Are you familiar with “Picross?” It’s the name of a specialized puzzle genre that combines number problems with visual problems (“Picross” is short for “Picture Crossword”). Once you get elbow-deep into a Picross game, it’s not easy to tear yourself away. Yes, they’re that addicting. No surprise, given that Picross puzzles combine crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and the fun of assembling images pixel-by-pixel.
When Nintendo released Mario’s Picross for the Game Boy in 1995, the company had hoped to export some of Japan’s love for Picross puzzles along with it. Unfortunately, the game didn’t sell very well, but that’s all the more reason to download Mario’s Picross on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. It’s a very well-built puzzle game that’s simple to learn, but takes time and patience to truly conquer.
Developer: Jupiter
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: E
Genre: Puzzle
Compatible With: Nintendo 3DS
Price: $3.99 USD
When Nintendo released Mario’s Picross for the Game Boy in 1995, the company had hoped to export some of Japan’s love for Picross puzzles along with it. Unfortunately, the game didn’t sell very well, but that’s all the more reason to download Mario’s Picross on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. It’s a very well-built puzzle game that’s simple to learn, but takes time and patience to truly conquer.
Developer: Jupiter
Publisher: Nintendo
ESRB Rating: E
Genre: Puzzle
Compatible With: Nintendo 3DS
Price: $3.99 USD
The Basics: Count On It
Solving a Picross puzzle is a matter of travelling up and down the X and Y axis of a grid, and filling in squares according to the numerical hints printed there. Say, for example, you’re solving a puzzle on a ten-by-ten grid. If the number in that row or column is a ten, then you need to fill in every single square in that row or column. If it’s a 7, then you know that there are seven side-by-side squares that need to be filled in. If there are two separate numbers—a two and a three, for instance—then you need to fill in two squares and three more, and each group is separated by at least one blank square.
You can’t just guess blindly, though. Coming to a proper conclusion is a matter of analyzing how the numbers in a single column and a single row intersect. Of course, things get a little easier once the picture comes into being, though randomly filling in squares based on what you think the picture is can still get you in trouble.
Yes, “trouble.” When you make mistakes in Mario’s Picross, you pay for them. Lightly at first, and then more severely if you’re continually careless. You have half an hour to solve each puzzle. If you fill in a square incorrectly, time is subtracted from your total. You lose two minutes for your first mistake, then four, then eight, and—well, the point is “Don’t panic.” Mario’s Picross gives you more than enough time to solve puzzles slowly and logically, but if you flail around, you won’t last long.
There are dozens of puzzles to tackle in Mario’s Picross, from simple tutorial examples to elaborate works that you build up pixel-by-pixel.
You can’t just guess blindly, though. Coming to a proper conclusion is a matter of analyzing how the numbers in a single column and a single row intersect. Of course, things get a little easier once the picture comes into being, though randomly filling in squares based on what you think the picture is can still get you in trouble.
Yes, “trouble.” When you make mistakes in Mario’s Picross, you pay for them. Lightly at first, and then more severely if you’re continually careless. You have half an hour to solve each puzzle. If you fill in a square incorrectly, time is subtracted from your total. You lose two minutes for your first mistake, then four, then eight, and—well, the point is “Don’t panic.” Mario’s Picross gives you more than enough time to solve puzzles slowly and logically, but if you flail around, you won’t last long.
There are dozens of puzzles to tackle in Mario’s Picross, from simple tutorial examples to elaborate works that you build up pixel-by-pixel.
The Good
Great learning curve -- Never played Picross before? No fear. Mario’s Picross eases you into the game with simple tutorial levels. As you play, the picture grid gets bigger and puzzles become more complex, so as soon as you’re comfortable with the game’s mechanics, you’re provided with a challenge.
It’s a unique puzzle experience --Game consoles, handheld systems, and mobile phones are not lacking for puzzle games, but they’re all pretty familiar: line up falling blocks, match three images, make new words a la Scrabble, find hidden objects in crowded scenes, etc, etc. Chances are good that Picross is unlike any puzzle game you’ve ever sampled before.
It’s fun to play if you love pixel art -- Solving a Picross puzzle square-by-square is not unlike building an old-fashioned video game sprite with pixels. The comparison hasn’t been lost on Nintendo! Get ready to see some familiar faces staring back at you as you finish pictures in Mario’s Picross.
It’s addictive -- Watch out! Once you get the hang of Mario’s Picross, you’re almost guaranteed to look up from your 3DS two hours later and wonder where the heck all your free time went. Oh, but there’s always time for one more puzzle, right…?
It has a great follow-up -- If you wind up enjoying Mario’s Pi cross, why not pick up the excellent Picross 3D for the Nintendo DS?
It’s a unique puzzle experience --Game consoles, handheld systems, and mobile phones are not lacking for puzzle games, but they’re all pretty familiar: line up falling blocks, match three images, make new words a la Scrabble, find hidden objects in crowded scenes, etc, etc. Chances are good that Picross is unlike any puzzle game you’ve ever sampled before.
It’s fun to play if you love pixel art -- Solving a Picross puzzle square-by-square is not unlike building an old-fashioned video game sprite with pixels. The comparison hasn’t been lost on Nintendo! Get ready to see some familiar faces staring back at you as you finish pictures in Mario’s Picross.
It’s addictive -- Watch out! Once you get the hang of Mario’s Picross, you’re almost guaranteed to look up from your 3DS two hours later and wonder where the heck all your free time went. Oh, but there’s always time for one more puzzle, right…?
It has a great follow-up -- If you wind up enjoying Mario’s Pi cross, why not pick up the excellent Picross 3D for the Nintendo DS?
The Bad
The graphics aren’t very exciting -- Mario’s Picross isn’t the most gorgeous game on the planet, but even the black-and-white graphics get the job done.
The music is pretty distracting -- No joke. You’ll probably want to turn down the game’s tinny tunes as soon as possible.
The music is pretty distracting -- No joke. You’ll probably want to turn down the game’s tinny tunes as soon as possible.
Conclusion: Pick Picross
Mario’s Picross is an excellent puzzle game, and it’s a shame it was overlooked the first time it arrived on American shores. Nevertheless, life is all about second chances, and Mario’s Picross is well-deserving of another visit on the Nintendo 3DS. Go for it!
