Best Games: Sudoku (Techno Source) Ages 8 years and up, $19.99

October 31, 2005 – Sudoku, from Techno Source, stand-alone product requiring one CR2032 button cell battery (included), $19.99. Japan's numbers-logic challenge is taking its place next to crossword puzzles as American newspaper readers' latest form of addictive entertainment.

The game requires that players fill in a 27-space board so that the nine rows, columns and 3-by-3 grids on the board contain the numbers 1 to 9 without repeating a number.

This stylish, pocket-size unit from Techno Source -- think a silver-and-white personal digital assistant -- uses a large touch-sensitive screen and stylus pen to give players more than 100,000 puzzles to enjoy anytime.

It features a training mode for beginners (an incorrect number placed in a box will continue to flash), an advanced mode, four levels of difficulty, sound effects, a timer, a pause option to continue a game later, storage for one of the two included stylus pens, a contrast setting and an answer key.

Techno Source has delivered its best hand-held game to date and offers a great way to introduce youngsters to the wonderful world of numbers.