Jump to content

Picross 3D

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Picross 3D
European cover
DeveloperHAL Laboratory
PublisherNintendo
DirectorsYoshiki Suzuki
Teruyuki Gunji
ProducersKensuke Tanabe
Yoichi Yamamoto
Masayoshi Tanimura
ArtistBenimaru Itoh
WriterKenichi Masuda
ComposersYasumasa Yamada
Jun Ishikawa
Hirokazu Ando
PlatformNintendo DS
Release
  • JP: March 12, 2009
  • EU: March 5, 2010
  • NA: May 3, 2010
GenrePuzzle
ModeSingle-player

Picross 3D[a] is a puzzle video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld system. It was released in Japan in March 2009, in Europe in March 2010, and in North America in May 2010. It uses similar nonogram mechanics to Picross DS, but adapted to a three-dimensional environment by adding an extra axis blocks can go on. Outside Japan, the game is part of Nintendo's Touch! Generations brand. It was also released for the Wii U's Virtual Console in Europe and Japan in 2016 and North America in 2017. A sequel, Picross 3D: Round 2, was released for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan in October 2015, in North America in September 2016, and in Europe and Australia in December 2016.

Gameplay

[edit source]
A tutorial puzzle in Picross 3D teaches the player how to mark blocks to solve puzzles

While regular nonogram puzzles presents a rectangular grid of squares, which must be filled in to create a picture, Picross 3D uses a rectangular prism made of a number of smaller cubes, and must be chipped away in order to construct an image in three dimensions.[1] Each row or column has at most one number corresponding to it, and many do not have any numbers at all; the number indicates how many cubes the row/column should contain when the picture is complete.[2] Generally each row of cubes will be in one group. If a number has a circle around it, it means that, while that number of cubes is the total amount in the row/column, they will be split up into two groups (for example, a 4 with a circle around it will be in two groups of either 1 and 3, or 2 and 2). If a number has a square around it, the cubes will be split up into three or more groups. If there are no numbers on a row or column, there are no rules regarding the cubes in that row.

The game is controlled with a combination of buttons and the touch screen. A paintbrush (right on the D-pad or the Y button) may be used to mark cubes that definitely will remain in the image (which also prevents them from being broken accidentally), or a hammer (up on the D-pad or the X button) to chip away at the unnecessary cubes.[3] If an attempt is made to break a cube that is part of the image, the game will count this as a strike. If the player receives five strikes, the player is out and will have to start the puzzle over again.[1] Players will also need to complete the stage within a certain amount of time. Early on, the game will show players "technique" tutorials to help them refine their puzzle-solving skills.

Once a 3D image is completed, the player will be rewarded with a short animation regarding the image, and it will be placed into a themed collection, encouraging players to complete each collection. During standard puzzles, up to three stars are awarded based on the player's performance (completing the puzzle within a certain time limit and with no strikes earns maximum stars) which unlock additional bonus puzzles in each level. In between certain levels are "One-Chance Challenges", where players are out if they make just one mistake, "Time Challenges", which require players to quickly chip away cubes to extend their time limit,[1] and "Construction Challenges" in which multiple puzzles are completed to form one giant image. Bonus animations can also be unlocked under certain conditions, such as completing each difficulty setting.[1]

The main mode of the game has 350 puzzles for players to complete. Outside of the main mode, players could also download additional puzzles via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, as well as create their own puzzles, which can be shared with friends or entered into themed challenges.[2][3] While it is no longer possible to use the Nintendo WFC for downloading or sharing puzzles since it was shut down in 2014, it is still possible to send and receive puzzles locally using wireless transfer.

Release

[edit source]

The game was first revealed by Nintendo in February 2009, with an announcement for a March 12 release in Japan and an official website.[3] It was released the following year on March 5th in Europe.[4]

Reception

[edit source]

Critical response

[edit source]

Picross 3D received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6] Ryan Lambie of Nintendo Life gave the game a 7/10; while he suggested that the game failed to match Picross DS in terms of gameplay, it was "a diverting and addictive game" that offered hours worth of content.[2] Nathan Meunier of GameSpot ranked the game at 8.5/10, praising the gameplay but criticizing what he considered to be a "disappointing presentation".[1]

Sales

[edit source]

The game was the third best-selling game during the week of its release in Japan at 38,000 copies.[7] It sold an additional 24,000 copies and 16,000 copies its second and third weeks respectively.[8][9]

Legacy

[edit source]

Scott Baird of Screen Rant retrospectively considered Picross 3D to be one of the best DS games in 2017.[10] In March of that same year, the game was added to the Wii U Virtual Console through the Nintendo eShop.[11]

Sequel

[edit source]

A sequel for the successor Nintendo 3DS system was announced by Nintendo in August 2015.[12] Titled Picross 3D: Round 2, the game was released in Japan in October 2015 and in North America in September the following year.[13]

See also

[edit source]
  • Picross, the puzzle series that Picross 3D is a part of

Notes

[edit source]
  1. ↑ Japanese: 立体ピクロス, Hepburn: Rittai Pikurosu

References

[edit source]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Meunier, Nathan (May 5, 2010). "Picross 3D Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Lambie, Ryan (March 17, 2010). "Review: Picross 3D". Nintendo Life. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Tanaka, John (February 20, 2009). "Nintendo Details 3D Picross". IGN. Archived from the original on August 20, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  4. ↑ Jordan, Jon (January 15, 2010). "Nonogram puzzling goes 3D with Picross 3D for DS". Pocket Gamer. Archived from the original on June 24, 2024. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Picross 3D". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Picross 3D DS Critic Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  7. ↑ Jenkins, David (March 19, 2009). "Japanese Charts: Warriors Orochi Z On Top As PS3 Leads The Way". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  8. ↑ Jenkins, David (March 26, 2009). "Japanese Charts: Super Robot Wars K Leads Old School Chart Assault". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
  9. ↑ Jenkins, David (April 2, 2009). "Japanese Charts: Namco Bandai's Mobile Suit Gundam Leads On PSP". Gamasutra. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  10. ↑ Baird, Scott (March 9, 2017). "20 Best Games On The Nintendo DS, Ranked". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 18, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ Nunneley-Jackson, Stephany (March 16, 2017). "The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+, World of Goo, others added to Switch eShop". Vg247. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ Schreier, Jason (August 19, 2015). "Picross 3D Finally Getting a Sequel". Kotaku. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  13. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (September 1, 2016). "Picross 3D Round 2 for 3DS comes to North America". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 13, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Picross_3D&oldid=1368747624"