Kakuzu (2010)

Kakuzu lets you face other players on the same Sudoku grid. There is only one example of each number per line. per column and per square. At the start all the numbers are cleverly hidden with stones. Draw a number from the pouch to see which number you must find on the tray by removing one of the 81 stones. If you’re lucky, you can keep the stone and have another go. If you’re not, you give the stone to the next player and now it’s his turn to find the number. Try and collect the most stones by the end of the game.

Contents: a wooden tray with drawer, 91 stones including 10 numbered ones, a cloth bag, 20 double-sided printed grids and a set of game rules

Available in April 2010"

-- from the Gigamic website

There are 3 way of playing Kakuzu :

First : when it is a player’s turn, he takes a number from the pouch and removes a stone of his choice from the game tray.
- If the number revealed is the same as the one he picked, the player keeps the stone. Without putting the first number back into the pouch, the player picks another and has another turn. The player keeps the stone once again if the number he picked corresponds to the number on the tray. He continues playing until the number he reveals is different from the one he picked or until there are no more numbers left in the pouch;
- If the number he reveals is different, the player then gives the stone he just removed from the tray to the player on his left and puts all the numbers back into the pouch. It is now the next person’s turn to play.
- If a player draws a 0, he immediately misses a turn.

Second : When a player reveals the same number on the tray as the one drawn from the pouch, he keeps the stone and has another turn without picking another number from the pouch. He must try and find the same number again. When a player finds the same number for the ninth time on the tray, he lets the next player take over. The number in question is not put back into the pouch.

Third : it is also possible to play without drawing numbers from the pouch. The rules are the same; however you have to announce the number you are trying to find before picking up a stone. You may collect no more than 3 stones at a time before letting the next person play.