PixelCrossLite

by Eric March on November 5, 2008 at 4:02 pm

(15 votes, average: 4.40 out of 5)

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App Name: PixelCrossLite
Developer: mobileFlavour
Category: Logic & Puzzle Games

Hey, look, they spelled “flavour” correctly.

So anyway, PixelCross is a picross game where the object is to fill in grid spaces to form a picture by using the clues along the left and top of the grid.  It is in its own way a bit like another game everyone in the world knows: Minesweeper, except whereas in Minesweeper you’re using numbers to determine the location of bombs within the immediate vicinity, you’re using number keys along the edges to determine what spaces you should flag.

The numbers along the edges represent both the number of separate filled areas there are and the size of any contiguous filled areas. For example, if one row has “1 1 3″ then you know that you need to fill one square, then another square that is not beside any other square, then three consecutive squares that are not beside any other squares.  To figure out which order this goes in you use the keys along the top which determine what squares are filled in the columns.

If that sounds a bit confusing, there’s built-in animated help to get you started — it’s really quite simple to grasp once you see it in action.  (I’ve never played a picross before this game, and I picked it up immediately after reading the help — completed all of the demo levels in just a few minutes, just to give you an idea of how easy it is to pick up.)

The game gives you the ability to either tap single squares or draw lines, as well as mark squares that are not to be filled in.  When you’ve solved a puzzle you’ll get a win notification and be shown the completed picross, which will ultimately form a pixellated image.

This lite version features only one board size (5×5) and only 9 levels, but also lets you save high scores (best times) and can save its state if you have to quit or answer the phone.  The full version, which can be yours for three bucks, will additionally give you 4 more board sizes (5×5, 8×8, 12×2 and 20×20) and the ability to scroll and zoom around larger board sizes for easy navigation and tapping, plus a total of 180 levels across all grid sizes.

Graphically, it’s quite well done.  Simple, clean and effective, and there are some nice sounds in there to boot.  Very well done indeed.  I may just have to give this one five stars and a cherry.

I think I’ll do that.

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Posted in Games: Logic & Puzzle