Puzzle games belong to a handful of video game genres that recognize the intelligence and logic of gamers. They come in a variety of formats ranging from simple 2D puzzle games to full 3D adventures in first-person or third-person view.
Puzzle games may not be the most appealing option for some, but they will always be played by gamers. There are few moments in life as satisfying as solving a difficult puzzle that previously kept the player stuck for days. Here’s a hand-picked list of some of the best puzzle games from the past two decades that are sure to give you the satisfying drive to solve something challenging.
This article reflects the personal opinion of the author.
10 timeless puzzle games that deserve a repeat
1) Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (2003)
- Available on: Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Windows, Xbox, GameCube
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time could easily go down in history as one of Ubisoft Studios’ best creations in the early 2000s. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is an action-adventure game set in a 3D platform environment, following the journey of a young prince in an unknown kingdom of ancient Persia.
It’s a dazzling adventure filled with dangerous traps like spikes and pits, as well as some of the most memorable puzzles in video game history. The story is told in extremely well presented cutscenes and in terms of movement, the sense of freedom that the title offers is unparalleled.
The prince can jump and climb walls, slide on ledges, move objects, lean forward on a pole and perform several other dynamic motion controls that make it an exciting 3D platform puzzle-solving adventure from Ubisoft.
2) The Portal Series (2007)
- Available on: Windows; Xbox 360; Playstation 3; OSX; linux; android; Nintendo Switch
At number two on the list is another new puzzle adventure in first-person view from the creators of Half-Life: The Portal Series. Portal 1 is a captivating story about people waking up after centuries of sleep.
Players will find themselves in a gigantic futuristic facility controlled by robots. With each new test room, the game becomes more difficult as the player progresses. There are plenty of portal puzzles to solve in this first-person adventure, and in the later stages everything the player has learned will be put to the test.
3) World of Goo (2008)
- Available on: Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Wii, Classic Mac OS
The World of Goo is an award-winning puzzle game with touch-sensitive gameplay elements that are easily accessible on both Steam and Android devices. Players have to control small sticky balls called Goo to create stable bridges on each level full of dangers to take as much Goo as possible to the next level.
The World of Goo is divided into four chapters and players must progress slowly through each level within the chapters to win the game. It’s a fun, easy-to-play game that you can play on the go.
4) Braid (2008)
- Available on: PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows, Linux, Xbox 360, Classic Mac OS
Braid, created by Hothead Games, is an aesthetically pleasing 2D platform game that offers some unusual puzzles to solve. The game follows the story of the protagonist Tim on a mission to save his princess from an evil monster. In terms of powers, Tim has the supernatural ability to rewind and fast forward time, and players must use it to fend off enemies.
Braid’s visual appeal sets the game apart from any other 2D platform puzzle game. Each level of Braid is hand drawn by artists, and the canvas art exudes a sense of calm when someone plays the game.
5) Limbo (2010)
- Available on: Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, Android, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360
Limbo is a platform puzzle game set in a beautifully designed, creepy and dark environment. The players control a boy who is lost in a deep, dark forest. The game can be divided into two equally tempting halves. While the first few chapters feature intense battles with monsters lurking deep in the forest, the second half introduces some intricate mechanical puzzles to solve.
6) Badland 2 (2015)
- Available on: Android and iOS
Badland 2, developed by Frogmind Games, is a fairly easy-to-play touch-based puzzle game that manages to provide a meditative and calming in-game atmosphere. Like the World of Goo, Badland 2 players are tasked with leveling up as many small black creatures as possible.
A rather addictive game, players have to guide the little dark creatures to dodge all the dangerous obstacles from one level to another in chapters spanning Dawn, Noon, Dusk and Night.
7) The Last Guard (2016)
- Available on: Playstation 5
The Last Guardian is a thrilling puzzle-solving action-adventure game set in a beautiful tropical paradise full of ancient ruins and lore. In the game, players take on the role of two interchangeable characters: a lost child and his newly made friend, a half-mammal-half-bird entity named Trico.
It’s a fun, action-packed puzzle game that requires players to use both characters cleverly to progress through the storyline. While the small child is good at crawling under small crevices to unlock certain levers and doorways, his guardian, Trico, is the ideal choice for killing enemies along the way as the lost child tries to reunite with his family.
8) The Witness (2016)
- Available on: PlayStation 4, Android, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, macOS, iOS, Nvidia Shield TV, classic Mac OS
The Witness is a challenging single-player open-world puzzle game in which players get lost in a chain of tropical islands. The entire island is divided into eleven regions, and it’s up to the player to navigate them all by drawing a path that connects the start to the end.
This particular puzzle game contains many maze-like structures to overcome. While many of them are easy to navigate, The Witness offers some of the hardest-to-solve mazes found in any other open-world puzzle adventure.
9) Baba is you (2019)
- Available on: Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Macintosh OS, Classic Mac OS
Baba is You is a critically acclaimed, award-winning indie puzzle game developed by individual Finnish developer Arvi Teikari. It is a simple yet memorable puzzle with moving objects, where the rules can be changed at each new level. Players gain control over the character Baba whose goal is to reach the goal.
It’s a challenging game about bending the rules, experimenting and somehow reaching the goal. In addition, the degree of freedom that players get to solve the puzzles is diverse.
The game offers a whole host of movement options and the ability to rewind time. Considered one of the hardest puzzle games ever made, nothing feels better than coming back to an unsolved puzzle and solving it after setting it aside for a few days.
10) TOHU (2021)
- Available on: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Google Stadia, Macintosh operating systems
Released in January 2021, TOHU is a brand new indie puzzle game set in a unique world of fish planets. Players take on the role of a girl who wanders with her alter ego Cubus through the world of giant fish the size of a planet.
In addition to some complex puzzles to solve, TOHU delivers a breathtakingly beautiful open world with richly detailed illustrations. Each fishing planet in the game is brought to life by well-crafted characters and interesting collectibles scattered across the map. The title also features several relaxing soundtracks, making TOHU the ideal puzzle game to immerse yourself in this fall.
Available soon!
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