hyundai_fan's Full Review: Techno Source Sudoku Touch Screen Handheld Game
Something just clicked a week ago. After failing time and time again to complete a single game of Sudoku, I finally figured out how to play the game.
Sudoku is simple in theory. You are given a 9x9 grid that is split up into nine 3x3 sections. The goal is to fill each section, row and column with the numbers 1 through 9 without repeating.
In practice this procedure is complicated. At first, even with a bunch of numbers already completing part of the puzzle, you may have a box that could hold one of three or more numbers, but the whole grid isn't completed enough to find out which of the three or more is the right choice. You have to keep trying to fill in other boxes until you are able to go back to the unsolvable ones.
Many companies have decided to come out with an electronic version of Sudoku, much like electronic solitaire, electronic poker, electronic slots, etc. One of those companies is Techno Source, and I got a chance to try out their $15 "Illuminated Sudoku".
This particular model is quite attractive. Small, compact, and decently weighted, the product in question is thin enough to not significantly weigh down your pocket, and is stylish enough to not feel like a kid's toy.
On the top is a switch that can be slid to "beginner" or "advanced" mode. To the left is a slot holding the plastic stylus (a second one is provided but does not have an available slot). On the back is a reset button, battery compartment, and a switch to turn on the orange illumination. The stylus is designed to sit flush with the device when inserted, but it is a pain in the (bleep) to remove when it's time to use it.
When you fire the game up, you are greeted with a three-note jingle. It's incredibly cheesy, but it's expected. Then you're prompted to press 1 for "Play" mode or 2 for "Solve". Select "Play" and you are then prompted to select one of four difficulty levels. Select "Solve" and you are able to enter numbers on a blank Sudoku board in an attempt to let the machine give you the answer (like if you're playing one in a newspaper and need the answer). I found this feature to be useless. Even when leaving the board empty, assuming it could just pull a random solution out of the air instantly without "thinking", it took over four minutes before I gave up. Even copying the puzzle from a magazine I had caused it to take forever before I got irritated and turned it off.
If that isn't frustrating enough, the screen has horrible contrast. Every pixel, illuminated or not, is visible. In fact, the whole grid looks like it's filled with the number 8.
The controls are horrible. Say you want to enter the number 5 in one of the boxes. You have to tap "5" on the bottom of the screen, then tap the box you want it in. Are you one to use "pencil notes"; that is, are you someone who writes possible answers in tiny print on the corners of boxes to make a note to yourself for later use? This game has such a feature, but it's horrible as well. You have to tap N on the top of the screen, then tap the number on the bottom of the screen, and then tap the box you want it in. Got more that one number for the same box? You'll have to do this AGAIN for the next number. And the next. And since it cannot show the numbers all at once, that box will just loop the numbers every two seconds.
The touch capability is horrible. How come I have to tap the skill level three times, hard, in order for the game to register my command? But seconds later it'll take my inputs with feather-light taps.
There's no save feature. This is a pocket game, for crying out loud! If you take 15 minutes to complete a puzzle and you only got three minutes to spare, you'll have to either pause the game, wasting battery power, or turn the thing off and lose your game completely.
The "Beginner" and "Advanced" settings make no difference. Regardless of what you choose, you're still given one of four skill levels to choose from. And the puzzles aren't any different in either mode.
So don't do what I did and spend $15 on this plastic, um, thing. Get a pen and a $3 Sudoku book. It's cheaper, less stressful, and it doesn't require batteries.
~Scott
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 15 Type of Toy: Puzzle
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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