Nintendo Switch to Revive Entire Picross E Series, Creating a Puzzle Renaissance After Nintendo 3DS eShop Closure

Nine puzzle games from the Nintendo 3DS eShop are set to be preserved and brought to the Nintendo Switch. Developer Jupiter is reviving the entire Picross e series in a new game called Picross S+. According to Nintendo Life, Picross S+ will be released next year for $5 and will include all the puzzles from the original Picross e. Additionally, the remaining Picross e games will be available as separate add-ons priced at $5 each. What makes this even more exciting is that Picross e9 never made its way to Europe or North America, so Picross S+ will be the first opportunity for players outside Japan to experience those puzzles.

In March of this year, the 3DS and Wii U eShops were permanently shut down, following Nintendo's announcement of their closure back in February 2022. Gamers had an entire year to decide which games to purchase before the shutdown. Among the titles that were thought to be gone forever from the handheld eShop was the beloved Picross e series, which had been available since 2011 and concluded in 2018 on the 3DS platform.

Jupiter introduced the Picross S series on the Switch in 2017 with ongoing releases. The most recent addition, Picross S9, was launched globally in April. Currently, Jupiter has plans to release Picross S+ in 2024.