Sudoku Acres

So, I'm the wife this game was made for!! For many years, Sudoku had been the only game on my phone, and I played it every night to relax. When I tried to share the Sudoku fun with friends, so many said they're "not good with numbers." Sudoku Acres perfectly demonstrates how anyone can enjoy a good puzzle, no math skills required! I hope this game brings joy to every cottage-core, puzzle-loving heart.

[H1]If you want sudoku with pets, this is acres ahead of the rest.[/H1] Sudoku Acres is a sudoku game wrapped in a cozy farm skin. You solve grids to earn acorns, then use them to adopt cute animals and decorate your farm. The environment is calm and adorable, with three farm maps to choose from, items to swap seasons, and plenty of little critters to collect. I especially enjoyed that the puzzles replace numbers with thematic icons, keeping everything consistent. Acorns even carry across saves, so you can clear grids in one farm while decorating another, and the affection system for pets, while flawed, still adds charm. Difficulty is acceptable for casual sudoku players, mistakes can be checked without penalty, note mode is available, and the farm stays visible in the background as you play. Add to that the fact that you can name every pet, and the whole experience feels personal and cute. The flaws, however, weigh down the cozy illusion. There are only 36 puzzles total, and I had to guess in some of them. Puzzle titles almost never match their contents, and note mode is clunky since you can’t erase a single symbol without wiping the entire note. Decoration is very limited: no interiors, poor ground options, no patches, and you can’t even move items without refunding and rebuying them. As another reviewer pointed out, there’s no farming per se: it’s sudoku with pets. The gacha system for animals is frustrating, with 3–6 color variants per critter and a heavy reliance on grinding to get rare ones. Currency (acorns) balance also discourages raising multiple pets, since only your “favorite” maxed pet gives proper rewards. Add to that no bulk buy/sell options, and repetition quickly sets in. Overall, I really enjoyed Sudoku Acres, but strictly as a sudoku game. As a cozy builder, it’s far too limited and at times frustrating. Still, knowing it was created as a passion project by the dev for his sudoku-loving wife makes the flaws easier to forgive since it wasn't necessarily originally created for a large audience. If you’re seeking a sudoku experience with a touch of whimsy and cute animal collecting, this might be for you. Just don’t expect much in terms of farming or decorating. [quote]If you enjoyed this review, please check out my curator page to find more : [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45639970-Ele%2527s-Little-Recommendation-Corner/]Ele's Little Recommendation Corner[/url]![/quote]

[quote]A review copy was provided by the developer.[/quote] [quote]Follow my Curator page, [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41363546-Fruit-N-Doggie-Reviews/]Fruit N Doggie Reviews,[/url] so you can be updated whenever I post a new review.[/quote] [h1]Overall Rating - Painfully Bad ★☆☆☆☆[/h1] [h1]First Impressions[/h1] As a person who enjoys an occasional puzzle game and relaxing experience, Sudoku Acres (SA) made me curious about how I might take it easy in-between sudoku puzzles. Being able to dawdle around a farm, making it my own place, and interacting with my crops and animals sounded kind of fun. However, it wound up having far less content and things to do than I expected. [h1]Gameplay[/h1] I hadn't considered that some people might like the functionality and arrangement for sudokus, but not be able to work with them because of the numbers. It has nothing to do with mathematics after all, but we all have our own foibles and oddities, so I can appreciate the possible stumbling block. Instead of referring to the digits 1-9, you work with plants incorporating different colors and arrangements. For example, a pair of pink flowers, a plain green weed, or an orange pumpkin. These are the symbols used to solve the conventional 9x9 grid you're familiar with. After solving a puzzle, you'll earn acorns that can be used in the shops, to purchase items you've unlocked from each puzzle you've completed. Whether it's a plant, random object you might find on a farm, or a new animal, these can be added to your farm freely. Aside from placing things around the farm, there's almost nothing else to do. Occasionally I'd see a scroll I could read, and can pet the randomly wandering animals, but you don't even have a player avatar to control. Considering how the puzzles included arrangements of different crops and plants, I really expected that to make up a significant portion of my farm. However, you only have a single screen to work with, and have no functionality to work on a farm like I had anticipated. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3544674928 [h1]Controls[/h1] From how things are set up in the menu, it doesn't seem like a controller was the intended way to play SA, yet I can navigate things well enough to reach the sudokus. However, certain features in the farm seem entirely inaccessible, such as moving the cursor to select or interact with objects. The fact that it's so close to being fully functional is what confuses me, because only a few areas can't be interacted with, no matter what inputs I tried. Why get that close and stop there? [h1]Story[/h1] No plot elements are provided for you starting a farm. You just have one, and start solving sudokus for some reason. Also, acorns count as money, because squirrels took over, I guess. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3544674590 [h1]Visuals[/h1] Regarding this game's content, there's very few things you'll ever look at throughout the entire thing. There's only the puzzles, a few menu screens, three farm types, and shops with random clutter and animals to purchase. In my own mind, farms are fairly large, so to think that all of them are constrained to a single screen astounds me. Also, I understand that I'm on a farm in the forest, but the color palette is incredibly limited. Even if you choose other areas, the screenshots indicate these single screen locations are lacking in range. Besides, even ignoring how lacking in variety the environment is, when opening menus in the forest area, everything in there is a different shade of green! That doesn't seem a bit too redundant? [h1]Sound Design[/h1] It took me a while to notice this, because I knew that I'd heard music when loading up this game. However, that single song only plays on the title screen, and nowhere else. Otherwise, all that's left is some background sound effects to make it seem like you're outside. If you want to hear any of the ambient noise, you have to turn the volume up substantially, and that's even after I maxed out every volume bar in the settings. Considering how you could easily blast your ears with loud volume switching to anything else afterwards, I wouldn't recommend doing so. A scant amount of ambient noise is hardly worth the potential damage from an unexpected jolt to your ear drums. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3544674241 [h1]Pros[/h1] 🌟 This might be a way for number-haters to enjoy sudokus. However, you do have the option to revert to numbers if you find the images confusing. 🌟 It was an interesting idea. [h1]Cons[/h1] ❌ It's a bit hard to tell with how little information is provided in-game, but I'm pretty sure the controls can get screwed up if you push the wrong button at the wrong time. I really wasn't positive what the full limit was on what I could and couldn't do around the farm. ❌ The content outside of the sudokus is entirely pointless, from a gameplay perspective. ❌ For a sudoku game, having only 36 puzzles is abysmal. [h1]Tips[/h1] 🔍 Not changing what animal is your favorite is an easy way to get several acorns. I don't know what the point would be in earning hearts with animals you can't interact with anyways. 🔍 All the usual tips for working on a sudoku apply here, such as trying to solve nearly finished rows or columns. [h1]Final Thoughts[/h1] Something I want to make crystal clear is that when I saw the words “farm building” on the store page, I was not expecting a fully developed and fleshed-out experience like Stardew Valley or the Harvest Moon games. However, I imagined a simple, light version of a farming experience. The ability to have my character interact with the animals, arranging crops and other important plants around the terrain, and a few basic tasks of that nature. Ultimately though, this is only a cosmetic experience, like playing dress-up with dolls. Such a disappointment could have been easier to ignore, were there a significant amount of sudokus to solve, but there's only four puzzle packs, with nine each. A sudoku game with less than 40 puzzles probably shouldn't sell for $6, so I definitely don't recommend this title, especially when the farming element is so bare bones. [quote][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]Follow our curator page: [b]IndieGems[/b] if you like and want to see more reviews like this one.[/url][/quote] [table] [tr] [th]PC Specs[/th] [th]Performance[/th] [/tr] [tr] [td]Ryzen 2700 RTX 2070 16GB RAM ADATA SSD 1920x1080 [/td] [td]The game ran without incident on default settings. 💖 - SA is healthy [/td] [/tr] [/table]

[h1] 「 ✦ REVIEW ✦ 」 [/h1] [h2] ESPAÑOL [/h2] Sudoku Acres no es solo otro juego de puzzles: es una carta de amor. Desde el momento en que empiezas, se siente como entrar a un jardincito secreto donde cada número (o mejor dicho, cada plantita y animalito) tiene su lugar. Probablemente lo más precioso de este título es imaginar al desarrollador sentado frente a su computadora, pensando: “¿Y si en lugar de números, ponemos plantitas? Y si además… ¡una granjita adorable!” Resulta que sí, esa fue la intención original, literalmente lo hizo como regalo para su pareja porque le encanta el sudoku y los juegos de granja y eso me parece adorable. Esa vibra casera, tierna y sin pretensiones se siente en cada esquina del juego. La fórmula es simple pero preciosa: resuelves sudoku tradicionales, pero en vez de números como lo sería un sudoku clásico, tenemos plantíos, lo que lo hace igual de desafiante que relajante. Cada vez que completas un rompecabezas, ganas bellotas que puedes usar para expandir y personalizar tu granja: adopta animales, cambia estaciones, ajusta el clima, el momento del día o simplemente decora cada rincón a tu gusto. La música original, compuesta con patches DX7 para esa vibra retro, acompaña cada sesión y se siente tan relajante como una taza de café en la mañana. En resumen, Sudoku Acres es: [list] [*]Un abrazo para aficionados del sudoku que quieren algo más que números. [*]Un refugio cozy para amantes de las granjas, los animales y la creatividad. [*]Un puzzle relajante, perfecto para jugar en ráfagas cortas o largas (sin presión). [*]Una linda excusa para perderte decorando tu parcela como si fuera tu pequeño mundo zen. [/list] Si buscas un juego que combine lógica, belleza, y una historia de devoción detrás, este indie hecho con corazón se siente exactamente así: hecho para jugar con calma, sonreír, resolver, y volver por más. [h2] ENGLISH [/h2] [b] Sudoku Acres isn’t just another puzzle game: it’s a love letter. [/b] From the very first moment, it feels like stepping into a tiny secret garden where every number (or rather, every little plant and animal) has its own place. One of the most beautiful things about this game is imagining the developer sitting at their desk thinking, “What if instead of numbers, we used plants? And what if it was also… a cute little farm?” And yes — that really was the original idea. It was made as a gift for their partner, who loves sudoku and farming games, and honestly, that alone is enough to melt your heart. That homemade, gentle, no-pressure vibe is present in every corner of the game. The formula is simple but lovely: you solve classic sudoku puzzles, but instead of numbers, you’re working with crops. It’s just as challenging as a traditional sudoku, yet incredibly relaxing. Every completed puzzle rewards you with acorns, which you can use to expand and customize your farm: adopt animals, change the seasons, adjust the weather, set the time of day, or simply decorate everything to your heart’s content. The original soundtrack, made using DX7 patches for that cozy retro feel, accompanies each session perfectly — as relaxing as a morning cup of coffee. In short, Sudoku Acres is: [list] [*]A warm hug for sudoku fans who want more than just numbers. [*]A cozy little haven for lovers of farming, animals, and creativity. [*]A relaxing puzzle game, perfect for both short sessions and long, chill playtimes — no pressure at all. [*]A lovely excuse to get lost decorating your own tiny zen world. [/list] If you’re looking for a game that blends logic, beauty, and a genuine story of love behind its creation, this heartfelt indie is exactly that: a game meant to be played slowly, with a smile, one puzzle at a time — and always leaving you wanting to come back for more.

This is such a cozy and fun sudoku game! I love how you can build up and customize your farm, and that you can also complete the puzzles with numbers or the default gardening icons. The puzzles also have fun themes! Looking forward to unwinding with this game each night and collecting as many cute animals as I can for my farm 🥰

It's very cute and I appreciate the idea. Thank you for continuing to update and add content!

This is a really wonderful sudoku game. The farm building part of the game is fun and gives me a reason to try "just one more puzzle" even when my brain is tired. It's taken awhile to get used to using plants, but it's a lot of fun to have a different way to see these puzzles. The UI can be a little clunky, but it doesn't get in the way of enjoying or playing either the puzzle or the farm parts of the game. Adopting an entire ecosystem is a great reward for my brain work.

I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to play this game! It is a perfect cozy little puzzle game with the added bonus of being able to build a little farm. I love all the attention to detail in trying to make this game as aesthetically pleasing. I have had it on while multitasking and enjoy doing a little sudoku when I need a break definitely recommend!

Ich habe noch nie in meinem ganzen Leben ein Sudoku gespielt, heute zum ersten mal, ich hatte aber zuvor erst die Demo ausprobiert vom Spiel und natürlich rein gar nichts verstanden, nach 2 Minuten hatte ich das Spiel frustriert beendet 😄 dann habe ich über google geschaut wie man Sudoku eigentlich spielt, also mir auf Wikepedia die Sudo Regeln durchgelesen und dann kam das große "AAAAA" ach so funktioniert es, mir war nie bewusst das man die Zahlen nicht zusammen rechnen musste sondern viel mehr darauf zu achten ist, das diese nicht doppelt vorkommen pro Quadrat. Nun gut, ich startete die Demo also noch mal und spielte das erste Level ohne einen Fehler zu machen, ich war stolz wie Bolle auf mich hehe 😄 also nicht Raten, nicht auf das große Glück warten das alles zusammen passt, sondern einfach logisch Denken, dann klappt es ganz von selbst. Nachdem ich nun 2 Spielvarianten gespielt hatte, beschloss ich das Spiel zu kaufen, gesagt getan, Demo gelöscht, Spiel installiert und gleich wieder losgelegt zu spielen, leider bin ich vom vielen Nachdenken sehr müde geworden so das ich mich nicht mehr so gut konzentrieren kann, es ist ja nun auch schon 630 Uhr durch und ich denke ich werde schlafen gehen und morgen weiter spielen. Das Spiel ist absolut spitze und macht sehr viel Spaß, zudem muss man hier Gemüse Sortieren und keine langweilige Zahlen und man kann zusätzlich noch seine Farm aufbauen / Ausbauen, man bekommt Eicheln nach jeder erfolgreich abgeschlossener Aufgabe. Ich mag das Spiel, endlich mal ein toller Sudoku Knobler. 😊 Linux User 🐧: Läuft einwandfrei auf LM22.1 XIA, U-XU-KUBUNTU, MX LINUX, ARCH: MANJARO & ENDEAVOUR OS 🐧 ENGLISH : I've never played a Sudoku in my entire life, today for the first time, but I had only tried the demo of the game before and of course didn't understand anything. After 2 minutes I finished the game in frustration 😄 then I went on Google looked how to actually play Sudoku, so I read the Sudo rules on Wikepedia and then the big "AAAAA" came oh, that's how it works, I was never aware that you didn't have to add the numbers together but rather make sure that they don't appear twice per square. Well, I started the demo again and played the first level without making a mistake, I was as proud of myself as Bolle hehe 😄 so don't guess, don't wait for the great luck that everything fits together, just think logically, then it works all by itself. After I had played 2 game variants, I decided to buy the game, said and done, deleted the demo, installed the game and started playing again straight away. Unfortunately, I got very tired from thinking so much that I can no longer concentrate as well, it's already past 630 a.m. and I think I'll go to sleep soon and continue playing tomorrow. The game is absolutely great and a lot of fun, you also have to sort vegetables and not boring numbers and you can also build/expand your farm, you get acorns after every successfully completed task. I like the game, finally a great Sudoku Game. Linux User 🐧: Works perfectly on the following systems: LM22.1 XIA, U-XU-KUBUNTU, MX LINUX, ARCH: MANJARO & ENDEAVOUR OS 🐧

Such a charming take on Sudoku!! The aesthetics are all so sweet, and I adore the added element of progression, it makes playing feel rewarding. The adorable pigs alone make it worth the purchase :(