Nintendo presents: Crossword Collection

System: Nintendo DS Release date: 18/12/2009

Do you love the challenge of a good, tricky crossword? Now you can put your brain to the test whenever you like with an instant crossword compendium in the form of Nintendo presents: Crossword Collection for your Nintendo DS!

Nintendo presents: Crossword Collection offers you the choice of over 1,000 crossword puzzles at three different skill levels. All puzzles have been created using everyday UK English and the software also includes extra Wordsearch and Anagram word games if you fancy something a bit different. There’s no need to scrabble around in your bag for a pen either – the handwriting recognition function of the Nintendo DS means you can simply use the stylus to write in your answers on the Touch Screen.

You hold the Nintendo DS in the style of a book while playing and can adjust the orientation depending on whether you’re right-handed or left-handed. And if you come across a clue that you just can’t solve, you can also take advantage of the in-built help system, which will gently guide you to the answer. If you’re unfamiliar with any of the word games, you can opt to view an in-depth tutorial on each mode, which you select from the title screen.

This description was provided by the publisher.

Crosswords

How to play: Enjoy puzzling out over 1,000 different crosswords covering a whole plethora of subjects. The crosswords are all arranged in familiar grids of black and white squares and you complete the grid by solving clues that lead to a particular word or phrase.

Answers can run vertically (pink) or horizontally (blue) on the grid as in a traditional newspaper crossword. Choose a square to write a letter in by tapping the square with your stylus. Once you select a square, you’ll see clues appear above the grid. These clues relate to the answers that your square is part of. Since many squares will belong to both a horizontal answer and a vertical answer, there will often be two clues to choose from!

Once you think you know which letter belongs to the square, just write it in with the stylus. If you want to change your letter, write a new letter on top of the old one, and the answer will change. Once you fill a letter in, the grid will automatically scroll to the next letter for you to fill in. You can zoom in and out of the grid at will, providing the option to look at the whole puzzle, or to focus on one answer. You can also opt to scroll through the grid with the +Control Pad while you’re zoomed in.

You can choose crosswords from three different skill levels – Easy, Medium or Hard. Start yourself off slowly at the Easy level if you’re a beginner or jump straight in at the Hard level if you’re a crosswords connoisseur! Easy puzzles are also much quicker to tackle, so if you‘ve only got a few minutes to spare, it can be a handy way to pass the time whether you’re waiting for the bus after work, or the kids after school. Once you complete a certain number of crosswords, you’ll also unlock a special bonus section for added fun!

Hints:

Sometimes there are words you just can‘t get, no matter how hard you rack your brains! Luckily Nintendo presents: Crossword Collection has a unique hint system that will help you reach the solution in a way that won’t completely spoil the challenge. To use the Hints, just tap the “Hints” button at the top of the screen.

There are three degrees of help:

Show letter: This option reveals one letter in the answer
Show word: This option reveals the whole word
2nd Clue: This option gives you an additional clue with which to try and find the answer

It’s not as simple as that though! Each hint has to be “bought” with a number of points that you collect as you complete puzzles in the game.

More word games

There are two other game modes that can be played if you’re in the mood for a different word challenge.

Anagrams:

In the Anagrams game mode you’ll be presented with a range of letters. The idea of the game is to make as many words as possible from the presented letters. There are around 600 puzzles, split into three levels of difficulty: Short, Medium and Long.

The grids on the left-hand page show you how many possible words are remaining for your combination of letters and how many letters are in each of these words. To form a word, just drag your selected letters with the stylus and drop them into the answer screen. There’s a counter on the bottom that will time you and also lets you know what percentage of answers you’ve found.

Wordsearches:

Test both your writing and speed skills with the Wordsearch section where you try to spot a number of different words that are hidden in a grid full of letters. When you spy an answer, highlight it by running your stylus from one end of the word to the other on the Touch Screen. This will then cross the word off your list.

Words can be hidden vertically, horizontally or diagonally and you can try both “Small” and “Large” grids before taking on a special Bonus level that you unlock along the way. See how long it takes you to get 100% on each puzzle!

Nintendo DS Game Card

System

Nintendo DS

Release date

18/12/2009

Age rating

PEGI 3

Languages

English