Puzzling Picross

While Pokemon (sorry, can't find where the weird 'e' thing is) Picross hasn't been a big success on the 3DS, it's still very fun to play. In my opinion, it's so cool that you get to recreate all the beloved pokemon in glorious, big-pixelated form. Nintendo did screw up their Mario Picross on the Gameboy, but this game adds to picross greatly. The pokemon have skills which can help you greatly in the game. Here are some tricks to solve the puzzles:

• ALWAYS, except if there is ever a mission that says you CAN'T have a certain number, bring as many pokemon as possible.
• I especially recommend bringing a Blue Force pokemon. They can help you greatly by pointing out where you need to look
  • I also recommend a Slow Time pokemon, as they're usually self-activated. When you get him (or her?), always make sure Pikachu is on your team unless a) you have a better pokemon or b) you need a different pokemon to complete the mission. Pikachu is useful early on, even though he's weak, and needs 0 minutes to recover!
  • It's a good idea to bring a Freeze Time pokemon, too. It can help on those "Complete in ___ minutes" missions, ESPECIALLY when it's a 20X15 puzzle. Oh, and combining them with Blue Force can make you surge through the puzzle.
  • Finally, when doing those 20X15 puzzles, it's a great idea to have a 'reveal' pokemon, whichever suits both the puzzle and you, as these can also surge you through the puzzle.
• Look for 0's.
• Use X's. EVERYWHERE. You can screw up very fast without them, and Blue Force requires you to put in the X's to eliminate the blue in a row. Also, they're completely free!
• If you mess up, it's probably better to quit. You can be chasing a puzzle for a LONG time after that, and remember that energy is used BY filling in squares, causing you to lose energy fast. (unless you have unlimited energy, but that's for the advanced. Besides, you'll probably have to redo it anyway to get the time mission.
• For Mega puzzles, try to do regular numbers first. They're way easier than Mega numbers.
  • However, if there is a big-big-BIG Mega number, try to mark those. They can help a bit.
  • Just don't panic.

But there is still plenty outside the puzzles. Some tips outside of the puzzle are:

• See how big your puzzle is. If it's too big for your equipped pokemon, then get rid of it and put in something else.
• Also check your pokemon after each puzzle. Most will be tired out and will be unusable for the next puzzle.
• When there is a 'just sighted' pokemon, find it IMMEDIATELY. And don't quit it, even when you're stuck. It could be a long time before it comes back. Even if you run out of energy, stay on it. Energy is filled even when you're playing a puzzle. After you complete it, it will stay, allowing you to work on missions whenever you want.
• Always try to do every puzzle, even optional ones. You can get better pokemon, and most are needed to complete medals anyway.
• Always try to complete missions; it's a very quick way to get picrites.

Speaking of picrites, they're often more annoying than the puzzles themselves! Unless you don't have infinite picrites, whether you don't have money to kill (the kids) or don't want to waste money on a free downloadable 3DS games, running short is KILLER. Picrites are needed a LOT; opening areas, extending your energy or team, getting the Mega Pencil (500 picrites!?!) or opening the Alt-World. For us non-infinite picrite people, some more tips!

• It may be tempting to heal a pokemon with picrites to do the next puzzle, but do it VERY little. You'll burn through picrites fast, and besides, why waste it?
• It's also tempting to refill your energy, but don't do it at ALL. Why? Save up and you can just upgrade it.
• Check up constantly to do training. You can get picrites fast and easy, even when you don't meet the time limit. In fact, I'm going to check on it right now

• I'm back, and have 8 more picrites!........ and still have only 50. Not enough for the Mega Pencil.
• Do murals. I don't know why, but they're there for a reason. They also cost 0 energy and are fun to kill time.
• Look up missions and complete them. Another fast way to get picrites.

Speaking of missions and using the same segue, there are some missions which are easy to get very fast (at the start of the game). Here's a list

Button-Control Specialist and Stylus-Control Specialist.

• Easy. Just complete a whole puzzle once with both stylus control and button control. And just in case you're wondering, stylus is better. It's a LOT faster and easier. No over pushing the buttons!

Photographer.

• This one is VERY elusive. Just when you complete the puzzle and it is showing you it, before you go to the mission screen just press L and R simultaneously. BOOM! Done. Saved to the SD card and 3 picrites. Nice.

New Manager

• Just expand your team once. BOOM! Done. 2 slots and 3 picrites. Nice. Also, 2 slots will do you fine until you get to area 5.

Apprentice Painter and Diligent Painter.

• Just upgrade your energy to level 2. BOOM! Done. 200 energy and 3 picrites. Nice. Also, 200 energy will do you fine for a while, though if you want to get more than 1 puzzle done every 2 hours, upgrade it to level 3 and get 100 extra energy and 3 MORE picrites. Nice.

Code Breaker

• Just put in a password to unlock an extra puzzle. You can find passwords on the internet, you lazy bums.

Those are all that can be gotten at the start that take a little effort. Other ones take no effort except completing puzzles!

That's all for today, peoples! Will get back to you on more stuff sometime in the near future!(though it probably won't be Pokemon Picross)
SEE YA!