Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
Release Date: October 1, 2012
ESRB: E for Everyone
Crossword puzzles have long been a staple of newspapers and magazines for years, and many people even have a hard time continuing their morning without finishing one first. There's an addictive, puzzling quality to them and there's no doubt that many people love them, so it only made sense for Nintendo to bring the classic game to DS with Crosswords DS a few years back. Now, Crosswords Plus looks to add on to what was started with the first game, except for 3DS owners this time around, and what you'll find is an enjoyable experience for puzzle fans alike.
So what exactly is new in this iteration of Crosswords then? The core game is still crossword puzzles, and you can't change that up too much, so for those who have already played Crosswords DS, this is almost an expansion of sorts with even more puzzles. There are some additional and extra types of puzzles though, which I'll explain more about later on. However, for those who didn't play the previous game, here's an overview of what to expect.
Starting out, only the basic crossword puzzle mode will be available. You can select from multiple difficulty levels, starting with easy and medium, and then unlocking two harder modes after that. As you complete more puzzles, you'll unlock special "Giant" crosswords that are much larger than the usual 4x4 to 11x11 puzzles. A bonus crossword will also be downloaded from Nintendo daily for a certain amount of time as well, and it'll usually be based on a certain theme.
When you begin a crossword, the 3DS's top screen is used to display the puzzle in its entirety, whereas the bottom screen shows the same but with the ability to zoom in on specific spaces and input a letter (or erase it if necessary). Again, like the last game, you'll be using the touch screen to write each letter instead of using an in-game keyboard. The good news here is that the game is fairly accurate in recognizing the letter you intended to write about 80% of the time; that is, as long as you're clear on what letter you're writing. There's also a nifty auto-scroll feature that will either scroll to the next available empty space down or to the right (depending on if you're solving a vertical or horizontal word) when you input a letter.
Of course, there's bound to be some crosswords you'll need help on; that's where the hint system comes in. Each puzzle will start you off with a certain amount of hint points that you can use to buy extra hints if needed, and there are three different types of hints available. The first is an alternate clue to the word you're trying to solve (which costs 1 point); the second reveals a letter to help you out (which costs 3 points); and the third reveals the word in its entirety (costing 5 points). To be completely honest, you'll be using hints quite a bit in different puzzles (especially since many clues can often be unhelpful), so their inclusion is definitely appreciated.
As you continue to play, there are additional modes you'll unlock, such as Wordsearch and Anagrams. Wordsearch consists of two modes (small and large) and the goal is to find certain words in a large grid of seemingly scrambled letters. Anagrams are a bit trickier; you'll be given a set of six mostly different letters and tasked to form a certain number of words ranging from 3 letters to 5 letters long. Given the difficulty most will face when coming down to the last few word arrangements, the game gives players the option to end the puzzle at 70% completion and move on. This was a smart move on the developer's part as there are no hints in this mode (unlike the regular crossword puzzles).
Word of the Day is the final extra mode, and it aims to help expand your vocabulary by listing the definition of a word. It also leads to a minigame called Word Paths, in which players will be given a different word each day you play the game. From that word, players will be given a word path branching out from one of the letters of the word, and you'll need to think of a word that not only incorporates that letter and its position, but also fits that exact number of letters in the path. From there, you'll continue on coming up with words that fit the letter that the next word path starts from until you finish. It can be difficult at times, but for me, this was one of the most enjoyable modes aside from the main puzzles.
Crosswords Plus doesn't necessarily re-invent the wheel with crossword puzzles, but it doesn't really have to either. Its biggest issue is probably the $29.99 price tag, which might be a bit tough for many to swallow. Still, there are enough puzzles and content to last even the most avid crossword fan a long time; potentially years. It all comes down to convenience in the end; if you want to be able to pull out your 3DS and play a crossword puzzle at any time, even if it's just for a quick session to pass the time, this new version more than suffices. If you're big on puzzle games (crosswords especially), this is easily the definitive experience on the 3DS, and you aren't likely to find a better version elsewhere.
Pros:
+ Large number of crossword puzzles to play through
+ Extra modes provide a nice diversion from crosswords
+ Controls are well done
Cons:
- If you're not a fan of word puzzles, there isn't much else here
Overall Score: 7 (out of 10)
Good
Crosswords Plus is a good collection of word puzzles that enthusiasts and casual gamers would do well to look into.