Ready to challenge your mind and ignite your curiosity? Dive into the best puzzle games of 2025, where every level is a fresh brain teaser, blending creativity, strategy, and immersive storytelling. From solo archaeological adventures and mind-bending digital puzzles to hybrid physical-digital experiences with AR, these top picks promise hours of “aha!” moments and mental thrills you won’t want to miss.
For me, it started with games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, in which dungeons contained numerous mysteries that pushed me to consider, and then reconsider, how I used Link’s vast arsenal of tools to accomplish a task like, say, opening a secret door to a room. And while several adventure games make problem-solving a key aspect of exploring, just plain old puzzles also have played a large role in the history of video games.
It could be the picture book-esque stylings of point-and-click games like Goragoa or the mind-bending worlds of Cocoon, developers continue to shower fans of games with all kinds of brainteasers. Even in the past two years, I’ve seen word games – still puzzles! – take on a new level of widespread popularity through the breakout success of games like the New York Times’ Wordle and now Connections.
There are truly too many puzzle games to choose from. If we really wanted to get philosophical, we could extend this designation to the vast majority of games. So we here at AELGAMES decided to start by writing up some of our personal favorite puzzle games. From classic match games like Puyo Puyo to the deviously clever visual puns of Baba Is You, here are AELGAMES’s favorite puzzle games. –Ana Diaz
Our latest updated added Arranger.
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure is a unique puzzle game that blends exploration, combat, and narrative on an interconnected grid where moving the protagonist, Jemma, shifts the entire world around her. This innovative sliding mechanic creates a playful yet challenging experience as players solve puzzles by manipulating rows and columns to overcome obstacles and defeat enemies. Beyond its clever gameplay, the game tells a heartfelt story of self-discovery as Jemma ventures beyond her small town to disrupt a culture of stagnation. With its charming art, thoughtful design, and a variety of puzzle challenges, Arranger offers a refreshing and engaging adventure for puzzle fans seeking both brain-teasing fun and a meaningful journey.
Where to play: Android, iOS, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure is one of those puzzle games that changes the way you think about all puzzle games – rather than simply shuffling around the grid, you can also loop yourself around to the other side of each row and column, forcing you to get accustomed to a brand new mechanic from the jump. Your movements also impact static items and non-player characters, including the enemies you destroy by configuring weapons to push into them with your next move.
Add the impeccable and appropriately percussive soundtrack by Argentinian composer Tomás Batista and the compelling story told in stunning comic-book-like illustrations and you have one of our favorite puzzle games of 2024 so far. Best of all, the levels are a mix of challenging, rewarding, and relaxing – you can always skip a level if you’re too stuck – making even a few minutes of Arranger between meetings rewarding. -Zoë Hannah
Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure
$18$2010% off $18 $20 at Steam$18 at Nintendo
Baba Is You
“Baba Is You” is a brilliantly inventive puzzle game that challenges players to manipulate the very rules of the game world to solve puzzles. By pushing word blocks around, you can change how objects behave, creating unique and mind-bending solutions. Its minimalist design and clever mechanics make it a must-play for anyone who loves thinking outside the box and experiencing fresh, creative gameplay.
Where to play: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
Baba Is You is a word game and an environmental puzzle game, but not in the way that either of those genre terms typically get used.
In this game, the words you select change the environment around you and the entire conditions of the game itself – almost like you’re the level designer. The top-down, 2D game starts simply enough, giving you rules in the form of text on the screen like “Baba is you” (you control a little sprite named Baba), “rock is push” (if you run up against a rock, it’ll move), and “flag is win” (touch the flag to complete the level). But each of those pieces of text can be moved around on screen to spell out different commands, thereby changing the entire world. Pushing these pieces of text to instead make them say “rock is you” turns the rock into a playable character, while Baba simply stands there motionless.
That might not sound too complicated, until the game introduces a ton more objects and actions, thereby allowing you to feel like even more of a galaxy-brained genius upon figuring out how to reorder them in your favor. Like the best puzzle games, Baba Is You will make you feel both smart and stupid constantly – but mostly smart, because you’ll be training your brain to think in ways that are entirely new. –Maddy Myers
Baba is You
$7 $7 $15 at Steam$15 at Nintendo$7 at Google Play
The Case of the Golden Idol
The Case of the Golden Idol is a captivating detective puzzle game that immerses players in a series of eleven frozen moments in 18th-century history, each centered around mysterious deaths. Players explore detailed scenes in a point-and-click style to gather clues-names, objects, and actions-which they then use in a unique “Thinking” mode to piece together the narrative by filling in missing information. The game strikes a perfect balance between challenge and accessibility, offering subtle guidance without hand-holding, making the process of deduction deeply satisfying. Praised for its intricate storytelling and innovative gameplay reminiscent of Return of the Obra Dinn, it delivers an engrossing experience for puzzle enthusiasts and aspiring detectives alike.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
Much like Return of the Obra Dinn (more on that in a sec), the real work of playing The Case of the Golden Idol doesn’t involve anything you do on screen – it happens in your head as you sort through the clues the game has provided.
In this game, it’s not just one event that you need to unravel, but a whole series of mysterious and fantastical murders to solve, one by one. The killings take place over the course of several years, each of them related in some way to a magical object with extraordinary and lethal powers (the titular Golden Idol). Like Obra Dinn, all you get are glimpses of each murder, but not a whole cutscene – just an unsettling, looping animation of the victim’s final moments. As the omnipresent investigator, you can sort through the character’s pockets and explore the victim’s surroundings, which will allow you to put together clues and make an accusation – in the form of a written logbook that has predetermined phrases for you to select.
In that way, Golden Idol involves some process of elimination, since there are only ever so many words that you can put into your logbook to describe the murder’s events, but those words might not make any sense to you until you’ve fully processed the scene and the clues. Again, this is a game that unfolds in your head and not on screen – because once you know whodunit, selecting the words that describe the solution is a total breeze. This is a game that will have you wishing you could erase your memory and play it again. Luckily, there’s some fantastic DLC for it and a sequel on the way. –MM
The Case of the Golden Idol
$12$1833% off $12 $12 at Steam$18 at Nintendo
Cocoon
Cocoon is a captivating puzzle-adventure game developed by Geometric Interactive and published by Annapurna Interactive, featuring a unique mechanic where the player controls an insectoid creature that can carry and leap between multiple orb-contained worlds. Each orb represents a distinct world with its own puzzles and abilities, which players must manipulate to progress through interconnected environments and face challenging boss fights. The game is praised for its minimalist controls, immersive atmosphere, and innovative puzzle design that encourages experimentation and patience, delivering a thoughtful and visually stunning experience reminiscent of the creators’ previous works like Limbo and Inside. Cocoon offers about five hours of engaging gameplay across platforms including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and is available on Xbox Game Pass.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
It’s difficult to communicate the terms of a puzzle without using a single line of dialogue or piece of text, yet that’s precisely what Cocoon does throughout its short (four-to-five-hour) but monumentally impressive run time. You play as a cute little bug exploring a series of strange sci-fi worlds using mysterious, glowing orbs to transport yourself to and fro. Environmental hazards abound, but the path beyond each of them always turns out to be head-slappingly simple, requiring you to just look at the minimal tools at your disposal and using them to your advantage. The pulsing synth soundtrack will accelerate in a hopeful direction whenever you get closer to solving a puzzle, which helps. The only frustrating part is that Cocoon still has boss battles in between its oodles of environmental puzzles, and these are fine but not nearly as fun as, well, the puzzles. That’s why you’re here, after all. –MM
Cocoon
$25 $25 $25 at Nintendo$25 at Steam$25 at PlayStation
Connections
Connections offers a refreshing twist on traditional word puzzles by presenting players with a four-by-four grid of words, challenging them to identify four distinct groups of connected words based on themes, rhymes, or shared prefixes and suffixes. This game stands out for its clever difficulty balance, with some groups being straightforward and others requiring deeper insight, making it both accessible and engaging. Its design encourages lateral thinking and pattern recognition, providing a satisfying mental workout that keeps players coming back daily for new challenges. Connections exemplifies the evolving puzzle genre by blending simplicity with intellectual depth, making it a must-try for puzzle enthusiasts looking for a fresh and rewarding experience.
Where to play: NY Times Games
Sometimes you want a gorgeously rendered puzzle game that you can sink hours into on your PC or your console. And other times, you want “grid on phone.”
“Grid on phone” is having a moment in the puzzle genre – trivia games like the Immaculate Grid or Vulture’s Cinematrix have captured the hearts of nerds of all stripes. But for my money [Ed. note: Those games are all free] the New York Times’ daily Connections is the most complete and satisfying version of “grid on phone.”
Each day, players are presented with a four-by-four grid of words. The goal is to find four groups of four connected words: Maybe they rhyme, or have to do with a connected topic, or can all use the same prefix or suffix. Some are harder than others – in each set of four groups, typically two are pretty easy and two are pretty difficult – and Connections editor Wyna Liu is quite skilled at tricking you into thinking you’ve found a group where one doesn’t exist. That level of difficulty is what makes Connections challenging and fun, and when you manage to guess the most difficult group of the day first, it’s a great feeling. –Pete Volk
Grindstone
Grindstone, developed by Capybara Games, is a vibrant and addictive puzzle game where players take on the role of an ogre-like miner who slays monsters by connecting chains of creatures of the same color. The gameplay revolves around charting paths through groups of monsters to collect grindstones, with longer chains rewarding players with special grindstones that enable continued chain attacks on different colors. Featuring colorful, cartoony art and quirky character design, Grindstone combines simple mechanics with challenging strategy, making it a perfect pick for quick, engaging sessions on platforms like iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and PC.
Where to play: iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One
Capybara Games’ Grindstone is one of my go-to games if I’m just traveling with my iPad. You play as an ogre-like miner who slays monsters and collects items called grindstones. To collect these stones and complete each level, you’ll chart a path through a corral of monsters by connecting creatures of the same color. If you slay more than 10 monsters in one turn, you’ll be rewarded with a shiny grindstone that allows you to continue your chain attack with a differently colored monster.
Grindstone is polished down to the most minute details. The developers honed in on a strong sense of style that leans into colorful, cartoony art and quirky character design. Even small actions, like slicing through monsters, feels oh-so satisfying as your little ogre grunts and rips through all the little creeps.
I also personally like that you can play through the campaign and upgrade your character. So while it’s a puzzle game, the game does have a progression element where you power up your little miner. What’s more is that this part of the game also introduced certain strategy elements, so you might need to plan out what items and upgrades you’ll want depending on the specific challenge of each level. –AD
Grindstone
$20 $20 $20 at Steam$20 at Nintendo$20 at PlayStation
Lumines Remastered
Lumines Remastered is a visually enhanced HD remake of the original 2004 puzzle game that combines music, light, and block-dropping mechanics into an addictive experience. Players rotate and align 2×2 blocks of two colors to form squares that disappear when a sweeping timeline passes over them, all synchronized to pulsating electronic music. The remaster includes multiple game modes such as Challenge, Puzzle, Mission, and local multiplayer, along with over 40 unlockable skins featuring diverse soundtracks that influence gameplay tempo. Its synesthetic design and rhythmic gameplay make it a standout puzzle title, praised for its timeless appeal and immersive audiovisual integration on modern platforms like PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
Have you ever loved a game that you absolutely suck at? That’s me with Lumines Remastered. On its face, this game has a rather simple premise that will feel comfortable to fans of other falling-block games, but it never fails to kick my ass.
In the main mode, you work with a generously wide board that’s 16 blocks long and 10 high. As you play, a two-by-two square composed of smaller blocks falls from the top of the screen. Each of these squares has its own combination of two different colors of blocks. For example, the first level has a silver-and-orange theme, so one square might have three orange blocks, and then one silver block in the upper right corner. You clear the board by arranging these smaller squares so that the smaller blocks of the same color stack to form other square and rectangular shapes. You lose the game once the blocks stack up and surpass the height of the board.
Lumines Remastered feels great to play and has a great sense of style to boot. The game has a rhythmic pace to it because the squares and rectangles of the same color don’t clear until a cursor aligned with the beat passes over them. I personally think fans of Tetris Effect will love it for its pulsing electronic beats and dazzling visual effects. I might not always get as far as I want, but I’ll always come back for more. –AD
Lumines Remastered
$15 $15 $15 at Nintendo$15 at Steam$15 at Xbox
Peggle
Peggle is a charming and addictive puzzle game inspired by pachinko and bagatelle, where players aim to clear all the orange pegs on a board by shooting balls from the top of the screen. Each level challenges players to strategically plan shots using a limited number of balls, with the goal of hitting key pegs to activate special abilities from one of ten unique Peggle Masters. The game combines simple mechanics with skillful shot planning, vibrant graphics, and rewarding gameplay modes including Adventure, Challenge, and multiplayer options. Its blend of accessibility and depth makes Peggle a timeless favorite for casual and puzzle game enthusiasts alike.
Where to play: Android, iOS, PlayStation 3, Windows PC, Xbox 360
Peggle was released in 2007 and it’s still one of the best puzzle games of all time. A mix of Japanese gambling arcade game pachinko, pinball machines, and centuries-old billiards game Bagatelle, Peggle is played by launching a ball from the top of the screen to bounce around and clear a board full of pegs. It’s a mix of luck and strategy in deciding where to aim the ball to maximize the amount of pegs that are lit up or cleared. It’s pure serotonin when you make huge combos or clear the board – set to an epic rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, particularly “Ode to Joy.”
I remember playing Peggle on Xbox Live Arcade, but it’s now available on basically all platforms. PopCap eventually released Peggle Nights and Peggle 2, plus Peggle Blast for mobile devices, among others. From its major success, Peggle has almost become a genre: There’s roguelike Peglin, dungeon crawler Roundguard, and role-playing game Beast Breaker, if you’re looking to spice up the original gameplay. –Nicole Carpenter
Peggle Deluxe
$1$580% off $1 $1 at Steam
Picross
Picross is a classic puzzle game where players fill in squares on a grid based on numerical clues along the rows and columns to reveal a hidden picture. Each number indicates a block of consecutive filled squares, and these blocks must be separated by at least one empty square. The challenge lies in logically deducing which squares to fill without guessing, as every puzzle has a unique solution. Picross games offer a relaxing yet engaging experience, making them perfect for puzzle enthusiasts who enjoy methodical problem-solving and visual rewards. Popular digital versions like Sega’s Picross S series for Nintendo Switch provide a smooth and accessible way to enjoy this timeless puzzle format.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
Nonograms like Picross are a tried-and-true puzzle format. In Picross games, you fill in boxes on a grid to reveal a picture by using numbered hints assigned to each line. My personal favorite version of it is Sega’s: the Picross S games for Nintendo Switch. Sega released the first Picross S in 2017 and has released more than eight different versions of it since. (I played Picross S4 and 5, and enjoyed those ones specifically.)
Picross games have a laid-back feel that’s notably less frantic than some of the other options on this list. You can learn the basics in minutes and kick back once you do. I personally appreciate how the Picross S series feels great to play in a digital format since it gives you all the notation tools you need to succeed.
Picross would make the perfect match for the sudoku-inclined. I’d also venture to say that its laid-back gameplay and almost pen-and-paper feel would make it a great next step for any fans of word games wanting to try something new. It is the perfect game to play on a lazy Sunday morning as you drink a giant cup of coffee. -AD
Picross S
$8 $8 $8 at Nintendo
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! offers a unique blend of solitaire card gameplay and horse racing, creating an engaging and strategic puzzle experience. Players clear cards by selecting ones one number higher or lower than the current card to boost their horse’s energy and mood, which directly affects race performance. The game features colorful, quirky characters and a charming presentation, with races alternating between card rounds and positioning on the track, culminating in a thrilling home stretch sprint where players control their horse in real time. Its clever fusion of card strategy and racing mechanics, combined with smooth touch controls on the Switch, makes it a standout title for puzzle and sports game fans alike.
Where to play: iOS, Nintendo Switch
One of my favorites puzzle game genres is “improbable mashup of solitaire with something else” (see the entry for Regency Solitaire in this list), and you don’t get more improbable than Pokémon developer Game Freak’s collision of frantic, high-speed card-clearing with a surprisingly deep and tactical horse-racing sim. Originally appearing on Nintendo 3DS, Pocket Card Jockey is now available in a remake for iOS (via Apple Arcade) and Nintendo Switch. The game involves clearing hands of cards very quickly against the clock to determine your success in various phases of the horse race, but there’s a load of other stuff going on too, including managing your horse’s positioning on the track, its levels of energy and stamina, and so on. There’s even an involved and lengthy career mode where breeding and stable management comes into play. Super cute and accessible on the surface, Pocket Card Jockey is a deep, hypnotic, and exciting mashup of sports and puzzle game under the surface. -Oli Welsh
Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!
$7 $7 $15 at Nintendo$7 at Apple Arcade 1 month
Pokémon Puzzle League
Pokémon Puzzle League is a dynamic puzzle game for the Nintendo 64 that combines classic block-matching mechanics with the beloved Pokémon universe. Players take on the role of Ash Ketchum, battling through a tournament against familiar characters from the Pokémon series, including gym leaders and rivals, by clearing blocks in strategic combos and chains. The game features both traditional 2D gameplay and a unique 3D mode where blocks appear on a cylindrical playfield, adding a fresh twist to the puzzle experience. With multiple difficulty levels, diverse game modes, and local multiplayer battles, Pokémon Puzzle League offers a challenging and engaging puzzle experience that appeals to both fans of the franchise and puzzle enthusiasts alike.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack
When I’m hanging out with family around the holidays, there’s always one game that comes out. It’s not a sleepy-eyed Mario Kart or anything like that, no – we just love to play Pokémon Puzzle League.
Originally released on Nintendo 64 in 2000, we now enjoy the game by playing it via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack subscription. The game is basically Tetris Attack (also known as Panel de Pon) with a Pokémon skin. You navigate a one-by-two cursor that flips the blocks from one spot to another. So if you have a red “fire-type” block sitting to the left of a blue “water-type” block, it will swap their spots so the blue one is on the left and red is on the right. Then, you just try to match up lines of three of the same color or more. When you get into it, the game can take on a dizzyingly fast pace that can hook you in for hours.
With a soundtrack that contains cutesy versions of classic tracks like “Pokémon World” and crunchy animated visuals from the early era of the franchise, it will tickle any longtime fans of the series. However, it still holds up as a great puzzle game and is a joy to play in local co-op with the non-Pokémon lovers in my life. -AD
Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack membership (individual, one year)
$50 $50 $50 at Best Buy
Puyo Puyo Tetris
Puyo Puyo Tetris brilliantly combines the classic gameplay of Puyo Puyo and Tetris, offering a unique puzzle experience where players can choose either style or face off in dynamic modes that blend both. The game features multiple modes, including Versus, Fusion, Swap, and Party, supporting up to four players locally or online, with strategic chain combos and line clears that send garbage to opponents. Its engaging Adventure mode adds a lighthearted story that complements the intense puzzle battles, making it accessible and fun for both newcomers and veterans. With its balanced gameplay and variety of modes, Puyo Puyo Tetris stands out as a must-play puzzle game right now.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
If there is one game on this list that has an uncanny ability to leave me and my friends red-eyed and wondering how it’s already 3:00 a.m., it’s Puyo Puyo Tetris.
The game combines Puyo Puyo – the beloved color-matching game from Sega – and Tetris, the classic falling-block game with tetrominoes. It’s kind of a matter of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and Tetris certainly doesn’t need any fixing. Puyo Puyo Tetris (and its accompanying sequel) have long been my couch co-op Tetris game of choice.
While the game does have single-player content, I’ve only ever played it with others. In a match, each person gets to choose between playing with the Puyo Puyo mode or Tetris mode. You can play with up to four people at once, and clearing lines on the board in the Tetris version or matching colors in the Puyo Puyo version sends attacks that fill up your competitors’ boards with gray blocks or Puyos.
Puyo Puyo Tetris blends the two classics excellently, even if my groups tend to skew toward the Tetris side of things. I’ve had friends jump in with Puyo and it provides a new kind of challenge as a Tetris player. The one drawback? Some might find the voice-over of its cartoon characters a tad annoying, but even their grating nature can be endearing in its own way, especially if you’re one to shout into the late hours of the night. –AD
Puyo Puyo Tetris
$4$2080% off $4 $20 at Steam$20 at Nintendo$4 at PlayStation
Puzzle & Dragons Story
Puzzle & Dragons Story is a narrative-driven match-3 puzzle RPG from GungHo Online Entertainment, set in the fallen kingdom of Libra once protected by the goddess Eschamali. Players embark on an adventure as Root Hunter, matching colored orbs to command adorable allied creatures of various elements-fire, water, earth, light, and darkness-to battle enemies and uncover the mystery behind the calamity that struck the land. Unlike the original mobile game, this standalone title removes gacha mechanics and focuses on creature collection, dungeon exploration, and team building through a story-rich experience with special and challenging dungeons, offering a fresh and engaging take on the beloved Puzzle & Dragons formula.
Where to play: iOS
Puzzle & Dragons Story is an Apple Arcade game that combines creature battling and match-3 systems. The classic tile-matching gameplay is where you’ll be attacking the monsters you’re fighting – what you match determines how hard you hit, what element is boosted, or when you heal. It’s one of those games that looks easy, but there’s a lot of strategy involved when you get into the depths.
The franchise has been around since 2012 in several different forms on mobile, but Puzzle & Dragons Story is the latest release, removing the microtransactions from the game – one of the big things the game has been criticized for in the past. Between the dungeons, Puzzle & Dragons Story is filled out with a dramatic narrative that’s easy to consume in small bites, making this one of my top games for whenever I’ve got a spare moment. –NC
Puzzle & Dragons Story
$0 $0 at Apple
Regency Solitaire
Regency Solitaire offers a fresh twist on classic solitaire by blending smooth, strategic card gameplay with a romantic Regency-era storyline. Players follow Bella as she navigates social challenges and attempts to restore her family’s fortune by winning solitaire hands across beautifully illustrated historic locations like London and Bath. The game features 180 unique levels, power-ups, and challenges that keep the gameplay engaging, while upgrading Bella’s ballroom and costumes unlocks new abilities and adds depth to the experience. With its elegant art, soothing classical music, and a narrative that adds purpose to each hand, Regency Solitaire stands out as a richly detailed and addictive puzzle game perfect for fans of card games and story-driven casual play alike iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game | Big Fish” target=”_blank” href=”https://www.bigfishgames.com/us/en/games/8505/regency-solitaire/?lang=en”>.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC
For soothing, smooth-brain puzzling in the true casual-gaming tradition, you can’t do better than this elegant solitaire variant with a Jane Austen-inspired storyline. In 2015’s Regency Solitaire and its 2024 sequel you play Bella, a social-climbing debutante whose pursuit of the perfect marital match is punctuated by lots of attractively arranged tableaux of cards to clear by clicking on them. And the clicking feels great – developer Grey Alien Games is a master of this sort of thing, so the crisp sound effects and light arcade-style scoring systems are perfectly tuned to keep you pleasantly engaged, but not too excited. The Austen pastiche is pretty funny, too. There’s not much to choose between the first and second games, but Regency Solitaire 2 looks better on modern displays, and is a tad more refined. (The original is available on Switch and PC; Regency Solitaire 2 is on PC only.) –OW
Regency Solitaire 2
$15 $15 $15 at Steam
Return of the Obra Dinn
Return of the Obra Dinn is a captivating puzzle and mystery game set in 1807, where you play as an insurance investigator tasked with uncovering the fate of all 60 crew and passengers aboard the ghost ship Obra Dinn, which mysteriously drifted into port with no survivors. Using a unique monochromatic art style and a magical pocket watch that lets you witness the exact moments of each crew member’s death, you piece together identities and causes of death through careful observation, deduction, and exploration of frozen death scenes. The game’s nonlinear storytelling and intricate logic puzzles create a deeply immersive experience that challenges your reasoning skills while delivering a haunting and atmospheric narrative.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
The vessel Obra Dinn left port with 60 souls aboard and returned with none alive. It’s your job to deduce what happened to each member of its crew and how they met their fate. You’re given a crew manifest, some sketches, and a pocket watch. Using this device next to a corpse or other points of interest presents you with a snapshot of how the incident occurred and a bit of dialogue, allowing you to piece together events as you explore more of the ship.
The first handful of deductions are relatively simple, but as you cross names off your list, evidence becomes increasingly obscure, forcing you to fill in the blanks by cross-referencing new information as it becomes available. You have an unlimited amount of time to come to your conclusions before departing, but the Obra Dinn isn’t a particularly hospitable place. From the moment you step aboard, the eerie silence is punctuated only by your footsteps and the groaning of the vessel against the increasingly restless tide. Even with the knowledge that I could leave at any time, I found myself occasionally jumping at shadows and wondering if I wasn’t joined by some spectral passenger.
The first-person perspective might throw someone that’s unfamiliar with the genre, but the simple control scheme and leisurely pace ensure that it remains accessible for anyone looking for a puzzle game that offers an honestly unique experience. –Alice Jovanée
Return of the Obra Dinn
$20 $20 $20 at Nintendo
Suika Game
Suika Game is a charming and addictive Japanese puzzle game that blends elements of falling block and merging mechanics, similar to a mix of Tetris and 2048. Players drop various fruits into a confined container, aiming to combine matching fruits to create larger ones, ultimately reaching the titular watermelon for the highest score. The game features physics-based fruit movement, requiring strategic placement to prevent overflow and game over. Praised for its simple yet engaging gameplay, cute fruit designs, and relaxing music, Suika Game has gained popularity worldwide, especially among livestreamers, and offers both solo and multiplayer modes, including online play.
Where to play: Nintendo Switch
Suika Game was one of my most-played games last year, and will likely be in the running in 2024, too. Even with so many hours logged, I’m not good at Suika Game, and I’m not sure I ever will be. And yet, I keep playing – the fruit-merging game has its hooks deep in me. It’s, again, one of those deceptively simple games: Just combine two of the same fruit and keep fruits from spilling out of the box? Easy, right? No! This is like Tetris if it had bounce physics, so you also have to worry about fruits shooting themselves out of the box with a weird bounce. Though I get frustrated, I keep coming back because it is a compelling mix of skill and luck – but likely mostly luck. You can only play Suika Game on Nintendo Switch in the United States right now, but there’s hope for it coming to mobile. –NC
Suika Game
$3 $3 $3 at Nintendo
The Witness
The Witness is a first-person puzzle game set on a mysterious, vibrant island filled with over 500 puzzles spread across diverse regions. Players explore the open world, solving intricate line-drawing puzzles that gradually introduce new rules and challenges without any direct instructions, relying on observation and deduction. The game’s design respects the player’s intelligence, offering a rewarding experience through discovery and problem-solving in a beautifully rendered environment. Its puzzles range from simple mazes to complex grid-based challenges that integrate the island’s natural features, making it a deeply engaging and thought-provoking adventure for puzzle enthusiasts.
Where to play: Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One
If you want to go on a philosophical journey into the heart of puzzles as an art form – and who doesn’t? – there is perhaps only one game that can take you there: The Witness, the abstract, first-person puzzle adventure that was designer Jonathan Blow’s follow-up to Braid. In a way it recalls Myst; you wander around a strange, idyllic, deserted island, solving puzzles to unlock new areas. But in The Witness, absolutely all the puzzles, which you access via panels in the game world, are 2D maze puzzles, variations on an original design of Blow’s. Through countless permutations, Blow builds upon this simple puzzle concept, turning it into a language in its own right and a dialogue with the player – like Bach turning a simple melody into the Goldberg Variations. It’s one of the most rigorous and challenging explorations of game design ever, and an essential experience for the true puzzle connoisseur. –OW
The Witness
$40 $40 $40 at Steam
Which puzzle games in 2025 are redefining solo gaming experiences
In 2025, several puzzle games are redefining solo gaming by combining innovative mechanics, immersive storytelling, and hybrid physical-digital formats. Notable titles include:
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Relics of Rajavihara, an archaeological tile-pushing game with over 50 levels and community-created puzzles, offering deep strategic thinking through tile manipulation.
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Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, a horror-themed environmental puzzle game set in a mysterious hotel, praised for its eerie atmosphere, non-linear exploration, and intricate environmental storytelling that challenges players beyond traditional puzzle-solving.
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Animal Well, a Metroidvania-style exploration game featuring light-based puzzles and optical illusions, blending platforming with cognitive challenges in a haunting pixel-art world.
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The Enigma Box, a hybrid physical and digital puzzle experience integrating augmented reality, where players solve ciphers and logic puzzles through interaction with a physical puzzle box and an AR app, setting a new standard for immersive solo puzzle gameplay.
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Puzzle & Dragons, which innovates by mixing match-3 puzzle mechanics with RPG elements and AI companions, offering dynamic and strategic solo play with procedurally generated challenges.
These games exemplify 2025’s trend toward deeper cognitive engagement, narrative-driven puzzles, and the fusion of physical and digital gameplay, pushing the boundaries of what solo puzzle gaming can be.
How are games like Lorelei and Animal Well changing solo puzzle experiences in 2025
Games like Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and Animal Well are transforming solo puzzle experiences in 2025 by blending immersive atmospheres with complex, multi-layered puzzles that engage players on intellectual and emotional levels.
Lorelei and the Laser Eyes redefines solo puzzle gaming through its chilling, horror-themed environment set in an abandoned hotel, combining monochromatic visuals inspired by silent films with non-linear exploration and environmental storytelling. Its puzzles require players to decode cryptic clues and solve interconnected environmental challenges, fostering deep engagement without relying on combat. This approach creates a tense, atmospheric experience that emphasizes patience and observation, making the puzzle-solving feel like unraveling a mystery rather than just completing tasks.
Animal Well innovates by merging Metroidvania-style exploration with environmental puzzles based on Gestalt perception principles, optical illusions, and light manipulation. Its haunting pixel-art world and minimalist soundscapes are integral to puzzle-solving, requiring players to analyze creature behavior and experiment with items while revisiting areas with new abilities to uncover hidden solutions. This design encourages a blend of platforming skill and cognitive challenge, creating a dynamic solo experience where progression feels both natural and rewarding.
Both games also foster different social interactions around solo play: Animal Well encourages community collaboration through online platforms to solve particularly challenging puzzles, while Lorelei and the Laser Eyes promotes intimate, real-time brainstorming with close friends or family, enhancing the personal and social dimensions of solo puzzle gaming.
Together, these titles illustrate 2025’s trend toward puzzle games that are not only mentally stimulating but also emotionally immersive and socially engaging, pushing the boundaries of what solo puzzle experiences can offer.
