Games are meant to be fun. That said, there’s no reason why games can’t also serve up a little bit of knowledge and train your brain. Puzzle games are perfect for this as they require you to think more than you might have to for other game types. Whether you enjoy the insanely complex puzzlers or those of a much more simple background, solving puzzles has the potential to keep you entertained for hours, and they can be picked up and played for just a few minutes making them great for those in between moments. Here’s a list of ten puzzles games, both new and not so new, that are worth checking out.
Bondo
Kicking things off is a newer game called Bondo. The idea is to take the blocks that you’re given at the bottom of the screen and place them on the board in the best possible spot, with the goal of merging similar tiles to raise your score.
Lara Croft GO
This one likely needs no introduction as it’s been around for more than a few months, but Lara Croft GO is still one of the best puzzle games out there. You’re tasked with solving puzzles to explore further into the ruins while avoiding traps, finding artifacts, and unlocking new costumes all while staring at some amazing visuals.
Pull My Tongue
Like the name suggests, this game is all about pulling Greg’s tongue. Greg is the chameleon, and he’s hungry. Your goal is to pull on his tongue and weave it in and out of connecting points to reach the piece of popcorn on screen. It seems simple at first, but it’s bound to get more challenging with more obstacles in your way as you progress.
Best Friends – Puzzle Adventure
Although this is also another not so new puzzle title here, it’s one that deserves to be on the list as it commands a massive following all while keeping a high rating. In short, it’s fun and people love it. It’s a match3 puzzle title at the core laced with RPG elements to give it more of that adventurous feel.
Ghosts of Memories
If you enjoyed puzzle titles like Monument Valley then Ghosts of Memories is another game you should look into. It’s filled with colorful backdrops and challenging puzzles that will have you scratching your head from time to time. You’ll need to navigate your way around mysterious worlds and complete quests to reach the endpoint of each level, but your path will not always be clear.
Imago – Puzzle Game
Fancy yourself a master of matching things? Then challenge yourself with Imago. The game board is a grid filled with blocks and tiles of various sizes and shapes, each with a number, and the idea is to match tiles that are the same size and shape which will merge the tiles and the score. Once tiles get too big they split into smaller tiles again but will each now have the score of the larger merged tile, which raises your overall high score for the game.
Twofold inc.
In twofold inc. you’re provided with a game board that has plenty of colorful tiles on it. Your job is to unravel these tiles and figure out a way to create a path through them to reach the destination on the board. If the game proves to be too simple for you at first, there’s a Master mode which could be more challenging.
Please, Don’t Touch Anything
This is likely about as challenging as it gets with a puzzle title. Please, Don’t Touch Anything has you solving mind-bending instances which occur after you push a little red button that you’ve been instructed not to touch under any circumstances. With basically no instruction on what to do, this is a series of mysteries that’s sure to keep you thinking.
Zenge
Mixing together challenging puzzles and a story that’s told through visual and audio, Zenge will take you on a journey with a character named eon. To unlock the next part of the story and continue on eon’s adventure, you’ll have to put together the next image by matching up pieces in the right spots.
UNCHARTED: Fortune Hunter
Rounding out this list is a game based on none other than PlayStation’s popular Uncharted franchise. Taking up the role as Nathan Drake, you’ll be solving the puzzle in each level that results in you reaching a piece of treasure so you can collect it. Various traps stand in your way, and as you progress you can unlock and collect items that either help you in some way or change your visual appearance. There’s loads of puzzles, great graphics, and tons of fun here, and it’s free.