The Picross e series seems to have settled in its ways now, not choosing to add any more additional features and simply having new sets of puzzles with each release. Picross e6 is no exception, once again playing it very safe and just giving you more pictures to unveil.
Again, the three available modes are Picross, Micross and Mega Picross. Picross is the standard game mode, where you use the numbers left and above the puzzle to deduce which squares need to be filled in and which ones should be left alone. Each of these regular puzzles can be played with the standard rules or with "Free" rules, where no hints or time deductions are given. If you make a mistake, the game won't tell you and you could potentially keep going for several minutes before noticing things don't seem to add up.
Micross offers another three puzzles based on classic paintings, where each one is actually made up out of a ton of smaller puzzles. You can freely select which section you'd like to solve next, which then eventually reveals the whole thing. Each Micross puzzle has so many segments that it can easily take close to an hour to solve them all; these also use Free rules, which cannot be changed.
Mega Picross is mostly like the regular mode, but also adds a special number type into the mix, which tells you of a set of connected squares in not just one, but two columns or rows, requiring you to think extra hard. If the number's an 11, for example, it could simply go straight down one column for 10 squares and then move over into the other for one more tile, but it could also snake back and forth constantly.
Longtime fans of the series will again be rewarded with a few bonus puzzles, as each save you have for one of the first three Picross e titles will unlock an additional 5 Micross puzzles in a special gift menu. Just like the previous Picross e5 the newer titles don't seem to unlock anything, which is a bit puzzling.
Just like all the game modes, all the extra features have naturally returned as well. For those who choose to foray into Picross for the first time with e6, there are plenty of handy tutorials explaining exactly how to play, as well as a hint feature that you can choose to use or ignore.
Conclusion
It's beginning to sound a bit like a broken record, but Picross e6 is really just more of the same. There are no new features here, just another set of puzzles to solve. It's still really fun to play, so fans of the series should have no problem enjoying this one as well - perhaps the next title will add something new again?
Comments 15
I think that it's the best entry in the e-series. Moreover there is also plenty of Micross, which were lacking in the previous entries.
The only way I will ever be interested in Picross again is when Nintendo decides to release the Club Nintendo Picross in the west.
While i'm still working on Picross 3 (yes I'm slow...and I also stopped to play the old GB version) I'm glad there's always coming more.
I love Picross, and I appreciate that we still get iterations of it - we've yet to get Picross 2 or Super Picross over here in North America!
'e6' is disappointing, though. The "Mega Picross" mode is just the regular 150 puzzles redone in that gameplay style, so no new pictures, and the puzzles are familiar.
My biggest issue with the 'e' series is how easy and safe the games are, especially how far in the series we are at this point. The first few puzzles are 5x5s again, and then you get to play about 50 or 60 10x10 puzzles until you get to 15x15s. I can understand 'e1' and maybe 'e2' keeping it easy since they're early on (even though Picross has been an established series for two decades now) but with 'e6' continuing that trend, it's just lazy.
My favorite puzzles in the game are the 20x15s, and there are only 15 of them. I understand that since they're bigger, they take longer to craft and produce, but the time spent making softball, blurry 10x10s can be spent on making 20x15s or beyond!
I'm so glad I got to experience Picross DS. Such a wealth of content and the animated portraits are sorely missed.
Jupiter are kinda getting more cash-cow-like with the e series. I've yet to actually finish e5, you know, which I just bought three weeks ago. Don't know if I can rely on Jupiter to listen to fan feedback for more Picross games.
@ederenzi78 Micross puzzles are MASSIVE, man. No need for loads of them.
All good. Keep em coming please 😃
@TheDavyStar Well, that's an opinion. I found standard Picross's too simple. Micross, on the other hand, are more entertaining as you have to apply different logic.
I've already completed it and this has been my longest Picross game byfar. From e1-e5, I completed each game quicker than the last. As for e6, it surpassed the total playtime of the first game (some 30+ hours).
I really wish that they would release the second GB Picross game on 3DS. They released Mario's Super Picross without bothering to translate it. I don't see why they are reluctant to do the same with the GB release.
Yeah, I downloaded it. Its more of the same, as expected. I am not a great fan of Mega picross, its the least fun variation on picross. Personally I hope we still get the 2 Gameboy picross games (I believe there are still 2 that we need). And hopefully we see a picross 3D again someday (retail please)!
Also, Club Nintendo picross please!
@Eldoon I agree, Picross DS was awesome, the best Picross game I've ever played. I was very disappointed when I bought the first Picross e and found out that none of the puzzles rewarded me with animations of the pictures in them. =|
@Eldoon I agree, Picross DS was awesome, the best Picross game I've ever played. I was very disappointed when I bought the first Picross e and found out that none of the puzzles rewarded me with animations of the pictures in them. =|
Nice, Picross is a really fun gaming series in my veiw ^^. A question though, but should we get a Picross game on the Wii U that features Picross puzzles that are larger than 20x15 to really give us a challenge? .
Of course you start at the lower end first first, but starts at 10x10 and way more quickly gets harder than the 3ds versions. Only the tutorial puzzles have 5x5 puzzles maybe.
In my veiw a Picross game on the Wii U that have larger puzzles than on the 3DS could be really fun/amazing if done right.
If not Picross DS VC on the Wii U .
The eshop already has 6 games, across multiple years...and I have none of them because they have NEVER been on sale (at least in America) not even once.
While I have bought every Picross e game so far, they're really not giving us much in the recent examples. I've written Picross games myself - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1yC46ja0Q8 and they are incredibly easy to create. The later Picross e games are using the same engine as the original games, so it's all a matter of adding puzzles, which really doesn't take long. And to that end, the increments are poor and expensive as all the hard work has already been done. Also the control scheme still sucks - why not use the Picross3D (best Picross game evee IMHO) method of UP/DOWN to destroy or mark. Or even just have a toggle on the on-screen buttons? Lazy, easy money. But I'm a sucker so... in e7 please give us MORE Micross puzzles.
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