Killer Sudoku by Sudoku.com

About

"Killer Sudoku by Sudoku.com" is a brain-training puzzle game, offering thousands of levels and daily challenges for both beginners and advanced players. The game provides a refreshing twist on classic Sudoku, with enhanced gameplay and features like hints, notes, and seasonal events. Fill all rows, columns, and 3x3 regions with numbers while enjoying its refreshing take on the classic puzzle.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 15,082 reviews

gameplay40 positive mentions

monetization3.8k negative mentions

monetization
3,887 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
98%
The monetization aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, primarily due to the intrusive nature of ads. Players express frustration over ads that interrupt gameplay, often appearing multiple times during a single game, which disrupts concentration and enjoyment. While some users appreciate the option to pay for an ad-free experience, many feel that the current ad frequency is excessive and detrimental to the overall gaming experience.
- “A really great game, I love playing it and lose count of hours, and everything is right with this game, no ads whatsoever, it's amazing.”
- “Love this game, I paid a couple bucks for no ads, haven't seen one since.”
- “A really fun puzzle game, I suggest paying for no ads because it is so worth it.”
- “The game would be good, but the ads are so intrusive as to make it frustrating to play.”
- “I understand the need for ads, but once every 2-3 minutes, plus on opening the app, plus on choosing a level, plus on completing a level, it's just annoying now.”
- “I used to love this game but the ads have rendered it unplayable.”
gameplay
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
62%
10%
The gameplay is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its mechanics and challenge, particularly in the context of sudoku. However, a significant number of users express frustration over intrusive ads that interrupt gameplay, detracting from the overall experience. While some players find the ads manageable, the consensus is that their frequency and timing during gameplay are excessive and disruptive.
- “The game is very fun and has some very interesting mechanics to it.”
- “This game adds an interesting mechanic to the already entertaining game of sudoku; it's almost like it helps get through the early stage of trying to set up the foundation before you start to just knock out number after number, and before you know it, you're zooming through the puzzles.”
- “Great gameplay with a challenging twist.”
- “The increase in ads has ruined the gameplay; there are too many ads in the middle of the game session.”
- “Ads interrupt gameplay, and especially since this is a timed game involving numbers and logical deduction, ads disrupting the gameplay does ruin the experience.”
- “I understand the need for ads, but during gameplay in a timed game is infuriating.”
stability
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
21%
62%
The stability of the app is mixed, with many users reporting a generally smooth experience but also frequent issues such as freezing, crashing, and bugs related to ads. While some players have noted that the game runs well without glitches, others have expressed frustration over interruptions caused by ads and the app's tendency to freeze during gameplay. Overall, the app's stability seems to have declined recently, with several users experiencing significant technical problems.
- “The app is extremely well done otherwise - very responsive, clean UI, and seemingly bug free.”
- “No glitches, great update, and helps to learn and concentration.”
- “Fun, no glitches and actually free.”
- “I've had the issue another review mentioned where switching between marking mode and notes mode seems a bit buggy.”
- “But recently, the app has become buggy - it keeps coming up with impossible solutions or offers me fields I have already played.”
- “This app worked beautifully for the past year or so but now it's slow, freezes, and crashes.”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
41%
7%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many users appreciating the clear and crisp visuals that enhance gameplay. However, some players express dissatisfaction with recent updates, citing issues like hidden close icons and the introduction of distracting ads, including inappropriate content. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, there is a call for improvements and a return to simpler designs.
- “Fun, plenty of puzzles, crisp graphics--just a great app.”
- “The new updated graphics make the game even nicer.”
- “Good, clear graphics and quick!”
- “The reason for the low remarks is due to the recent UI graphic upgrade.”
- “More adverts than before, and the new fancy graphics add nothing but slow it down.”
- “Not a fan of the updated graphics.”
music
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
73%
14%
The music aspect of the game is heavily criticized due to intrusive ads that interrupt players' personal music, often pausing it or playing loud, unwanted audio in the background. Users express frustration over the inability to enjoy their own music while playing, as the game's ads frequently disrupt the experience, leading to a poor overall enjoyment of the game. Many players desire a solution to mute the ads or allow for a more seamless integration of their own music without interruptions.
- “Used to be fun playing this on the bus while listening to music.”
- “It's great, except for the ads that knock out the music I'm listening to (not all of them).”
- “I do not like when the ads mute the music that is playing, but it is a good game that functions well.”
- “But every time I go to Spotify and turn music on, and go back to the game, the music stops and my headphones disconnect and reconnect every second. I don't know why because it only happens with that app and I don't know if there is any way to turn it off (I tried turning sound in the app off).”
- “Ads are far too intrusive, especially when the ads pause your music.”
- “You're stuck in an infinite loop where if you minimize the game to resume your music, the game is paused, so when you return, it plays another video ad which pauses your music again.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
19%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many users finding it funny and stimulating, often leading to laughter during gameplay. However, some players express frustration with the excessive ads, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite this, the game's comedic elements are noted as a highlight, making it enjoyable for casual play.
- “It's a very funny game!”
- “If you decide to play this game in the bus, please wear a mask because you'll be smiling and laughing all through the game... might seem weird 😂”
- “Funny, stimulating, well structured.”
- “Not funny.”
- “The humor falls flat and feels forced.”
- “I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of accidental mistakes caused by sensitive touch controls, leading to feelings of clumsiness and disappointment. The close proximity of numbers on the screen exacerbates these errors, resulting in a challenging experience that can detract from overall enjoyment. Despite these issues, there is an acknowledgment of the game's appeal, though the emotional toll of frequent mistakes is evident.
- “I find myself making mistakes by accidentally touching the wrong number with my awkward fingers.”
- “One problem that I have is that even though I try to tap on the right number, I end up touching a different number by mistake.”
- “Very nice, but sometimes a little too sensitive to touching numbers/spaces.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
Players appreciate the game's engaging story, which features a variety of quests with difficulty levels ranging from easy to hard, providing a fun and positive experience. However, some users express frustration with the timing of ads, suggesting they should only appear before and after gameplay rather than during quests. Overall, the story and quest structure contribute to an enjoyable gaming experience.
- “I enjoyed it a lot; lots of hours of playing. I love the different modes that they have. Some days I just don't feel like challenging my brain, and I just want to clear an easy or medium puzzle. I like the different quests that you have; they're fun. It's just been a good positive experience with this game.”
- “With two different quests that you can complete, they have varying levels ranging from easy to hard.”
- “With 2 different quests that you can complete, the levels range between easy, medium, and hard.”
- “It's really awesome except the ads should happen only before and after I'm done and not during my quest of completing the level.”
- “Thanks for returning my Christmas mission.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
40%
20%
Users generally find the game's optimization satisfactory, noting that it runs smoothly when not overloaded with ads. However, the frequent appearance of ads can disrupt gameplay and negatively impact the overall enjoyment. Additionally, players emphasize the importance of quality rest for optimal performance in the game.
- “I like to challenge my previous times and have noticed I seem to do best after a good night's rest, which just goes to show the value of quality rest on performance.”
- “Works great, not overloaded with ads and runs smoothly 👌”
- “Ads also cut into performance because fading to them when they randomly appear every 4th or 5th move seriously kills enjoyability.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players find the game's replayability to be significant due to its randomly generated elements, which offer a fresh experience each time. Many note that it provides more replay value compared to traditional sudoku.
- “It is rewarding, and the fact that they are randomly generated makes the replay value huge.”
- “More replayability than regular Sudoku.”
- “It is rewarding and the fact that they are randomly generated makes the replay value huge.”
- “More replayability than regular sudoku.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly on hard and medium difficulty levels. Many feel that recent updates have transformed the game into an ad-farming experience, detracting from its original appeal and causing issues like lost progress. Overall, the grinding has shifted from challenging to monotonous for many users.
- “I thought the idea of playing was supposed to be challenging; it was tedious.”
- “This used to be a 5-star app, but has turned into a typical ad farming game in the last couple of months.”
- “Last update ruined the game; I lost progress and it's tedious to navigate.”