Picross (derived from “pic-ture cross-word”, was originally a puzzler that Tetsuya Nishio came up with way back in 1987 before Nintendo decided to use the popular game for their consoles. It’s a bit like Minesweeper because the whole idea is to workout which squares in a grid should be filled in by using the number clues laid around the border. However, once all the correct squares have been filled in, a cool little picture is formed. Nintendo’s last Picross title was “Picross NP” for the SNES back in the year 2000 and so what better time than now for them to bring back the good old puzzler on their latest stylus supported console, the Nintendo DS.

Don’t think Nintendo decided to completely abandon the traditional button controls though because they are still there. Only you have to change the control options first or tap the button at the top-right corner. Stylus works best of course, especially with the bigger puzzles that are too hard to work with on the small screens of the DS. When that happens, you zoom in on the grid and drag it around to access the parts you want. It works out pretty well if you use both the D-Pad and the stylus together.


Stylus and D-Pad works best for these larger puzzles.
There are several modes to Picross DS and the main mode “Picross” contains over 300 puzzles for you to solve at three difficulties. There’s easy where if you happen to make a mistake by filling in the wrong square, the game will let you know by marking it with a cross. Normal still marks down mistakes for you but the puzzles are larger. Then finally there’s “Free” which doesn’t let you know about any mistakes. But no matter what difficulty you’re playing at, you’re always given the option of a hint at the very beginning which reveals one column and row of the grid to you.

Puzzle sizes range from the tiny 5x5 to the bigger 25x20 grids which will have you thinking for something around thirty minutes. Also, for every five puzzles you solve you unlock one of three mini games to play which are destroying moving squares, sketching a quick picture and “whack the square”. They’re fun for a nice break in between all the thinking.


More downloadable puzzles? Yes, indeed!
If you think the puzzles that come with the game aren’t enough for you, you can also download weekly classic Picross packs via Wi-Fi that contain ten new puzzles for you to solve or, you can just design your own! Your puzzles can be shared amongst friends via wireless or more conveniently via Wi-Fi.