Ludography
68/100
Critics3 reviews
Zendoku cover

2007 · Zoonami · Puzzle · Sudoku

Zendoku

Set against a whimsical Far Eastern backdrop with a light-hearted martial arts theme, Zendoku is a puzzle game that combines action with Sudoku, and offers a variety of colorful characters and a comprehensive range of single-player and wireless multi-player game modes.

Released
20 April 2007
Platforms
Nintendo DSPlayStation Portable
Genres
PuzzleSudoku
Developers
Zoonami
Publishers
Eidos Interactive
Modes
MultiplayerSingle-player
Perspective
Bird view / Isometric
Country
United Kingdom
Age ratings
ESRB EPEGI 3
Languages
English

About

Zendoku is a 2007 puzzle video game developed by Zoonami and published by Eidos Interactive for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable handheld consoles.

Keywords

  • martial arts
  • sudoku
  • touch controls
  • ds microphone use
  • game sharing

Media

Zendoku screenshot 1

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Zendoku is a variation of Sudoku, offering a slightly more combative experience than simply lining up numbers. Players must now insert symbols, rather than the standard numbers. Players choose characters and choose to attack or defend against a challenger, which takes place via mini-games started upon filling in a group of numbers. The game is set against anime-influenced backdrops and has a "light-hearted martial arts" theme. The game also offers single-player puzzles.

Development

Zendoku was developed by Zoonami and published by Eidos Interactive for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable handheld consoles. According to Zoonami CEO Martin Hollis, the game's focus is on fun and innovation, stating that the company wanted to turn "a familiar paper and pencil game into a puzzling, battling, micro-gaming, fighting extravaganza." In North America, Zendoku was released to retailers on June 18, 2007.

Reception

Zendoku received generally mixed reviews from critics. The UK Nintendo Magazine, ONM praised the DS version of the game for its colourful graphics, but criticized it for the confusing system of using symbols instead of numbers, as well as the minigames feeling tacked on and more of an annoyance, but finished by saying, "One for multiplayer only".

NGamer praised the multiplayer game highly, saying, "The thrill of using logical reasoning to kick someone's arse is a phenomenal experience."

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
PlayStation Portable20 April 2007Europe
Nintendo DS5 May 2007Worldwide

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Collections2 collections

Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.