Picross e3 (Nintendo 3DS) Review

The usual Picross formula is back: playing on grids of varying sizes, the numbers to the sides of each row and column indicate how many squares must be filled in, forming a picture once completed. With 150 all-new puzzles for Picross e3, this will once again last for quite some time.

Anyone that's bought a Picross title in the past will know what to expect, and whilst that's acceptable for the diehard fans of the series, many might be wondering just what new ideas have been thrown into the mix, as something else to look forward to. Whereas Picross e2 had the great "puzzle inside a puzzle" Micross mode, what is introduced to Picross e3 is rather disappointing.

It's fair enough that what can be done with this game is likely rather limited, but the new Mega Picross mode has replaced Micross for this edition. Mega Picross uses "Mega Numbers" to provide hints that span two rows, instead of the usual one, making for some more challenging puzzles that require an alternative kind of logic to find the solution. Some might lap the arrival of this mode right up, but the change-up takes some getting used to and is more difficult than first thought, which could deter others that prefer the traditional single row hints of regular Picross puzzles. That said, the choice is there to try something different, but it's a bit of a shame that the more frustrating Mega Picross comes at the cost of Micross; would it not have been an idea to keep Micross in this version, too, as well as making way for the new mode?

On top of the usual varying difficulties of the many puzzles tucked away in Picross e3, Mega Picross is the only notable change made over its predecessor. Only fans will be able to decide for themselves whether the update is enough, but the fact that Picross e4, which has just come out in Japan, looks like it's made a few more interesting changes than what has been made to Picross e3 gives hope that there's still some freshness in the series that this edition could have really done with itself.