Review: Piczle Lines DX (Switch)

by Jon Cousins

Line up.

Piczle Lines was originally released as an iOS game back in 2010. A deceptively simple concept that used the aesthetic limitations of pixel art to present a series of puzzles revealing increasingly complex images by joining dots of the same color together. Jump forward to now, and Piczle Lines DX makes its way to the Nintendo Switch with an animated story mode, focussed on the 'Piczle Matic 3000' camera machine that turns every object scientist Professor Pixel owns all blocky. As the titular heroes Score Chan and Gig, you are assigned to solve 100 puzzles and get everything back to normal.

Of course, the story is pretty disposable, but as a puzzle game, piczle lines DX excels on Switch.

With a combination of matching colored dots and drawing a line corresponding to the number on those dots, blocks of color begin to appear and, in turn, reveal a pixel art image. These range from scientific equipment (present early in the story) to animals, sports and so on. Glancing to the side at a half solved puzzle raised a smile of realization as it started to take shape.

Logical methodical.

Ranging from 20 X 20 to 128 X 128 grids, the initially speedy progression will soon hit some bumps, as more complex shapes and higher numbers (requiring longer, and in some cases, snaking lines) generate more complex pictures. It's a process that's as easy to approach as it is to get lost in for (and larger puzzles require) a few hours, almost reaching an almost 'zen' like state, as you learn the games rules, logic and processes. Whether it was flying through the initial levels or taking my time thinking about different possibilities, the simple story images and more intricate pictures in a dedicated 'puzzle' mode were equally fun to solve. Tokyo based developer Score Studios (and Japanese Publisher RainyFrog) has already said (hopefully Nintendo themed) extra content is on the way, too, which is not to say the game as is stands is light- far from it. Five chapters, containing 20 stages each in the story mode will last a good few hours and over 200 extra themed puzzles provide great depth and variety.


Controlling your progress is simple, either via the touch screen or a more conventional stick and buttons. While simply drawing a line or pinching will zoom, a double tap of the A button will clear a line, a combination of L or R and the right stick will navigate the grid, X and Y will zoom in and out respectively.

Conclusion

Regardless of whether you have owned the original versions on iOS, this is the complete package, with more to come. Piczle lines DX is a relaxing, charming and satisfying experience and feels perfectly at home on Switch, following in the footsteps of cherished Nintendo puzzlers like Pushmo and Picross. The seemingly simple hook of producing pixel art by drawing lines gets increasingly challenging and complex, catering to all ages and abilities. The visuals are crisp and vibrant in both docked and handheld modes and there are many hours of content to get stuck into.

Highly recommended.

Final Score: 8.5

(Review code provided by the publisher)