Play Picross NP Vol. 6 (Japan) (NP) Online

Game Overview

Picross NP Vol. 6 is the kind of game that sneaks up on you—what starts as a quick puzzle break turns into an entire evening of filling in grids. It’s got that classic SNES Picross feel, but with a little extra bite. The puzzles here are tougher than the earlier volumes, so if you’ve already breezed through those, this one will actually make you stop and think.

I love how each solved grid reveals these tiny, weirdly charming pixel art pieces—sometimes it’s a cat, sometimes it’s a random object, and half the fun is guessing what the heck you’re even drawing before the last few squares click into place. The controls are simple (just the D-pad and a couple of buttons), but the later puzzles get surprisingly devious. If you’re into logic puzzles at all, this is one of those SNES deep cuts that still holds up.

Fair warning: it’s in Japanese, but the gameplay’s so straightforward it doesn’t really matter. Just don’t start playing right before bed unless you’re okay with losing sleep over one more puzzle.