The third game is all about spatial reasoning.
Picross 3D
Almost twelve months ago, Picross 3D was commended by Andy Goergen under the premise that "you're never going to set your DS down again." So are you really that surprised that Picross 3D made it to number three on the 30 Best DS Games list? If so, please just stop reading, buy the game, and play it. Then come back sometime next year when you have some free time and read what I have to say.
This Nintendo title really does take the cake. While the idea of making a mystery shape from a cube might not get you really excited, the simplicity of the game is what will hook you. The puzzles are divided into difficulty, and then broken down into ten levels of approximately ten puzzles, with a few extra themes thrown in for good measure. These include Construction Challenges, where you solve smaller pieces of a larger puzzle, such as Santa's sled, and Time Challengers, where your allotted time increases when no mistakes are made. There are 369 standard puzzles on the game, which should keep more than occupied for quite some time.
Some might feel like the game is over once the puzzles are completed, but really it doesn't come close to ending there. A puzzle creator entertains those more creative than I – so far I've only made my cat and a cowboy boot - but the interface for creating puzzles is very user-friendly and fun. Also, Nintendo hasn't forgotten the online capabilities of the DS, and made numerous downloadable puzzle packs available for free. These are extra bonuses and keep you coming back for more every week. Some of these puzzles were created by Nintendo, but a large number of them are user submissions that were selected by Nintendo.
So once you've solved all of the puzzles, then blasted through the downloadable puzzle packs, and even created a puzzle or two of your own, what is left to do with this game? A year after its release, I'm still playing through these puzzles, beating my best scores with no mistakes, and even setting goals to get all of the puzzles in a certain level under a designated time.
But why is this game so good that it deserves this high of an honor? Nintendo and developer HAL Labs really put their all into this game. The interface is simple and easy to use, making it really easy to pick up and play a puzzle while waiting for a doctor's appointment to start or on a break from work. The sound effects are great – different songs accompany different puzzles by theme and really put the player in the mood. The tactile feel of breaking each block, paired with the subtle sound effect of a breaking brick make the gameplay involved and interesting.
I guess now I should apologize, seeing as how it's 2012 and you've been playing Picross 3D for a year now.