known in North America as ''Number Battle'', is a

puzzle A puzzle is a game, Problem solving, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together (Disentanglement puzzle, or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at th ...

strategy Strategy (from Greek στρατηγία ''stratēgia'', "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship") is a general plan to achieve one or more long-term or overall goals under conditions of uncertainty. In the sense of the "art ...

video game Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...

developed by

Mitchell Corporation Mitchell Corporation (株式会社ミッチェル) was a Japanese video game developer based in the Suginami ward of Tokyo. Roy Ozaki served as president, and Koichi Niida served as vice-president. Some employees were former Capcom and TAD Corpora ...

for the

Nintendo DS The is a handheld game console produced by Nintendo, released globally across 2004 and 2005. The DS, an initialism for "Developers' System" or "Dual Screen", introduced distinctive new features to handheld games: two LCD screens working in tan ...

handheld A mobile device (or handheld computer) is a computer small enough to hold and operate in the hand. Mobile devices typically have a flat LCD or OLED screen, a touchscreen interface, and digital or physical buttons. They may also have a physical ...

video game console A video game console is an electronic device that Input/output, outputs a video signal or image to display a video game that can be played with a game controller. These may be home video game console, home consoles, which are generally placed i ...

. By the end of 2007, ''Sujin Taisen'' sold 21,996 copies. It was later announced to be coming to the

Nintendo DSi The is a dual-screen handheld game console released by Nintendo. The console launched in Japan on November 1, 2008, and worldwide beginning in April 2009. It is the third iteration of the Nintendo DS, and its primary market rival is Sony In ...

DSiWare This is a list of games and applications, collectively known as DSiWare, for the Nintendo DSi handheld game console, available for download via the DSi Shop and unplayable on earlier DS models. An update released for the Nintendo 3DS in June 2011 ...

digital distribution service on January 26, 2009 under the title . It was released two days later.

Gameplay

''Sujin Taisen'' plays similarly to a game of dominoes, and is controlled with the

touchscreen A touchscreen or touch screen is the assembly of both an input ('touch panel') and output ('display') device. The touch panel is normally layered on the top of an electronic visual display of an information processing system. The display is often ...

. In each round, the player places a tile on the game board which ranges from 1.5, also featuring paths on them. The object of the game is to place the tiles on the board so that the paths join and the numbers create sequences, which are called "hands". A path on a tile can either be one-way, meaning it emerges from the center number at one side of the piece; two-way, meaning it runs through the tile, either straight through or turning in the middle; three-way, in the shape of a "T"; or four-way, in the shape of a cross. There are four kinds of hands the player can make, two for number sequences and two for path sequences. The number sequences include Sequence Join, which is done by joining the paths of adjacent pieces so that the numbers run in order, and Same Number Join, which is done by joining the path of adjacent numbers with the same number. The path sequences include Enclosure Join, which is done by joining the path of adjacent pieces to create a loop, and Complete Join, which is done by joining paths so that both ends are ended with a one-way path. ''Sujin Taisen'' features online play through the

Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (WFC) was an online multiplayer gaming service run by Nintendo to provide free online play in compatible Nintendo DS and Wii games. The service included the company's Wii Shop Channel and DSi Shop game download ...

between two and four players, as well as a Vs. Computer mode. Advanced play strategy revolves around laying the tiles in clever ways so as to score multiple hands with a tile, as well as blocking the opponent from doing the same with items and one's own tiles.

Development

''Sujin Taisen'' was released on June 7, 2007 for the

. It was developed by

Mitchell Mitchell may refer to: People *Mitchell (surname) *Mitchell (given name) Places Australia * Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, a light-industrial estate * Mitchell, New South Wales, a suburb of Bathurst * Mitchell, Northern Territo ...

and published by

Nintendo is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational video game company headquartered in Kyoto, Japan. It develops video games and video game consoles. Nintendo was founded in 1889 as by craftsman Fusajiro Yamauchi and originally produce ...

. A

version of it was announced on January 26, 2009 under the title ''Chotto Sujin Taisen'', and was released two days later.

DSiWare version

''Sujin Taisen'' was re-released as ''Sujin Taisen Number Battles'' for the

on January 28, 2009. It retains the Story, Puzzle and Online Multi-player (

) modes found in the Nintendo DS release, but loses the Local Multi-Player and DS Download Play modes. The DSiWare version was later released in Europe and North America.

Reception

''Sujin Taisen'' was the 471st best-selling video game of 2007, selling 21,996 copies. Four reviewers for

Famitsu formerly ''Famicom Tsūshin'', is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly formats as well as in the fo ...

gave ''Sujin Taisen'' straight 7s, for a total score of 28/40. In their second set of impressions for the DSiWare games,

IGN ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...

commented that while the gameplay was difficult at first, after they learned the ins and outs of it by trial and error, they found it fun and very addictive. They also praised it for its visuals and sound. IGN called the DSiWare version another great "mini" version of a Nintendo DS game, commenting that they came into this title totally fresh, not knowing the game at all, how to navigate the menus, how to play the game at all, or a lick of Japanese. Despite this, they said that they would recommend even non-Japanese players to download this game. IGN also commented that players should buy the game if they can get over suffering through some menus and an all-Japanese tutorial, adding that it is a great download for its price.

Legacy

The old master character, Hsien, would be featured as one of the spirits in ''

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate'' is a 2018 crossover fighting video game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the '' Super Smash Bros.'' series, succeed ...

''.

Notes

References

External links

Official Japanese website for ''Chotto Sujin Taisen''
* ttps://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/YSiiya_yBEFOdBQ1gR0frPTRVVBZs9Bq Official American website for ''Number Battle'' *{{webarchive , url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301182518/http://home.netvigator.com/~tarot/Games/Suujin00.html , date=March 1, 2012 , title=''Sujin Taisen'' fan webpage by Alan Kwan 2007 video games Nintendo DS games Nintendo DS-only games Nintendo games DSiWare games Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection games Puzzle video games Strategy video games Video games developed in Japan