Review: Astraware Sudoku

Posted by: dgoldring on Oct 08 2006 - 3,560 views

Sudoku.  One  simple word, and you are immediately familiar with the Japanese numbers game which has recently "swept the nation by storm."  It now appears in virtually every daily newspaper across the country, however, until now it has proven difficult to play on the go.  Newspaper ink left messy smudges; and eraser holes through the paper made it virtually impossible to finish a puzzle.  Now, all that has changed.  With Astraware Sudoku, you can enjoy unlimited puzzles straight from your handheld. 

 

 

Installation and Registration: Installation is no problem.  Just download the game file and install it from your desktop to your Pocket PC (Astraware also offers versions of the game for Smartphone and Palm devices).  If you are running the demo, certain features will not be available to you.  However, once you enter the registration code, you will have access to an unlimited and ever changing database of puzzles.

Gameplay: Sudoku is well known to most people by now.  It consists of a 9×9 grid divided into nine 3×3 boxes.  The idea is to arrange the numbers 1-9 into the grid so that each number is represented only once in each of the nine rows, columns and boxes.  That’s it.  It’s like a crossword puzzle with numbers.  The preprinted clues in each puzzle will help guide you toward filling in in the grid.  The more difficult the puzzle is, the fewer clues you will be given; and you will be required to utilize more advanced techniques to interpret those clues.  All Sudoku puzzles, however, can be solved using only logic techniques, and no "blind guesses". 

Features: One of the things I liked about Astraware’s version of Sudoku is that it will appeal to players of all levels.  There is a myriad of useful tools for beginners to learn the strategies of the game; and there is also a library of puzzles divided into six levels of difficulty, which should keep even the most experienced player challenged.

Astraware has also created the "Sudoku of the Day" website to provide a valuable resource for every player.  From the "Sudoku of the Day" website, players can research all of the solving strategies and techniques (from process of elimination to "X-Wing" and many more).  The "Sudoku of the Day" website also offers users a new puzzle every day which can be downloaded directly to you PocketPC, as well as a library of additional puzzles in six levels of difficulty. 

Beginner Tools: As I mentioned, Astraware Sudoku is an ideal avenue for the beginner to learn Sudoku.  It offers numerous tutorials, hints, and tools to help you learn the basic strategies and more complex techniques for solving puzzles at any level.

Astraware Sudoku also offers the several methods for handling mistakes.  Beginners may elect to forbid mistakes or flag mistakes.  Forbidding mistakes will block you from placing an incorrect answer on the board.  This is a wonderful tool for a novice player trying to learn the basic logic and rules which apply to the game.

Flagging mistakes will turn any incorrect answer red — "flagging" it — instead of black.  This option, however, turns all incorrect answers red.  In order to be more effective, flagging should provide an intermediary step between "forbid mistakes" and no help on mistakes.  Flagging only those answers which conflict with a number already placed in the grid would better serve the player’s understanding of the basic rules of the game, thus allowing players to advance more quickly to the higher levels of play, while developing a more solid foundation of the basic rules and strategies of the game.

Pencilmarks: Pencilmarks are an essential tool for both beginners and advanced players.  They  are used to identify potential solutions for each box.  A pencilmark is simply a mark placed in the box to indicate that a particular number could be the solution for that box, but the box has not been solved because more than one potential solution still exists.

Novice players can choose to turn on the "auto-pencilmark" option, which will automatically generate pencilmarks for every block in the grid, and then eliminates pencilmarks which no longer apply as you progress through the puzzle.  More advanced users can turn off this option and input their own pencilmarks. 

As an avid Sudoku player myself, I can attest to the importance of pencilmarks.  Many computer and electronic Sudoku games make it extremely difficult to use pencilmarks, if the option is offered at all.  With Astraware, though, it could not be easier.  Just tap the row of numbers along the bottom of the screen and the pencilmark will be placed in the box you select.

Unlimited Puzzles: Astraware Sudoku includes a large library of puzzles, divided into six levels of difficulty, which should ensure hours of enjoyment, even as your skill level continues to grow and develop. 

Additionally, after you register the full version of the game, you can download unlimited pre-built puzzle packs free from the "Sudoku of the Day" website.  This site also offers a puzzle of the day download, which allows you to download a newly created puzzle directly to your Pocket PC every day.  You can solve the puzzle on your Pocket PC, upload your times to the website, and compare your scores with players from around the world. 

I have been visiting the "Sudoku of the Day" website since I started playing Sudoku.  It is, by far, one of the best Sudoku websites I have visited.   Not only does it offer unlimited free puzzles, of all difficulty levels for download, but it also provides numerous tips, strategies, solving techniques and general guidance for novice and advanced players.

Astraware Sudoku also includes a random puzzle generator which creates a unique, random puzzle in any of the six levels of difficulty.  This unique and creative feature ensures the game will always remain fresh and challenging without repeating puzzles.

Because Sudoku grew to its current popularity in puzzles and books, Astraware wisely recognized that many people continue to use these sources as their primary means of obtaining new puzzles.  For this reason, Astraware included a puzzle solver, which allows you to input any puzzle from a book or newspaper (or any other source) and solve it on your Pocket PC.

Conclusions: There are dozens of Pocket PC Sudoku games out on the market, and I have tried most of them.  Astraware Sudoku is one of my favorites.  First, it is the only one I have played that offers an entire web site filled with professionally created puzzles of all levels of difficulty.  Second, many electronic and computer versions of Sudoku are useful for beginners, but quickly become too easy; or they ignore beginners, and offer only extremely difficult puzzles, making the game inaccessible and frustrating to the novice level players.  Astraware has found a balance with numerous tools for beginners, while also offering levels of difficulty to challenge even the most advanced player.  Finally, the ability to download an unlimited library of puzzles sets this game apart from virtually every other Sudoku game I have played.

Astraware Sudoku is available from the Astraware Sudoku Page and is also available from the clickgamer store.   The registered version costs $19.95.  You can also enter to win a free copy of the Astraware Sudoku by posting your favorite mobile tip here before October 15, 2006.

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