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TAKE A RIDE ON any peak-hour train and you'll probably see several commuters in your carriage poring over the puzzle section of the paper with rubber-tipped pencil in hand, or hunched over a pocket-sized electronic game with a number-filled grid on the screen. Welcome to the world of the Sudoku addict... and there's plenty of 'em out there!

While it has been around since the late '70s and a popular fixture in Japanese newspapers since the '80s, Sudoku has only recently achieved "global phenomenon" status. As evidenced by the many books, calendars and board games available, Sudoku has caught on in a big way, and now it has made the natural progression to handheld format, with Sony's Go! Sudoku.

The game is simple to learn but depending on the level of complexity, the puzzles can be fiendishly difficult to complete. Basically, on a 9 x 9 square grid you must arrange the numbers 1-9 across every row, down every column, and within every 3 x 3 'box' within the grid, using each number only once. Before electronic versions came about, it was not uncommon to wear holes in one's newspaper due to erasing incorrect numbers!

Go! Sudoku features four levels of difficulty and the added attraction of multiplayer options. No more boring black 'n' white backgrounds either; Developers Sumo have added panache to the game in the form of animated background themes, sound effects and even music.

Beginners needn't fear - there's an on-board tutorial to get you started, as well as an innovative help system for those who really need some extra guidance. Most people - even young children - pick up the rules very quickly; the most difficult aspect of Go! Sudoku is having to pack it away.

Go! Sudoku would make an excellent stocking filler for puzzle lovers of all ages.