Picross 3D

by Nintendo

• Players start with a solid block of cubes marked with numbers on the end of each row. If the number five is marked on the end of a row of six blocks, for example, one of those blocks must be eliminated. But which one? Players must deduce the answer based on the numbers marked on other rows
• Players tap a chisel to eliminate blocks they think don't belong or use a paintbrush to mark ones they think should stay
• Once all the appropriate blocks have been chipped away, a fun object will be revealed. There are more than 350 objects to discover in the game
• Picross 3D lets players create their own customized puzzles. Players can either share their creations with other Picross 3D players via a local wireless connection or use their broadband Internet connection and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to submit their puzzles into a weekly contest. Winners will have their puzzles featured in free weekly downloads available to all Picross 3D players
• If multiple people want to play Picross 3D, game owners can also send a few sample puzzles to others via DS Download Play without the need of a second game card

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002EE5RD0
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches ; 4.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: May 3, 2010
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,958 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #20 in Video Games > Nintendo DS > Games > Puzzle
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com

Picross 3D is the single player sequel to the popular Picross DS puzzle game. The original game was a number-based grid puzzle that challenged players to reveal a hidden picture. Picross 3D ratchets up the challenge, moving the action into three dimensions. Blending the logical challenge of a sudoku puzzle with the excitement of discovering hidden images, Picross 3D is a must-have for any puzzle fan on the DS. Additional features include multiple categories of puzzle challenges and wireless functionality that allows puzzles to be shared both via the Internet and over a local Nintendo Wi-Fi connection. Gameplay Picross 3D is a single player puzzle game in which players must reveal a 3D image hidden inside a larger rectangular block composed of smaller squares. To do this players utilize a variety of numerical clues placed upon the rows and columns of the larger rectangular form. Where they exist these clues indicate the number and possible grouping of blocks within that row or column. Where these are absent, the player must use logic and what the clues related to surrounding areas indicate to determine where blocks should be removed or left in place. Use logic to unlock images. View larger. To remove blocks players use the DS stylus via the game's mallet functionality. In standard play mode the game will give gentle limited warnings if blocks are incorrectly removed. Players can also use paint brush functionality to indicate which blocks they believe are part of the final 3D image. For success in exposing images players' actions are rewarded with a puzzle-solving rating, which aid in the unlocking of additional puzzles, and in-game animations that become part of the game background. The game also features an assortment of additional activities, including timed and no-miss challenges, the ability to create your own puzzles and share them with the greater Picross 3D community via the Nintendo DS' wireless Wi-Fi capabilities and even DS download functionality that allows players to share some puzzles with other DS owners locally without the need for additional game cards. Key Game Features Players start with a solid block of cubes marked with numbers. Each block contains a hidden object. Each number represents the number of blocks in that row that are part of the hidden object. If a row of six blocks is marked with the number five, one of those blocks must be eliminated. But which one? Players must deduce the answer based on the number clues marked on adjacent rows and columns. Once all the appropriate blocks have been chipped away, a fun object will be revealed. There are more than 350 unique puzzles to solve and objects to discover in the game. Picross 3D lets players create their own customized puzzles. Players can either share their creations with other Picross 3D players via a local wireless connection or use their broadband Internet connection and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to submit their puzzles into a monthly themed puzzle challenge. Winners will have their puzzles featured in free weekly downloads available to all Picross 3D players for a limited time after the game is launched. Additional brain teasing puzzles will be made available throughout the year in themed puzzle packs via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. If multiple people want to play Picross 3D, game owners can also send a sample puzzle to others via DS Download Play without the need of a second game card. Additional Screenshots: 3D puzzle-solving. View larger. Tutorial and in-game guide. View larger. Create and share puzzles. View larger. Animations and unlockables. View larger.

Product Description

Break Into The Next Dimension of Brainteasers! Track numbers, crack cubes, and rack your brain in the newest mind-bending puzzle craze that is easy to pick up but hard to put down! ~ Discover the secret animation hidden inside each block by following the simple number patterns. As intuitive as a crossword and as absorbing as sudoku, Picross 3D is a fun first in the next generation of three-dimensional puzzle games! ~ Master over 365 challenges that will keep players of all skill levels perpetually puzzling every day of the year! Indulge your appetite for brainteasers by downloading up to an additional 400 themed puzzles available via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (Nintendo WFC)! Wireless broadband internet connection is required for Nintendo WFC. ~ Create and swap puzzles with friends, submit your own creations for the monthly puzzle challenge, and download new puzzle packs every week via Nintendo WFC.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

100 of 115 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great premise, great promise, should have been great for everyone. May 7, 2010

By Dick Johnson TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Amazon Verified Purchase

Fun: 4.0 out of 5 stars   

I'm writing this review after about three hours of play. The first hour was spent on the tutorial - and, yes, it is necessary. (I'm not sure, but you may have no choice.) Though the manual is very, very good (thank you for that), the learn as you go feature was pretty well done.

I'm in my sixties and I have played the pencil and paper version of 2D Picross games for many, many years. I've also played virtually all of Picross DS. So, I was really looking forward to this.

Overall, this game plays as is described above. It seems to be addictive and it is fun. As you can see, I've given it 4 stars. I'm glad I bought it and will probably play it to the end. This is a game you can pick up and put down and it does let you save quite frequently.

It is, as is Picross DS, a great way to learn logical thinking. Do, however, start with the previous game. It will help you a lot in learning this one. I heartily recommend both games for that purpose (regardless of any faults they may have!).

Even though I gave it those four stars, I am disappointed. It could have been much better for a whole range of players. Unfortunately it does penalize the slower players and this also penalizes the younger players who are learning the logic skills taught by this game and older players who just don't do things as quickly anymore.

Had they made this as a step-up game to Picross DS, all would have been great. Unfortunately, they added some things that were not needed. It would have been incredibly fun without them. In doing so, they took a great, fun logic game and tried to turn it into a competitive single player video game.

Here is my "Unfortunately" list:

- the designers added bonuses based on speed. Well, maybe that's not the unfortunate part. That you can't play the game any other way is the unfortunate part.

- you are limited in the number of mistakes you can make before you 'lose'. Hint: if you make a mistake, pause it and choose to replay level. That way you can still earn the stars. It's a pain to start over each time your stylus slips, but since you have to earn the stars to play all the puzzles, it's a necessary - if ridiculous - evil.

- taking too long or making even one mistake costs bonus stars needed to 'earn' extra puzzles. (Didn't we pay for all the puzzles when we bought the game?)

- the needed tutorial took twice as long as it should have. You have to watch too many graphics before you can go to the next screen. And, the tutorial is broken into too many steps. If you are capable of learning the game at all, you are capable of learning it at a quicker pace. You can take as long as you want on the example screens, so why the slow progressions that add nothing?

- and the biggie is that you will rarely have any clue of what the shape is you are chiseling out of the stacks of blocks. This is true even after you have 'solved' the puzzle. The game does show you with added colors the item you sculpted, but that is of little help on too many of the items. That the game also prints out what you've made is the only way of identifying too many of the items. Label on screen: 'Suitcase'. Me: 'Oh, so that's what a suitcase looks like to a game designer.'

It would have been a huge improvement if the 'keeper' blocks were the colors of the finished product instead of their being all one color. Showing the finished product in all its colors is not a help in enjoying the solving of the puzzles.

The game can be fun if you like logic games and are willing to take the time to truly learn the rules - and can get past the 'Unfortunate' items.

This is a ten star game without the mandatory penalty items and unlockables. Due to those annoyance factors it's a three star game. I've added back in a star because I love Picross puzzles.

With the huge number of game players reaching their sixties, it's a shame that game designers haven't figured out that speed of play doesn't have to be a required feature of a game - especially a logic game. There's no goal that the players have to 'race' toward in this type of game - so why require players to race? Make it an option and make all the puzzles available for all to play.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A few omissions/annoyances, but still an excellent followup to Picross DS! May 10, 2010

By H. Nie

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

For those unfamiliar with the Picross concept, it is a sudoku-type logic puzzle that challenges players to utilize spatial reasoning to chip away at a block to produce a finished picture (or in this case, a 3-dimensional model). If the puzzle is completed in the time allotted and without too many mistakes, the player is rewarded as the finished object leaps into color and animates!

It's important to note that with Picross 3D, the developers seem to be aiming for a more "game"-focused experience (timers, scoring, unlockables, etc.) rather than a simple electronic collection of puzzles. Whether this is a good or bad thing really boils down to individual preference, however it can certainly be a surprise to players who were not expecting it. That being said, here are my impressions so far, with 8+ hours played and ~150 puzzles completed:

Pros:
(+) Tons of puzzles! Over 365 puzzles pre-loaded on the DS cartridge, and even more available to download.
(+) 4 save profiles available. Great for sharing with family members, and a very welcome change from Picross DS, which only offered one save slot.
(+) Good 3D interface. The stylus rotating is intuitive and works well, and the "slicer" feature gets the job done for larger puzzles. Manipulating the models feels more fun and interactive than static 2D Picross puzzles.
(+) Puzzles within a difficulty are split into smaller "levels" and challenges. It's only a cosmetic difference, but it's nice to have smaller goals to work through rather than just a huge mass of puzzles.
(+) "Stars" rating system + unlockable puzzles. This seems controversial, but I feel that it adds challenge and replayability to the puzzles, and rewards players who make the effort to get max ratings. Not everyone will get 3 stars on each puzzle the first time, but that just makes it more satisfying to come back and breeze through later when you are more experienced!
(+) "Gallery" feature showcasing completed puzzle items. The themed collection pages are fun and colorful, and unlockable additional animations are a nice extra as well.
(+) Original puzzle creation. Fun feature for creative players who want to try their hand at making puzzles.

Cons:
(-) No hint system. Why was this removed? It would've been great to have a limited number of hints (perhaps earnable in-game?) that would reveal numbers on unmarked rows.
(-) SLOW in-game tutorial. Nice feature to have, but this one is long and can feel slow/boring, particularly for veteran Picross players. You can opt to skip it and go straight to "Easy" difficulty, but doing so means missing out on puzzles and concepts unique to Picross 3D. A quick-tutorial/quick-reference option would've been great.
(-) Music and visual style. This is certainly dependent on personal preference, but I found the visuals sloppy and childish-looking (Picross DS is less colorful but looks far more polished) and the music extremely grating (fortunately you can turn this off.) Also, the ever-present yellow box guy is distracting and disturbing. (I think he must be related to the MS Office Paperclip...)

I would also have liked to see more stats, as well as a button to remove all unmarked cubes in a row, since doing it via rotation/slicers is slow and unwieldy.

Overall though, Nintendo did a great job in transitioning the Picross formula to 3D, as well as making the game appeal to a wider audience of players. I'd give the game itself 4.5 stars, but the bargain price tag bumps it up to a full 5 stars. A very fun and addictive game, a worthy successor to Picross DS, and a steal at $20!

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air May 6, 2010

By *Midwest* Matt

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

Refreshing, challenging, addicting...Picross 3d! This game is an absolute blast to play. This game challenges you in a 3d space to chip away at blocks, all in the hopes of uncovering the 3d object that lays within. Now, to do this, you must use the numbers that are on the side of certain blocks to decide how many blocks must be chipped away from that row or column (row has a 0 next to it, which means that 0 blocks belong in that row, so you then chip away all of those blocks in that row).

The first hour or so of the game is more or less a tutorial that slowly guides you into the game and uncovers the complexities (circle numbers and square numbers). Circle and square numbers are numbers that are enveloped with either a circle or a square (duh). Circle numbers means the blocks are going to be split up into at least two groups, while a square number means that blocks will be split up along 3 different groups. This adds another layer of challenge.

Now, visually, the game looks very nice. It is colorful and has a unique style to it that makes it that much more fun to play. When you complete a shape, it is placed into a canvas along with the other categories of that shape you've uncovered already to fill up a picture which will be filled with your completed picross puzzles, awesome!

The music in this game is fun and varied. You can change the music at any time to play music/sounds you are in the mood for. Everything from reggae, to jazz, to forest sounds and babbling brooks if you just want to relax.

So, overall, this game is a breath of fresh air and a blast to play!! Play it, love it, Picross 3d!