Chip bits, binary digits (aka bits), and 'wait just a bit' are all terms and phrases including 'bits' that most of us have come to hate. The term 'bits' is often associated with something small. Well, for once you won't be disappointed with the small price you'll have to pay for the DSi gem called ' PiCTOBiTS'. The early state of DSiware had me worried for the future of the sleek new portable, but PiCTOBiTS gives me hope that brighter days will come.
Like Art Style Aquios, PiCTOBiTS is a unique DSi puzzle game. Instead of imitating well-established puzzle game formulas such as Tetris, Panel de Pon, and Meteos, PiCTOBiTS takes an entirely new approach. Blocks still fall from the heavens above like those clever games, but this time you solve the puzzle by dragging different colored blocks from the bottom of your screen with the stylus to the falling shapes. Your goal is to complete shapes by positioning a pixel-sized block (or a bit) in such a way that a shape will be formed. For example, if an L-shaped block composed of three bits is falling from the sky, you want to position a bit in such a way that it'll form a 2x2 square. You can also complete a shape by placing two vertically stacked bits directly under two other vertically stacked bits. Keep in mind that the bits have to be the same color in order to complete a shape. If this sounds confusing to you, PiCTOBiTS includes an excellent visual tutorial, so you'll be racking up points and coins (earned from completing shapes) in no time.
The core gameplay is a blast, but part of PiCTOBiTS' appeal lies in its trippy visuals and sound. Each PiCTOBiTS stage is themed after a classic Nintendo game, so those who love retro games will surely have nostalgic moments. The goal of each stage is to complete an 8-bit image from one of your favorite NES games. You'll get to pay homage to your favorite portly plumber, paint a world-famous, green-garbed hero, mold a couple hammer wielding pals, and more.
Not only do the 8-bit visuals bring back memories, but the accompanying music tugs on your heart strings as well. Your mother probably considered 8-bit music to be no different from a mosquito buzzing in your ear, but who in their right mind could forget the classic Mario theme song, or the ominous track in The Legend of Zelda's final dungeon? The songs you'll hear in this game aren't exact replicas of the music found in NES titles, but they're great remixes. You'll hear seventeen different songs during your experience with PiCTOBiTS. Fifteen of these songs are from stages, while the other two are the opening and ending. Not only are the stages accompanied by classic tunes, but you also have the ability to listen to this music on its own with the included track player. With the coins you accumulate while playing, you can purchase each of the game's seventeen songs and an extended version. Each of these songs can be listened to while the DSi is closed, so it makes great use of the system's capabilities.
Even though I'm not a huge fan of puzzle games, I had a great time with PiCTOBiTS. It really utilizes your reflexes and forces you to think quickly, at least on the later stages. I also loved the retro music and visuals. PiCTOBiTS is not without its flaws however; I felt that it was a tad short with only fifteen stages, the game started out a bit too easy, and there's no multiplayer mode. These flaws are all relatively minor, especially considering that PiCTOBiTS only costs 500 points. If you still have points left over from your DSi purchase, or even if you don't, PiCTOBiTS is the one DSiware game you shouldn't ignore. Hopefully buying this game will encourage Nintendo to provide more quality downloadable software.