Puzzle Games

Complex mathematical and logistical problems often arise from real-life work. But sometimes, we do them just for fun, via artificial puzzles. Entertainment like this has been around for as long as history records – just think of the riddles and mazes you find in ancient mythology.Modern puzzle games tend to take on regimented, tried-and-tested forms. In a daily newspaper you might find word searches, crosswords and sudoku puzzles. Puzzle toys, like jigsaws and Rubik’s cubes, are extremely popular. Sometimes, we even make one-off puzzles out of popular games, like chess.Over the years, video games have made a significant contribution to the art of puzzle-craft. The right puzzle game will test your mental powers just enough that you’re having fun, and provide you with small rewards for small successes. Just think of the way a row of blocks dissolves in Tetris, or the cascade effect you get by making the right switch in Bejeweled!Among the early puzzle games was Blockbuster for the Atari. Released in the early 1980s, it was a digital version of the classic Rubik’s Cube. Classics like Lode Runner, Puzzle Panic and Boulder Dash helped to popularize the genre. But it wasn’t until the release of Tetris and its subsequent bundling with the first Nintendo Game Boys in 1989, that things really took off for the puzzle genre.Nowadays, puzzle games are among the most popular category when it comes to casual online fun. The best of them are simple and elegant in design, and take advantage of the more realistic physics that’s possible on modern devices.In this part of the GamePix site, we’ve put together our collection of high-quality puzzlers. Each of them comes in unblocked HTML5 format, meaning that you’ll be able to play on whatever device you’re using, provided that it comes with a web browser. Things you always find in puzzle games We’ve established good puzzle games like Tetris are simple in design and challenging in execution. So, what are the types of things you find in puzzle games? You will always find aspects of puzzle games to include physics, tile-matching and even finding hidden objects within a picture or area. But simplicity is always key! The good thing about puzzle games is how much variety goes into each of the categories – there are endless possibilities and variations created all the time. We’ve said simplicity is key but puzzle games also need to be challenging – they must be intriguing, testing our ability to think of a solution to a problem. Lots of puzzle games need players to match objects based on certain categories. These can include matching colours, patterns, shapes, numbers or symbols. You might have to memorize certain shapes or symbols on a screen in a short amount of time, too. Another common thing found in puzzle games is that players need to solve puzzles within a time limit or with limited lives, adding a sense of tension and excitement. Of course, most puzzle games will have increasing levels of difficulty or complexity as players complete and unlock each level. Puzzle games are all about making people think out of the box and trying solutions they might never usually think of. These types of titles are often simplistic in the way they are presented to players and require little input in terms of the controls. They might be thought-provoking but they won’t be very flashy and require a powerful tablet or computer to run – the humble game of Solitaire is a great example of this. Not only do puzzle games have fun levels, interesting gameplay and unique features such as physics-based elements but a finely built story can always help draw players to the puzzle such as fun, cute and perky animals, monsters and otherworldly creatures. GamePix’s Collection of Puzzle Games If you are after a quick five-minute challenge or something a little more serious to get to grips with, then our collection of brainteaser challenges are great for any play style. At GamePix we’ve got tons of logic-based puzzles, tile matching, timed challenges, memory challenges and slick physics-based games. Here are some of the top games available right now. Cut the Rope is a timeless classic, up in the hall of fame with the likes of Tetris, Snake and Pac-Man. The objective of feeding Om Nom might be simple, but in practice the game of cutting the right ropes at the right time to feed him and collect stars along the way is a fun and addicting challenge! In fact, Cut the Rope is so popular that it has both spin-offs and a full sequel – all available on GamePix! Taking advantage of sophisticated physics engines, God of Light lets the player bend, split and multiply light over 150 unique and across six beautiful worlds as you help Shiny stop darkness falling across the universe. This is a remarkable and stunning game filled with great physic based puzzles and a finely crafted electro soundtrack. A remake of legend, Tentrix takes the core values of what made Tetris so good and adds an element of decisive strategy by slowing everything down. With three shapes on the screen at once, you’ll need to drag the shapes into place to delete lines and earn a high score. A simple yet interesting change of pace on such a legendary puzzle game. So popular there are five of them in total, Fireboy and Watergirl is a smash hit that puts players in control of two characters. Working together to escape different temples by operating different levers and switches, you must use their elemental powers to complete levels quickly. Each character moves at different speeds, so remember to plan ahead and think on your feet. Probably one of the oldest games in the world, players old and young will recognize Ultimate Sudoku. Using the power of deduction, you must make sure each row, column and square are filled with numbers one to nine – just one of each. This great brainteaser will keep you entertained for hours on end!