Sudoku puzzles are proving to be highly addictive games requiring the most basic of skills: logic. People of all ages, sizes, gender, color, and shapes are finding the puzzles to be challenging and mentally stimulating. As proof, books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials featuring sudoku puzzles enjoy steady sales. The popularity of the game continues to push for new frontiers while expanding the puzzles' market.

Speaking of new frontiers, Nintendo is releasing its new offering for Nintendo DS. Primarily targeting the gamers' market and traveling enthusiasts, Nintendo launches Sudoku Gridmaster today, June 26th. In lieu of its launch, Nintendo tries to sustain the popularity of sudoku puzzles by declaring the summer of 2006 as the "summer of sudoku".

Busy summer and holiday travel season is the inspiration behind the creation of Sudoku Gridmaster. Stocking up on puzzles, crosswords, and other printed games seems to be traditional occupation before getting in long car trips and flights. True enough, these games keep children from being bored and fussy, and adults from being cranky. The games also ease the monotony of idyllic summer and holiday weather. Sudoku puzzles continue to be popular choices among the many games. But concentrating on the puzzles as well as filling out the blank cells, prove to be a challenging process when done in a moving vehicle.

Sudoku Gridmaster, exclusively distributed by Nintendo DS, intends to relieve travelers and vacationers alike of this difficulty. The compact size of Nintendo DS allows ease of travel and portability as it fits perfectly in bags. It is also very light which makes it ideal for plane trips and lounging in the beach. Aside from these factors, the Sudoku Gridmaster includes 400+ puzzle games plus the option to save game progress per level. Players are also able to customize the level of difficulty of the sudoku puzzles. In effect, children and adults can share and have their fill of sudoku by just altering the settings of the game. This eliminates the need to buy and bring separate puzzle books for kids and adults. Even children who do not like to play sudoku are lured by the brighter and newer Nintendo DS.

The touch-screen option of Nintendo DS also allows gamers to write, alter, and save answers. No more messing around with pencils and eraser for sudoku puzzles enthusiasts. Indeed, Sudoku Gridmaster proves to be a worthy counterpart to the traditional puzzles. It is also a great way to involve new audiences like hard core gamers or hesitant non-gamers in mental exercises and video games. Through the use of technology, the influence of sudoku is now reaching a wider market and audience. Still, conservative sudoku players are able to experience the game the way it is meant to be.

Sudoku Gridmaster allows four difficulty levels ranging from novices to expert and advanced players. Like the traditional sudoku puzzles, Sudoku Gridmaster uses logic and cognitive skill to successfully fill all grids with numbers. Nintendo also adds a touch of modern gaming to the classic game. By just touching a grid or box, players are able to highlight entire rows or columns. Aside from this, players are able to save a current game for future use.

As one of Nintendo's cutting edge Touch Generations line, Sudoku Gridmaster successfully incorporates technology with tradition in enhancing sudoku puzzles experience. In addition, attractions of a modern gaming device and a traditional puzzle draw attention and interest from otherwise greatly varying groups. In conclusion, Sudoku Gridmaster benefit not only travelers but gamers and enthusiasts of sudoku puzzles as well.