Fast, fun and brimming with classic NES charm, this is a puzzle game that's worth any DSi owners while!
Gameplay: PiCTOBiTS is a different take on your typical puzzle game. Instead of having blocks, pills, or any inanimate object fall from above as you tirelessly and quickly try to find a good spot to place it in order to erase the present blocks in turn for more space, this time things are opposite. Color coated blocks fall at a continuous rate and you must use the touch screen to pick mini colored squares from the bottom and connect them into the falling monstrosities before they overcrowd the screen and leave you with a near seizure inducing amount of colors. Each piece connected correctly contributes a pixel to the creation of an old game character displayed on the upper screen, and once made whole, will the level come to an end so you may move on to just one of the many other NES themed stages. There are quite a few levels in all, and some will test even the most veteran of puzzle players. Sure, it might start out simple as pie, but as you progress through the more treacherously difficult later levels you'll see that this game demands patience and quick reflexes! Fight off the urge to crush your DSi in anger however, and you'll find a rewarding game.
Graphics: Nothing to write home about. Everything has an old, nostalgic feel to it. Watching the large portraits of the many NES characters piece together is neat, and the backgrounds are taken from a number of classic titles but that's about the extent of it. If anything, it does the material justice.
Sound: Now taking into account that each level holds it's own unique oldie Nintendo theme it just wouldn't be right if the music in all its 8-bit glory didn't make the cut as well. Fortunately, it does. The tunes range from Excitebike, Super Mario Bro's, Balloon Fight and then some plus more. There's lots of different songs and each one is just as catchy today as it was way back when. And believe me when I say that the credits song is nothing short of musical poetry!
Value: Another aspect in where this game shines! Numerous and at times daunting challenges to undertake, lots and lots of music up for purchase with the coins you collect from playing and replaying each level, and even an entirely new feeling of excessive rip-your-hair-out-and-scream-not-so-pleasant-words difficulty in the game's unlockable "Dark" stages. Just think of them as you playing the game blindfolded with your hands tied behind your back while trying to sit through an episode of Full House and you got a good idea of what to expect. All in all though, there's alot to keep you busy.
Cutting to the chase: While maybe not for people that tend to shy away from a challenge, PiCTOBiTS is one of the DSi's best downloadable games yet! Everything from it's simple yet effective play mechanics, to it's generous amounts of unlockable treats makes this a title that's more than worth the 5$ dollar investment. If you like getting bang for your buck, then you can't go wrong here.