If you enjoy Sudoku, the best next game usually has the same core appeal: simple rules, no-guessing deductions, a grid you can scan, and a steady feeling that one small placement unlocks the next.
This roundup keeps every entry short. It is built for browsing: find games like Sudoku by puzzle family, open the ones we have playable, and use the short summaries to decide what to try next.
The article uses the exact search phrase and related terms such as Sudoku alternatives, Sudoku variants and logic puzzle games.
The list covers close number puzzles, Sudoku variants, visual logic puzzles, loop puzzles and placement puzzles.
Linked titles open the matching Logic Puzzles Online game page in the current language.
Best games like Sudoku
The linked titles are playable on this site. Unlinked titles are included because they are useful Sudoku alternatives or well-known Sudoku variants.
Closest number games like Sudoku
These are the closest games like Sudoku for players who want number placement, candidate-style scanning and a familiar grid-based solving rhythm. This group targets Sudoku alternatives such as Kakuro, Futoshiki, KenKen and Killer Sudoku: puzzles that feel nearby without simply being standard 9x9 Sudoku.
Killer Sudoku
Solve Sudoku with cage totals, using arithmetic clues as well as row and column logic.
Play onlineKakuro
Fill crossing runs with digits that add to each clue total without repeating inside a run.
Play onlineFutoshiki
Place numbers while obeying greater-than and less-than signs between neighbouring cells.
Play onlineKenKen
Use arithmetic cage clues to decide which numbers can fit in each row, column and region.
Play onlineCalcudoku
Combine Latin-square no-repeat logic with cages that use arithmetic operations and target values.
No game yetSuko
Place a small set of digits so the marked circles and squares reach their target totals.
Play onlineSuguru
Fill irregular regions with digits while keeping matching numbers apart, including diagonally.
Play onlineSkyscrapers
Arrange building heights so the side clues show how many towers are visible.
Play onlineStr8ts
Place digits in straight consecutive runs while using row and column restrictions.
No game yetBinary Puzzle
Fill cells with two symbols while balancing each row and column and avoiding long repeats.
Play onlineThermometers
Fill digits so values rise along each thermometer while the grid rules still hold.
Play onlineHidato
Create a chain of consecutive numbers, usually with every next number touching the previous one.
Play onlineSudoku variants
Sudoku variants are the most direct answer when someone wants more Sudoku rather than a completely different puzzle. These games keep the core no-repeat grid but add cages, diagonals, arrows, irregular regions, extra grids or other constraints that make each variant feel fresh.
Jigsaw Sudoku / Irregular Sudoku
Use irregularly shaped regions instead of standard 3x3 boxes while keeping Sudoku row and column logic.
No game yetSamurai Sudoku
Solve five overlapping Sudoku grids where shared regions force deductions across the whole layout.
No game yetX Sudoku / Diagonal Sudoku
Add the two main diagonals as extra no-repeat lines, giving the puzzle more long-range constraints.
No game yetHyper Sudoku
Solve Sudoku with extra highlighted 3x3 regions that must also contain each digit once.
No game yetMini Sudoku
Play a smaller Sudoku grid with shorter rows and regions, useful for quick practice or beginners.
No game yetWordoku
Replace digits with letters or symbols while preserving the same no-repeat Sudoku structure.
No game yetArrow Sudoku
Use arrow sums to restrict which digits can sit on each marked line and circle.
No game yetSandwich Sudoku
Read outside clues showing the sum of digits placed between 1 and 9 in each row or column.
No game yetKropki Sudoku
Use black and white dots between cells to track double, half and consecutive number relationships.
No game yetThermo Sudoku
Place digits so every thermometer rises from bulb to tip while still satisfying Sudoku rules.
No game yetGreater Than Sudoku
Follow inequality signs between neighbouring cells to narrow the possible Sudoku digits.
No game yetConsecutive Sudoku
Use markers or rules about neighbouring consecutive digits to shape each Sudoku placement.
No game yetXV Sudoku
Use X and V edge clues to mark neighbouring pairs that sum to 10 or 5.
No game yetEven-Odd Sudoku
Use shaded or marked cells to separate even and odd digits before finishing the Sudoku grid.
No game yetAnti-Knight Sudoku
Forbid matching digits a chess knight's move apart, adding spatial restrictions to Sudoku.
No game yetAnti-King Sudoku
Forbid matching digits in diagonally touching cells, making local Sudoku placements tighter.
No game yetLittle Killer Sudoku
Use diagonal outside sums that point into the grid and constrain long digit runs.
No game yetPalindrome Sudoku
Treat marked lines as palindromes, so matching positions along each line must contain equal digits.
No game yetOutside Sudoku
Use outside clues to show which digits appear first from each edge of the grid.
No game yetVisual grid logic games like Sudoku
Visual grid logic games like Sudoku keep the same no-guessing deduction but replace digit placement with shading, painting, lighting, regions or hidden pictures. This section is for solvers searching for visual Sudoku alternatives, picture logic puzzles, Nonogram-style games and grid puzzles that feel logical without being number-first.
Nonogram / Picross
Use row and column clues to paint cells and reveal a hidden pixel picture.
Play onlineHitori
Shade repeated numbers until every row and column has no duplicate visible values.
Play onlineNurikabe
Separate white islands with a connected wall while matching each numbered region clue.
Play onlineKuromasu
Shade cells so numbered squares can see exactly the required number of white cells.
Play onlineAkari
Place lights so every open cell is illuminated and numbered walls get the right count.
Play onlineTapa
Use numbered clues to decide which surrounding cells must be shaded or left open.
Play onlineNorinori
Shade domino-like pairs inside regions while preventing oversized shaded groups.
Play onlineLITS
Shade tetromino shapes in regions while keeping the shaded area connected.
Play onlineFillomino
Divide the grid into numbered areas whose size matches the number inside them.
Play onlineMosaic
Paint cells around each clue so the local count matches the number shown.
Play onlineYin-Yang
Colour cells into two connected groups while avoiding forbidden 2x2 blocks.
Play onlineHeyawake
Shade cells inside rooms while respecting room boundaries, adjacency rules and row or column limits.
Play onlineCave / Bag
Draw or shade the boundary of one connected cave using clues about visible open cells.
No game yetShakashaka
Place black triangles around clues to form clean white rectangles in the grid.
No game yetNurimisaki
Shade cells while using numbered cape clues to control straight white corridors.
No game yetLine, loop and connection puzzles
Line, loop and connection puzzles are good next steps when you enjoy Sudoku-style deduction but want the answer to be a path, loop, bridge network or set of linked endpoints. They cover route puzzles, loop puzzles and connection grid games that reward the same careful elimination Sudoku players already use.
Slitherlink
Draw one loop around cell edges so each clue sees the correct number of used edges.
Play onlineMasyu
Draw a single loop through pearl clues, following turn and straight-line rules.
Play onlineYajilin
Draw a loop while using arrow clues and shaded blocks to control its route.
Play onlineNumberlink
Connect matching numbers or symbols with paths that do not cross or share cells.
Play onlineHashi
Connect numbered islands with horizontal and vertical bridges until one network is formed.
Play onlineGalaxies / Tentai Show
Divide the grid into rotationally symmetric areas centred on the marked dots.
Play onlineCountry Road
Draw one loop through regions, using clues to decide how the road enters and leaves each area.
No game yetArukone
Connect matching endpoints with paths that cover the grid without crossing.
No game yetPlacement and region puzzles
Placement and region puzzles are Sudoku-like logic games where the main decision is where objects, shapes, regions or ships can legally go. They are useful alternatives for people searching for constraint puzzles like Sudoku, spatial logic games, region-based puzzles and object-placement grid games.
Tents and Trees
Place tents beside trees while keeping tents apart and matching row and column counts.
Play onlineStar Battle
Place stars so every row, column and region has the required count without touching stars.
Play onlineQueens
Place queens or crowns so rows, columns and regions are satisfied without attacks.
Play onlineShikaku
Split the grid into rectangles, each containing one clue that gives its area.
Play onlineBattleship
Hide a fleet in the grid using row and column counts and non-touching ship rules.
Play onlineRipple Effect / Hakyuu
Fill each room with numbers while keeping equal numbers separated by distance rules.
No game yetTatamibari
Divide the grid into rectangles using clues that describe how each rectangle touches others.
No game yetMinesweeper
Use nearby number clues to locate hidden mines while marking every safe cell.
No game yetLatin Squares
Fill a grid so each symbol appears once in every row and column, without Sudoku boxes.
No game yetSudoku variants to try
If you want something that still feels like Sudoku, start with the variant group. If you want a bigger change, try Kakuro, Futoshiki, KenKen, Nonogram, Akari, Slitherlink or Star Battle.
How to choose a Sudoku alternative
For the closest feel, pick Killer Sudoku, Kakuro, Futoshiki, KenKen, Calcudoku, Suguru or Skyscrapers. They all reward the same kind of scanning, candidate trimming and small logical steps that Sudoku players already know.
For a visual change, choose Nonogram, Nurikabe, Akari, Shikaku, Tents and Trees or Star Battle. They are still logic puzzles, but they replace rows and boxes with pictures, regions, objects, paths or shaded cells.
Closest to Sudoku: Killer Sudoku, Futoshiki, KenKen, Suguru and Jigsaw Sudoku.
Best for arithmetic: Kakuro, Killer Sudoku, KenKen and Calcudoku.
Best visual alternatives: Nonogram, Akari, Nurikabe, Shikaku and Mosaic.
Best for path logic: Slitherlink, Masyu, Hashi, Numberlink and Yajilin.
Play games like Sudoku online
Every linked puzzle in this article goes to a playable page on Logic Puzzles Online. The unlinked puzzles are here for completeness, so the roundup works as a broad reference as well as a play list.
No image is required for this article. The existing card layout and internal links do the useful work; a custom hero or social sharing image could be added later if you want one.
Games Like Sudoku FAQ
What is the closest game to Sudoku?
Killer Sudoku, Jigsaw Sudoku, Futoshiki, KenKen and Suguru are among the closest because they keep number placement, no-repeat logic or familiar grid scanning.
What should I play after Sudoku?
Try Killer Sudoku if you want a small twist, Kakuro if you like sums, Futoshiki if you like inequalities, or Nonogram if you want a visual logic puzzle.
Are Kakuro and KenKen games like Sudoku?
Yes. They are not Sudoku variants, but they appeal to many Sudoku players because they use digits, constraints and step-by-step deduction.
Which Sudoku alternatives can I play here?
Playable options here include Killer Sudoku, Kakuro, Futoshiki, KenKen, Suko, Suguru, Skyscrapers, Nonogram, Akari, Star Battle and many more linked entries in the list.