Good idea, but far from well-implemented.
Each battle begins with a partially filled Sudoku grid. However, Zendoku uses symbols (such as Yin and Yang and a sword) instead of numbers. You and your opponent battle to fill in the squares as quickly as possible. Each time you complete a 3 x 3 grid, a line, a row, or a set of symbols, a mini-game pops up on your opponents screen (or yours, if they complete the same) . The mini-games make good use of the DS stylus by making you unroll a scroll, wipe away snowflakes, or turn a knob, and there's even a mini-game that involves blowing into the microphone. As the grid gets filled up, damage is done. And, much like any game you've ever seen in your life, the winner is the first one to drain the other's life meter. Another nice addition I thought (although almost any Sudoku program has this) is that it will automatically point out if one of your symbols is incorrectly placed.
It sounds like fun, right? Well, it was, for the first few battles. By the time I reached the 10th or 11th battle in the storyline mode, I was taking advantage of what I consider to be a cheat in the game. This "cheat" that I mention is the very same option that I mentioned at the end of the last paragraph. As the battles go along, the attacks by your opponent come quicker and quicker and closer and closer together. By the time I reached that 10th or 11th battle, I was finding it necessary to almost blindly pick squares and hope that they were correct, which I could tell by use of this option. (And I was surprisingly accurate in my choices!) However, a few battles down the line, I became reliant on this as practically my only method of competing against the computer. I guess multi-player in this mode might be fun, but I found it too frustrating against the computer.
One part of the game that I thought I would love, regardless of the story mode, was the infinite puzzle generator. This mode is played with the traditional numbers 1 through 9, but I think you can also play this mode using the symbols. However, even this is severely flawed. I started out on an easy puzzle, just to see how it played. I was shocked when the puzzle popped up and it was nearly 50% complete!! I finished the puzzle in 2:26. The fastest I've ever completed a real sudoku was about 3:45 (on Brain Age). I did not even try to attempt the harder puzzles for one major reason: there is no option that lets you write in possible answers into each block.
I picked this game up primarily for the purpose of having an infinite Sudoku generator and secondarily for the quest. However, all I got in return was a reminder that I failed to follow my number one rule: if I'm considering picking up a game that I've never heard of, either read reviews, rent it, or both before dropping money on the full game.
Overall: 4.1
Gameplay: 4
Graphics: 7
Sound: 7
Value: 6
Tilt: 1
And, before I forget to mention this, I'm looking to sell this game. So, if anyone wants it, feel free to message me.