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Computer Times
Editors' Choice DS Game Sudoku Ball Detective Review by Angie Kibiloski
Sudoku Ball Detective (Retail $19.99), by Playlogic, is a fun new twist on the classic sudoku puzzle game for the Nintendo DS. The basic rules of the traditional 9x9 square game are the same. You have to fill in numbers 1 through 9 into each row, column, and smaller 3x3 square, while making sure not to repeat a number in any single row, column, or square. Sudoku Ball Detective adds a new challenge, by fitting 6 sudoku puzzles together at the corners, and wrapping them around a sphere. Not only are you solving puzzle spheres, but each puzzle you solve helps you collect clues and work towards the solution to the detective mystery that makes up the plot of the game.
You are retired Superintendent of Scotland Yard, Edward Bannister. You are enjoying a party at an old friend’s house, when someone kills this same friend. You must search for evidence, talk to suspects, and determine who among the guests is a murderer. You do this by visiting various neighborhood locations, and solving sudoku puzzle balls to uncover clues. The majority of the sudoku balls are worked in the typical manner, described above, with no time limit. At other times, you must solve these puzzles in a certain way, corresponding to what is happening in the plot. If you need to crack a code to open a safe or a door, you have to perform the lock pick puzzles. On these spheres, you must quickly enter the center number in the center most 3 x 3 square. No need to solve the rest of the puzzle, just the middle most digit. You have 6 numbers to decode, and 4 chances to fail. You use up your chances by entering the wrong number, or by letting the time run out. In Dr. Dinsdale’s lab, where you go to analyze the clues you have discovered, you have to solve an entire 9 x 9 puzzle grid without letting time run out. If the time does happen to run out, a few of the numbers that you have entered will shake and fall off the grid. Try to remember what they were so you can quickly re-enter them when the timer restarts. You must solve one full puzzle for each item of evidence you need to examine. Sometimes, you have to sneak into a location and escape again without being detected. When you are dodging someone, you enter the chase puzzle mode. In these instances, you will see bright red footprints in a 3 x 3 square of your puzzle. You have to solve that square in order to stay ahead of your pursuer. When you finish that square, the footprints will move to another one, and then another, until you have successfully gotten away safely.
Navigating the sudoku puzzles and entering numbers is very easy. Just use the stylus to tap on a space in the grid and write in the number you want. Luckily, the DS will recognize even fairly messy writing. The game will change the color of the numbers to let you know you have entered a row, column, or 3 x 3 square correctly. When you want to rotate the sphere to work on a different 9 x 9 sudoku, just use the stylus to spin it around. If you finish the detective story and still want to play more sudoku spheres, you can play in 3 other modes, Classic, Story level, and Flat, in 3 difficulty settings. Play 90 different regular sudoku balls in Classic mode, the lock picking, chase, or evidence lab puzzles in Story level mode, or traditional 9 x 9 sudoku puzzles in their single, flat form in Flat mode. Sudoku puzzles are hours of fun in their traditional, flat, paper form. Sudoku Ball Detective makes these puzzles even more fun, by adding the sphere element and the murder mystery plot. If you like sudoku puzzles, you will love this game. It is so much fun, really addictive, and because of the 3 difficulty settings, great for puzzlers of any skill level. Plus, with the added excitement of the timed puzzles in the chase, evidence lab, and lock picking modes keeping you on your toes, the puzzle solving action never gets stale. Also available for PC and Wii.
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