Make no illusions about it, Soccer Sudoku 2010 is a Sudoku game with just a soccer paint job to change up the presentation. At the start of the game you pick a team from one of 32 national teams currently playing soccer across the world, although this choice has very little effect on the game. A very well designed starting page displays the different modes available to play as well as a walkthrough giving step by step instructions for those of us who’ve never played a game of Sudoku before. It got me up to speed quick enough to start my first board, with trial and error getting me the rest of the way.

There are three different options from the start; a stress free mode that has unlimited board checks and optional timer, Time attack were you race against the clock to fill in the numbers and Online Challenge were you can submit your time against other players online in a ranking system with only one board check that ends the game. I found the stress free mode the most enjoyable as I can fill out the numbers and check my progress between office meetings or standing in line at the store with the only pressure being to better my previous play. Not being a professional Sudoku player myself, Online Challenge proved to be less enjoyable, but shows promise for those with skills to show off. Time attack is your standard fight against the clock, with time penalties for using the board check.

Soccer Sudoku 2010 offers some pretty impressive visual flair; everything ties into the theme of soccer very well. The ability to either mark a square with a number or switch to pencil mode and put additional numbers per square can make planning ahead easier. It’s a very well rounded package game that will please anyone who’s looking for a cheap Sudoku game to pass the time. If you’re not into the sport of soccer you won’t gain much from it visually but it’s not a reason to pass the game up entirely.