PSP’s Magic Numbers
Sony takes a linear approach with Go! Sudoku
With the ancient Japanese art of filling in little boxes with numbers having been the puzzle craze of 2005, it was only a matter of time before game makers decided to get in on the act. Of course, there have been plenty of mobile and PC Sudoku games released already but Sony has decided to go one better and knock out a version for PSP. Well, it makes sense in terms of being a portable time-filler, if nothing else...
Called Go! Sudoku, it comes with 1,000 puzzles that are graded in four levels of difficulty. But this being a PSP version of Sudoku, developer Sumo Digital (taking a break from its usual fare of racing games like TOCA) has pulled out the stops to make full use of the available hardware.
One result is the mind-boggling multiplayer Sudoku, where up to four players can either compete to see who’s best or play nice and co-operate to fill in the boxes. Another is the ability to download new puzzle packs should those first 1,000 puzzles prove insufficiently challenging.
More PSP extras include in-game music and sound effects - bearing more than a passing resemblance to ace puzzler Lumines, albeit about the visuals - and the ability to customise the backdrop with your favourite photo. There’s also a Time Challenge mode where you can play against the clock and you can wirelessly send five puzzles to your non-Go! Sudoku owning friends, too (it’s called viral marketing). And the final encouragement will be the price; it’s an impulse buy at a mere £20.
