given three tests to help you grasp the rules behind the optional change in gameplay style found in Alt-World Mode. It’s a bit devious that after completing these tests, this option won’t be unlocked; like Crashmo’s advanced puzzles, these require payment (300 Picrites, to be exact) before they can actually be accessed.

• Pokémon with advanced powers (e.g., using Expert Scatter Reveal to expose 30 squares at the start) can’t be used freely without consequence; otherwise, there would be a sharp drop in difficulty, which in turn would result in lower player engagement. Many of the creatures have a cooldown period that must be respected, usually 30 minutes or one hour, but sometimes more (1:30) or less (0:05). Not all do, however, and when you consider how much your collection will grow, you won’t find a time where you’re completely without hint options (presuming you don’t prefer the independent approach).

• Those accustomed to less wiggle room in free-to-play games will find Pokémon Picross’ microtransactions to be reasonable by comparison. The game is transparent about preparing players for the fact that new Area access will always require meeting paywalls with increasing increments (by 10). And this is helped by the fact that there are two starting offers in the Picrite Shop that will give you 200 or 800 Picrites at a slight discount – perfect for anyone uncertain if they’ll go the whole way.

• Many puzzles offer single Mural Tiles to be used on 8×8 grids found in a separate menu, giving players something outside of the standard progression to work towards.

• Nintendo has built in an area for external password transmissions, which will allow players to access secret stages that might show up on the map during their journey.

The Negatives

• Right from the beginning, a tone is set as to the strictly functional role that Pokémon serve. Those who enjoy the familiar experience of choosing their starting lineup need to completely dismiss this idea, as there’s little-to-no choice in the matter. While you will have a few stars that you’ll come back to, the creatures you catch are mostly interchangeable and should not be seen as a way of building a personal attachment to the experience.

• A lot of the missions ultimately feel contrived, to the point that some may find such demands disrupting to the overall experience. For instance, if you’ve largely been relying on your own deductive efforts (beyond any starting hints) to clear a puzzle, a mission objective asking for a Freeze Time ability seems forced and unnecessary. Players essentially need to get in the habit of reviewing mission objectives before entering and even while completing puzzles, lest they forget about them entirely. And considering that the reward isn’t all that great, it’s more of an annoyance than something that aids the overall experience.

• Puzzle-solving is governed by an Energy Gauge that decreases as you play, and while this doesn’t interfere substantially with the experience, this artificial mechanism serves as a means to make Picrite spending unavoidable. I strongly recommend making gauge extensions a priority, because the further you get into the experience, the greater the rate at which the gauge falls (by virtue of larger grid sizes, not because it does this intentionally). You won’t be able to continue playing unless you wait for the time limit to elapse – which will bring your experience to a halt, as we’re talking hours here – or spend 10 Picrites to refresh the gauge. That might not seem so bad, but over time, this can add up; hence why leveling up the gauge (up to five times) is critical, even though it requires an increasing number of Picrites to do so. In the long run, you’ll be saving.

• Not all the microtransactions are bad in themselves, but once you reach the double-digit Areas, things start to get out of hand. Some feature more than one paywall, meaning that you may be spending 200 Picrites (120 for one wall, 130 for another) or more in the same area just to advance. By this time, minor elements that you may have initially not seen the need to pay for, such as quickening the recovery process of your Pokémon or improving the Energy Gauge, become more appealing. Then there’s also the fact that you need to pay 500 Picrites to unlock a Mega Pencil that will, after completing a puzzle, facilitate the use of Mega-Evolved Pokémon (of which only one can exist in a party). The longer you play, the greater the expectation to pay money. It won’t be uncommon for most to spend $10 minimum to reach the game’s halfway point if focused on Area access, without taking into account other Picrite spends.

• The game as a whole is extremely stingy when it comes to giving Picrites, but the odd part is that in the initial stages, it appears generous. Discovered an achievement? Have three free Picrites! Completed a puzzle with time to spare? Here, have some more Picrites! This psychological tactic only goes so far, though, as once you hit the larger paywalls, you come to the realization that advancement cannot reliably be earned; it needs to be paid for. To bypass all Picrite barriers completely, you can pay $35 to $40, which is a lot for a game of this league (especially considering the alternative of the Picross-e series on the eShop).

• Randomized training exercises are offered to encourage daily play, but they are nowhere as effective as the Practice Catchers in Nintendo Badge Arcade due to their measly rewards. Even with bonuses acquired from progressing in the experience, at best these will help you refresh the Energy Gauge and maybe a Pokémon or two, but little else. The inconsequential nature of this feature is especially disappointing for being a wasted opportunity that could have incentivized repeat play.

Much mystery still surrounds Nintendo’s direction for their plunge into the mobile market, but if recent titles are any indication, the likelihood of established IPs taking center stage is particularly high. Even prior to the Pokémon-themed free-to-start titles released this year – namely, Pokémon Shuffle and Pokémon Rumble World – Pokémon Art Academy appears to have set a precedent for additional hybrids to come in the future. Falling under this definition is the unexpected announcement and now release of Pokémon Picross. It’s a pairing that few will contest, but there is a question of whether or not Nintendo is simply using the IP as a skin for a vanilla Picross game burdened by microtransactions. Wisely, Nintendo has taken a different route, demonstrating that should this tailored approach spill over into their mobile efforts, they just might be ahead of the curve.