Picross S8 (Nintendo Switch) Review

Picross is a type of puzzle or brain teaser that takes the form of a grid with numbers at the end of each row and column. These numbers indicate how many squares in each row or column is meant to be filled in. By solving the grid correctly, a picture will be revealed at the end.

Sounds simple, and it can be. It can also become pretty difficult pretty fast. Picross S8 delivers on both. Players get eased into the world of solving Picross puzzles with easy puzzles and the choice of playing through a tutorial (which can be skipped), and challenges get increasingly more difficult.

Certain settings also allow for support while trying to solve puzzles, such as the hint roulette, which randomly fills out a row and a column, or a setting that shows correct or false rows. An autocorrect feature can also be enabled, so everybody can set the game in a way that creates a personalised playing experience. Further customisation includes choosing between button and touch controls.

For ultimate relaxation, it's possible to choose from a selection of calming tunes while solving puzzles. Speaking of puzzles, there is more to them than just the base idea. Of course, in the classic mode, this is exactly what it says: classic Picross puzzles that increase in difficulty. Additional modes include Mega Picross, Color Picross, Clip Picross, and a mysterious mode called 'Extra'.

Mega Picross is a similar idea to the classic mode; however, this time, numbers may span over two rows or columns, creating a more difficult challenge. These grids will also increase in difficulty over time and provide a welcome diversion from the classic idea.

Color Picross is definitely one of the best modes. Numbers here have different colours, so that the squares in the grid can be filled with the corresponding colour. This is not only different but also a lot of fun to solve. It would be great to have a higher number of puzzles in this mode, but unfortunately it is the mode with the least number of grids overall (apart from the Extra mode).

Clip Picross can be unlocked by playing through the classic mode. Certain solved grids unlock Clip Picross grids, which altogether form a large picture rather than many individual ones. Solving all the Clip Picross grids eventually reveals a story.

In the Extra mode, players can find a small number of very large and challenging grids. Some of them are unlocked if save data from certain previous titles is found on the console, while others are available outright. These challenges are difficult and take longer to solve - a great idea for those really enjoying the challenge!