Picross S: Mega Drive & Master System Edition (Nintendo Switch) Review

Picross S Mega Drive & Master System edition is yet another entry of the Picross series, and it is just as robust and enjoyable as the others. Indeed, instead of random pictures, this time there are nostalgic and beloved characters to discover. It is truly a treat. This title also provides different modes found in earlier titles: standard Picross mode, Mega Picross, Colour Picross and Clip picross.

The standard Picross mode is essentially what it says on the box: simple grids with numbers at rows and columns that will construct an image (although the difficulty increases!). It is classic and relaxing, and especially good for beginners, but also enjoyable for the professional Picross lovers. Mega Picross is where things start to get difficult. A small adjustment to the rules requires a slightly different way of thinking when solving these grids. That is because in this mode, two rows or columns can have combined numbers. A great twist to keep things interesting!

Colour Picross is definitely a favourite; here each number is also assigned a colour, allowing for a coloured picture to be made. Sadly, the number of available colour picross puzzles is significantly lower than those available in other modes. Finally, Clip Picross are separate grids that can be solved to uncover one large picture, each grid being part of it. These are unlocked when playing through the standard mode.

There are several settings available that allow individualised gameplay. It is possible to choose different music, cursor speed or different aids during a game. The music especially can make the game very relaxing, and some Sega fans may find a nice surprise here. Additionally, the different settings for help are incredibly practical for new players or those that get stuck. It is possible to set the game to autocorrect wrong squares, or show correct or incorrect rows and columns. These happen automatically when turn on. There is a setting that allows players to check mistakes, which the player has to activate if stuck, and a setting called "hint roulette". By activating this setting, players will get a prompt at the start of (almost) every grid asking if they wish to activate hint roulette. If it is chosen a random row and a random column will be auto filled, allowing for an easier start on solving the grid.

Players who choose not to use any help will be rewarded with a little "no help star" on each grid solved without help. This is appreciated, as it means the game can be completed with help used, but not using it still allows for that little bit of extra reward. As usual, for complete beginners, a very helpful tutorial is available that can be skipped by the pros. One downside is that there are no bonus puzzles unlocked for save data from older titles. This can be overlooked however, as this edition is somewhat special in itself already.