Support NeoGAF

[matrix-cat]

Also, I think complaining about this and then going to put money into a bunch of games that probably are equal to or almost equal to 5000 picrites in cost is kind of silly.

If you're talking about the Picross E games, buying all six of those will give you so, so much more content than buying the 5000 Picrites in this will. I don't know the exact numbers, but you're talking 900+ puzzles compared to 300+ in Pokemon. One $6.50 purchase bought me 40 hours of puzzling in Picross E6; Pokemon Picross chewed through that same amount in just over six hours.

That's my main complaint here. I'm totally fine with having to pay to progress in Pokemon Picross. I'm not looking for a completely free game. It's just that the price they've set for the full buy-out is much too high. I'd love to keep playing, because it is nice to be solving Pokemon-related puzzles, and the Missions and Medals bring a nice extra challenge, but it just costs too much.

 

[XaosWolf]

Wow, I'm amazed. How did this guy get so much information on the game when it has been released a few days ago? Impressive.

Joe and Pokèmon live in mutualistic symbiosis. And we love them both for it.

 

[dity]

Not if the games are worth it?! That's the whole problem about Pokémon Picross. It's just not worth its price.

Isn't it? It seems to have a lot of content.

 

[XaosWolf]

How many normal puzzles are there? (Not counting Alt or Murals)
All I keep seeing is "Over 300" puzzles.

Also keep bumping into articles stating it's a poor F2P model when wits been stated plenty of times its Free2Start. They're different things entirely.

If I knew the daily training was gonna level up and produce more picrites, I probably would have seen how far I could have gotten without just buying the game outright.

Yes, the price is higher than all the Picross E games, and that is the main issue, but please don't complain that the game is forcing you pay money when that was implied from the start.

 

[dity]

If you're talking about the Picross E games, buying all six of those will give you so, so much more content than buying the 5000 Picrites in this will. I don't know the exact numbers, but you're talking 900+ puzzles compared to 300+ in Pokemon. One $6.50 purchase bought me 40 hours of puzzling in Picross E6; Pokemon Picross chewed through that same amount in just over six hours.

That's my main complaint here. I'm totally fine with having to pay to progress in Pokemon Picross. I'm not looking for a completely free game. It's just that the price they've set for the full buy-out is much too high. I'd love to keep playing, because it is nice to be solving Pokemon-related puzzles, and the Missions and Medals bring a nice extra challenge, but it just costs too much.

I dunno, maybe having something be Pokemon skinned is worth more to others? It's cute and stuff. I don't think everyone treats it like trying to get a bargain or trying to get as many puzzles for as little as possible. For my partner it seems to be more about the experience than completing as many puzzles as possible. She likes the Pokemon power ups too.

 

[JoeM86]

How many normal puzzles are there? (Not counting Alt or Murals)
All I keep seeing is "Over 300" puzzles.

Also keep bumping into articles stating it's a poor F2P model when wits been stated plenty of times its Free2Start. They're different things entirely.

If I knew the daily training was gonna level up and produce more picrites, I probably would have seen how far I could have gotten without just buying the game outright.

Yes, the price is higher than all the Picross E games, and that is the main issue, but please don't complain that the game is forcing you pay money when that was implied from the start.

300 is about right, including stages for each Mythical I have yet to obtain.

 

[BowieZ]

How many 'very difficult' puzzles are there in this?

 

[matrix-cat]

I dunno, maybe having something be Pokemon skinned is worth more to others? It's cute and stuff. I don't think everyone treats it like trying to get a bargain or trying to get as many puzzles for as little as possible. For my partner it seems to be more about the experience than completing as many puzzles as possible. She likes the Pokemon power ups too.

Sure, that's fine. I'm just saying that for me it just seems like extremely poor value. I like Pokemon, I like Picross, but I struggle to see this as an experience rather than just, well, a collection of puzzles. I mean, maybe if there was some concept of 'training' your Pokes, powering up their abilities by using them repeatedly in puzzles, or something. Maybe if the different areas had different effects, like Ice Pokemon's powers being stronger in icy areas, I don't know. The execution here is pretty barebones; it's really not much more than a Picross game with a Pokemon skin.

I mean, when you have six consecutive games, all at the same price point, all with roughly the same number of puzzles, and then another one comes along that's drastically out of whack with the established pattern, what else can you say? I don't want to tell people not to enjoy it, but this is what it is. Personally, I don't find it to be worth the price they're asking.

 

[XaosWolf]

Sure, that's fine. I'm just saying that for me it just seems like extremely poor value. I like Pokemon, I like Picross, but I struggle to see this as an experience rather than just, well, a collection of puzzles. I mean, maybe if there was some concept of 'training' your Pokes, powering up their abilities by using them repeatedly in puzzles, or something. Maybe if the different areas had different effects, like Ice Pokemon's powers being stronger in icy areas, I don't know. The execution here is pretty barebones; it's really not much more than a Picross game with a Pokemon skin.

I mean, when you have six consecutive games, all at the same price point, all with roughly the same number of puzzles, and then another one comes along that's drastically out of whack with the established pattern, what else can you say? I don't want to tell people not to enjoy it, but this is what it is. Personally, I don't find it to be worth the price they're asking.

I'm fully expecting extra content to be added, but im also surprised that the levelling up system wasn't incorporated somehow. Maybe in Pokèmon Picross 2. (Japan Exclusive)

 

[JoeM86]

I'm fully expecting extra content to be added, but im also surprised that the levelling up system wasn't incorporated somehow. Maybe in Pokèmon Picross 2. (Japan Exclusive)

Very few Pokémon games are Japan exclusive you know

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

I'm just bitter that Nintendo has seen fit to release this mangled Picross game worldwide but not to release Picross 3D 2 outside Japan.

 

[Razmos]

Would it be possible to add a more reasonable amount of E-Shop funds (say £1) using a different game and then using that money in PokePicross?

Because the way it has worked out, I bought both of the special offers, but had to buy £10 credit in order to do so. This has left me with £5.52 credit left, which is £0.77 away from getting the 1000 Picrites, but obviously I can't add any more credit without having to buy another £10 of credit and being stuck in the same situation later on.

Is there any way to do this? or would any purchases on other games just take from the £5.52 I already have?

 

[Peff]

I'm just bitter that Nintendo has seen fit to release this mangled Picross game worldwide but not to release Picross 3D 2 outside Japan.

There's still time. The 3DS first party line-up for 2016 isn't exactly filled to the brim with games. I could see an April/May release.

 

[Kouriozan]

I think I'll buy the 1000 discounted Picrites, so close to hit the wall and the game is enjoyable so far.

 

[n64coder]

I mean, when you have six consecutive games, all at the same price point, all with roughly the same number of puzzles, and then another one comes along that's drastically out of whack with the established pattern, what else can you say? I don't want to tell people not to enjoy it, but this is what it is. Personally, I don't find it to be worth the price they're asking.

I'm taking the approach of pacing myself on this game. So what if it takes me a year to complete it? I don't plan to spend any money on it and I do appreciate the different spin on this game (Pokemons, missions, etc) because having more of the Picross E games is getting a bit boring for me.

 

[dity]

Sure, that's fine. I'm just saying that for me it just seems like extremely poor value. I like Pokemon, I like Picross, but I struggle to see this as an experience rather than just, well, a collection of puzzles. I mean, maybe if there was some concept of 'training' your Pokes, powering up their abilities by using them repeatedly in puzzles, or something. Maybe if the different areas had different effects, like Ice Pokemon's powers being stronger in icy areas, I don't know. The execution here is pretty barebones; it's really not much more than a Picross game with a Pokemon skin.

I mean, when you have six consecutive games, all at the same price point, all with roughly the same number of puzzles, and then another one comes along that's drastically out of whack with the established pattern, what else can you say? I don't want to tell people not to enjoy it, but this is what it is. Personally, I don't find it to be worth the price they're asking.

Um, I guess it'd be like someone preferring the new hyper colours Pac-Man 256 Hyper Tournament Edition game as opposed to original Pac-Man?

My partner said she doesn't care about mechanically completing puzzles. It's just about the doing aspect of it with the Pokemon powers and the Pokemon pictures and the little achievements and missions. Not just the fact that it's Picross.

 

[XaosWolf]

Would it be possible to add a more reasonable amount of E-Shop funds (say £1) using a different game and then using that money in PokePicross?

Because the way it has worked out, I bought both of the special offers, but had to buy £10 credit in order to do so. This has left me with £5.52 credit left, which is £0.77 away from getting the 1000 Picrites, but obviously I can't add any more credit without having to buy another £10 of credit and being stuck in the same situation later on.

Is there any way to do this? or would any purchases on other games just take from the £5.52 I already have?

As far as I'm aware funds are added separately before the purchase is made.

So for 77p, maybe just get the 90p funds from Badge Arcade.

 

[Chopper]

Would it be possible to add a more reasonable amount of E-Shop funds (say £1) using a different game and then using that money in PokePicross?

Because the way it has worked out, I bought both of the special offers, but had to buy £10 credit in order to do so. This has left me with £5.52 credit left, which is £0.77 away from getting the 1000 Picrites, but obviously I can't add any more credit without having to buy another £10 of credit and being stuck in the same situation later on.

Is there any way to do this? or would any purchases on other games just take from the £5.52 I already have?

As far as I'm aware funds are added separately before the purchase is made.

So for 77p, maybe just get the 90p funds from Badge Arcade.

Yeah. I do believe this would work.

 

[borghe]

meh, I haven't spent a penny on the game and I'm having a blast. I have to get some practice stuff in or some missions to get 9 picrites to the 4th(?) area... but I ain't sweating it.

any who, as slightly rough as the game's f2p model is.. they cap it at $30.. and you will remove a lot of the gates long before $30. I only have one more energy level before energy is unlimited.

As far as I'm aware funds are added separately before the purchase is made.

So for 77p, maybe just get the 90p funds from Badge Arcade.

I think this should work.. I believe adding funds and the actual purchase are separated by a confirmation screen. So you could go to buy a badge play, but before making the purchase back out of the game which should leave that $1/90p on your NNID account.

 

[Fireblend]

I'm not a fan of the economy in this game, but if people enjoy it or want to spend money on it I don't blame them. I'm keeping it installed myself, and will probably spend money on it eventually.

However, I do think they should know that investing on the Picross e-series games is a much more economically sound decision. For $30 you can buy 4 of them, and that's ~500 puzles with a higher level of polish than this game, including button controls and 3D effect

 

[borghe]

this game has button controls.

but yeah, lack of 3D is odd.

 

[Boss Doggie]

Hmm, would you consider 30 usd a good price if the game has puzzle piece for every pokemon + formes, at least that's what I assume this game has for puzzles.

 

[Hegarol]

Hmm, would you consider 30 usd a good price if the game has puzzle piece for every pokemon + formes, at least that's what I assume this game has for puzzles.

That would be a very good price actually. Only bought stuff for 5€ so far, but as soon as we have confirmation for DLC I will drop the full price.

 

[scamander]

I'm taking the approach of pacing myself on this game. So what if it takes me a year to complete it? I don't plan to spend any money on it and I do appreciate the different spin on this game (Pokemons, missions, etc) because having more of the Picross E games is getting a bit boring for me.

It's not possible to finish the game without paying anything. You need Picrites for that and the amount of Picrites you can earn in-game is finite (and very limited). So, the stamina bar/ time is not the problem and spending nothing will only get you so far.

It's understandable that they need to make money, so I don't have a problem with that. Personally, I still don't like their approach, though. But I'm also one of those persons, who wouldn't pay 30€ for such a simple puzzle game.

 

[Fireblend]

It's not possible to finish the game without paying anything. You need Picrites for that and the amount of Picrites you can earn in-game is finite (and very limited). So, the stamina bar/ time is not the problem and spending nothing will only get you so far.

It's understandable that they need to make money, so I don't have a problem with that. Personally, I still don't like their approach, though. But I'm also one of those persons, who wouldn't pay 30€ for such a simple puzzle game.

You can (very slowly, but infinitely) get picrites through the the daily challenges.

 

[scamander]

^
Well, yes, but aren't those limited as well?

 

[Fireblend]

^
Well, yes, but aren't those limited as well?

I don't think so?

 

[XaosWolf]

Hmm, would you consider 30 usd a good price if the game has puzzle piece for every pokemon + formes, at least that's what I assume this game has for puzzles.

It would be but it doesn't have all the Pokèmon.

Spoiler

Yet...

 

[The Illiterati]

I'm really unhappy with the narrative that's spreading in this thread that the price or the Free to Start gimmick isn't worth it. For one thing, if you're new to Picross, as many people in this thread are, you got a chance to learn what it is for free, and it seems like it is hooking quite a few. Yes, the game is basically free or full price($30) at the moment. You're paying 30 for 600+ puzzles(yes people are ignoring Mega Picross alternates in the count). This is not a bad deal for those who have played every Picross game.

Sure, if you're new and like what you see, pay the cheaper price for any of the E series games, especially 6(tops out at 150 regular, 150 mega). But that doesn't work once you've played them all.

 

[Razmos]

I would imagine that through updates this game could reach around 750-800 puzzles in the base game, and then another 750-800 through the alt world if they want to include all pokemon, forms and mega evolutions.

1500-1600 puzzles for the price of a full game sounds reasonable to me, but I can see why people would want to hold off until further updates are announced.

 

[tensuke]

Damn I need this on Android, stat. Come on, DeNa.

 

[Cody_D165]

wish they would have just dropped this as a $15-$20 standalone eshop title. I'd have played it to completion immediately. The way it's setup now however discourages me from continuing at all.

 

[scamander]

Damn I need this on Android, stat. Come on, DeNa.

Pokémon is not part of the DeNA deal. I'm sure it will come to android, though.

 

[PurpleMoustache]

If I were to download this right now when and how much money should I pay in order to get the optimum experience?

 

[borghe]

^
Well, yes, but aren't those limited as well?

No it's a daily challenge.

This game is exactly what I needed. A free way to try Picross.

 

[JoeM86]

I'm sure it will come to android, though.

I wouldn't be so sure.

Just because mobile exists doesn't mean every game is going to be ported to it. Just because it's free-to-start doesn't mean it'd be suited or ported to mobile.

 

[Fireblend]

If I were to download this right now when and how much money should I pay in order to get the optimum experience?

Depends on how you plan to consume it. If you are content with doing 1-2 puzzles a day, then maybe spend just enough to be able to keep up with that pace, and you'll eventually hit the $30 spending limit. If you think energy bars suck or want to play any more frequently than that, then I'd almost recommend spending $30 right away to get the "non-f2p" experience, but in that case I'd recommend spending $6 on a couple of Picross-e games first, of which there are 6, which is a much better puzzle-per-dollar ratio if I'm not mistaken. I don't think anyone has worked out the math yet and I'm not sure how many puzzles are in this right now, but there may be updates in the future that may offset that calculation.

I think the best way to spend your picrites (the in-game currency) in this game would be to not spend picrites in anything other than new routes (which means new puzzles), but not spending on new Pokemon slots will limit the missions you can accomplish in some puzzles which require 3+ Pokemon to be set, and also you'll only be able to play 1-2 puzzles every ~4 or so hours if you never upgrade your energy bar. Just be aware the before hitting the spending limit accumulating picrites is a slow and painful process.

 

[etrain911]

I like this game better than the e-picross games, even if it is infinitely more expensive. The Pokemon powers really help make the game easier, and I've always struggled with Picross so that's nice, and there's lots of replay-ability.

 

[Linkstrikesback]

That's the free to play structure right there. That's how the model is and it's horrible, but thankfully there's an upper limit here so it's not as bad as the majority of F2P titles in the industry

It doesn't have to be like that though.
Every single F2p element they added categorically made the game worse than the previous picross titles.

When F2P was announced I had a slight hope that it would end up as something like plants vs zombies 2, where the entire game is easily playable for free, but there are microtransactions for things to make the levels easier/costumes/etc.

Now obviously costumes doesn't make sense in picross, but they could have come up with something better for monetisation than a combination of all the worst F2P elements combined in to a game.

I like this game better than the e-picross games, even if it is infinitely more expensive. The Pokemon powers really help make the game easier, and I've always struggled with Picross so that's nice, and there's lots of replay-ability.

I mean, I can see what you're saying, but they actively made it harder if you don't want to use those stupid powers and the timers that come with, because you could always have what is called "blue force" and two random lines filled in if you wanted to.

 

[kulapik]

I just beat my first 20x15 puzzle and I'm giddy about it. Didn't even need to guess, logic did everything.

However, I get the feeling I'm gonna get stuck on area 6,so I think I'm gonna get some Picross E to wait while I grind daily challenge picrites

 

[Brakke]

wish they would have just dropped this as a $15-$20 standalone eshop title. I'd have played it to completion immediately. The way it's setup now however discourages me from continuing at all.

Same. It's not even that it costs money that bothers me its *how* it costs money. The energy component is fine even I don't mind just doing a couple puzzles in a sitting. But I'm at a point where I could buy a new area or buy another slot so I can do a challenge that requires three Pokemon. Which one should I do? Should I even do both? If I don't even know how many areas there are how the heck am I going to budget my Picrites? Picrites are so limited I just feel stressed out by the idea of using them for anything except unlocking areas.

 

[wingedarcher7]

I just can't solve the Manaphy puzzle no matter what I try. I can't even get very far, which is kind of sad. I was stuck on it for over an hour and 11 minutes yesterday and I'm busting my head over it again today.

 

[Zonic]

Oh what the hell, didn't notice one of the missions was solve the puzzle in under a minute. Plus despite unlocking areas 6 & 7, it feels like I can't do certain missions without getting farther (I don't have any Fighting Pokemon yet & specific ones that the game asks for like Psyduck).

I can't help but feel this was done to prevent players for earning picrites early on and force them to spend money to unlock areas to get said Pokemon needed for the earlier missions. At least with the Password ones, that's understandable since I'm sure Nintendo wanted them to be unlocked later on.

 

[Fireblend]

I just can't solve the Manaphy puzzle no matter what I try. I can't even get very far, which is kind of sad. I was stuck on it for over an hour and 11 minutes yesterday and I'm busting my head over it again today.

Don't be frustrated if this is your first Picross game. The difference in difficulty between the first areas' regular stages and their mythical stages is huge. It gets much easier with practice, when you learn to identify patterns in the puzzle and hunting for cells you can discard/fill in becomes almost automatic.

 

[Boss Doggie]

I've given up playing because I won't be able to open Area 4

It would be but it doesn't have all the Pokèmon.

Spoiler

Yet...

That would be a very good price actually. Only bought stuff for 5€ so far, but as soon as we have confirmation for DLC I will drop the full price.

Wait, it doesn't have all mons? :/

 

[Kouriozan]

Sooo, what should I do with my 1000 discounted Picrites?
My energy bar is at 300, maybe boost it to 400 when running short and keeping the rest for aeras unlocking?
Edit : unlocked a 3rd pokémon slot for 50 since I see a lot of "use 2 grass pokémons + an ability that grass don't have"

 

[Inquisitive_Ghost]

Sooo, what should I do with my 1000 discounted Picrites?
My energy bar is at 300, maybe boost it to 400 when running short and keeping the rest for aeras unlocking?
Edit : unlocked a 3rd pokémon slot for 50 since I see a lot of "use 2 grass pokémons + an ability that grass don't have"

Keep the rest for area unlocks if you don't want to buy more Picrites.

 

[Kouriozan]

Keep the rest for area unlocks if you don't want to buy more Picrites.

Ok, I'm fine with 300 energy since it's mostly 10x10 puzzles for now anyway.

 

[Zonic]

It's not too bad with 10x10, but when you start doing 15x15 or 20x15, it pretty much eats up most of your energy, & 1 minute = 1 energy, it can take over 4 hours to recover completely. I'm seriously so tempted to go to unlimited energy, but I know I shouldn't just blast through this game as well.

Even if it's just 10 picrites, I feel like that's just wasting them when I can (very slowly) earn my energy back).

 

[XaosWolf]

Wait, it doesn't have all mons? :/

Has around 315 of em going by Joe's list.
If it had all of them then the content complaints would lessen.