Picross DS/Walkthrough

This is the main play mode in Picross DS. It consists of 4 options:


 * How to Play
 * Easy Mode
 * Normal Mode
 * Free Mode

How to Play
This is a set of tutorials teaching you how to play the game. There are 4 tutorials to choose from:


 * Tutorial - Teaches you the most basic elements of how to solve a Picross puzzle
 * Useful Functions - Teaches you about the functions of the Pause Menu
 * About Free Mode - Teaches you the rules of Free Mode
 * About Zooming - Shows you how to zoom in and out on the large puzzles

Easy Mode
Easy Mode is exactly what you might expect - a collection of easy puzzles to get you started. There are fifteen puzzles in Easy Mode: 5 puzzles on a 5x5 grid and 10 puzzles on a 10x10 grid.

The solutions to these puzzles (if you really need them) are shown below. Click on a gallery image to view to full-size solution.

Normal Mode
Normal Mode contains 150 puzzles for "beginner to intermediate" players. These puzzles all use normal rules (as opposed to Free Mode rules) so you are told when you make a mistake, and given a time penalty.

The puzzles are split into ten levels, each with a different theme. The later levels have to be unlocked by completing the available puzzles. Each level contains 15 puzzles labelled A-O.

Mini games
Each level also contains three mini games: Catch, Sketch and Hit.


 * Catch - Blue squares move around a grid and you have to touch them all before the time runs out.
 * Sketch - You have to copy the picture on the top screen by touching the grid squares on the touch screen.
 * Hit - Blue squares pop up randomly in the grid for a short time and you have to touch them before they disappear.

The time limits are generous on the early levels and squares move slowly but on the harder levels the squares move very quickly and the time limits are much more strict.

Summary
The table below shows a summary of the Easy Mode levels.

The solutions to all 150 Normal Mode puzzles (and the Sketch mini-games) are shown below.