After getting in "right" with the Sudoku interface in Brain Age, It's amazing just how "wrong" they went "Gridmaster"
With the hi-res dual screens and a touch screen, the Nintendo DS represents the best platform for this type of puzzle gaming. No other system - handheld, console or PC comes close. One would think that Sudoku Gridmaster would expand upon the concept introduced in "Brain Age" and make it better - more puzzles, statistics, strategies and puzzle solving aids.
Unfortunately, Sudoku Gridmaster misses the mark entirely. The interface is ugly and cartoon-like. The handwriting recognition is inconsistent at best. And the "Keypad" style number entry, for both numbers and notes, feels like painting a room through a keyhole. The worst aspect is the background music, with your choice of three (3) songs - all of them sounding like Muzak versions of 1980's pop and new age hits. Worst of all is that there's NO OPTION TO TURN OFF THE BACKGROUND MUSIC! Sure, you could turn the DS volume down, but then you loose the audible feedback from sound effects too.
I can't help drawing comparisons to the Sudoku interface in "Brain Age." Amazingly, for a "mini-game" that appears to be popped into the game as an afterthought, the Sudoku interface in "Brain Age" is elegant in it's simplicity and presentation. A large, portrait-oriented puzzle grid, razor-sharp sans-serif numbers, logical distinction between "givens" numbers using colors (Red for "givens" - Black for your answers), and straightforward entry (click to zoom, write the number).
With the "Brain Age" Sudoku getting is so "right" off the mark, it's amazing just how "wrong" Sudoku Gridmaster has gone. Even more amazing is that Nintendo published this title (though it was developed by "Hudson").
Note to Nintendo: Want to create a brisk selling Soduko title for the DS? Take what you did in "Brain Age," license more puzzles from Nikoli, add some new features (Statistics, solving aids, strategies etc.) but DO NOT ALTER THE INTERFACE IN ANY SIGNIFICANT WAY. It's perfect!