Astraware Sudoku: Fun For Beginners And Experts Alike

Product Category: iPhone/iPod Touch Game
Developer: Astraware
Where to Buy: iTunes Store
Price: $4.99
System Requirements: iPhone or iPod Touch
Specifications:  Requires about 2 megabytes for install.

Pros:

• Has a downloadable Puzzle of the Day;
• Has an excellent hint system.

Cons:

• The auto Pencil Marks feature makes easy puzzles too easy.

Summary:
Astraware Sudoku is a good game for Sudoku fans.  It provides plenty of help for beginners, and has challenging puzzles for experts.

Sudoku

Figure 1: Astraware Sudoku showing the hint mode.

Sudoku is a popular puzzle game and there are many versions of sudoku for the iPhone.  Astraware's version is good for beginners and experts alike.  There are five difficult levels from Beginner to Fiendish. 

Entries are made in the Sudoku board by tapping on the cell you want to edit.  Then you can enter a number by tapping in the first row of numbers below the game board.  You can also enter pencil marks by using the second row of numbers.  The pencil marks can be used to help you figure out numbers when multiple possibilities exist.

Plenty of Assistance

Figure 2:  The Auto Pencil Marks feature.

There's plenty of help available for beginners.  There's a tutorial to explain how the game is played for new players.  The game can also provide hints.  When you press the hint button, a row where you should make you next entry will be highlighted.  If you press it again while this row is highlighted, the single cell where you should make your next entry is highlighted.  If you press it a third time, the game will tell you the value that should be entered in that cell. 

There's also a mode where pencil marks are entered automatically.  This can be helpful on the more difficult puzzles.  I don't recommend using it on the simpler puzzles because it will reveal some of the answers.

Lots of Puzzles

Figure 3:  Entering your own puzzles.

The game provides an auto puzzle generator making for an endless amount of puzzles.  You can also download Puzzles of the Day.  The player can also enter puzzles manually that they find in newspapers or sudoku books. 

There's plenty of variety here for fans of the game.  You can listen to your own music while playing, and turn the sound effects on or off.  The auto pencil marks feature makes difficult puzzles somewhat easier.  The game automatically saves your place if you receive a call or return to the home screen.

Conclusion
If you're a fan of sudoku, this is a good version of the game.  If you're a beginner sudoku player, Astraware sudoku provides plenty of assistance to help you learn how to play.  The endless variety of puzzles means you can play for a long time, and the auto save feature means you'll never lose a game to a phone call. 

Joe Johaneman is a programmer and web designer in Honesdale, PA.  Joe is also an amateur photographer and graphic designer.