Puzzlebox Setup (Nintendo 3DS) Second Opinion Review

It's a breath of fresh air when systems are utilised in unique ways, such as the many DS titles that had players hold the handheld on its side like a book. However, the 3DS hasn't quite been given the same treatment, mostly due to the fact that the 3D effect will not work when the system is held in such a way.

However, indie developer Bplus decided to create a unique puzzle title that requires the system to be held upside down. The result? Puzzlebox Setup. The gameplay is simple and the objective is to "fill in" the blanks of an outlined shape by tapping on the corresponding colour to drop a block down to the main screen.

Whilst holding the 3DS topsy turvy may sound a little baffling, it does work relatively well and is a nice change of pace from similar offerings on the Nintendo eShop.

Although, where Puzzlebox Setup lets itself down is the inaccuracy in the controls. Oftentimes, when a colour has been tapped, the game will think another colour or column has been selected, therefore making perfect scores all the more harder to achieve. This is less of an issue on the XL models of the 3DS, and perhaps maybe the New 3DS, due to the larger screens. However, it is still not 100% accurate, making some puzzles frustrating.

There are two different modes on offer, each coming with a different mechanic. In Setup, players must fill in the shapes outlined on the bottom screen (which is usually the top screen) by dropping blocks into the highlighted areas. However, this must be done as the screen pans to the right at a constant speed, which can be changed by the user.

In Copycat mode, gamers are presented with a large static puzzle and must drop blocks in a similar fashion to the aforementioned Setup mode. This is perhaps the most enjoyable of the two, as the whole puzzle is visible on screen at all times, making inputs on the touch screen a little more accurate.