Platform: Nintendo DS/DSi (also on Wii/PC)

Developer: Whitebear

Publisher: Playlogic

# of Players: 1

Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10+)

Official Site

Score: C+

Remember when the sudoku craze was the big deal about four or five years ago? While I’m sure Japanese gamers were pointing and laughing at us because we were more than a little late to the logic party, there were actually some decent video games based on the classic number puzzle. Of course, these days you have to wonder just how many gamers remember Dr. Sudoku, Platinum Sudoku or even the goofy Toondoku which replaced numbers with cartoon characters in an effort to convince the less-informed who still thought sudoku was math related that it wasn’t (it isn’t, by the way).

As far as the audience for these games, it may be smaller now (especially since Sudoku can be played for free online), but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any original gems left to discover. Playlogic’s Sudoku Ball Detective is a bizarre mix of story-driven murder mystery with a unique take on sudoku that makes it a curiosity piece worth tracking down for those looking for something unique. While the main game is a bit brief and there’s no puzzle edit function or multiplayer modes, it’s one of those offbeat titles that will find its niche and roll around comfortably in it. Continue reading →