Eidos practices Zendoku

Sudoku to the death.

It's official--the world has been stricken with an epidemic of Sudoku fever. Eidos' prescription? More Sudoku!

The publisher has announced a Sudoku-based game for the PlayStation Portable and DS. Dubbed Zendoku, the game is scheduled to hit store shelves in North America in spring 2007.

Though most regard Sudoku as a diversion for solitary nerds, Zendoku is offering a slightly more combative experience than simply lining up numbers. In fact, screenshots indicate that numbers may not even be part of the equation, having been replaced by symbols.

Players choose characters and choose to attack or defend against a challenger, though Eidos does not go into detail on how this takes place. The game is set against Asian-influenced backdrops and has a "light-hearted martial arts" theme.

For those who would rather bury their noses in some solo Sudoku adventures, there are also several single-player variations.

Zendoku has not yet been rated or priced.