Sudoku Was Great - But It's Time For A New Challenge

March 17, 2009 - PRLog -- Professor Jorge Nuno Silva, professor of mathematics at both Berkeley and Lisbon Universities, and author of several works on both mathematics and games, has given his support to the new range of puzzle and game products devised by BDi, the portuguese based innovation partnership.

Since their first game concept based on Sudoku, called Shendoku, BDi have been working on a range of ideas involving the latin square that forms the basis for Sudoku, but utilising it in many different forms to create a series of new, unique and challenging puzzles and games that take Sudoku afficionados to another level.

These new puzzles and games have attracted the attention of Jorge Nuno Silva, a distinguished professor of mathematics at both Lisbon University, and Berkeley in California USA. To quote directly from the recently published letter of support sent my Prof Silva...

"Sudoku is, to say it in few words, an excellent logic puzzle. As it uses numbers, it is not restricted, as cross words are, to any particular cultures, which helps to explain its immense universal success. However, it is, as we usually say, a game for one player. The usual variants vary the dimensions and form of the array. But, the ones proposed by BM Clent and D Shenton go much further, giving a new flavor to this puzzle. Clicstrips is a good example: the obligation of treating the numbers in groups of three and the absence of initial clues changes the nature of the mental activity, by introducing a new complexity."

The professor has been given exclusive previews of the range of game concepts produced by BDi and as such has been able to evaluate and review these personally. His interest was such that BDi have donated examples of the early prototypes of the range to Prof Silva for his growing collection of games. Prof Silva went on to declare....

"But the same authors created games for two players from the the puzzles. Clent and Shenton transformed a good puzzle in an excellent game for two people. Actually, in several such games. Their variants make it possible to associate Sudoku with all the drama of a good boardgame, always respecting Sudoku’s original essence. As a matter of fact, the way they build the games bring attention to the most interesting features of the original puzzle. The new approach avoids the solitary way it was usually practiced, offering us excellent social recreation. It is only fair to emphasize that this recreation has high intellectual level. Shendoku and Ninja Squares are great examples!
As any good game, chess for example, Clent and Shenton’s games work in several levels of sophistication, always with interest, being appropriate for people of the age range 7-77"
BDi are currently negotiating manufacturing and distribution rights for the puzzles and games in China, and are seeking similar deals around the world. Interested parties can contact BClent@gmail.com to obtain further information. Currently there are plans to develop at least one game option as a TV game show, and a format has been prepared. All BDi games are copyright protected and also have patent, trade mark and design rights where appropriate.

The full text of Prof Silvas letter will be made available at http://cluelessgames.blogspot.com/

Information on Shendoku can be found at www.shendoku.com

For information on Prof Jorge Nuno Silva you can visit http://unjobs.org/authors/jorge-nuno-silva
or his university web pages at http://math.berkeley.edu/~jnsilva/   or at http://wwmat.mat.fc.ul.pt/~jnsilva/

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Clueless Games represents a number of independent games designers and producers across Europe and also in New Zealand. We aim to bring innovative game and puzzle products to the consumer, despite the best efforts of the industry.....