Homebrew Picroxx!, the ultimate Picross clone!

[Substance12]

Picroxx! is a Picross homebrew clone for the Nintendo 3DS console. It's fully programmed in Lua, running under the LÖVEPotion framework. For those who don't know what Picross is, it's a series of Sudoku-ish puzzle games in which you have to fill up spaces to discover a hidden picture. It gives you numeric hints for each row and column and you have to figure out which spaces to fill, leaving a gap of at least 1 cell between every "line" of filled cells.

I saw that we were seriously lacking on homebrew puzzle games, so I decided to make one. The goal of the project is to port almost every single puzzle from all mainstream Picross games, like Mario's Picross, Picross 2, Super Mario's Picross, Picross DS and the Picross e series. More info on the GitHub page:

https://github.com/Substance12/Picroxx

Currently, two courses from Mario's Picross are available to play.

THE GAME MAY TAKE SOME TIME TO LOAD ANYTHING. THIS IS NORMAL AND IT'S CAUSED BY THE HUGE .WAV FILES.

Screenshots

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Controls

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Click a cell on the bottom screen to fill it. Use X and B to switch between the "painting" mode and the "marking" mode (to mark a cell with an X, if you are sure that cell has no need to be filled, so you don't click it by accident). START and SELECT bring up the pause menu. On 15x15 puzzles, use A to zoom in, and the Circle Pad to move the camera around.

TODO

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* D-Pad support.
* Free Mode support.
* Puzzles of size 20x20 and 25x20.
* Better controls for big puzzles.
* Solve a lot of code inconsistencies.
* The "jackpot" thing at the start that clears a random row and column.
* Let the game tell you when you've completed a row or column succesfully. Done.
* Support for custom puzzles and courses.
* More fancy animations.
* Fix the "Clear" animation.
* Improving all graphics.
* Support for board skins (like in Picross DS) Done.
* Micross and Mega Picross modes.
* The Picross DS mini-games.
* Loading screens (currently it just freezes on the same frame while loading)

Progress

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Mario's Picross: 2/4 courses finished.
Picross 2: Not started.
Super Mario's Picross: Not started.
Picross DS: Not started.

Picross e: Not started.
Picross e2: Not started.
Picross e3: Not started.
Picross e4: Not started.
Picross e5: Not started.
Picross e6: Not started.

FAQ

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Q: I get a black screen!
A: Just wait, it takes a bit to load.

Q: Hey, these graphics look familiar!
A: Indeed, they're ripped and edited from Picross DS. I love the art style of the game and I decided to use it here.

Q: How do I update the game?
A: Just go to GitHub and replace the changed files. You don't have to compile anything.

Q: Will you be adding the Pokémon Picross puzzles?
A: No. The answer is very simple: the game is too different from other Picross games and it's also free-to-play. My focus on Picroxx! is also adding the key features of each game, and Pokémon Picross has too many that it's just not worth my time.

Q: When will you be working on custom levels?
A: It's coming. But I want to improve the core of the game first and completing at least one game, and then I will be adding support for custom levels.

Downloads

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On the GitHub page. CIA and 3DS builds not available yet.

https://github.com/Substance12/Picroxx

One thing is ask you for, is that you don't use the source code and make a "Picroxx Plus!" version or something like that, with extra features that I was going to add anyway. Or just don't make another version at all. Feel free to contribue to the code, though.

Thanks to:
​

• @VideahGams, for LÖVEPotion.
• @smealum, for ctrulib.
• @Rinnegatamante, for, uh, I dunno, I have major respects to him.
• mtheall and @iamevn, for ftBrony/FTP-3DS, which saved me DAYS of transferring files.

 

[nobody231]

From looking at the screenshots, it looks like it could be an actual game! Good job!

EDIT: Should've said official. Ah well.

 

[Substance12]

From looking at the screenshots, it looks like it could be an actual game! Good job!

EDIT: Should've said official. Ah well.

The graphics are edited from Picross DS. I may use my own graphics at some point, but right now i'm satisfied with how it looks. Thanks!

 

[nobody231]

The graphics are edited from Picross DS. I may use my own graphics at some point, but right now i'm satisfied with how it looks. Thanks!

I think that new graphics should be done as the very last thing, since you already have very good graphics for now.

 

[VinsCool]

Nice one dude! looks like an official game

 

[Tjessx]

looks good, gonna try it out as soon as possible!

 

[Substance12]

Nice one dude! looks like an official game

There's still polishing to be done

 

[Gocario]

Looks really nice!

 

[Substance12]

Maybe support for the Picross 3D puzzles? I loved those.

That's an entirely different game Maybe someone else will do a clone of it

 

[SANNIC789]

neat

 

[Substance12]

I'll begin work on porting the Kinoko course tomorrow.

 

[Substance12]

I need a CIA build m8

LÖVEPotion can't build on CIA yet. It's really one of my lowest-priority concerns.

 

[Deleted User]

Oh hell yes! Gonna try this right now; looking forward to what else you've got planned here!

 

[nobody231]

Whenever I fill a square in picroxx, it makes an annoying vibrating noise that doesn't stop until I return to the main menu.

 

[Substance12]

Whenever I fill a square in picroxx, it makes an annoying vibrating noise that doesn't stop until I return to the main menu.

Weird, i'll check it out.

 

[nobody231]

Weird, i'll check it out.

I also dislike how when entering the Easy Mode course, the music stops, it makes the game feel less professional. You could use the normal music for that, or maybe a different track. But the game itself is solid!

 

[Substance12]

I also dislike how when entering the Easy Mode course, the music stops, it makes the game feel less professional. You could use the normal music for that, or maybe a different track. But the game itself is solid!

It's an issue that I couldn't fix. If I don't stop the audio earlier, the game will freeze when entering a level.

 

[Substance12]

Whenever I fill a square in picroxx, it makes an annoying vibrating noise that doesn't stop until I return to the main menu as well

Yes... you already posted that. I'm looking onto it.

 

[Substance12]

I think I found the issue. Apparently I was using a very old version of LÖVEPotion. I'll upload the fixed files in a bit.

 

[nobody231]

Yes... you already posted that. I'm looking onto it.

I didn't repost it, someone else said they had the same problem.

I think I found the issue. Apparently I was using a very old version of LÖVEPotion. I'll upload the fixed files in a bit.

Good to know that you fixed it though!

It's an issue that I couldn't fix. If I don't stop the audio earlier, the game will freeze when entering a level.

Oh, I don't know anything about Lua... Sorry to bother you.