In Brief…
1. Picross is a contraction of ‘Picture Crossword’.
2. Picross is another word for nonogram - a complicated form of ‘Paint by Numbers’.
3. Picross is a bit like Sudoku.
If you were a Conservative in 1990, you might remember the Sunday Telegraph introducing puzzles called ‘Nonograms’ (later renamed ‘Griddlers’). ‘Picross’, as Nintendo prefers to call it, involves using basic deduction skills to fill in a grid with coloured and blank squares, thus revealing a picture (see box-out for rules). Picross DS is probably the most successful of Nintendo’s electronic outings for the game, as its Game Boy predecessor Mario Picross sold quite poorly outside of Japan. Picross DS, however, has adverts on buses.
A close relative to Nintendo’s simplistic Touch! Generations game series, Picross DS is the kind of relaxing puzzle experience you could leave your mum alone in the room with without fear of giving her an anxiety attack. It’s the kind of thing that any gamer would look at and think “Seriously? That’s it?” but all it takes is a quick play to reveal the depths hidden underneath the simplistic idea.
Looking at what’s on offer, we have a whole load of modes to explore.
Each of the 150 puzzles in Normal Mode gives the player a 60 minute time limit. This might sound ridiculously high but you will be given increasingly harsh time penalties if you make mistakes. After completing 15 puzzles, one of three cute mini-games is released – namely Catch, Hit or Sketch – which give you tiny tasks to do that are related to the Picross system.
Free Mode grants you freedom, but at a price. The player is not informed if he makes a mistake, so it is up to his skill and wisdom to complete the puzzle. This is a harder variant of the Normal Mode, and is of course more akin to the original paper-based version.
Daily Picross sets daily challenges to test the player’s speed. The challenges include: Nonstop Time Attack (race the clock), No X Marks (can’t use ‘’X’ marks to help yourself out), Error Search (solve the problems), Memory Mode (solve the puzzle from memory) and Secret Mode (sssh, it’s a secret!). This is a fun alternative to the Normal Mode and helps you judge your own skills, as you will be ranked.
My Picross is your collection of hand-made puzzles (you can make them yourself, or download them from your wacky friends) and classic puzzles, downloaded from Nintendo Wi-Fi. The Americans get more downloadable content than us, which is a bit of a bummer, but we’re used to bad treatment from Nintendo, aren't we? Besides, some of the downloads are Mario-themed!
Finally, Online Challenge is the competitive mode, allowing you to battle an opponent over the internet. The first one to complete the puzzle wins the prize. While you can’t see what your adversary is doing, a progress bar lets you know how close they are to pulling the carpet out from under your feet.
A lot of options then, and a lot of stuff to do. All you need to work out is if you like this kind of puzzle or not. Why not use our handy reference sheet to find out?
Do You…
Like Sudoku?
Like the idea of Sudoku, but think the whole thing’s a bit poncy?
Like puzzle games that rely on logic and speed?
Want to impress your mum?
Then you will like Picross DS. However…
If You…
Get bored of doing the same thing over and over.
Don’t like to stretch your brain muscle.
Are looking for an exciting, lightning-fast puzzler.
Then you probably won’t.
Personally, I found it to be refreshingly relaxing style of game. Less complex than Sudoku but no less as enjoyable or tricky, it’s a rewarding experience that, on paper, sounds like a walk through the park but actually turns into a, uh… short jog. With your iPod on. And a bottle of Lucozade. And if that’s not fun, I don’t know what is.
* * * Like This? Hate This? Try This... * * *
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