Pokémon Picross is two great flavors that taste only OK together

Games are wonderful because they are problems that you can really solve. Unlike life, where every solution creates new problems, you can find the “right” answer to most things in games. But that also means that the harder the problem, the more satisfying a solution. And that’s why the Picross series is so much fun.

Earlier today, Nintendo released Pokémon Picross for 3DS as a “free to start” downloadable game. This is the publisher’s latest take on the classic “picture crossword” series. The gameplay is simple. You must use the number arrays along the outside edges of what looks like a sudoku box to determine which boxes should remain empty and which you should color in. Once you complete the puzzle, the results should produce a blocky picture. In the case of Pokémon Picross, every puzzle will end up looking like something from the pocket monster games.