My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
A nonogram puzzle game themed around Twilight Princess.
My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is a 2016 puzzle game in the Picross series, acting as a spin-off that draws its imagery from the 2006 action-adventure game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Developed by Jupiter Corporation and published by Nintendo for the 3DS, it was created to promote the HD remaster of Twilight Princess on the Wii U.
The game first surfaced on March 7, 2016, when a tweet leaked its title screen, revealing Jupiter as the developer and a planned release of March 31. It was officially announced on March 17 as an exclusive reward for the My Nintendo loyalty program, and launched on March 31, 2016. Critics praised its value and presentation but noted some limitations. Following the 3DS eShop closure in March 2023, the game was removed from My Nintendo and is no longer available.
Gameplay follows the nonogram format, where players fill squares to create pictures from Twilight Princess. Controls support both buttons and a stylus toggle, with the puzzle on the bottom screen and the completed image (set against a Twilight Princess backdrop) on the top. The goal is to clear each puzzle within 60 minutes, with time penalties for mistakes, to unlock a color version. Midna guides the player through a tutorial and acts as host. The game includes 45 puzzles across three modes: regular Picross, Mega Picross (which combines number clues for two rows or columns), and Micross, a single large image assembled from 57 smaller puzzles. Completed puzzles could be used as stamps in Miiverse posts.
Released on March 31, 2016, the game was a full-game reward for My Nintendo, requiring 1000 Platinum Points. Initially planned as a limited-time offer expiring October 1, 2016, Nintendo removed the expiration date shortly before that deadline, making it redeemable indefinitely. It remained on the service even after other 3DS and Wii U eShop discounts were removed in 2021, but was permanently delisted on March 25, 2023, concurrent with the 3DS eShop closure. Neal Ronaghan of Nintendo World Report remarked that the game was "potentially lost to time" after that closure.
Reception was limited in volume but generally positive. Ronaghan recommended it to Zelda fans, calling the theme "a hell of an enticement," but not to general Picross enthusiasts.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Jupiter Corporation
- Publisher
- Nintendo
- Series
- The Legend of Zelda
- Platforms
- Nintendo 3DS
- Released
- March 31, 2016
- Genre
- Puzzle
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game was originally leaked on March 7, 2016, as a full-game reward for the My Nintendo rewards program, set to release that month. On March 17, it was announced as an exclusive reward for the service, and it released on March 31, 2016, coinciding with the worldwide launch of My Nintendo. The game was initially planned as a limited-time offer expiring October 1, 2016, but Nintendo eliminated the expiration date in all regions, allowing indefinite redemption until the 3DS eShop closure in March 2023, after which it was delisted and is no longer redeemable.
Gameplay involves solving nonogram puzzles to create images inspired by Twilight Princess. The player is guided by a tutorial from the character Midna, who also serves as the game's hostess. Controls include button and stylus options, with the stylus acting as a toggle switch. The puzzle appears on the bottom screen while the resulting picture is shown on the top screen above a visual backdrop from Twilight Princess. The objective is to clear puzzles within 60 minutes while avoiding time penalties for incorrect entries to unlock the color image. Modes include regular Picross, Mega Picross (with number clues incorporating two rows or columns), and Micross (a large panel assembled from 57 smaller puzzles). Completed puzzles could be used as stamps for Miiverse posts.
Reader's Guide
My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess was a promotional title for the My Nintendo rewards program, released exclusively through that service. Critics rated it positively for its value and presentation, though some aspects were called limited. Neal Ronaghan of Nintendo World Report recommended it to Zelda fans, noting its theme alone was a strong enticement, but not to general Picross fans. Thomas Whitehead of Nintendo Life praised the perceived high effort into a quality audio-visual experience and surprising amount of content. Ronaghan also noted the polish in controls and options, comparing them to a full Picross e game. Positive points included its helpful tutorial, Midna's presence, and sound design, which Jenni Lada of Siliconera claimed 'make the game'. Criticisms included the lack of a zoom option, a monotonous selection of images, and a panel-marking system that deviated from most Picross games, hurting experienced players' muscle memory. After the 3DS eShop closure, Neal Ronaghan wrote that the game was 'potentially lost to time'. The game never received a Nintendo-based follow-up; in 2023, Jupiter's managing director stated that collaboration with Nintendo had become more difficult due to Nintendo's protectiveness of their intellectual property.
Did You Know?
- The game was originally leaked on March 7, 2016, via a tweet showing its title screen.
- It was released as an exclusive reward for the My Nintendo service on March 31, 2016.
- The game features 45 puzzles across regular Picross, Mega Picross, and Micross modes.
- It was permanently removed from the My Nintendo service on March 25, 2023, after the 3DS eShop closure.
More in The Legend of Zelda Games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced