Link-a-Pix DeLuxe Review (Nintendo Switch)

Review code used thanks to Lightwood Games

Lots of Pix titles, all different

The people over at Lightwood have brought us another game to exercise the grey cells. After Pic-a-Pix Pieces (our review here), the kind of game we know better as a Picross game, Fill-a-Pix was a combo between Picross and Minesweeper (review here). They also brought us Block-a-Pix, where you had to fill blocks around numbers in a grid, and form a picture that way. (review here) Rather confusing, all these Pix names! But all of them have in common that with solving the puzzle, a picture beneath is revealed. As does Link-a-Pix.

Link-a-Pix is a puzzle game where you connect pairs of numbers through an unbroken line. The line is colored, matching the numbers that you have to connect.

The fact that the line has to be unbroken is where logic comes in. Sometimes you need to take a path you didn’t expect, especially for larger numbers. Because if you don’t, you won’t be able to connect the lower numbered lines close by.

It starts out small, lower numbered lined to connect and a smaller grid. It gets more difficult and larger as you proceed. Every grid you complete turns into a blocky picture.

The content will keep you busy for many hours

In the title screen, there’s the info button showing you all you need to know to get going. The controls work well. Hold down A and use the left stick to “draw” your line. Turns out the line you made isn’t working? Click in the line and press B to undo the entire line.

Can’t work out a puzzle at that moment? The + button gives the pause menu, that allows you to quit and save the progress in this puzzle. Feel free to try another one, all colored puzzles are unlocked from the beginning. So, you don’t have to start out easy if you don’t want to.

Interestingly, the pause menu also give you the Fix option. It shows the number of errors you made and from here, you can fix them.

Personally I don’t like timers in a game, Link-a-Pix keeps count of how long it’s taking you. I haven’t found any I’ll effects if you take too long, but for the people who always love to better themselves, I guess this is an added feature.

Is the music goading you on?

The background music is okay, enough to set a relaxing mode, but nothing too obtrusive. But, should it get on your nerves, you can always turn it off in settings. Do do this hit the + button while in a puzzle. It’ll give you the option to turn the background music off. It stays off, even when you move on to another puzzle.

There’s a lot of content in this DeLuxe version. It has 120 new colored puzzles to solve and another 120 mono chromed puzzles that are a bit more difficult.

And if that isn’t enough, you can buy the DLC package of the earlier released 3DS puzzles. Available as Link-a-Pix color in the eShop on the 3DS you can incorporate them in the Switch game as well. Plus, a monthly DLC package will be added to extend your gameplay.

Conclusion

Let’s face it, this isn’t a new concept, as there are more games out on mobile devices where you have to connect the dots in unbroken lines. Lines Infinite is such a game, reviewed on here by Christine, but that one doesn’t have the charming picture beneath.

Link-a-Pix DeLuxe controls well and has a no frills approach. Everything you need for hours of logical puzzles and relaxing gameplay is there. If you are a fan of these kind of logical puzzles, I guess you can not resist a new one with such a lot of content.

Final Verdict: I like it