Pazuru (Nintendo 3DS) Review

It's a surprisingly interesting and well made little puzzle game, with very little to it yet still feels quite robust for the modest price point. The main mode is split into just over 70 levels and every few stages a new object is added to the mix. In the first one, a red triangle block that spins 90 degrees is introduced and, using the angled side, the ink can be bounced at a 90-degree angle, while using the flat side it can be pushed back the way it came. Next, it adds spikes that destroy the blob, and then blocks that will appear and disappear when A is pressed, and so on… If the right trigger is pressed, a line can be drawn on the level, which can be bounced off of when used as a barrier against spikes. All-in-all, the game tries it's best to make things difficult, even if it never quite achieves it.

Pazuru, while not very hard, still requires a fair amount of thought as progress is made. The path to each of the stars becomes less obvious and full of obstructions. It can take several attempts to get all of the stars and then, for the perfectionists, another couple of attempts at the level to get the best ranking. Yes, it has a ranking system that isn't un-reminiscent of mobile phone games, where three stars is the highest possible rank. Achieving this is done by keeping within the first move counter, which should equal zero when the final star is collected. To begin with, getting a high rank is simple but later on lower ranks become more acceptable.

The other mode is a level editor, which is simple to learn and fun to use. The levels can be shared via QR-codes - slightly disappointingly as they are good for sharing with family and close friends but not with anyone else. The big downside to Pazuru is the lack of difficulty and replayability. It can easily be completed in a couple of sittings, ranging from two to six hours depending on how much determination there is to get a high rank in every level. Once finished, there is nothing to entice more play-throughs, unless there are still rankings to obtain. Of course, if someone else has it, the game could be quite fun to challenge each other in custom levels.