MacSudoku 3.0
Rosborough Technology
Price: $14.99 (free trial and upgrade pricing available)
Pros: fun and addictive game; ability to enter your own puzzles and print puzzles
Cons: it's not free, but it's worth the money; only allows one possible solution to the puzzle, though there may be many possibilities
by Joni Lopez, Spouse, USAF
I've been a fan of the popular Sudoku puzzle game since Christmas 2005 when my husband received a hand-held version as a gift. I immediately took over the game and before long I was addicted. I couldn't even go to bed at night without playing. Since then, I've tried numerous book and computer versions, so you can imagine my excitement when I first heard of MacSudoku. Naturally, I had to try it out!
After a quick download of MacSudoku 3.0, I got down to business. Although the game is mostly intuitive for anyone that's played any version of Sudoku before, I was a little frustrated that my first puzzle took me longer to solve than I would like. The next time I played my time improved significantly, but I knew that there had to be a quicker way to play. So, I decided to read the three PDF files included with the download: "Readme", "Using MacSudoku" and "Upgrade instructions". None were too long or too boring and all were very helpful.
From "Using MacSudoku" as well as from the help menu of the game, I learned shortcut keys and was able to configure the options so that I could solve the puzzles much more quickly. Everybody has their own playing strategies, so I love that there are so many options for personalization. These files also include instructions about how to play the game for those who may not have done so previously, as well as how to make pencil marks if you're unsure of the solution to a square (one of my favorite features), how to view hints, and how to show errors.
The only real complaint I have is that although there may be two or more possible solutions for a puzzle, this program only allows for one. Although you may have solved a puzzle correctly, you may not get a "Congratulations!" message and the timer will continue to run until you change your answers around. This was the problem with my husband's handheld that deterred him from wanting to play anymore. I looked at it more as a challenge but would still like to see a solution.
The game can be played using just the keyboard or in conjunction with a mouse. I would suggest the inclusion of a number palette at the top of bottom of the puzzle window so that people who want to use a mouse only can simply click on the number.
In future versions of MacSudoku, I would also like to see more variations to increase difficulty such as puzzles with squiggly lines or ones with an "X" through them similar to those available in Web Soduku Deluxe (which is not yet available for Macs). Improvements like that would definitely make it a 5-chevron program.
Besides the fact that MacSudoku 3.0 is a fun and well-written game, MMAUG members should consider this software because it provides practice using logic and problem solving skills. You're racing against the clock, so you have to learn to think and react quickly. It's various skill levels and seemingly unlimited puzzles make it worth the money. The only caution I would give is that it's so addictive, you may forget to go to work!
System Requirements:
* Mac OS X 10.3 or later