Thanks to Lightwood Games for the review code
Title: Pic-A-Pix Pieces
System: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Price: $7.99
Release Date: 01/03/2019
Presentation
Continuing with the same engine used in Pic a Pix Color and Deluxe, Pic-a-Pix Pieces uses the same menus and controls as the last few entries, only this time with micross puzzles, where multiple puzzles combine to reveal a bigger image. Besides that gameplay change, everything menu wise is the same as before, with a few returning tracks along with some new ones. Like before, they can wear thin very quickly, but the developers did do something that fixed the biggest issue I had with both Colors and Deluxe.
Lightwood Games have finally fixed that horrific select bug, where the select tool would produce a louder sound effect compared to when you navigate the menus or filled out the grid, leading to very irritating and inconsistent SE volume. Despite this being an issue I reported back in the review for Deluxe over a year ago, this STILL persisted after each and every update to that game, along with the release of Colors on PS4. It wasn’t until Fill-a-Pix (future review in the pipeline) that the sound effects seem to be back on track, but I wasn’t sure if they would apply that fix to the Pic a Pix series. With this, I’m very pleased to hear every sound effect properly balanced, and now that we have a Pic-A-Pix game that finally sounds good with headphones and won’t upset those with sensitive hearing, I’m just hopeful they’ll patch the sound fix to the other Pic-a-Pix games as well.
Gameplay
Having reviewed both Pic-A-Pix Colors and Deluxe by now, I’ve gone over the main controls, gimmicks, etc twice now, so I’m not going to repeat myself and instead only focus on the new thing on display here, the titular “Pieces”.
Similar to the Micross mode in Pokemon Picross and some other Jupiter Picross titles, Pic-A-Pix Pieces consists of a bunch of picture puzzles as per usual, only instead of each individual puzzle revealing an image upon completion, they are only one piece of a bigger image. Once all puzzles in an image are cleared, you’ll see the full image. It’s as simple as that, honestly, and there’s an eShop demo if you want to check these mechanics out for yourself, since everything else is literally the same as the other Pic-a-pix games, mechanics and control wise, except there are only color puzzles in the game, just like with Colors.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Pic-A-Pix Pieces is just more Pic-A-Pix, but with a much needed sound tweak, and a fun change of pace in crafting these colorful puzzles together. There’s really not much else to say, since it’s just as fun as the other game, and with future DLC packs on the way, it could easily have as much support as Deluxe did.
While I found this to be a fun Picross clone, just like the other Pic-a-Pix games, I also realize this may not be for everyone, especially if you prefer the individual or black and white puzzles that Deluxe has. Still, it’s worth checking out the demo regardless, even if you own Deluxe.
I give Pic-a-Pix Pieces a 7 out of 10.
