Dr. Sudoku

"Can I see the Doctor now?"

Dr. Sudoku

Ah. Sudoku, the latest puzzle craze. Everyone's playing the craziest mind game that requires pen and paper. Just look at your local newspaper...they have crosswords, word finds and then one Sudoku puzzle each day.

Each Sudoku (pronounced Su-dough-ku) puzzle resembles one of those "magic square" problems from high school. You have nine blocks, each divided into nine squares, and your objective is to fill in all nine numbers just once in each block and row and line. It sounds complicated...until you complete your first one.

Let's see how Mastiff handles it's first foray into the world of Sudoku gaming!

Story - 1/10

No story, just pure logic found only in a game of Sudoku. Hand me a tissue, will you?

Gameplay - 9/10

You can choose the level of difficulty, and the number of symbols to use in any given puzzle. The number of symbols range from the standard nine to the absurd fifty. Also, the difficulty ranges from one (very easy) to twenty (very difficult).

You also have two modes to play with. One is "normal", in which the gba sets up the puzzle for you. The other is "original" in which the user sets up the puzzle. The original mode is great for creating your own puzzles and solutions for your friends to solve on paper.

Essentially, you can customize your Sudoku game to your own tastes!

Graphics - 4/10

You can change the look of the grid. You have three colors or styles to choose from. The backgrounds aren't distracting, but they are just ok.

Sound - 3/10

You sir, have a selection of three songs to listen to while you solve your puzzle. Too bad you can't change them on the fly although. The last song is quite catchy...although not as catchy as the Tetris theme. (Duh!)

Control - 9/10

You use the A button to place numbers, the B button to cancel. Simple and easy. I would like for Mastiff to include the pencil marks ability, as the nature of the game makes it very easy to make a mistake.

Final Thoughts - 9/10

Better than cold pizza for breakfast. Get your Sudoku on, and grab a fresh copy of Dr. Sudoku before they are sold out! (Only if you are a fan...)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/24/06