# ⋆Sudoku — user reviews > 776 indexed App Store user reviews of ⋆Sudoku by Brainium Studios LLC, rated 4.70/5 from 161,022 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sudoku/id418044512/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sudoku/id418044512.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 131,047 · 4★ 23,116 · 3★ 4,487 · 2★ 924 · 1★ 1,448 ## What do users think of ⋆Sudoku? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 🚀 Challenging but not too challenging - 👍 Great for learning advanced techniques - 👍 Helpful hints that teach strategies - 👍 Relaxing and soothing game - 👍 Customizable themes and settings - 👍 Great for exercising the brain **Cons** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches - 🔍 Difficult to see numbers and patterns - 🔍 Inconsistent difficulty levels - 🔍 Overly distracting UI elements - 🔍 Too many intrusive ads - 🔍 Inability to disable ads without paying **Commonly reported bugs** - Puzzle completion status not updating correctly - Floating number feature not working as expected - Scores not displaying properly on leaderboard - Game freezing or crashing on certain devices - Inability to play music in the background **Most requested features** - Option to disable auto-check for errors - Ability to customize number colors and backgrounds - More granular difficulty settings between Hard and Expert - Ability to access past daily puzzles - Family sharing for ad-free version - Clearer explanation of scoring system ## Newest reviews (14 of 776) ### 3/5 — Very slow *2026-08-12, version 4.5.28* It operates very slowly ### 2/5 — Decent, but could use improvements *2026-07-16, version 4.5.28* I like the various options for play, whether it is selecting a single cell and adding multiple notes, or selecting particular number and easily entering it into multiple cells, either as notes or solved cells. What I DON’T like is how the game “locks” cells once a number has been entered. You are prevented from adding a note to a solved cell, and you must remove the number in order to add the note, which makes sense. But what doesn’t make sense is that you CAN enter a different number into an already solved sell, overwriting the number already there. This means that you can inadvertently place a number in a wrong cell by accident when playing against the clock, and you may not realize it until the puzzle crashes and you can’t solve it. You have to try to go back and see what you did wrong, or more frustratingly, restart the whole game. Either way, your time score gets ruined. Next, I often find that, when trying to switch between entering notes and entering numbers, touching the toggle button doesn’t register, so I either end up entering the opposite of what I expected and have to stop and fix it, or the game thinks I touched some “blank space” around the puzzle and opens up the bottom menu, which prevents continuing game play until you close the menu, but the game clock still continues, again destroying your time score. Finally, the leap from Hard level games to Expert level is beyond exponential and doesn’t provide the same degree of advancement as between the other levels. Speaking of the Expert level, more than half of the games that I have played recently have required Trial And Error to solve it, which is not an appropriate solution method. One recent game even did it on a cell with three notes in it, which is an insane amount of trial and error. Lastly, if you are interested in tracking your scores against others, know that it is possible to cheat. Look at the global score board, and you will see games that have been completed in seconds, which is impossible, unless you take a screen shot, pause the app, solve the game offline, then go back and enter the solution. Not sure there is any way for the developers to prevent this, so it is more of an annoyance than anything else. With all of that said, I have enjoyed this app through all of the lower levels, despite some of the technical issues, but once you get good enough at the Hard level, I wouldn’t bother to continue. ### 4/5 — Why worse? *2026-07-09, version 4.5.28* First, I have not found a better version so go ahead and download. However it has been updated to worse than before, especially as far as the hints. Now, oftentimes it just says to guess (‘trial and error’) as a hint!?! No more hints of finned or sashimi swordfish, no XY WING, etc etc. It was great for improving!!! Also, plus/minus - I agree adjusting to new fill options awkward but some new options can be quicker. ### 4/5 — Favorite Sudoku Game but Sometimes the Sounds Go Off for No Reason *2026-07-08, version 4.5.28* This is my favorite sudoku game, but sometimes the sounds go off for no reason. It’s weird. I think it’s some kind of glitch. I really love the paint feature! ### 1/5 — Used to be great *2026-07-06, version 4.5.28* Now allows pop up ads on one third of the screen while playing instead of just smaller banners. Finding another game. Really annoying ### 1/5 — Ads are ridiculous *2026-07-06, version 4.5.28* I loved this game until today. I’ve played it for years. Today as I was playing, the ads pop up and block the screen so you can’t continue to play until they go away, but the time (which affects the score) continues. So disappointing and frustrating. ### 3/5 — More new ads *2026-07-06, version 4.5.28* I love this sudoku game and have continually stuck with it for years because others punish you with random ads in the middle of your game. But recently this app has introduced pop up ads in the middle of the game with no obvious X to dismiss them. This is annoying because it seems to keep the timer ticking and I’m randomly mashing around the edge of the ad to try to get it to go away. Please go back to ads only between games!! ### 2/5 — Used to be great *2026-07-06, version 4.5.28* Ads pop up in the middle of game play, covering the board. This didn’t use to happen. It interferes with scoring of timed games. FIX THIS NOW! ### 2/5 — How the *2026-07-05, version 4.5.28* Alarming Advertisements popups ### 1/5 — Ads,Ads and more Ads *2026-07-03, version 4.5.28* They have changed this game so it’s all wading through ads. ### 3/5 — Bug *2026-07-03, version 4.5.28* Every time we go on the app it freezes and doesn’t allow us to play the game - such a shame ### 1/5 — Scam in-game ads *2026-07-01, version 4.5.28* I have been playing this game for years but recently it has been serving me ads to “update my game” or phony messages from Apple stating my phone is “compromised “. Very slimy. ### 2/5 — Too many ads *2026-06-28, version 4.5.22* The ads are way too much and make hard to play the game. I understand the need but there’s got to be a better way. ### 1/5 — Not sudoku *2026-06-22, version 4.5.22* Loved it,but reloaded and was sent to different game with no option to see sudoku ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Ads block game *2026-08-23, version 4.5.28* I try to start a game, but an ad pops up telling me I must update before playing. The ad takes you to a different soduko game by a different developer. I waited 4 minutes but still couldn’t close the ad. You need to get rid of competitor ads like this. ### 1/5 — Ads Aplenty *2026-08-18, version 4.5.28* Ads for games are much too long and no way to exit after a few seconds... not worth it ### 1/5 — Difficulty level - Ha! *2026-08-17, version 4.5.28* Need to redo how they calculate difficulty level. Most are way harder than they say. ### 1/5 — Ad roadblock *2026-08-14, version 4.5.28* Can’t get into the game! Full page ads that have no x or decline option. Only “open store”. ### 1/5 — Ads Killed this Great App! *2026-08-08, version 4.5.28* Unbelievably annoying apps constantly making me waste time on what was a very good app but now is so frustrating as to be unplayable. ### 1/5 — fake app *2026-07-29, version 4.5.28* fake app just becomes an add after one round ### 1/5 — Horrible update *2026-07-28, version 4.5.28* Updated: came back around to see what changes have been made since my previous review a couple years ago. Sadly still a bland app and the removal of the long press is extremely disappointing. Have used this app for nearly a decade. Has always been a staple for me but wow this most recent update is horrible. Ads after ads after ads. Cannot start a single game without watching ads and having your screen filled with them as well. Not to mention the updates new ui now chugs and moves super slow. ### 1/5 — Long press gone *2026-07-10, version 4.5.28* Why would you remove features from the game? ### 1/5 — Locked up *2026-07-07, version 4.5.28* Covered my screen with an ad that locked up my iPad. Moving on. ### 1/5 — Ads *2026-07-06, version 4.5.28* Too tricky to dismiss. Dark Patterns ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Better than most *2026-08-12, version 4.5.28* I find I like the options and clarity on this game. At least the adds don’t come until you finish the game. ### 5/5 — GREAT GAME *2026-08-08, version 4.5.28* Played for years, always challenging andsatisfying ### 5/5 — I love this sudoku. *2026-08-06, version 4.5.28* This game actually allows you to play without a lot of noise and interruption. ### 5/5 — Great Game *2026-07-29, version 4.5.28* Middle of game hijacked interruptions. I understand this wonderful game must be paid for with commercials. I’m OK with that if the advertising will continue before and after each game. I will not play/endorse this game if the current policy continues. I have bought several products from the commercials. I have accumulated 2Kk+ points and really like this game. I will use another version of Sudoku if this continues. Today, 07.29.2026, my tablet recommended not clicking on popups here to stay safe. Maybe it’s my ISP? Best Regards, ZDaveC ### 5/5 — Great Game *2026-07-21, version 4.5.28* Middle of game hijacked interruptions. I understand this wonderful game must be paid for with commercials. I’m OK with that if the advertising will continue before and after each game. I will not play/endorse this game if the current policy continues. I have bought several products from the commercials. I have accumulated 2Kk+ points and really like this game. I will use the Newspaper version of Sudoku if this continues. Best Regards, Me ### 5/5 — Quit working *2026-06-26, version 4.5.22* I have been playing this game on my iPad for years. It suddenly won’t work. Redownloaded and still doesn’t load. ### 5/5 — 😀😝 *2026-05-25, version 4.5.22* Was very good ### 5/5 — Very fine sudoku *2026-05-16, version 4.5.22* This version has it all. It allows the player to make mistakes and “grades” him accordingly. After a period of learning, it improves the individual’s learning ability. Great version ### 5/5 — So good it helps your brain! *2026-04-17, version 4.5.22* 😁 ### 5/5 — Great app *2026-04-08, version 4.5.22* Works great. Love to play but hate the length of the commercials. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*