Pictionary
System: NES
Release Date: July 1990
Developer: Software Creations
Publisher: LJN
Genre: Board Game
Draw your way across the board in Pictionary. The classic game comes home with some concessions for NES play. Get your friends together and prepare to have a decent time. You start by deciding how many teams there are and if there are multiple players on each team. This is important, because in order to play a drawing mini game, you need multiple players on each team. You’re thrust onto the board and have a number of different mini games that you may have to play.
The first I ran into was a Space Invaders clone. Every enemy killed revealed a small square on the picture. Any time they shot me, time was subtracted from my overall. At the end of the timer, you have to guess what the picture is. Scroll through the letters awkwardly to find your response. There was then an odd ball touching game. You’d have to jump around, kicking balls, while avoiding the little dudes being shot up into the air to uncover the puzzle.
There’s also a fireman game where you have to catch as many fat dudes jumping out of windows that you can. Missing them takes your time away. Finally, there was a warehouse box game. You grab a number of boxes from the left side of the screen and have to avoid the gremlins flying around to get the boxes to the right side. Any collision wastes time, so it’s best not to overload yourself.
If you have multiple teams and players, you can play the drawing game. Everyone looks away while the drawer gets their prompt. The cursor moves ahead if you press the B Button and draws a line with the A Button. You rotate the path of the cursor by pressing left or right. Up and down place circles on the board. The Select Button erases the last line or circle you drew. If your partner guesses the word, you have to press the Start Button before time is up to award them the points. Can you guess what I’m about to draw in the comments?
Graphics: 1.0
The board and mini game graphics are all plain. The computer drawings are hit or miss.
Sound: 2.5
The music is pretty awesome. I’m going to give it that.
Gameplay: 1.5
The mini games aren’t terrible, but the drawing controls are.
Difficulty: 1.0
Once you get the hang of the mini games, you steamroll the game. Some of the things you’re asked to draw are stupid, like “lobby” and “pat”.
Fun Factor: 1.0
I can almost absolutely guarantee that this game is better with friends. I don’t have any, though.
Overall Rating: 1.4
Pictionary earns a D+. Go into it with a group of friends for the most fun, but don’t expect a ton.