For more on Animal Color Cross, check out our full Animal Color Cross review. Or, for more of the best Nintendo DS games for a 10 year old, why not try our Family Game Finder
Drawing heavy inspiration from DS puzzler Picross, Animal Color Cross is a downloadable DSiWare game based around a concept that's simultaneously incredibly easy to get your head around when you're playing it, but is nigh on impossible to explain in words.
Effectively, each level is giant paint-by-numbers mosaic. Presenting you with a blank grid, at the top, and on the left of the grid are a series of numbers, telling you how many tiles of each colour there are in that row or column. If it says 7 3, you know there's a group of 7 tiles, followed by a space of one or more tiles, and then a group of 3 in that row or column. Using a process of elimination, it's up to you to figure out which squares you can safely fill in, and which squares you know can't be filled in, in order to complete the picture. Animal Color Cross adds an extra twist, in that each grid contains several different colours, so you'll have to keep switching between several different tabs to figure out what goes where.
As said, it's a lot easier to pick up and play than it is to describe in words, and older children shouldn't have too much trouble finding their footing here. With over 70 puzzles on offer, there's plenty to be getting on with, too, although the game does have a few minor glitches that may confuse younger children in particular - the main problem being that the zoom/layer controls actually slide behind the grid if you zoom in, which can be a bit confusing to say the least. That said, with no time limit, it doesn't really matter how many mistakes you make - and at a budget price point, this could be a good fit for any young puzzle fans looking for their next game.
Free of any violence, swearing, or even real people, there's nothing for parents to be concerned about in Animal Color Cross.
Age Ratings
Format Reviewed: Nintendo DS
