Death Is the Road to Picross
By: Michael (@DragmireG)
Every week we’ll be recommending you a game and either an album or movie to check out. This week I’m recommending The Fountain and Picross 3D
- Picross 3D
- Developer - HAL Laboratory
- Publisher - Nintendo
- Nintendo DS
- Rating - E
I fell in love with this series when it was first released here as Mario’s Picross. Back then they would put a Mario-something on any odd little Nintendo game so it can sell over here.
In this game series you’re supposed to use the numbers on the side of the rectangular grid of squares to reveal what the picture is. In essence it is like a crossword puzzle, but what you’re trying to figure out is what picture the grid will make. Mark the correct spots the numbers on the sides tell you and eliminate the ones that are not needed, while being careful not to eliminate the wrong ones.
In Picross 3D the puzzles are in 3D obviously, but the game has transitioned flawlessly to the 3d realm. The rules are pretty much the same too. With the power of the stylus, you can chip away at the cubes that are not needed and will soon be able to reveal a blocky animal, thing, whatever and see it do an animation.
It’s simple to play, but the later puzzles can be very hard. It’s perfect if you want a fun challenging little timewaster.
The Fountain
What journey would you take to save someone you love?
Between his times as the Wolverine, Huge Jackman returns to play the role of man in different eras. He’s the seeker of Immortality as a 16th-century conquistador, an obsessed scientist in the modern age finding a cure, and an astronaut of sorts contemplating life. All for the woman he loves. The film isn’t high budget but cinematography and music are beautiful. The director’s use of color manages to unify the three very different eras to show the audience another way they are connected. The score also connects the eras of time our protagonist journeys to and is very sublime.
Directed by the same man that did Requiem for a Dream, another favorite of mine, this movie can be understandably odd or difficult to grasp. Yet, the themes and core of the film are both simple and relatable. If nothing else, it’s a strange pretty film to look at.