[Macworld]

Post your comments for Review: Best Sudoku apps for iPhone and iPod touch here

[Gee4orce]

No Sudoku Unlimited ? Is that not available on the US store or something ? And I can't find the EA Sudoku on the UK App Store...

[TheBum]

I've had the same conundrum of too many versions and no trial option; this was a BIG help. Thank you!
Now if my iPhone would only get shipped to AT&T I'd be a happy camper. The order status changed from back-ordered to not back-ordered, so I may be getting closer.

[lenbanks1964]

Thank you for the side-by-side reviews. Please do this with the solitaire apps. I have commented to Apple about the need for a demo mode and/or trial period, but until then (if ever), this helps. Some app makers have demos or videos on their sites if you click through, but not enough. Certainly it is no big deal to waste a buck or two, but for the games that are closer to $10, I would not want to go through 2-3 to find the one I prefer.

[ekchew]

There is one app (Platinum Sudoku, by gameloft) that offers both Sudoku and Kakuro. I happen to love both! Is that one any good?

[Bearfrieze]

Why don't any of these programs support just dragging and dropping the numbers? That would be much easier and truly intuitive...

[daveedvdv]

Interface-wise, I like Satori Sudoku the best. The version in the App store currently has a bug in that the generated games often don't have a unique solution. I'm told an update of the app has been submitted to address that. (It's also inexpensive, at $1.99.)

[Dan Frakes]

Gee4orce said:

No Sudoku Unlimited ? Is that not available on the US store or something ?

It's available; it just didn't make the cut ;)

Quote

And I can't find the EA Sudoku on the UK App Store...

How many do you see if you do an app search for Sudoku?

[Dan Frakes]

ekchew said:

There is one app (Platinum Sudoku, by gameloft) that offers both Sudoku and Kakuro. I happen to love both! Is that one any good?

It's not bad at all; in fact, it was one of the final five or so I chose from. If you're a fan of Kakuro, it's probably worth a try.

[Dan Frakes]

daveedvdv said:

Interface-wise, I like Satori Sudoku the best. The version in the App store currently has a bug in that the generated games often don't have a unique solution. I'm told an update of the app has been submitted to address that. (It's also inexpensive, at $1.99.)

I liked Satori's interface a lot, as well. In fact, it was only the (major) problem of multiple solutions that kept it from making my "Best of" list -- it would have been in my top 4. If that bug is indeed fixed in the next version, I'd recommend it, as well.

[Gee4orce]

[quote name='Dan Frakes']
> [quote name='Gee4orce']
> No Sudoku Unlimited ? Is that not available on the US store or something ?

It's available; it just didn't make the cut ;)
[/quote]
Why ever not ?! Its got 3 different skins, it's nice an intuitive, has infinite puzzles....

[quote]

> And I can't find the EA Sudoku on the UK App Store...

How many do you see if you do an app search for Sudoku?
[/quote]
17 I think - you can see for yourself by changing to the UK iTunes store at the bottom of the main page. Apps like Pandoro and AOL radio I can understand why we don't have them in the UK, but Sudoku ??

[kevrev]

I really enjoy Sudoku Unlimited (SU) too but also purchased EA's Sudoku game as well. Given Dan's requirements that game play not cover any part of the puzzle that left SU out since you tap a square and a little box for answer/notation entry pops up nearby over a section of the grid. However, if you don't mind that style of game play I find its somewhat easier to quickly enter notation entries this way. (And I typically think through all entries before making them so it only covers the board briefly.) SU also has 3 different skins which I hope they update with more. The yellow paper skin is the easiest to read/play in my opinion. The default has too much of a 'glare' on the squares and the vanilla doesn't shade alternate grids.

The high-end graphics and Newspaper mode of EA's Sudoku are why I purchased that version as well. I bought it long ago for an iPod but the touch interface makes it soooo much better.

One important note, to me at least, is the music. EA's Sudoku has peaceful music that can get old quickly while wearing earphones ... even at a low setting. SU has no music, only game sound effects, so you can enjoy music from your iPhone playlists while playing this game. On a flight or any other long period of game play that will make a huge difference.

[Dan Frakes]

[quote name='Gee4orce']
> [quote name='Dan Frakes']
> > [quote name='Gee4orce']
> > No Sudoku Unlimited ? Is that not available on the US store or something ?
>
> It's available; it just didn't make the cut ;)
Why ever not ?! Its got 3 different skins, it's nice an intuitive, has infinite puzzles....
[/quote]

My biggest beef with it is that when you tap on a cell to enter notations or to solve the cell, the notation-entry system obscures a good part of the puzzle, making it impossible to enter notations while surveying the rest of the puzzle. That's a fatal flaw in my book, given that the three I covered here (and Satori, which evidently has a fix on the way) offer better interfaces and more features.

[ekchew]

Thanks Dan! I might go with the Kakuro one, then, though I'll postpone the final decision until my vacation comes up in a couple of weeks. Who knows? There may be even more Sudoku apps out by that time!

Reviews like yours are quite valuable when there is no way to demo any of this stuff. Keep up the good work! I'm also in the market for an RPN calculator, in case you're wondering what to do next. ;-)