Sudoku Junior Review

For those who do not know, Sudoku is a classic game where one needs to fill in a grid of spaces typically to include numbers, without re-using the same number horizontally or vertically. There are many apps based on Sudoku, but I have currently been really enjoying Sudoku Junior as a very nice choice to introduce children to this type of puzzle game. One of the unique features that Sudoku Junior includes is a thoughtful variety of themes that one can choose instead of numbers such as animals, famous monuments, or fruits and vegetables. Each uses picture icons and sometimes includes fun facts offered along the way as well. This is an app that can grow with children as they become more experienced with Sudoku, as one can choose from a four-by-four up to a nine-by-nine grid to fill in as well as age range and degree of difficulty.

Quadrants - boxes within the grid than cannot have a duplicate image or number - are also included. I appreciate how this app will highlight a mistake to let players see plainly where wrong answers are included: be it a duplicate images found within the same row or quadrants, as well as adding undo, redo, and hint buttons that players in more challenging sections may find helpful. The look of this app is polished, and I enjoy the chance to choose images other than numbers to mix it up a bit - especially thoughtful as some children may be more apt to play with this brain teaser if they have a chance to look at pictures of animals or even human organs instead of numbers that may seem more like work than play.

Although instructions to play Sudoku are included, I do wish there was more information about the difference between the different levels of gameplay. Something like the difference between “challenging” difficulty for 4-10 year olds vs. “moderate” or “easy” for 10+ years, as well as how to select the related facts within a puzzle -not available at all times. Even with these notes, I think families will enjoy Sudoku Junior as this app has a lot to offer both new players as well as those experienced with Sudoku.