5 Reasons to Pick up Sudoku Today

Modern games are lots of fun, but that doesn't mean the classics have nothing left to offer. Created in the 1970s, Sudoku is now one of the most famous puzzle games in the world, and it can still be a lot of fun once you get past its initial learning curve. And as is the case with many complex games, playing Sudoku can help you learn valuable skills and benefit your brain health as you get older.

Here are some of the best reasons to give Sudoku a try.

1 - Exercise your brain

It's an open question whether playing Sudoku can make you smarter. But puzzle games in general have been shown to help prevent cognitive decline, especially in senior citizens, so making Sudoku a daily habit is not a bad idea if you want to keep your brain healthy.

2 - Get better at learning

One of the perks of playing a classic game is that there is plenty of related learning material available. Several books have been written about Sudoku, covering both how to play it and on how to design interesting puzzles within the game. This gives you plenty of material to research if you decide to go down the rabbit hole and become a Sudoku master.

And there is a huge gap between beginners and masters. The rules and principles of Sudoku can be combined to allow for an almost absurd level of deduction and detective work on the part of the player. Once you get in the zone, you'll be shocked at how hard this game about numbers in boxes is to put down.

On top of that, the study skills you build up by learning Sudoku will come in handy when dealing with real world academic challenges. The effort that goes into solving Sudoku practice sheets isn't that different from the effort that goes into solving GAMSAT practice questions, for example. Especially now that the latter can be done online, as this link shows.

3 - It's a classic

Sudoku is among the few pen and paper puzzle games that remained popular after gaming went digital, and for good reason. The game's abstract nature combined with deceptively simple rules makes it feel timeless. Just like chess and Tetris, playing Sudoku can make you feel like this game has always been here, and always will be.

4 - It's easy to learn

Despite it hiding a great amount of complexity, there isn't much a beginner needs to learn in order to start playing Sudoku. Just read one guide on how to play sudoku and you'll be ready to get started. You'll be able to puzzle together many of the game's principles on your own as you complete different charts. Just make sure you play a version of Sudoku that splits charts by difficulty, so you can train with the easy ones first.

5 - It can be played anywhere

Don't want to carry around a Sudoku book everywhere? That's fine. The simplicity of Sudoku means that even an old toaster can play it. There were versions of the game built on Java that could run on old flip phones. And of course, your phone, computer, and potentially even your smartwatch won't have any trouble running it either. On your phone, you can play Sudoku through an app, or play it through your browser.

It all makes it easier for you to play Sudoku whenever and wherever you are. And if you find yourself in a situation where using a device is impolite, that's no problem either. Just buy a book of Sudoku charts and fill them up during boring classes or while waiting for a job interview. You'll be able to keep your eyes off your phone and look smart while doing it.