Sudoku By: C. R. K. C.

 3.11.11
Grades: All

Introduction
    One of my favorite things to do with my spare time is tease my brain, and there is no better app to do it with then Sudoku. I chose this app because it’s a fun, user friendly app with many different levels. Also this extraordinary app is free and available for all iPhones and iPods.

    At the beginning of the levels categorized as easy, the game starts out with a one three by three box with eight out of the nine numbers in it. This allows beginning players to get a feel for the strategy and thinking necessary for the game. Even though it gives you an easy answer, you will still need to think effectively to solve the rest of the numeric puzzle.

If your stuck in the middle of a game and need a hint or you just want to pause the game, there is a menu button at the bottom of the screen that pauses the game. From the paused menu screen, you are able to resume game, erase all notes, reset puzzle, show hints, or return to the main menu. This allows the user to get help, or erase a certain part of the board, allowing an easy way to play the game.

I know from experience how frustrating it can be when you put a number somewhere, and continue playing only to later find out that the move was never available. Luckily, Sudoku will highlight your number in red if it is an invalid move. This allows you to correct your mistake before continuing on the wrong path, giving you an easy, and efficient way to play the game.

In Sudoku, you may get stuck and have to guess, and this app makes it even easier to do. On the bottom right corner of the screen, there are small numbers that when placed in a box they will put a little number in the corner of the box. This allows you to see the screen as you would if you actually put the number there, but it also can never be an incorrect answer. Taking these notes allows the player to play off of that piece, but if they are wrong, there is no penalty, and you can easily change it.

Pricing
    Knowing how great of an app this is, it pleases me even more that it is free.

Conclusion
    Sudoku is a fun, user friendly app that allows you to play many different levels of sudoku. This app has hints that will give you an idea on where a number goes. In addition, the app allows the user to make notes using smaller, correctable numbers. Even though this is a great app, there are a couple of things the creators could improve on. One of them being that if you lock you iPhone, iPod, or iPad, the timer will still continue to run, even though your not playing. All in all, this is a great free app designed for kids and adults of all ages.