Nikoli's Pencil Puzzle

 3DS
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Oct 25, 2011
Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
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  1. Worth Playing
    Jan 3, 2012
    70
    Nikoli's Pencil Puzzle is a fine game but seems to be an ill fit for the Nintendo 3DS platform. The 3-D effect is gimmicky at best, and with most of the images on the upper screen being either useless or not amusing, you won't care about them.
  2. Nintendo Life
    Nov 17, 2011
    60
    While Nikoli's only contains four activities, they're fun and diverse enough to make this a good collection, and with 600 puzzles total, they'll keep you satisfied for a long time.
  3. Nintendo Power
    Nov 17, 2011
    60
    The gameplay is solid--it features some nice options and delivers on its promise of simple cerebral diversions--but the presentation is pretty darn dull. [Oct 2011, p.84]
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  5. Nintendo Gamer
    Jul 6, 2011
    60
    A lot of puzzles but for a hell of a lot of money. [July 2011, p.64]
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  6. NZGamer
    Aug 21, 2011
    55
    Given it completely fails to use any of the 3DS functionality in any meaningful way, chances are good you'd get a better experience with a DS game, too.
  7. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    Aug 6, 2011
    52
    There's no reason for this to be a 3DS game. [Aug 2011, p.93]
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Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Best 3DS Game of 2011
74
#74 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2011
57
#57 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 1 out of 3
  1. harryjc
    Aug 3, 2018
    8
    If you're a puzzles fan you will enjoy "Nikoli's Pencil Puzzle." It's not a fancy video game, but it is competent in what it does. You haveIf you're a puzzles fan you will enjoy "Nikoli's Pencil Puzzle." It's not a fancy video game, but it is competent in what it does. You have four different types of puzzles to play: Sudoku, bridges, boxes, and museum.

    Sudoku - You know what this is. You make an arrangement of numbers, but so that none of them intersect with one another.

    Bridges - You have these "islands" with numbers on them, and you have to connect all the islands together, but you have to build a certain amount of bridges based on the numbers provided.

    Boxes - Another grid game. You have all these numbers on a grid, and you have to make boxes around the numbers. So, if it's "4" then you have to put four boxes around it, or connecting to it.

    Museum - Usig light bulbs, represented by green circles on a grid, you have to place light bulbs beside these numbers, and that creates light, and you have to fill the entire grid with light.

    Though these games sound a bit confusing the tutorial is well done, and will clear up any confusion. It's not perfect, but you can figure it out with gameplay. Also, this game is in 3D! The bottom screen is where the puzzle takes place, and is in 2D, but the top screen features graphics for each type of puzzle.

    Sudoku shows you pyramids. Bridges shows you the characters from Bomberman, who are on islands. Boxes has the Tron motorcycles. And museums is in a museum with what I can only describe as a blond dwarf. It's not much to look at, to be honest, but it does add to the game, and makes it more enjoyable.

    If you don't like these graphics you can switch them to something more plain, which will be a display of the puzzle, and a timer. You can blow on the mic to make it go from puzzle to timer, and vice-versa.

    And that's about it. This is pretty much a collection of puzzles. If you like puzzles you'll like this. If you don't, well, it's not for you.    … Full Review »
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