Art Style: Pictobits

Genre: Match-4 Falling-Block Puzzle

Players: 1

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Review:

Art Style: Pictobits is a Puzzle game released on the Nintendo DSi via the DSiWare service in 2009 and then grandfathered into the Nintendo 3DS eShop when that system was released. This game has players using the touchscreen to relocate multicolored blocks on a playing field to clear larger blocks as they fall.

This is a pretty unique take on the Falling Block Puzzle genre, as players can freely move around the blocks after they land, but can only clear blocks in concert with those that are still falling. The strategy here takes a bit of getting used to, and the later levels go at a pace that seems like it would require inhuman speed to not immediately fail. However, when you’re playing a level that runs at about your speed, this is a decent and unique entry in the genre.

There are a few other issues here. Pictobits’ complete lack of any sort of multiplayer really limits its appeal, as does the lack of an endless mode. The only way to play this game is clearing the game’s stages, each having you use the pixels you clear to recreate pixel art sprites of classic Nintendo characters. Beyond this, there’s chiptune music you can unlock by spending coins earned in-game, and… well, that seems to be it.

While it’s light on content, the retro Nintendo art and chiptune sound make for a nice nostalgic presentation, and it’s hard to complain about the game too much when it has an excellent $5 price tag. Overall, if you’re a fan of Puzzle games who owns a Nintendo 3DS, I would say that Pictobits is well worth a look.

tl;dr – Art Style: Pictobits is a Puzzle game that has players using the touchscreen to relocate various-colored blocks that have fallen to match with blocks that are still falling. The game lacks multiplayer, is a bit light on content, and feels like it could be a bit more intuitive, but overall this is a solid entry in the genre, and one well worth the $5 asking price.

Grade: B

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