Sudoku Party

Genre: Sudoku Puzzle

Players: 1-2 Co-Op (Local Wireless, Download Supported, Online)

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Review:

Sudoku Party is a Sudoku Puzzle game released on mobile devices in 2012 and ported to Nintendo 3DS and Wii U in 2017.

The presentation here feels both amateurish and confused. The game’s mostly simple visuals are accompanied by cartoony balloons in menus, undoubtedly trying to underline the “party” in the game’s title. However, the game itself isn’t especially colorful and doesn’t feel like a party, it’s… well, Sudoku. Squares, numbers, and an overall minimalist look. And then completely clashing with the game’s name and theme is the traditional Japanese-style instrumental melody that plays in the background. If this game is trying to evoke the feeling of a party, it is a very strange party.

The “party” in the title likely refers more to this game’s support of multiplayer, and to that end it does a good job providing players decent options to play with another, supporting both local and online multiplayer, as well as allowing download play. If you just happen to have a friend who wants to play 2-player Sudoku, this game does a good job providing that experience for you.

The controls here are good, with players being given their choice of either touchscreen or traditional gamepad controls. The gamepad controls take some getting used to, but both work fine. The core gameplay here also gives players the ability to undo a move or check the puzzle for mistakes, with players only able to complete all of a puzzle’s challenges if they finish the puzzle within a time limit and without using this check.

Probably the biggest place where this game stumbles is in its options. Players cannot change whether placing numbers clears notes, cannot alter the visuals or music (aside from muting the music altogether), can’t change the button assignments… While the core experience here is good, much of what surrounds it is underwhelming.

Having said that, $5 for 1000 puzzles is an exceptionally good deal, and even if Sudoku Party is lacking in its features and presentation, that solid core gameplay and excellent content makes this a superb choice for players looking to play Sudoku on their Nintendo 3DS.

tl;dr – Sudoku Party is a Sudoku Puzzle game with a confused and underwhelming presentation, as well as a disappointing amount of options. However, it delivers where it counts – excellent gameplay and an absolute wealth of content for the tiny $5 price tag. If you’re craving Sudoku on your Nintendo 3DS, this is an excellent choice.

Grade: B

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