Game: Block-A-Pix Deluxe
System: Nintendo Switch
Publisher/Developer: Lightwood Games
Price: $7.99 | £6.49 | €7.99 | $9.99 | $11.99
Age Rating: EU 3+ | USA E
Release Date: March 21, 2019
Review code kindly provided by Lightwood Games.
Lightwood Games has published several good puzzle games, including the Pic-A-Pix titles that have been reviewed on this site by Jonah! Despite being interested in them, Block-A-Pix Deluxe is the very first game I tried. As a fan of Picross, I couldn’t wait to check it out!
It’s all about the Gameplay
Well, this is a puzzle game, and it doesn’t really pretend to be anything else… so there really isn’t a story! Your whole goal is to fill in a grid to make a wide variety of pixelated pictures.
After pressing Play on the title screen, you are ready to jump right into the action. Basically, the puzzle is presented as a tiled grid. In some tiles there are colored numbers, which indicate the amount of spaces around the number that are filled in by that color. This is where the “Block” in the title comes in, as you are essentially creating a picture out of a bunch of different colored (and different sized) blocks. A smaller picture off to the right will show you how your picture looks. When you have filled in the grid, it shows the completed picture.
There is a timer, but don’t let that worry you! This is only there to tell you how long it took to complete the puzzle- it doesn’t affect whether you complete the puzzle or not.
Graphics and Sound
The graphics are just fine for this game! The interfaces are streamlined and look very clean, the puzzle grid is easy to see, and the completed pictures are pixelated in an enjoyable way.
There isn’t really much in the sound department, except for some bleeps and bloops as you are filling in the grid. There is a little tune that plays as you are working on the puzzle, but I turned it off because it got old quickly.
Fun Factor and Replay Value
This game is very easy to pick up and play. Once you get into the groove of playing, it’s easy to relax and complete a puzzle or two at your leisure. The puzzles get larger, but they never get overly frustrating. You simply take as much time as you need to complete the puzzle. There is even a “fix” option if you messed up and you aren’t sure where you went wrong. If you use that option, you can still complete the puzzle. However, you won’t have a snazzy gold medal next to the picture.
With all the praise I am giving this game, one negative is that replay value is questionable. Some people will want to beat their times. Others may only want to play the puzzle once before moving on. I myself don’t really care to beat my original times. II can still see myself revisiting the puzzles now and then, just because the game is relaxing! Even if you don’t replay the puzzles at all, there are 120 puzzles to play (not counting DLC puzzle packs), which should keep you busy for quite some time.
Closing Remarks
Block-A-Pix Deluxe is a fun addition to the puzzle genre. It’s very easy to pick up and play, and I often found myself playing a puzzle or two just to relax after a long day. I rate this game I Like It A Lot, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes Picross-type puzzles!
