Exactly like it used to be. Works great.There is abolutely no question about the excitement many games have shown for the Nintendo DS since it came out back in 2004. Games like Super Mario 64 DS and Brain Age have been so popular that they've really re-shaped the way people have played great games on the go. No question about it, Nintendo really had a huge challenge with bringing out great games after the Game Boy retired a few years ago, and it worked. Nintendo has definitely delivered ever since, and have kept it up, especially with great puzzle titles. Yet, one of their first puzzlers, Picross was heavily overshadowed for the DS, and was kicked to the side in favor of other strong games. But, Picross has a new lease on life, and is worth the buy with puzzling thoughts.Picross 3D for the Nintendo DS really takes the challenge, as you compete through over 300 mind-bending puzzles that you have to break and connect you way to try and unveil the hidden picture, whether it is a letter, a animal or a number. It really is challenging, as you go through a series of blocks, and try to knock out the right ones, without getting knocked out of the game. It is absolutely challenging, as you try and color-coat those arranged blocks and find the hidden object, as you not only try and prevent yourself from being struck out, and unlock new challenging puzzles along the way. The graphics are really simple, but the gameplay is really a mind-twister. You sometimes can to get very frustrated by trying to knock out and connect the right blocks which can leave you stuck on a puzzle for hours, even days on end. I was absolutely compelled with each puzzle, and it really is worth it.There is no question that when it does come to puzzle games, Nintendo has shown to be the definitive force for anyone on the go. It has continued to show ever since they were the first to have Tetris over 20 years ago, and that train still hasn't stopped one bit. If you've really loved Brain Age or Flash Focus for the Nintendo DS, than you definitely should get Picross 3D. It is a great puzzler that is worth the price, and the extra blocks you're knocking out. There are so many great puzzle games for the Nintendo DS, and this is the must have of only a few.Graphics: BSound: BControl: B 1/2+Fun & Enjoyment: B+Overall: B+Picross 3D seems like a perfect little puzzle game. You're given a three-dimensional group of blocks, and using number clues provided you have to knock off the blocks that don't belong. In the end, you reveal a cute little object beneath (from monkeys to helicopters to letters). Once you've uncovered the object, you also get a nifty little animation of the object in motion, and it gets added to a collection that you can view later. There's a ton of puzzles, a variety of challenges, and plenty of extra options and unlockables. It's a great game.But it's not perfect. The unlocking revolves around a system where you earn stars for each puzzle. Taking too long to do a puzzle, or making mistakes as you knock off blocks, can reduce the number of stars earned. You'd think this is a nice way to add challenge, but it's really a little frustrating as there's more incentive to do a quicksave before taking big chances, or to just restart puzzles until you can earn full stars. This is especially frustrating because there are a few puzzles with minor errors in the clues (showing there are 3 blocks in a row when it turns out there are 4), or where at a certain point the clues just don't have enough information to make a move without guessing (many blocks have no clue numbers on them, so sometimes you hit a real dead-end).I still recommend this game highly, as well the previous "Picross" game which had 2-dimensional puzzles. Aside from the frustration of restarting puzzles now and then to improve your star count, this is a game with very few faults. And actually, I find the most distracting part of the game to be the Picasso-style mascot that dances on the top screen as you solve puzzles. This character is mostly indescribable so you'll have to see for yourself. Everything else in the game is made out of cute little blocks, but the mascot's face doesn't quite conform to the block graphics style. Why? It's just these little things that keep Picross 3D from being a true masterpiece.I like puzzles, but I'm not a huge fan of picross, but in spite of that I have to say Picross 3D is a great puzzle game.Can review other reviews for more details, but my two cents are that Picross 3D is a unique puzzle concept, the touch screen and user interface is very good (feels responsive and is easy to view the 3D object, as well as mark and break specific cubes), has a fair level of challenge (particularly if you try to complete it within the time limit [not too hard] and with no mistakes [difficult, at times]).The beginning is pretty slow, but once you get rolling it can be pretty addicting! Whenever you complete a puzzle, the object that you uncover moves / dances around in a short animation/video, which is fun and feels rewarding for your efforts. There is a lot of puzzles on display as well. As time goes, it does start to feel like more of the same, which is too bad, but in terms of puzzles games they really went all out on the unique concept they had, so for what it is I feel like it was done excellently.I give it 9/10 as a fun puzzle game. I hope one day it will come out on WiiU virtual console like some of the other few DS titles on it, I could see it fitting very well and having extra replayability being on the big screen (a group could get involved, or if it starts feeling stale you could pass it along to someone who has yet to try it).Fantastic, one of the best games I have ever played, (& I have played 100's of games, on different systems). Well I brought it a couple of years ago, because I love the picross (& other picture logic games & half the other type of puzzle games), & thought it sounded good & wasn't too badly priced so I gave it a go, though was a bit worried has it also sounded difficult, but the tutorial level made it all easier.Well I'm now working my way through it for the 3rd time, after a couple of long breaks, where I make myself put it away after I finish it completely, 100% with 3 stars on every main puzzle otherwise I will keep playing it & hardly play any of my other games (which I have loads of), it's that addictive.Just beginning to get a little bored, hope they bring out a second game with different puzzles, but very unlikely to ever get rid of it, unlike most of my games, which I sell has soon has I'm bored eith it or haven't bothered to play it in ages & never even pick it up when packing what games to take with me when I go away (& I normally take quite a few), I can get bored quite quickly with some games, or play them once & then that's it.its also slightly educational, has it will tell you a tiny bit about what ever the item in the puzzle was.Haven't tried the on line bit.This game takes picross up to a whole new level and I have to confess that after this, the 2D version seems a bit boring! You have to get to grips with the method of play, but there is an extensive Tutorial that gives you plenty of time to practice the techniques needed. This game is wonderful value - the sheer number of puzzles on the game makes it excellent value.Basically, by chipping cube sections out of a larger cube, you create a 3D, grey shape. Once you have completed this successfully, the game colours in the shape and this is then animated. Sometimes, having completed the grey shape, I still can't tell what it is until it is coloured and there is often a 'Eureka!' moment when that happens - which is great fun.The EASY section alone has 10 levels with 10 puzzles in each level (8 normal puzzles plus 2 extra in each level, which you 'earn' by completing puzzles without a mistake/in a given time - puzzles can be repeated to get a better 'score'), plus bonus levels in between. At the end of the EASY level there was a special level with 5 puzzles which the game then combines, on completion of all 5, into a large composite picture. It's great fun seeing what you've created turned into a little movie!There are NORMAL and HARD sections to follow, plus a 'RANDOM' section that allows you to replay any puzzle already completed just for fun or practice. However I have had the game for some time and I am only up to level 4 of the NORMAL section and that looks as if it's going to be as long as the EASY one!Although most of the puzzles can be worked out by logic alone, you do need a bit of a head for numbers and it does pay to learn the tutorials thoroughly before going onto the main game. It also helps if you have done 2D picross/nonogram/griddler puzzles previously - but it's not vital. One really good facility is the ability to SAVE a puzzle part way through, so you can turn off and come back to it later.I LOVE this game - the graphics are well done, the system of play is excellent and I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who loves puzzles and has a bit of patience - Oh - and LOTS of spare time on their hands - because it's throughly addictive!Absolutely love this version of Picross! (There are some things I actually prefer about it to the new version 2 of this game, and some things I prefer about the new one) But both are truly excellent games in their own right. (even many of the non 3D versions of Picross are good aswell, except maybe the DS version which sucked). But this original 3D version definitely stands out as one of my favoritesI have had this for several weeks now, and play it most days for at least 30 mins and I still haven't completed the puzzles. There are so many, and they are of varied degrees of difficulty, and there are time challenges and no mistake challenges and the whole thing is just great fun. Well worth the money.Gameplay is simple to pick up but you may have difficulty in stopping play. You may find it weird at first that correctly solving a puzzle reveals a incomprehensible pile of blocks, but colour and animation help decipher the answer and eventually you will be able to identify what you have found before you are told by the game (sometimes), it all adds to the charm.