Piczle Cross Adventure

The Nintendo Switch seems to be the home of picross games, but they’re not all made equal. The recently-released Piczle Cross Adventure aims to give the best a run for their money.

89%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

atmosphere, optimization

92% User Score Based on 178 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

Piczle Cross Adventure is a single player open world role playing game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Score Studios LLC and was released on April 16, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Piczle Cross Adventure" is a puzzle-adventure game where players help a lost alien named Ghibli return to his spaceship by solving picross-style pixel art puzzles. The game features over 500 puzzles and an open world to explore, with various environments and characters. As players solve puzzles, they uncover clues and items to progress through the story and unlock new areas.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 178 reviews

story31 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features a charming pixel art style and a lighthearted story that adds personality to the puzzle-solving experience.
With over 300 handcrafted nonograms, the game offers a vast amount of content, ensuring players remain engaged without feeling fatigued.
The integration of puzzles within an overworld structure provides a sense of purpose and progression, making the act of solving puzzles feel rewarding.

Some players have reported issues with controls, particularly with mouse navigation and cursor responsiveness, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
The game lacks certain quality-of-life features, such as an undo button and adjustable sound settings, which can detract from the overall experience.
While the puzzles are enjoyable, many players found them to be on the easier side, potentially disappointing those seeking a more challenging experience.

story
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
61%
3%
The game's story is characterized as light-hearted and charming, serving primarily as a backdrop to the puzzle-solving experience rather than a source of emotional depth. While some players appreciate the humor and whimsical nature of the narrative, others feel it lacks significance and depth, often viewing it as a simple and goofy framework for the gameplay. Overall, the story enhances the enjoyment of the puzzles, providing a fun and engaging context without overshadowing the core mechanics.
- “The writing was humorous and the jokes were funny, and the story was engaging and well-paced, making it more fun than just a list of puzzles.”
- “With its retro-style colorful graphics, super silly story, quirky characters, and awesome sense of humor, this game is simply a joy to play.”
- “The game's unique blend of nonogram puzzles and an engaging adventure story sets it apart from other puzzle games.”
- “You basically just walk to different puzzles and get a minor story.”
- “The story isn't the deepest, and is technically a sequel to Piczle Lines (which I didn't realize when buying this game, so some callbacks didn't make sense to me. Felt like it expected me to recall other aspects, which didn't work out too well to make me connect with the characters.)”
- “The story framing the puzzles might be cute for kids but otherwise feels like padding.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
35%
13%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming retro pixel-art style, which enhances the overall nostalgic experience while complementing the logic-puzzle gameplay. Players appreciate the cohesive aesthetic, vibrant colors, and attention to detail, although some noted that the visuals can be oversaturated. Overall, the art style, combined with catchy music and humorous dialogue, contributes to a delightful gaming experience.
- “Visually, the game leans into a charming pixel-art style that complements its logic-puzzle roots.”
- “Characters, environments, and completed puzzle images all share a cohesive aesthetic that feels nostalgic without being dated.”
- “With its retro-style colorful graphics, super silly story, quirky characters, and awesome sense of humor, this game is simply a joy to play.”
- “While fine in its own right, the visuals were oversaturated and hurt my eyes, and the sound design was intrusive.”
- “I'm a sucker for pixel graphics and chiptunes, but the transition to 3D models in the latest game left me a little sad as I preferred the pixel aesthetic.”
- “The story is pretty minimal but charming, yet I found the graphics to be lacking in depth and detail.”
humor
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and silliness, with players enjoying the quirky characters, witty dialogue, and tongue-in-cheek storytelling. The combination of cute pixel art, engaging narratives, and clever jokes creates a delightful atmosphere that enhances the overall experience, making the puzzles feel less tedious. Many reviewers appreciate the humor's complexity, noting that it appeals to both younger audiences and adults alike.
- “I cannot adequately number all of the tremendously satisfying elements I never thought I'd see in one place - from puzzles that create marked, measurable change in the world around you and how you interact with it, to an amazing sense of humor that pervades the story and the world around you, to an amazing open-world framework that makes the player want to explore every nook and cranny in service of turning over every secret, this game genuinely has it all.”
- “The writing was humorous and the jokes were funny, and the story was engaging and well-paced, making it more fun than just a list of puzzles.”
- “Score-chan is a very fun and likable protagonist and their little quips with Gig give off a very wholesome Saturday morning cartoon style charm that I can't help but love, and the villainess twist at the end is funny and almost kind of endearing, to be honest!”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
40%
15%
The music in the game is generally well-received, featuring a catchy and relaxing soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience, although some players note its repetitiveness during extended sessions. However, the lack of volume control options is a common frustration, as players can only toggle the music on or off. Overall, the audio design complements the charming pixel art and engaging puzzles, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
- “The art style works great with the game, the music is very catchy and the puzzles are fun to solve.”
- “Add the charming pixel graphics, catchy music & funny dialogue and you got yourself a good formula.”
- “There's no real sound options; it's either on or off, which is annoying because I actually kind of like the song that plays when you're doing the puzzles, but it's loud as hell.”
- “There are also only like 3 songs that cycle through when you solve the puzzles.”
- “Audio design supports a relaxed atmosphere, with gentle background music that encourages focus, though extended sessions may reveal some repetition in the soundtrack.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
23%
33%
The gameplay centers around the classic nonogram mechanic, where players solve puzzles using numerical clues to uncover pixel images, providing a mix of challenge and entertainment. While the game features over 100 puzzles and a simple story that enhances the experience, it may not appeal to those unfamiliar with nonograms, as the lack of additional gameplay elements can make it feel repetitive. Overall, the addictive nature and cool style contribute to a fun experience for fans of the genre, despite some mechanical limitations.
- “At the heart of the game lies the familiar nonogram mechanic, where players interpret numerical clues along the edges of a grid to determine which cells should be filled to reveal a hidden pixel image.”
- “Featuring over 100 puzzles, Piczle Cross Adventure offers hours of entertaining gameplay that requires critical thinking and strategy.”
- “Cool style, addictive gameplay, fun to 100%.”
- “Don’t expect deep and fleshed out mechanics.”
- “I think this game does not know who it is targeted for; for people that don't know nonograms or have no interest in them, it is tiresome, since there is little gameplay outside of the puzzles. For people that like nonograms, the lack of tools makes the puzzle solving longer than it needs to be.”
- “Mechanically, I mostly had fine using a trackpad instead of a mouse or controller, though I did have some problems scrolling through the logbook.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a charming experience with a likable protagonist and humorous interactions, but it lacks significant emotional depth. While the story serves mainly as context, it adds personality to the gameplay, making it enjoyable, especially for puzzle enthusiasts. Overall, the emotional impact is light-hearted and whimsical rather than profound.
- “The story exists primarily to provide context and charm rather than emotional depth, but it succeeds in giving personality to the experience.”
- “Score-chan is a very fun and likable protagonist, and their little quips with Gig give off a very wholesome Saturday morning cartoon style charm that I can't help but love. The villainess twist at the end is funny and almost kind of endearing, to be honest!”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's audio design creates a relaxed atmosphere with gentle background music that enhances focus, although players may notice some repetition during longer sessions.
- “The audio design supports a relaxed atmosphere, with gentle background music that encourages focus, though extended sessions may reveal some repetition in the soundtrack.”
- “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world with stunning visuals and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.”
- “Every element of the environment contributes to a rich atmosphere that makes exploration feel rewarding and engaging.”
- “The audio design supports a relaxed atmosphere, with gentle background music that encourages focus; however, extended sessions may reveal some repetition in the soundtrack.”
- “The game lacks a compelling atmosphere, making it difficult to immerse myself in the world.”
- “The visuals are underwhelming and fail to create a captivating atmosphere, leaving the environment feeling lifeless.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
Overall, the game's optimization is generally positive, with smooth performance on platforms like the Steam Deck, though some users report occasional lag and minor bugs. While there are no significant crashes, there is mention of unnecessary battery drain.
- “I play this on Steam Deck, and it runs smoothly with the controls and trackpad.”
- “The only problem I have with the game is the optimization; sometimes it's a bit laggy and has a few minor bugs.”
- “The only problem I have with the game is the optimization; sometimes it's a bit laggy and there are a few minor bugs.”
- “No crashes or performance issues, unless you count the unnecessary battery drain.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be minimal, with no significant achievements requiring excessive effort. However, some users note that the game could benefit from improvements to reduce backtracking and enhance navigation, such as implementing a fast travel system. Overall, while there are minor frustrations, they do not detract significantly from the gameplay experience.
- “Nice game, has a few things that could be improved. There's a slight bug in one interaction not triggering, a late-game trophy that's not obvious how to achieve, a couple of puzzles that are difficult to find/access, and it can be a little tedious with the amount of backtracking that you can end up doing. A fast travel option by clicking an area on the map would have been appreciated.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game is considered fairly stable, though some users report occasional bugs, such as getting stuck in solved puzzles. Despite these minor issues, it is generally viewed as a solid picross-type experience.
- “While I have my nitpicks about the interface and a few buggy moments (getting stuck in solved puzzles, primarily), I'd call this a fairly solid picross-type game with a fun framing device.”

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76%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews

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22h Median play time

22h Average play time

22-22h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Piczle Cross Adventure is a open world role playing game with comedy theme.

Piczle Cross Adventure is available on Nintendo Switch, PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 22 hours playing Piczle Cross Adventure.

Piczle Cross Adventure was released on April 16, 2020.

Piczle Cross Adventure was developed by Score Studios LLC.

Piczle Cross Adventure has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its atmosphere.

Piczle Cross Adventure is a single player game.

Similar games include Murder by Numbers, Voxelgram, Paint it Back, Khimera: Puzzle Island, Pictopix and others.

Piczle Cross Adventure

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