Last Updated on January 7, 2024 by Gamesver Team and JC Franco
Making sense of a simple number pattern is what got you addicted to Sudoku in the first place, right? It’s a pretty easy game to figure out, and once you got the hang of completing it, you likely started challenging yourself by increasing the difficulty level. Making sense of patterns, whether you’re using numbers, lines, shapes, or pictures, can undoubtedly keep you addicted for hours.
There are hundreds of games that share some commonalities with Sudoku, and I’m guessing you’ll love them if you’re a Sudoku fan. We’ll cover just fifteen of them in this article. Read on if you’re an intrigued Sudoku fan.
1. Wordoku
Sudoku uses numbers one through nine to complete the columns, rows, and segmented blocks. Wordoku uses a word containing nine letters to finish the Sudoku board. Instead of using numbers, twist it up and use alphabets instead. An example word would be “telephone.” It’s just another way of playing Sudoku.
2. Numbrix
Numbrix is another number puzzle that utilizes a grid. Players complete the grid by writing down numbers that form a continuous link. Players can write the following number in the sequence, either written vertically or horizontally. Sometimes games may not specify the last number in the series. You can still identify the final number by determining how many blocks are in the grid. Count the number of vertical blocks and multiply it by the number of horizontal blocks.
3. Hidato
Similar to Numbrix, Hidato sees numbers that form a continuous link. The game starts off having the highest and lowest numbers circled, and players can link the chain horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It is common to see each block as a hexagon instead of a square block. Hexagons stack nicely and allow for a clear flow of numbers in a diagonal direction.
4. Kakuro
This game is much more challenging than Sudoku. Like crossword puzzles, Kakuro has clues that payers can use to solve the game. These clues are numbers in a diagonal section of the puzzle. Numbers arranged on the left indicate the sum of numbers in a group to the right of it. Similarly, the numbers on the top show the sum of numbers in the group below it. Players enter numbers from one to nine, and players may not duplicate numbers in a group.
5. Latin Squares
Taking a step back from the complexity of Sudoku, Latin squares are blocks containing numbers used once in each row and column. Where Sudoku uses the values one to nine, the range of numbers in Latin squares depends on the size of the grid. People do not restrict Latin Squares to numbers only. They incorporate symbols, colors, or an alphabetical sequence. It started with Latin symbols, hence the name Latin Squares.
6. Futoshiki
Futoshiki is very much like Latin Squares with one adjustment. The game sees greater than and less than signs placed in between some squares throughout the grid. These signs are one more complication indicating that a number placed next to the sign must respect it. If there is a > sign between two blocks, then the number on the right must be greater than the number on the left.
Players play the game on a square grid. A number may only occur once in each row and column, and like Sudoku, the game specifies a few digits.
7. Jigsaw Sudoku
Sudoku fans love to change things up a bit with Jigsaw Sudoku. The game is played exactly like Sudoku except for one change. Instead of the regular three-by-three blocks used in traditional Sudoku, the game uses irregular shapes. The irregular blocks indicate a jigsaw puzzle, and each piece must contain the values one to nine without being repeated.
8. Nonograms
This game, also known as Picross, is a game that Sudoku fans will find interesting. Players color a grid to reveal a hidden picture. There is a set of numbers on the left and top of the board. Those numbers indicate how many blocks players need to shade in.
Players must separate each digit by at least one (sometimes more but must be at least one) square. Guessing can ruin the whole image, so logical strategies need to be applied. The images can be in black and white, but games can also come in color. If done in color, the number clues are provided in color, representing the color of the squares.
9. Math Crossword Puzzles
Do you like math? Do you like crossword puzzles? Put them together, and you’ll have a game you love. The game uses math equations as clues, and players can write down the solutions in a crossword format. The equations can be typical addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division calculations.
Playing math crosswords can be a great way to develop your speed in performing mental calculations, so you’re not constantly reaching for your calculator to perform simple sums.
10. Picture Sudoku
Picture Sudoku is the rules of Sudoku applied to pictures. Players must use each image once in a column and once in a row. The simplicity of this game makes it a fun game for young kids. It’s an excellent game for teaching various concepts. For example, pictures may include vegetables when learning about eating healthily or different kinds of balls when learning about various sports.
11. Rummikub
Being quick to figure out patterns makes games fun. Rummikub is another fun game on our list. It is a 2-4 player board game, but you can also play the game as a single player in an app. In this game, you’ll start by taking 14 number tiles and placing them on your rack. Numbers in this game range from 1 to 13, and there are four colors, red, blue, black, and orange. There are also two joker tiles.
A player must place three or more tiles to start, and the numbers must add up to 30. Tiles can either be numbers of the same color in a consecutive sequence (for example, 10,11,12 that are all orange) or the same number in different colors (an orange 10, a blue 10, and black 10).
After that, players can add one or more tiles to all existing sets and place completely new collections when it’s their turn. Jokers can replace any number or color to complete a set. If you’re unable to add any tile to a group, you have to pick up three tiles. The first person to clear their rack of all tiles wins the game.
12. Dots and Boxes
Dot and Boxes is a simple game. Players play this game along a dotted grid. It’s a two-player game, but once again can be played single-player in an app. When it’s your turn, connect two dots by drawing a line. Players can draw lines horizontally or vertically. When you’re able to make a box by drawing a line that completes the box, you can put your initials in it to indicate you completed that box. When players have joined all the dots, count the number of boxes for each player. The one with the most boxes wins.
13. Logic Dots 2
Logic Dots 2 is a game app. It’s a combination of two spectacular games – Sudoku and Battleship. It combines the logic of Sudoku with the implementation of Battle Ship. Players place dots on the grid to form a shape and solve a puzzle. The number of points you put in each row and column must correspond to the number set for that row or column.
14. Blockudoku
Blockudoku is an app that combines Sudoku with puzzle logic. In this game, players drag puzzle pieces from the bottom of the screen onto the board. When a row is complete, it will disappear and earn you points. You can keep going to beat your high score by choosing from three pieces at the bottom and placing them in just the right spot. The board is a classic nine-by-nine Sudoku board, so if you’re a Sudoku fan, you’ll have an advantage.
15. Numbers Addict
Here is another addictive number app. Here players place number bubbles in a column of their choice. Numbers range from one to five, to start. The bubble with the number “1” will remain on the screen and only disappear after adding it to another number to join them together.
After that, each number will disappear when you’ve placed them around the number of bubbles indicated to clear them. For example, two “2’s” will disappear, three “3’s” will disappear, four “4’s”, etc. You can add bubbles to join them, making it a single bubble. For instance, combining 1 and 2 will give you 3, which will clear when that bubble is next to two other “3” number bubbles.
As you remove more bubbles, you’ll climb to levels that introduce the following consecutive number. Watch out when your bubbles reach the top; it’s game over.
In closing
Now you’ve grasped the many variations of other games similar to Sudoku that you can try out. We’ve taken a look at simple games such as Wordoku and Picture Sudoku for kids to complex games such as Kakuro and Nonograms. Be sure to check out these thought-provoking games and have fun playing.
This article was co-authored by our team of in-house and freelance writers, and reviewed by our editors, who enjoy sharing their knowledge about their favorite games with others!
JC Franco
JC Franco serves as a New York-based editor for Gamesver. His interest for board games centers around chess, a pursuit he began in elementary school at the age of 9. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Business from Mercyhurst University, JC brings a blend of business acumen and creative insight to his role. Beyond his editorial endeavors, he is a certified USPTA professional, imparting his knowledge in tennis to enthusiasts across the New York City Metropolitan area.