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John Cletheroe's
Puzzle Programs And Web Sites Reviews |
The web sites listed on this page offer a large variety highly innovative puzzles.
I have no connection whatsoever with any of the sites listed, other than as a normal visitor to them.
Suggestions for additions to this page are very welcome, as are reports of broken links. You can email me using the link at the bottom of the page.
Many of the puzzles listed here can only be played online, for which an unmetered Internet connection with no automatic timeout is effectively essential. Some of the online puzzles involve large file downloads, for which a broadband connection will be very highly beneficial.
Some of the programs listed are payware.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.microgames.info/game_info.php?products_id=205 (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 3D abstract logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
3D Logic is played on three faces of a cube. Each face is divided into a number of squares. Your objective is to create paths joining matching pairs of coloured squares, for example make one path which connects two red squares and another path which connects two blue squares. To do this, click on one of the squares at the end of a path, then click in a normal square to change it to that colour. Black squares cannot be changed. If you change a square by mistake, you can change it again later. Paths cannot cross, hence the difficulty of the puzzle. The early levels are very easy but the puzzle starts to get more difficult around level twelve. There are thirty levels.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://3d.logic.fizzlebot.com (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 3D abstract logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A sequel to the original 3D Logic program.
Category: Adventure game. Download and install. Freeware.
Download file size: 96,486KB.
Creator/publisher: Crystal Shard.
This is a full adventure game available free of charge. The graphics are fairly low resolution but well done. Configuring the graphics filter and resolution settings is awkward and confusing but only needs to be done once. The game has a fantasy theme. At the start of the program the number of different characters and their relationships takes a while to comprehend. Nevertheless, this game is probably well worth persisting with.
This program has no connection with the similarly named classic "Twin Kingdom Valley" adventure game for the Commodore 64.
Category: Logic puzzle game. Play online free of charge.
The alchemist has left you with a letter asking you to make three items, a book describing the available ingredients, and a recipe book. You have to mix the ingredients together to make the required items, puzzling out the logic behind the system.
Category: Abstract board game. Play online free of charge.
Amazong is a Java applet which plays the game of Amazon, which combines elements of chess and go. Amazong will run on most computers.
Category: Mysterious mechanism puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Ambivalence is very similar to many of the mysterious mechanism puzzles in Myst and its sequels. You are presented with a locked door, on each face of which are various devices. Your task is to unlock the door. What makes the game unique is that you can work from both sides of the door, switching readily between the two whenever you wish. Although the web site on which this program appears is in Japanese, this isn't a problem for non-Japanese speakers.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
To move on to each new web page, figure out the URL from the available clues. This game is not related in any way to the classic Commodore 64 game of the same name.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
Category: Simulation puzzle. Download and install; freeware demo version; payware full version.
Download file size (demo): 935KB.
Armadillo Run is a simulation puzzle game in which you have to create structures to guide a basketball to a destination. The structures are built using materials such as ropes, metal girders, sections of cloth and metal plates. Each structure can be tested and modified. Each level can be solved in a variety of different ways. The free demo version of the program only includes a few easily solved tutorial and introductory levels.
Category: Various games including some puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: Nonogram (picross) puzzles. Play online free of charge.
The nonogram puzzle concept originated in Japan. "Picross" is one alternative name, others include "griddlers". You are presented with a square grid of cells and need to discover which cells should be coloured in. There are clues which tell you about the groups of adjacent cells in each row and column, for example 3 5 means a group of three, then a gap of at least one blank cell, then a group of five. There are quite a few computer implementations available, all of which fall down in one area or another (awkward user interface, failure to present puzzles in any order, failure to record your progress, unwanted gimmicks such as time limits, etc). This is one of the better versions but you may wish to search for others and try them as well.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.kongregate.com/games/BryceSummer/assembler (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Physics-based 2D puzzles. Play online free of charge.
This is a block-moving game, but completely different to Sokoban. You view the scene side-on and have to move one or more green shapes so as to be inside the green outline shapes. Blocks, planks and other devices fall and swing under gravity. If you accidentally hit one object while moving another it will move but in most cases this will only happen if you are careless. There are also some fixed obstacles which need to be worked around.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.babala.org (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: program 486KB; required GTK+ 2 runtime 4993KB.
Creator: Pavel Richter.
Babala shares some design concepts with DROD but is sufficiently different to be well worth exploring. On each turn you have a number of moves, each of which can be used to move or to fire a missile at the opposition. Unlike in DROD, turns can be made freely. The game has at least ninety levels.
Technical note: be sure to also install the GTK+ 2 Runtime Environment as explained on the Babala downloading and installation web page.
Category: Abstract maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Navigate one, two, three or more coloured circles around a maze, each to a square of its own colour. You can move either the red circle alone, or the red circle and the yellow circle, or the red circle and the yellow circle and the green circle (and so on for more colours). However, you cannot move the yellow circle without also moving the red circle, nor can you move the green circle without also moving both the red and yellow circles - which where it starts to become difficult. This is a clever and original idea, although it bears some resemblence to the mimic rooms in DROD. The game has well designed controls to adjust the brightness of the playing board and the choice and volume of background music.
Category: 2D board game (played against the computer). Play online free of charge.
A variation on the Chinese Checkers concept, with intersecting paths of different colours, meant as an abstract representation of the road system around Washington, DC. Pieces can move as far as desired along a path, but changing to a different path requires a second move. Except for the very first move, players make two moves at a time. There are various combinations of game options offered. The program doesn't make the computer's moves very obvious to see.
Category: 2D puzzle game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 2894KB.
Blackshift is a 2D overhead view/square grid puzzle game, somewhat similar in concept to Chip's Challenge. I have only just started to explore the program but so far it appears to be promising, although higher levels require fast reactions. Game features include being able to pick up one object at a time and then moving it or using it.
Category: Sokoban variant. Play online free of charge.
Push blocks of same colour next to each other, so they destroy themselves. Also make sure you don't block your exit path. An interesting new variation of a classic puzzle game.
Category: 2D abstact puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Slide coloured blocks to destinations of the same colour. The difficulty lies in making the blocks stop at the correct places. Users can create additional levels for this game.
Category: 2D abstact puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A variant on the "tilt mazes" concept. Guide a block to its destination. Once set in motion the block will continue to move until it is blocked by an obstacle. Fifty levels. The presentation is somewhat sparse, but adequate.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/games/bloxorz (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 3D abstract maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each level you have to rotate a 2 x 1 x 1 block around a path which is effectively a maze. There are additional features such as buttons and bridges which make your task trickier. A simple idea (although some of the puzzles are difficult), very nicely presented.
Category: 2D machine building puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: Teagames.
This puzzle game has a similar concept to the classic "Incredible Machine". You have to place objects such as ramps, tubes, funnels, conveyor belts and bumpers so as to guide a ball to a target. There are twenty-eight levels.
Category: 3D abstract logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
The Bobitos are trapped on a 2D grid. When told to move, they continue to do so in a straight line until they are stopped by another Bobito, or fall off the edge of the grid. Your task on each level is to guide the king Bobito to the central square. Although the game is presented in 3D, this doesn't adversely affect visibility.
Category: Various games. Play online free of charge.
A collection of online games created by Bart Bonte, plus links to other games.
Category: Various games. Play online free of charge.
Users can create additional levels for all the games on this web site. Currently (Apr-08) only a few small number of games are available, with more promised for the near future.
Category: Platform game. Download and install; payware with freeware demo version.
Download file size (demo): 2000KB.
Creator/publisher: Blueskied Games.
This is the most complex of the three games in Blueskied Games' "Bound" series. You control a ball which can be made to change colour by hitting coloured circles. Your objective is to hit coloured squares so as to destroy them all. Complicating factors include skull squares which are fatal if hit, and an inability to change your vertical direction except by bouncing off squares. The freeware demo version only provided access to the first few levels. The complete game is payware.
See also Christmas Bound and Summer Bound.
Category: Logic puzzles. Play online free of charge. The Shockwave Flash animation SWF file can also be downloaded and played offline.
Slide the blocks left or right so as to make the golden ball drop, while preventing the silver balls from doing so. Unfortunately the game currently only has five levels, none of which are very difficult. The main challenge is to complete each level in the smallest possible number of moves. With more levels and more blocks the idea has considerable merit.
Category: Logic puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: 2D machine building puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Design steam-powered fighting robots, then test them against computer-controlled opponents. Operation is complex and documentation extremely sparse. Highly challenging. There is a row of menu options to access components, which are then placed in the central body of the robot so as to distribute the steam to various components.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Push the correct combination of green and yellow buttons to make all the red lights go out. Very difficult!
Category: Bridge construction. Play online free of charge.
Design bridges to cross various chasms. The bridges have to withstand loads such as workmen, crates and elephants. I haven't yet found any way to move a node, making adjustments very tedious.
Category: Gridlock/Rush Hour. Play online free of charge.
An implementation of the Gridlock/Rush Hour concept.
Category: 2D machine building puzzle. Play online free of charge.
The puzzle game is similar in concept to the classic "Incredible Machine". The objective is to place conveyor belts, fans and other devices so as to direct packages to the exit door on each level.
Category: 2D path tracing puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Visit every square on the board but you can only move to a previously unvisited square of the same shape or the same colour.
Category: Platform game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 894KB.
Creator/publisher: Blueskied Games.
In terms of difficulty, this is the second of the three games in Blueskied Games' "Bound" series. You control a ball which can be made to change colour by hitting coloured circles. Your objective is to hit coloured squares so as to destroy them all. Complicating factors include skull squares which are fatal if hit, and an inability to change your vertical direction except by bouncing off squares.
See also Bound Around and Summer Bound.
Category: Physics-based 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Cut chains to release balls and make them fall, roll or bounce into containers which matching colours. This game mainly involves figuring out what to do, but some levels also have a fairly precise timing element to them.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://fizzlebot.com/cdt3.php (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Assorted logical puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Simple Andy.
A collection of fifteen very varied and highly original visual and audio puzzles, many of which are excellent. However, most of the latest set (puzzles 11-15) are far too vague and overcomplicated in my opinion.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.clickmazes.com (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Abstract puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Andrea Gilbert's personal site has a cornucopia of wonderful original puzzles. The Plank Puzzles are especially excellent.
Category: A billiards/pool/snooker variant. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Tonypa.
On each of the very varied levels, shoot the white ball so as to direct each of the coloured balls to a line of the same colour. You have control over the angle of the white ball but not the power of the shot, nor can you put on "side", etc. The white ball can bounce off white lines without penalty, but if it hits a coloured line you lose one of your available shots. Since the game has no realtime element as regards its controls, and considerable thought is required in making each shot, in my opinion it does qualify as a puzzle.
Category: 2D machine building and programming puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Place robotic arms and other mechanical devices, and program them, so as to move jars of chemicals to specified positions. This game is very difficult and the instructions are woefully inadequate, but it is extremely clever.
Category: 2D physics-based puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Position positive, negative and neutral particles, then click the Play button to make them fall, roll and bounce under gravity. The aim is make positive and negative particles collide and destroy each other. While the concept has considerable merit, very precise positioning is often required and the graphics are unattractive.
Category: Board game. Download and install; payware with freeware restricted demo version.
Download file size (demo): 6032KB.
Creator/publisher: Midnight Synergy
Colony is a multi-player board game where the user plays against the program, which can control one or more opponents. The rules of the game are simple but gameplay sufficiently complicated to be interesting. A particularly attractive feature of the program is that each level is played on a different design of board. Unfortunately the program's 3D design makes operation somewhat difficult. The version which can be downloaded free of charge is a restricted demo.
Category: Tetris variant. Play online free of charge.
This interesting and unusual Tetris clone is based on combining colours according to the laws of physics.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Remove all the circles by clicking each one in turn. Each circle you click must share a colour with the previous circle. Some circles only have one colour, some have two, some four. Some circles fade between various colours. A simple but effective idea.
Category: 2D physics puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: Tapir Games.
Release balls to run through various mechanisms, with the aim of making the brown balls touch all the yellow balls and turn them brown. In most levels precise timing is required in addition to figuring out how to achieve the objective, making this a difficult puzzle.
Category: 2D physics puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: Tapir Games.
A sequel to Colour Infection. Judging by its first few levels, this version seems to have some simpler puzzles than the original.
Category: Sokoban variant. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Move blocks of the same colour next to each other, anywhere on the board.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Rotate nodes so as to connect light bulbs to energy sources. Some levels involve combining colours, for example connecting red and green sources to make yellow.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Find a path which connects all the tiles. Each tile must be visited exactly one and all paths must be horizontal, vertical or 45 degree diagonals. A simple idea nicely executed. The alternative interface option displays a grid which is extremely useful when checking diagonals.
Category: Play online free of charge.
Similar to the "Grow" series of games/puzzles. The instructions are in Spanish but non-Spanish speakers will probably quickly see what to do.
Category: Sudoku and other similar Nikoli-style puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Free registration is required to access the full range of puzzles, which include Pic-a-Pix, Link-a-Pix, Fill-a-Pix, Maze-a-Pix, Dot-a-Pix (all of which involve solving clues to reveal pictures in various ways), Sudoku, Kakuro (fill squares so each block totals a specified value), Battleships, Hitori (mark squares so no number appears more than once in the same row or column), Slitherlink (surround cells with the specified number of bordering lines, so as to make one unbroken loop) and Hashiwokakero (connect cells with the specified number of links). Some puzzles are fully interactive but for others it is only possible to print the initial situation and the solution.
Category: 2D pipeline connection puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Move the pipeline pieces into position so as to connect the start to the one or more ends. This version only has a fairly limited number of fairly easy levels, making it ideal as a casual puzzle. The creator promises a more challenging future version. On some levels not all the pieces are used.
Category: 3D game. Play online free of charge.
Creators: Sean Hawkes and Brian Mooney.
Guide a ball to the required destination by raising areas of the terrain on which it rolls. Special squares slow the ball down, speed it up, teleport it, etc.
Category: Various puzzles. Play online free of charge.
This site is available in the Dutch, English and French languages. It offers a variety of different types of puzzles, including a number of Java applets which run on most computers. Being a Dutch web site, it inevitably has a version of Lingo :) . There is also a section of easier puzzles for children. Note that because it is spelt in Dutch, the URL includes the word "puzzels", not "puzzles".
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Remove all the blocks by drawing a horizontal or vertical line through a specified number of them at a time. The first fifteen or so levels are extremely easy, then it starts to get much more interesting.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Navigate a block around a path so as to destroy all the red tiles and end on a white tile. The red tiles destroy themselves as you step off them. There are a few other types of tiles, such as directional conveyor belts. The game is presented in an isometric viewpoint but this doesn't interfere with the movement controls or visibility, except that on the larger levels not all of the level is visible at the same time.
Category: Sokoban variant. Play online, or download and install. Freeware restricted demo version; payware full version.
Download file size (demo): 5277KB.
Cubrius is a Sokoban-like game. However, instead of having to move the blocks to specific locations, in Cubrius you have to move blocks of the same colour so as to make them touch each other, which causes their destruction. On each level all the blocks must be destroyed.
The game suffers from several complications. It has an unnecessary 3D implementation which makes the positions of the blocks and gaps difficult to see at times. The man only moves a fraction of a square at a time, for no reason that I can see. The initial levels have rather too many different types of special blocks which might have been better left for the more advanced levels. Nevertheless, the idea of the game has considerable merit and the program is well worth investigating.
On one occasion the Spyware Doctor program prevented the downloaded version of Cubruis from installing a system-wide keylogger on my computer. This might have been a false positive, or a genuine matter of concern. Bazooka, Grisoft AVG, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, PestPatrol, SpyBot Search And Destroy and Windows Defender do not report any malicious element to this program. In explicit scans of the program's target folder (C:\Program Files\Cubrius, which contains one file called CubriusTrial.exe), Microsoft Malcious Software Removal Tool and Spyware Doctor do not report finding anything malicious.
Category: Abstract 2D block-sliding puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Move each block to its correct position. Once a block can been given a direction, it continues to move until it hits the edge of playing board or another block.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
The objective in this sliding block puzzle is to escape from each level. There are various types of blocks, each having different properties.
Category: 2D abstract game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 593KB.
Rotate blocks of objects so as to make them line up.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
You are presented with a set of blocks, each with arrows on them pointing up, down, left or right. On each turn, you can remove all the blocks in a row of your choice that point left, or all those which point right, or all the blocks in a column of your choice which point up, or those which point down. This is done in a very simple manner that is easy to understand and use. Any blocks above a removed block will fall down to occupy the space. Your objective is to remove all the blocks with a very limited number of turns. This is an original and elegant idea which makes for some tricky puzzles.
Category: 2D maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Collect all the yellow diamonds. Each time you select a direction you will keep moving until you hit a wall but you can swap places with a special blue diamond whenever you wish. This swapping is the key to solving the puzzles. The concept of this game was originally devised by Joe Wingbermuehle.
Category: 2D machine building puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Place special blocks of various types so as to modify Dave's behaviour and guide him to his destination on each level. The game can be played online or downloaded, but the downloaded version requires players to be online while playing in order to obtain each level. Each time you fail a level, you need to manually replace all your blocks into position (with whatever modifications you wish to try) before re-running, which appears to be a serious design limitation. It is however possible to use the Pause button and add or remove blocks before continuing. The built-in editor option may also provide a means of saving your progress part-way through a level. A key concept, and one unique to this game, is that additional blocks may need to be added once the worm has been set in motion. This is done by using the Pause button.
Category: Ball bouncing puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Rob Allen.
Place one or more balls so that when they fall they will destroy all the Bobteds. This game has eighteen extremely varied levels. The number of balls you are given, the shape of the Bobteds and the curious devices all vary.
Category: Physics-based puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Place dynamite charges so as to make buildings collapse. The building framework pieces have to be reduced below a certain height, and on some levels you also need to avoid any of the pieces hitting an adjacent building.
Category: Board game played against the computer. Play online free of charge.
Diam is an original board game involving the placing of counters in piles with the aim of matching colours at the same height on diametrically opposite cells. The program includes details of the rules. There is a choice of three skill levels for the computer player.
Category: 2D polyomino puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Move, rotate and reflect polyominoes (Tetris pieces) on a board so as to reveal some special squares.
This game is sponsored by a web hosting company and an advertisement for their services appears initially before the game loads.
The game's menu and instructions suffer from a poor choice of colour scheme, making them very difficult to read. The menu options become much brighter when the mouse is drifted over them but the instructions do not. The instructions are as follows: The goal of Digit Puzzle is to reveal the hidden treasure box, which occupies a number of contiguous special squares on the board. To pick up a piece, left-click it. To drop a piece, move it over empty squares and the left-click it. To rotate a piece, pick it up and move it so that it is partially or totally over occupied squares and then left-click it. To reflect (flip) a piece, pick it up and then press the "cursor up" key.
Category: 2D logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Bart Bonte
The doggs (with two g's) want to increase the size of their castle. To do that, they need to carry coloured blocks to the castle. However, at each stage of the building work, only the correct combinations of blocks can be used. There are static doggs who offer stacks of coloured blocks, and moving doggs who walk past them on their way to the castle. Each of the static doggs can be clicked so as to alternately face forwards or backwards. A moving dogg will take the top block off each static dogg's pile, provided the static dogg has at least one block, and the static dogg is facing forwards. If a moving dogg does takes a block, it goes on the top of their pile. Once you start the doggs moving, you must click the static doggs so as to achieve the desired results. Therefore you need to carefully plan your actions, then actually implement them in real time.
This is an original idea and a clever puzzle. However, for some reason it lacks something in terms of playability.
Category: 2D Incredible Machine variant. Play online free of charge.
Draw free-form lines to make a ball fall under gravity and bounce to its destination. Your ink supply is limited. Very nice but as far as can tell there is no way to erase part of what you have drawn, only all of it.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://forum.caravelgames.com/downloads.php (external link verified Sep-08)
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 12.6MB.
Don't be put off by the name. DROD is not a violent shoot 'em up. It is a 100% puzzle game, and a first class one, with no realtime element.
DROD is played on a 2D grid of square cells which is viewed from above. You play the part of Beethro Budkin, whose mission is to clear a dungeon of monsters of various types, room by room and level by level.
Beethro is armed only with a sword. His only possible actions are to move one square at a time up, down, left, right or diagonally; or to turn so as to swing his sword through 45 degrees at a time clockwise or anticlockwise. Beethro's movements are controlled by the keyboard. On an alternating basis Beethro makes a move (controlled by you) and then all the surviving monsters in the room move in reaction (controlled by the program). All the different types of monsters move in various predictable ways. You can plan and consider each of Beethro's moves for as long as you wish.
That might appear to be a very sparse game structure but perhaps the word "elegant" would be far more appropriate. The variety of behaviours of the different types of monsters and the game's other features, coupled with the incredible creativity of the level designers, make for a superbly magnificant and very highly addictive puzzle game. As one example, many rooms feature doors which are controlled by orbs. Hitting an orb with your sword might open some doors, close other doors, and toggle the states of yet more doors. As another example, in some rooms you have to manouvre one set of monsters in order to defeat a different set of monsters.
On restarting the game, you continue from where you left off. You can also restart any room. You can even restart from checkpoints within a room, which are conveniently placed in lengthy or particularly tricky chambers. There is also a facility to restart from any previously visited room. The game allows for numerous separate players, each of whom's progress is recorded independently. Only one person can play the game at a time.
In addition, numerous additional user-created puzzle collections (or "holds" to use the correct term) are available.
The game publisher's web site has a free forum called CaravelNet, a free hints facility which is integrated into the forum, and a payware subscription online gaming facility for DROD which very confusingly is also called CaravelNet.
Smitemaster Selections (SS) are puzzle collection which are only available to the CaravelNet online gaming system's subscribers or in the form of payware mail order CD's.
The Architect's Edition version of DROD includes the entire twenty-five levels of the original version of King Dugan's Dungeon (KDD), plus the ability to import additional downloaded dungeons, and also a level editor in which you can build your own dungeons (hence the name). Architect's Edition is the best version for beginners to DROD.
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game. Download and install; payware with freeware demo of the first few levels. Full version also available on mail order CD.
Download file size: unknown.
This is an updated payware version of King Dugan's Dungeon, with slightly different graphics but the same puzzles as in Architect's Edition.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.caravelgames.com (external link verified Sep-08)
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game. Download and install; payware with freeware demo of the first few levels. Full version also available on mail order CD.
Download file size: demo 24MB, full version 53MB.
JtRH features additional characters including Beethro's innocent and wayward nephew Halph and the formidable, virtually invincible and incredibly arrogant 39th Slayer. It also adds a number of new game elements such as monster types. JtRH has twenty-five main levels and features voice actors.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.caravelgames.com (external link verified Sep-08)
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game. Download and install; payware with freeware demo of the first few levels. Full version also available on mail order CD.
Download file size: demo 40.7MB, full version 102MB.
This version continues the story begun in Journey To Rooted Hold. This version suffers from several serious drawbacks at the start, which may cause those who sample the free demo to reject it. Near the start there are some very weak attempts at humour and a large superfluous area which contains no puzzles. There are also some very difficult puzzles early in the game, and a lack of stairs between some levels which makes it very easy to accidentally skip the level title screens that sometimes contain useful information. However, after leaving the initial area this version of DROD contains some wonderful puzzles, mainly based on new game elements. The demo gives a misleadingly poor impression of the game as a whole.
A trailer for this version of DROD is available on YouTube (external link verified 17-May-08).
Category: 2D maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Lucas Marks.
This is a variant of the D-Star concept originally devised by Joe Wingbermuehle. Collect all the red squares. Each time you select a direction you will keep moving until you hit a wall but you can swap places with a special grey square whenever you wish. The grey square makes the same moves but doesn't collect red squares. Except for the first few levels this swapping is the key to solving the puzzles.
Category: 2D abstract puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Bart Bonte.
A collection of twenty-five assorted puzzles, all involving plastic ducks. Some of the puzzles are classics, some are original, some are similar to each other, none except the last are difficult. This program will provide some light amusement for a few minutes.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is an innovative puzzle, implemented as a set of Shockwave Flash animations. Each Shockwave file contains a separate set of levels. On each level you have to use expanding and contracting telescopes to push and pull balls into holes.
The game can be played online, or the Shockwave SWF files can be downloaded for use offline (their locations are obvious if you look at the web page source files). Additionally, an EXE version of the first fifteen levels can be downloaded, but this is only a shell which actually runs a Shockwave animation.
Each Shockwave file automatically records which levels in its set have been solved. To erase this record, so as to be able to completed levels again, delete the appropriate .sol file in C:\Windows\Application Data\Macromedia\Flash Player\... (this location is correct for Windows 95 but many differ in other versions of Windows). Each .sol file, which is tiny, will be automatically recreated next time you play that set of levels.
At present there are four sets of levels: First 15, More (16-25), Transporter and Grand Master. First 15 are all very simple, the other sets more taxing. The web site says more levels may be made available in the future.
Category: Platform-strategy-puzzle. Download and install; freeware demo version; payware full version.
Download file size (demo): 22MB.
Creator/publisher: Klei Entertainment.
In this platform game you must move various objects into position and then start the character moving. As the character encounters each object, the behaviour of the character is modified so as to cause it to jump small distances at the end of platforms, jump large distances, or reverse direction, etc. In addition, some realtime interaction is required once the character starts to move. On each level the character must pass over a featureless jigsaw puzzle piece.
Eets is a clever idea and has received some excellent reviews. However, I found the cartoon graphics annoyingly childish and the effect of the various types of objects is frustratingly not obvious from their visual appearance on the screen.
The free demo version involves a 22MB download and only allows for a hour's playing time before it expires.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Move the dice to the specified destinations, in precisely the specified number of moves. The puzzle is made more difficult by allowing one dice to push another. A good idea, nicely programmed, but very challenging.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
Category: Point and click adventure puzzle solving game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 6934KB.
This is a completely different program to the classic Entombed game created by Ultimate for the Commodore 64.
This is a graphical adventure game, somewhat similar to Myst in concept. While exploring archaeological ruins in Turkey, you fall through a hole into a series of underground chambers. Each chamber contains one or more puzzling mechanisms. Your objective is to escape, which involves exploring the chambers and their mechanisms.
This game is somewhat similar to Myst. It would appear to be considerably larger and more complex than would appear at first.
When installing the program, accept all the defaults. Do not attempt to change the name that the game is registered to. Do not attempt to change the target folder from C:\Entombed. After installation, do not attempt to move the target folder from C:\Entombed. However, it is vital to change the compatibility properties of C:\Entombed\ENTOMBED.EXE so that "Run in 256 colours" is ticked. Manually create any desired shortcuts to C:\Entombed\ENTOMBED.EXE.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Push blocks from the outside to the inside, so as to make groups of the same colour.
Category: 2D tilt maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Destroy all the coloured balls, by tilting the maze and bringing balls of the same colour adjacent to each other. Be careful not to leave one ball of a colour, as it can then cannot be destroyed. The entire set of balls on each level can be destroyed over two or more moves. To add to the difficulty, only a limited number of moves are allowed.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A set of coloured balls must be slid up, down, left and right, each to its correct position. However, the mechanism by which the balls are moved is interlocked so that entire rows or columns of balls move at once, making for some very challenging puzzles.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A sequel to Exorbis.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Bart Bonte.
On each level, use the mysterious machines to paint the ball in precisely the required way.
Category: 2D physics mechanical device creation puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Create a structure and/or machine so as to make an object reach an objective. Operation is somewhat fiddly and the game would benefit from a few easier starting levels, but this is an entertaining if challenging program. The object you create can not only move the object, but also itself. You are limited to creating the object within a limited area of the screen, but once in motion it can move out of that area.
Category: Logic puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: Platform game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 275MB.
The game consists of helping two fish - one large and one small - escape from each level. In order to succeed to two fish must co-operate by pushing and supporting various objects. The game bears some resemblence to Sokoban, but here the objects are of different sizes, gravity makes unsupported objects fall, and the objective differs. There is no real-time element - you can consider each move for as long as you wish.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each level, various shapes must be pushed into the required positions on a square board - but this is not Sokoban. There are four different types of shapes (squares, circles, crosses and triangles) each of which can be pushed onto the board from each side, but only into alternately rows (or columns). This is an original idea, nicely implemented, but the instructions are in Japanese and the puzzles are difficult.
Category: Sokoban variant. Download and install; freeware demo version; payware full version.
Download file size: 4858KB.
Fitznik is a Sokoban variant, involving not only pushing blocks but also collecting keys and gems, plus avoiding snakes and spiders. The free demo version allows access to the first nine of the game's 63 levels. All nine of the demo levels are fairly easy. On my computer the program failed to run on the first attempt after installation but worked on the second and subsequent attempts. The game has semi-3D graphics where pure 2D graphics would have been preferable, and there is a fair amount of irrelevant distracting and confusing clutter on the gameboard. However, the idea has merit, especially if the payware levels offer more of a challenge than the demo levels.
Category: Chess (played against the computer). Play online free of charge.
This chess program has a choice of three difficulty levels. Although it has 3D graphics, they are reasonably clear. The online version can be used without charge. There is also an enhanced downloadable version for which a payment is required.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.onlinegamesquad.com/index.php?1086-4 (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Drag coloured balls horizontally so as to cause them to fall. If two or more balls of the same colour touch they will explode. Destroy all the balls. The problem is to avoid being left with balls which cannot be destroyed. A good idea, well implemented.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.thefoolsgold.com/downloads/index.htm (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: Various puzzles with a linking overall plot. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 645KB.
Fool's Errand is a famous collection of eighty individual puzzles and other games largely themed around Tarot cards, with an overall plot. The challenges come in various categories and vary considerably in their difficulty.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Eliminate all the blocks by moving matching sets of two or more next to each other. Blocks are subject to gravity.
Category: Various. Play online free of charge.
This site offers some good material but you may wish to be selective. For those who prefer puzzles rather than games I can recommend Bridges, Go, Hexxagon, Rubik and Rush Hour.
Category: 2D board game puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Fugashu is an unusual and as far as I know original puzzle. A rectangular board is divided into cells, and initially there are numbers in each cell. The numbers can be moved to adjacent cells so as to build up continuous runs. For example: 3 can be moved to 4 so as to create a 3-4 run; 3-4 can be moved to 5-6 to create a 3-6 run; 2 can be moved to 3-6 to form a 2-6 run; 2-6 can be moved to 1 to form a 1-6 run. When a run is complete it is removed from the board. The objective is to remove all the numbers from the board. A new number chosen at random can be dealt into any blank cell and this is often required. There are also a number of special cards which add yet more complications, but thankfully there is an option to disable their use. Careful study of the in-game instructions is vital, and the game is far from simple, but it probably rewards those who persevere with it. The pleasant and peaceful Japanese flute background music helps players to relax.
Category: 2D path tracing maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Trace a path through the maze, visiting every square. You can choose your starting point, but each time you select a direction you will keep moving until you hit a wall.
Category: 2D path tracing maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Trace a path through the hexagonal board, visiting every blank cell.
Category: Vocabularly word puzzle. Play online for free (free registration required).
This site offers a small collection of games, most of which are not puzzles. One exception is Wordbump, in which you have to quickly make up words from the available letters. The other aspects of the site can be explored or ignored as you wish.
News about, and reviews of, independent computer games of all genres including puzzles.
Category: Crossword puzzles. Play online for free.
This online crossword puzzle program has no clues. The board is initially partially filled in; your objective is to fill in the remaining blank squares. To do this you click on a blank square, then on a letter. All the squares that share a letter with the clicked square will be filled in with the selected letter - whether it is correct or incorrect. This is a clever idea, well executed. Most of the words are in common use, making the program suitable for a wide audience.
Category: Pentomino Jigsaws. Play online for free.
This site, provided by Kadon Enterprises, offers a collection of a dozen puzzles in each of which you have fit a set of pentominoes or similar shapes into a space.
Category: Railway shunting puzzle. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 1948KB.
Gartriage is a railway shunting puzzle game. The graphics are simple but the game is effective. Sixty levels are included with the game.
Category: Logic/adventure puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Direct a robot through various logic puzzles, interacting with the devices and objects you encounter in each room.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://jayisgames.com/cgdc3_redirect.php?gameID=2 (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D collisions and bouncing puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This excellent program has elements of the traditional English pub game shove ha'penny, and snooker. The objectives, the rules and the behaviours of the game's objects are all fairly simple and perhaps best discovered by exploration rather than being explained here. The game is difficult with a score of only ten being considered very good, but it is highly addictive. There is a real-time element but this does not detract from the puzzling aspect. Deciding on the best strategy is not always a simple decision.
Category: Sokoban variant. Play online free of charge.
Push the blocks out of your way and collect all the globules of slime. Blocks can be removed from the board by pushing them down chutes. The slime forms a snake which increases in length behind you, but it can be pulled in the opposite direction by moving to its tail. Once complete, the slime snake must be disposed of by taking it to a suction vent, but each vent can only be used once. One-way arrow squares further complicate the puzzle.
This is a nice idea. One major criticism: the depiction of the boxes is in semi-3D, making it very difficult to see which squares they block. A straightforward overhead 2D design would be far preferable.
The levels start to become difficult very quickly.
Category: 2D maze game. Play online free of charge.
You have a limited number of directional arrows which must be placed on a 2D board so as to direct the rabbits to the exit and keep their enemies away. A good idea, nicely programmed, but there is probably a need for a few more elementary levels at the start. Although the first link is to a web site which uses the Spanish language, the game itself uses English.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
Enter a password (the answer to a riddle) to move on to each new web page. (Despite its name, this is not a Tower Defence game.)
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Rotate and flip the board so as to bring blocks of the same colour together as they fall under gravity. On each level you only have a minimum number of moves required, making for a challenging puzzle.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Rotate the nodes so as to connect the entire network to the power source. While there are several similar games, this has two important distinguishing factors which make it considerably more interesting: only nodes which are currently powered can be rotated, and no spurs must be left disconnected. Operation is a little tricky due to the need to click on either side of a node to rotate it clockwise or anti-clockwise but an extremely useful multiple move undo facility is provided.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.booleansoup.com/index.php?p=40&mode=view_item&type=wip&id=30 (external link verified Sep-08)
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Download and install. Freeware. Work in progress.
This program is based on the Game Boy Advance video game console program "Guru Logi Champ". Fire blocks from a cannon to complete a pattern. The cannon can be moved left and right and the board can be rotated. Blocks can be fired into temporary positions in order to form obstacles to assist in the placing of other blocks, then retrieved into the cannon and fired into their correct positions.
There is no automatic installation procedure. Use a program such as WinRar to extract the contents of the distribution file, move the extracted files to within C:\Program Files, and manually create any desired shortcuts to the exe file.
This is a work in progress. At the current (Sep-08) state of development the program there is no sound and no in-game instructions. Instructions can be found in the readme file which is amongst the extracted files.
The first few sets of levels are very easy but later sets are much more interesting.
Category: Play online free of charge.
Gwigle is a free online puzzle game which teaches how to use the Google search engine. The game presents a list of Google links, to which you have to supply the search query which generated them. Hint: It often helps to open the real Google in a separate browser window, for use in parallel with the game.
Category: Play online free of charge.
Swap pairs of tiles to make lines of three in a row. However, this is definitely not a Bejeweled game. In this game, sets of matching tiles are destroyed and any tiles above them fall down into the gaps. Your objective to to destroy all the tiles with a very limited number of moves. Except for the first few levels, the puzzles are difficult. The game is somewhat spoilt by a totally unnecessary surrounding computer hacking story.
Category: Various puzzles. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 2671KB.
Heaven And Earth is a collection of numerous individual puzzles and other challenges, of varying difficulty, arranged in four sections.
Category: Abstract puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Both URL's lead to the same content. The Rogers' family personal web site offers:
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Slide each hexagon to its correct destination cell of the same colour. A simple idea, very nicely implemented, which leads to some tricky puzzles.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.aceinternet.co.uk/~mokona (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game (3D graphics but 2D gameboard). Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 1024KB.
Each of the one hundred levels of Hex-A-Hop has a pattern of hexagonal tiles of various types which your player character can walk round. On each level your obejctive is destroy all the green tiles. Each green tile is destroyed as you step off it. Cyan coloured tiles turn green on your first visit and are destroyed on your second visit. All green pillars drop down to become green tiles as soon as there are no green tiles left. Similarly, all cyan pillars drop to become cyan tiles as soon as there are no cyan tiles left. Cyan tiles and pillars need not be destroyed in order to complete a level. Various additional complications such as trampoline tiles, missile-shooting tiles and slippery ice tiles are gradually introduced as you work through the levels. You can consider each move for as long as you wish. The game's level has a hexagonal pattern which allows a choice if you are currently having problems completing some levels. Hex-A-Hop features attractive well-designed graphics. For more information about the game search the DROD forum.
Category: Various 2D abstract puzzles. Play online free of charge.
This appears to be a personal site, although I cannot find any mention of the author's name. It offers various games and puzzles, some good and some perhaps less interesting, plus some computer art and web pages on other subjects. Puzzle fans might like to try Hex Mine and Xoki.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.turbogames.com/Hexiom.html (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each of the forty levels, arrange the hexagons so that each has the number of neighbours specified on its face.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Arrange hexagons to make the coloured lines on them match. The idea is very simple but some of the puzzles are definitely not.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzles. Play online free of charge.
This program contains thirty-six very varied puzzles, of which twenty five are immediately accessible, the other eleven only when some of the original twenty-five are solved. In each case you must reveal or construct a star, but the means by which this is achieved must be discovered. Some of the puzzles are very easy, some are very difficult and some are rather obscure. A pleasant short puzzle game.
Category: 3D technical drawing puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each level you are presented with the plan and elevations of a 3D object made out of cube-shaped blocks. You have to create the object in 3D so as to match. The problem is that you are only allowed to use a specified number of blocks. This is a superb idea and very nicely implemented but I do wish there were a few easy levels to get you started.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Simple Andy.
This puzzle, by the same author as "Click Drag Type", has no instructions. You're not even told what you're trying to achieve. The puzzle has some similarities to the interconnections of computer logic gates so as to form arithmetic units.
Category: 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A group of Vikings are trapped in blocks of ice. You have to cut the ice by dragging with the mouse, so as to free each trapped Viking and make him drop into the longboat. Later levels feature swinging blocks of ice and ropes. There is quite a long delay as level is set up. Scrolling around the area of each level is somewhat awkward and the game would benefit by using a much larger stage area.
Category: Go (wei chi) played against the computer. Download and install. Freeware.
This free program allows you to play the ancient oriental board game of Go against the computer, but only on a smaller than normal board.
Category: Simulation puzzle. Play online free of charge (restricted demo version of a payware program), or download and install free of charge (restricted demo version of the same payware program).
Download file size (demo): 4089KB.
The objective on each level is to place bombs and other objects into positions where they influence the path of a ball as it falls under gravity, so as to direct the ball to hit a target. The objects include bombs of various kinds and teleports. In addition the ball's path may be influenced by fields of various types, over which the player has no control. After placing the bombs (etc) the simulation is started, the path of the ball observed, the simulation stopped, the objects' positions adjusted and so on in a cycle until success is achieved. The positions of the bombs usually need to be very precise. In addition, on many levels the bombs also have to be detonated at precisely the correct moment. Some players may therefore feel that the game is too fiddly and over-complicated.
Category: 2D sliding blocks puzzle, with additional complications. Play online free of charge.
You are presented with a sideways view of a house, divided into blocks. The rooms, stairs and some other features can be moved or rotated. By this means, a dog must be persuaded to move to the kitchen. Some blocks cannot be moved, some can only be rotated, some can only be slid horizontally or vertically, and some can be slid both horizontally and vertically. The design of the wallpaper on each block indicates its possible movements, possibly not always accurately (this might be due to a bug, or an as yet not understood game feature). The game has some behaviours which are not obvious, such as a pair of doors in unconnected areas of the house acting as a portal. Finally, some of the movable background tiles are difficult to distinguish if you have your monitor brightness/contrast/gamma turned down low.
Category: 2D robot vehicle creation and driving puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Design and build robot vehicles, which you then drive and operate to achieve various challenges. The vehicle creation process is inevitably fairly complicated but a series of useful tutorials are provided. As well as solving the challenges, the system is very open ended and can be used to create other vehicles and machines. Devices created by the system can be saved.
Category: Go (wei chi) tutorials. Play online free of charge.
Go, otherwise known as wei chi, is an ancient oriental board game in which stones are placed on a large board with the aim of surrounding the opponent's stones. This web site offers a series of tutorial Java applets, each requiring you to solve a Go problem. However, the site does not offer a complete Go-playing program.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
A very useful tutorial option provides hints for playing this type of game. Not all of the puzzles involve pointing and clicking. The spelling "hellix" appears to be intentional.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
Not all of the puzzles involve pointing and clicking.
Category: Abstract 2D game. Play online free of charge.
Life is a cellular automation process devised by John Horton Conway, in which the birth, survival and death of each of the pieces on a two dimensional board is determined by the number of neighbours each piece has. In this game you have to place additional pieces in the starting position for Life, in order to achieve an objective in a certain number of generations, for example having at least three pieces still alive after ten generations. The game explains the principle well and implements it effectively, but after the first few levels the puzzles become very difficult.
Category: 3D abstract puzzle game. Play online free of charge.
This is a "marble run" puzzle game, similar to the classic "Marble Madness". Control is made somewhat awkward by the diagonal viewpoint but this is alleviated to some extent by allowing the user to choose control keys.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.jayisgames.com (external link verified Oct-08)
Category: Information about computer games and puzzles which are available via the Internet.
This excellent web site is well worth visiting on a regular basis. It mainly features free online games and puzzles.
Category: Information about computer games and puzzles which are available via the Internet.
This site tends to feature downloadable games and puzzles, mainly payware with freeware limited demos.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://kongregate.com/games/Chandler/jelly-blocks (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is a highly innovative puzzle idea. On each level you have to move blocks so as to make blocks of the same colour join together, the unusual feature being that all the blocks move at the same time, subject to immovable obstructions. The early easy levels are perhaps too numerous but around the mid-twenties things start to become more challenging.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A number of blobs are located in some of the cells of a rectangular grid. You objective is to move the required number of blobs to a special target cell. You can drag blobs to other cells, subject to some unstated rules which you must discover yourself. This is a nice idea but it might benefit considerably by the addition of a clear statement of the rules. Without that, many potential players will probably abandon the program in frustration. In addition, level 1 is trivially simple while level 2 is by far the most difficult.
Here is a tentative attempt to list the rules, which might not be entirely correct. Additional complications are introduced in later levels but these are mainly obvious. Because some people may wish to discover the following information by themselves, the text is hidden. To read it, drag your mouse over it so as to select it.
Blobs can only be dragged to an orthogonally adjacent cell, i.e. a cell above it, below it, to the left of it, or to the right of it (no diagonals).
A blob with one eye cannot be dragged to an empty cell.
A blob with one eye can be dragged to an occupied cell and it then adds to the number of eyes in the destination cell.
A blob with more than one eye can be dragged to any adjacent cell. It will leave a one-eyed blob in its original location, and its other eyes will add to the number of eyes in the destination cell.
The number of eyes in any cell cannot exceed the maximum displayed for each level, except for the target cell on the final winning move of the level. Until the final winning move, the number of eyes in the target cell is subject to the limit.
Blobs can be moved out of the target cell as well as into it, subject to the above rules. This far from obvious rule is vital to the solution of some levels.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Rotate the board clockwise and anti-clockwise to make the jewels fall under gravity, with the aim of making them come together.
Category: 2D platform construction puzzle game. Play online free of charge.
On each level, move Lego blocks to create platforms so Junkbot can safely reach the garbage can.
Category: 2D platform construction puzzle game. Play online free of charge.
The sequel to Junkbot. Same concept, new levels.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: Joker-Games.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Make a frog jump around the lily-pads, destroying them until only one is left. The frog can jump over any size of gap horizontally and vertically. Turns of 90 degrees can be made, but not 180 degrees. This is a unusual and challenging puzzle, nicely programmed. (This site allows visitors to comment on games and some of the comments may be very childish.)
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.tonypa.pri.ee/kavalmaja.html (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D maze exploration. Play online free of charge.
Creator: Tonypa.
Combining elements of Chip's Challenge, DROD and Sokoban, this is an excellent puzzle. There are very few instructions, meaning that part of the puzzle is to discover what each of the symbols represents. Games are automatically saved and the "Load Game" option will restore a saved game. This includes the vital facility to restart a room after running out of lives.
Category: 2D abstract platform square-rolling puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Use the cursor keys to control one or more red squares, which can jump and roll around platforms. Collect all the coins by passing over them, then get all the red squares onto the green squares. There is no realtime element, so you can take as long as you wish to decide each move. There's a restart option on each level and if you fail to collect all the coins then you play the level again. An original idea, nicely programmed.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://kiki.sourceforge.net (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: 3D puzzle. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 3972KB.
You control a small robot in this truly 3D game, which combines elements from Sokoban and other games. There is some real-time activity, but mostly puzzle-solving.
Category: Adventure game. Download and install. Freeware.
Download file size: 49,295KB.
Creator/publisher: Infamous-Adventures.
This is a full adventure game available free of charge. It is a remaking of the Sierra game of the same name. The graphics are fairly low resolution but well done. The game has a fantasy theme. You play the part of Gwydion, the young slave of the evil magician Manannan. At the start of the game your objective would appear to be finding some way of escaping from Manannan.
Category: Sokoban. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
A collection of small difficult Sokoban levels.
Category: Logic puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: Programming puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Create a program which directs the movements of a robot. The robot has to move, turn, jump up and down steps, and light up certain squares. The program is "written" by dragging command icons into a section of the screen. No typing is required. There is only room for a restricted number of commands, forcing the use of functions (i.e. subroutines). This critical factor makes for some good but difficult puzzles, but there is a need for considerable more explanation for non-programmers.
Create a function (subroutine) of commands by dragging command icons into the f1 or f2 area. Then to obey the function from the main program, drag the f1 or f2 command icon into the main program. Each function can be obeyed as many times as desired, for example f1-f1-f1. In addition, it is possible to obey one function from inside the other function, for example f1 could contain the f2 command icon, any number of times.
Besides being a clever idea for a puzzle, this game gives some insight into programming, especially the early days of computing where every effort had to be made to keep programs as short as possible.
Category: Life variant. Play online free of charge.
The simulation of two species, one being a predator of the other, in order to find a viable dynamic equilibrium is a classic computer program dating back decades. John Conway's mathematical game "Life", in which the positions of cells in each generation determines what will happen in the next generation, is also far from new. However, "Live Rabbit Live!" combines those two concepts to make a highly original puzzle game.
You have to place rabbits, carrots and wolves so as to establish a starting condition. Then the game presents the consequences. Left to themselves, carrots will spread. Rabbits will survive and breed but only if they can eat carrots. Wolves will eat rabbits. You goal on each level is to discover a starting condition which leads to a dynamic equilibrium, enabling the rabbits to survive.
There are some minor drawbacks to the program, such as being able to use trial and error to find a successful initial placement, and the repetitive nature of the various levels, but this is an extremely clever idea.
Category: Mazes. Play online free of charge.
Robert Abbott's personal site features:
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Rotate the path sections so as to form loops and remove all the dead-ends. A good idea, well implemented, if somewhat repetitious after a while.
Category: Simulation puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This original puzzle involving the movement of several spacecraft has a number of levels.
Category: Board game. Play online free of charge.
An implementation of the classic board game played in many parts of Africa. Play against the program (with a choice of three skill levels) or against another person.
Category: Board game. Play online free of charge.
This appears to have the same options and gameplay as "Mancala Classic", but different graphics.
Category: Chess puzzles. Play online free of charge.
More than 650 Chess puzzles, of the type where a checkmate must be achieved in a small number of moves from a given situation. The puzzles are presented in categories of varying difficulty, which are in fact increasing numbers of required moves. The program also includes an option to play a normal game of Chess against it. The easiest puzzles are quite simple provided you know the rules of the game.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.mathpuzzle.com (external link verified Oct-06)
The majority of the material on Ed Pegg Jr's personal site will be tough going for all but the most advanced mathematician but there is the occasional item of more general interest. In addition, Ed frequently includes valuable links to high quality puzzle web sites. It is through this web site that I discovered gems such as Clickmazes and DROD. Ed's home page is updated frequently and the site also has a large number of other pages to explore.
Category: Various games including some puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: 3D platform-like game. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: Joker-Games.
Category: Mazes. Non-interactive diagrams.
Adrian Fisher's web site includes a number of ingenious and innovative mazes.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle; free online demo version; payware downloadable version; freeware downloadable demo version.
Download file size (demo): 3890KB.
On a rectangular grid there are squares of various colours, plus a number of special squares with a snowflake design. Your objective is to destroy all the snowflake squares. This is done by making all the squares between two snowflakes the same colour by swapping orthoganally adjacent squares . However, there is a significant complication: if the number of squares between two snowflakes is even they and the squares between them are destroyed, but if the number of squares is odd then in addition a new snowflake is created at the mid-point. Any squares above destroyed squares will fall downwards. The game starts with quite a large number of very simple tutorial levels.
Category: 2D Sokoban variant. Play online free of charge.
In addition to blocks which can be pushed, this game also features useful objects which you can pick up and drop, doors which need to be unlocked, and enemies which have to be avoided.
Category: Railway shunting puzzles. Non-interactive descriptions, diagrams and photographs.
This excellent web site includes full details of the classic "Inglenook Sidings" and "Timesaver" railway shunting puzzles. While the site presents the puzzles in model railway terms they can equally well be played with pencil, paper and coloured counters, or with a railway simulator computer program.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Mozaik is a logic puzzle in which you have to rotate sets of coloured blocks so as to match patterns.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
Category: Adventure game. Commercial game sold in shops.
Myst involves solving numerous logical puzzles, and travelling between a number of different worlds by means of linking books. While its largely static graphics are extremely dated by today's standards, this does not matter as they depict a series of fascinating landscapes. The game has no explicit violence.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
As usual with these games, your objective is to figure out the URL of each successive page in turn, using the clues in the current page. In some cases you may need to examine the source code of the page and/or do some research on Google, Wikipedia and other sources. This particular game tends to have a few fairly straightforward puzzles, then a really difficult one.
Category: 2D rotating maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This difficult rotating maze puzzle has multiple interconnected rooms, doors and keys, and spikes onto which you must not fall.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Rotate the wires and other devices so as to connect everything to the source of electricity. The game board size can be specified so as to set the difficulty level.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
From the clues on each web page, figure out the URL of the next page.
Category: Mathematical puzzles and problems. Non-interactive descriptions and diagrams.
Many of these puzzles are very challenging.
Category: 2D geometrical puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Move the vertices of a linkage so as to make the links pass over every one of a set of points. In some levels, some of the vertices are fixed and cannot be moved. A good game but the "music" is more than slightly repetitive.
Category: Nonogram (picross) puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
Not all of the puzzles involve pointing and clicking. Many involve entering the correct URL for the next web page.
Puzzle Games: http://www.novelgames.com/flashgames/category.php?id=1 (external link verified Oct-08)
Category: Various puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Two sets of puzzle games, both with a wide range of material, containing some old ideas, some new, and a few original concepts. Certainly worth exploring.
Category: Railway shunting puzzle. Non-interactive diagram.
Category: Railway shunting puzzle. Non-interactive diagram.
Category: 2D maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Work your way to the destination, opening and closing a maze of hinged doors. An original and unusual idea, well implemented but for some reason lacking in its ability to keep you playing. Perhaps some more variety is needed.
Category: 2D maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
I strongly suspect that it is possible in most levels to easily get into a state where it cannot be solved, but this is far from obvious and there is no notification. If true, that makes for an extremely frustrating and unrewarding experience.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.gamebalance.com/games/orbox.html (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Your objective is to guide an object to a destination. The complication is that having chosen a direction, the object keeps moving until it hits an obstacle. The first few levels are very simple but the difficulty level soon increases.
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http://www.gamebalance.com/games/orboxb.html (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A sequel to Orbox, which introduces some new features.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
From the clues on each web page, figure out the URL of the next page.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A variant on the classic "Towers Of Hanoi" puzzle.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
On each web page, click on the image and enter the answer to the riddle.
Category: 2D turn based puzzle game. Play online free of charge or download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 139KB.
Creator: Pavel Richter.
Papalot is a new turn-based strategy and resource allocation game, currently in the early stages of development. At the moment the menu system and graphics are fairly rudimentary but gameplay seems to be fully operative. On each turn you have to decide whether to build a unit which will create money, or a unit which will attack the opposition. There are several possible units of each type. The game has ten levels with different starting conditions.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Brett Gilbert's web site features this number maze, programmed in JavaScript which runs on most computers. On each level you have to find your way from the spinning start square in the top left corner to the finish square in the bottom right corner. You can only move orthogonally (up, down, left and right), and can only jump the number of squares shown by the spinning square.
Category: 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is an interesting variant of Sam Lloyd's classic "15" puzzle. Each car must be moved into the circle of the corresponding colour, but cars can only move along roads, and only to the currently unoccupied circle.
Category: 3D maze puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: Joker-Games.
In this game you navigate the inside surfaces of a cubiod, with the considerable complication of always taking exactly two steps at a time.
Category: Text adventure puzzle with graphics. Play online free of charge.
This is an old text adventure game, or perhaps a modern parody of one. Movement is by means of the cursor keys but all other commands must be entered as text. The graphics and sound are primitive. The game is quite amusing.
Category: 2D block-fitting puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Pentominoes are shapes which can be made by fitting five squares together. They are the shapes used in Tetris. In Pentalogic the pentominoes have to be placed inside a shape so as to fit exactly with no gaps and no pentominoes overlapping. A pentomino can be moved by dragging a point anywhere inside it, rotated by dragging its border, and reflected by double-clicking it. This forms a slightly awkward control system but the puzzles are good.
Category: 2D physics-based puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Devise machines which keep a ball in motion by as complicated a path as possible. Begin by purchasing props (machine parts) on the righthand panel, which will permit you to visit various locations around the world starting in Australia (this aspect of the game isn't obvious and could be made clearer). On each level, position your available props and put the machine into motion. Unfortunately you don't get any indication of a score until the time expires. Then adapt the machine to obtain the required score for the level.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Phit is a sliding block puzzle. Slide pentominoes and similar shapes so as to make them fit into a rectangle. The shapes cannot pass over each other, nor can they be rotated. There are quite a few simple levels to get you started, then it starts to become far more challenging. Well worth investigating.
Category: Nonogram (picross) puzzles. Play online free of charge.
This is a well-designed free-to-play program, ideal for Nonogram fans. In a Nonogram puzzle clues are provided regarding the number of black squares in each row and column, to help you fill in a grid and thus form a picture.
Category: 2D abstract puzzles. Play online free of charge.
An original idea, in which you have to slide tiles within a rectangular grid so as to match specified designs. There are three types of tiles: those which move as you might expect, those which cannot be moved, and those which when pushed off one side of the grid reappear on the opposite side. The game is well designed and the levels are well sequenced, but for some reason this doesn't excite me as much as perhaps it should.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Download and install free of charge
At first sight Pittoch may appear to be a standard platform game but it is in fact an innovative puzzle game.
You have to move up, down, left and right to collect keys, then make your way to the exit. However, you need connect player icons together, as each of them can only carry one key. Player icons can be connected vertically and horizontally. Some of the gaps in the platform structure have a restricted width or height, making route planning vital.
In addition, some levels have "cloud" icons which can be moved up and down, and which also connect together. The ability to control the upward and downward movement of clouds depends on their number of connected icons and the number of connected player icons, in a way that I have not yet fully determined. If it can be moved upwards, a cloud allows you to rise up further than the normal two square jump limit.
The game is distributed as an lzh file. This is similar to concept to a zip archive but you may need a special program to extract the contents. I used WinRAR without any problems. When extracted, the resulting exe and chm files can be copied into a folder in C:\Program Files and shortcuts created manually. There is no automated installation routine.
Keyboard controls: select a menu option with the cursor keys, invoke a selected menu option by pressing the Return key, move your player icon(s) with the cursor keys, jump with the space bar (and cursor left or right if desired), reset a level with the R key, exit with the Esc key.
This is a clever idea, well presented within the game itself. However, a proper installation routine and some better instructions would make it even more attactive.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
In this game you are presented with a network of points connected by lines. Your task is to drag the points so as to avoid any lines crossing. The idea is very clever, the implementation is excellent, but all except the first few levels are very difficult.
Category: Complex puzzle and riddle solving game. Play online free of charge.
I get the impression that players would need to invest a fair amount of time and effort into this puzzle in order to gain much from the experience.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Expand the diamond shapes so as to connect them all together. A diamond cannot be expanded more than three times, nor can it be expanded twice in successive moves, nor can it overlap with another diamond. This is a clever idea but a very difficult puzzle.
Category: Mental arithmetic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This game has no instructions. It's fairly obvious what to do after some experimenting, and as discovering this is part of the pleasure I won't go into details here except to mention that rapid simple mental arithmetic is required. An excellent implementation of a simple but effective idea, with some very nice musical chimes as special effects.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A rectangular framework contains a number of coloured square tiles. Each row and each column of tiles can be rotated, rows leftwards or rightwards, columns upwards or downwards. The objective is to make all the tiles in each row the same colour.
This is a good game, well programmed, but even the initial levels are very challenging.
A commercial site. Most Popcap games are in the form of Java applets which can be played online on most computers, but a few are conventional Windows EXE programs which can be downloaded. In some cases charges are made for the full feature EXE versions. People looking for puzzles will probably like Mummy Maze.
Category: 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge (the downloaded SWF file is quite large).
Move around various chambers, in each case attempting to reach the exit. When your path is blocked by obstacles, you can fire a gun to open two portals. As you enter one portal you will exit from the other portal. The position at which each portal is created is not the current mouse pointer position, but the nearest solid surface in line with where your gun is pointing. Portals can be opened on walls, floors and ceilings but only in places you can fire at with the gun from your current position. If a portal is created at an undesired position, firing the gun again will open it elsewhere. Operation is more than somewhat awkward and takes quite a while to learn but this is a puzzle game probably worth persisting with.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Download and install. Freeware.
Download file size: 1443KB.
Pozzo involves traversing a maze in order to eat all the jello. Once a jello square has been visited, it cannot be visited again (i.e. jello squares act in the same way as trapdoors in DROD). Some squares act as keys which unlock doors (i.e. the equivalent of orbs in DROD). Later levels probably have additional features. Despite its similarity with the DROD trapdoor rooms, this game is probably worth exploring.
There is no automatic installation procedure. Extract the contents of the downloaded ZIP file into a folder, move that folder to C:\Program Files and create any desired shortcuts. There is also an alternative EXE download file version from other sources which has an automated installation procedure but the installed program then fails with an error on my computer. The ZIP file version seems to work without any problems.
Use the cursor keys to move. Press R to restart a level. Pressing F4 toggles between windowed and full screen. Pressing G toggles the grid lines on and off. I haven't found any method of disabling the music.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Route energy to all the pyramids, without running out of energy. Most levels are fairly easy. This puzzle has an isometric view but for once this is not a serious drawback.
Category: 2D navigation/block pushing game. Play online free of charge.
Making moves up/down/left/right on a square grid, navigate to the ending point within the specified number of moves. On the later levels you must push blocks out of your path.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://puzzle.boy.flash.fizzlebot.com (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Abstract 2D logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
An original game but somewhat in the style of Chip's Challenge, DROD and Sokoban, having a 2D overhead view. You have to discover a path through a maze of revolving doors and blocks which can be pushed. On some levels you have to control two independent copies of your character. There are three sets of levels, easy, medium and hard. The game has no realtime element and levels can be restarted without penalty. A clever idea, with good progressive level design and nicely programmed.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Push shapes ("pegs") of various designs around a 2D board with the aim of destroying them all. Pegs can be destroyed in two ways - by pushing them into a trap square, or by pushing two pegs of the same type together. The different types of pegs have different behaviours, for example one type changes into a fixed obstacle square when two of them are combined together, while another type changes into a normal square when it is pushed over a trap. An enjoyable game.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.puzzlebeast.com (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D abstract puzzles. Play online free of charge.
James W. Stephens' personal site has a collection of highly innovative Java applet puzzles generated by computer programs that he wrote.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge (restricted demo version); payware full version (presumably downloaded and installed).
Prepare paths in the form of arrows for sheep to follow - a similar concept to Tilez.
Category: Railway shunting puzzles. Static diagrams only, no interaction. Solutions included.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
River Crossing is physical puzzle game manufactured by Binary Arts, based on Andrea Gilbert's Plank Puzzles. These pages of the Puzzle.com web site feature the game. The "Play Online" page includes four very simple introductory plank puzzles which use the same Java applet as the ClickMazes and Henley Mob sites.
Category: 2D pinball machine creation puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is a pinball variant on the "Incredible Machine" concept. Design a pinball machine to make a ball reach its destination. After each attempt each of the pinball elements can be moved, rotated, etc as desired. A clever idea, well implemented, plus excellent sounds. However, the level design is poor with even the early levels requiring luck rather than skill to solve. Around level six everything became too vague and difficult for my liking.
Category: 2D block pushing puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Push the blocks to their destination. Once set in motion a block will continue to move until it hits a wall or another block.
Category: Abstract 2D block-rotating puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Rotate sets of blocks so as to create columns of the same colour. A clever idea, well implemented.
Category: Abstract 2D board game. Play online free of charge.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
25 level version: http://laser.narr.as/laser.swf (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online for free.
Place mirrors and other objects in the path of a laser beam so as to direct it to all the lightbulbs. A password system provides a rapid return to the level reached during a previous session. Some of the later levels are very difficult. There is also a 28 level version but I do not have an operative URL for it.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.gamemaker.nl/games_exe/reflexion.zip (external link to the program's distribution file verified Oct-06)
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 1252KB.
Your objective is to set the directions of the mirrors so as to make a particle move through a set of gems to the final square. There are thirty-six levels. A good idea, very nicely implemented.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
You and your shadow must cooperate to work their way through a hazardous maze in this very difficult turn-based puzzle game.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Coloured blocks must be moved to their required destinations. This is done by specifying a rectangular path, around which the blocks on that path can be rotated clockwise or anti-clockwise. The width and height of each rectangular path must be at least two squares. A block with no supporting block below it will fall under gravity. This is a clever idea and well implemented, but to avoid frustration be sure to wait while all the instructions are displayed before starting to play. As an additional bonus the game features some rather nice background music tracks.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
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http://jayisgames.com/cgdc2_redirect.php?puzzleID=1 (external link verified Nov-08)
http://mirror4.cgdc2.fizzlebot.com/?puzzleID=1 (external link verified Feb-07 but may not be permanent).
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
The objective on each level is to make a tree's branches grow so as to pass through all the rings. This done by choosing the type of growth at each stage (straight, branching, etc). A very clever idea and very nicely implemented. The game is an entry in a competition, so the above links may be temporary.
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Category: Adventure game. Commercial game sold in shops.
Riven is the first sequel to Myst. Its puzzles are similar in style to the original game, except that two puzzles near the end of the game are extremely difficult. Riven's graphics are superior to Myst. As in Myst, Riven has no explicit violence.
Category: A classic river crossing puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This puzzle is in Japanese but as the operation is wholly graphical it is not a problem. To start, click the large blue circle. To move a character on or off the raft, click the character. To move the raft, click either of the red circles on poles at the riverbank. The raft can only carry two people at a time. The father cannot be left anywhere with any of the daughters unless the mother is present to keep the peace. The mother cannot be left anywhere with any of the sons unless the father is present to keep the peace. The criminal cannot be left anywhere with any of the family unless the policeman is present to keep the peace. Only the father, the mother and the policeman can operate the raft. This is a difficult puzzle.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
A variant on the "tilt mazes" concept. Guide a ball to its destination. Once set in motion the ball will continue to travel until it is blocked by an obstruction. This game includes a number of innovative features, making it considerably more interesting.
There are numerous free online room escape puzzles available, far too many to list here. For information about these and many other casual games, visit Jay Is Games (external link verified Apr-09).
Category: 2D sliding block/adventure game. Downloadable Shockwave animation file; freeware.
Download file size: full version 30MB; compact version 16MB.
To quote from the publisher's web site: "In Rooms, you're locked in this mysterious mansion with different rooms. Arrange rooms like a sliding puzzle, only using what's inside the room. Think about the location of rooms, using the right object at the right time."
To operate the game's main menu use the cursor left and right keys to move the man to a door, then the cursor up key to make him walk through the door.
The game consists of numerous levels. On each level a set of rooms are displayed in 2D, side on. Your objective is to reach the exit room and pass through its door.
Subject to walls, locked doors and the availability of ladders, it is possible to walk and climb between rooms by using the cursor keys.
A room can be slid into an empty space by holding down the left mouse key in a featureless area of the room, then moving the mouse pointer to one of the four direction arrows which appear, then releasing the mouse.
Clicking on a telephone will teleport the player to the other room which has a telephone. Clicking on a wardrobe will exchange the contents of the current room with that of the other room which has a wardrobe. The player does not move.
To pick up an object, stand near it and click it. To examine or use an object, left-click on the player, then click on one of the inventory objects displayed in the circles around the player.
It is possible to restart a level. This option is also offered should you die by walking outside any room, or into a room filled with water without wearing the fish bowl on your head.
A level password system allows progress to be saved.
Category: Clues and riddles. Play online free of charge.
In each room, examine the clues, deduce the password and enter it to unlock the door to the next room. To obtain a hint, enter a clue into the "HS System" text box and click "Go". The slider adjusts the magnification factor of the magnifying glass.
Category: 2D machine building puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This puzzle game is similar in concept to the classic "Incredible Machine". On each level you have to design a machine to move blocks to their required positions, then put the machine into motion. If the machine doesn't perform correctly then it can be edited. Additional levels can be created and published by users. There is a password system which allows you to recommence playing at any level that you have previously visited.
Category: Rubik's Cube. Play online free of charge.
There are many computer implementations of Rubik's Cube. This online version features a standard 3x3x3 cube with the normal colours, and rotation controls which are reasonably user-friendly.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
The playing board is divided into squares of different colours. The objective is to remove all the coloured squares. Clicking a square will remove it and its neighbours of the same colour, provided it is in a group of two or more. Squares above and to the right of the removed squares will move down and left so as to close gaps. The skill lies in removing sets of squares in such as way that no isolated single blocks remain. The player can consider each move for as long as desired.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.analogik.com/multimedia_samorost.asp (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Point and click graphical adventure puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Samorost is an online graphical point-and-click puzzle-solving adventure game, somewhat similar to Myst. Our hero has to visit another planetoid so as to stop it running into his home.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.samorost2.com (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: Point and click graphical adventure puzzle. Play online. The first half of the game is free of charge. The second half of the game can be accessed for a charge of US$6.90.
This is a sequel to Samorost. The web site for this program includes MP3 versions of the music tracks for the original version, wallpaper images for the sequel, a complete walkthrough for the sequel, links to similar games, and a discussion forum.
Our hero has to rescue his dog from alien kidnappers. I found this sequel considerably more challenging than the original game.
Category: Abstract 2D game. Play online free of charge.
This is a turn-based puzzle game in which you play the role of a wild fire which has to burn as much land as possible. Unfortunately the program suffers from inadequate instructions and a first level which is far too difficult, but there seems to be an underlying good idea here. Users can submit additional levels.
The number alongside the "Burn!!!" button indicates your current burn points. This is not your score. Burn points can be thought of as analoguous to money in a tower defence game or mana in a spell-wielding game. The number of burn points is incremented at the end of each turn by the number of squares currently alight with your fire. Burn points can be spent on making a fire spread, making a fire jump, starting a new fire area by causing a meteor to fall, or putting out an enemy fire with rain. Each of these options takes a different number of burn points.
To make a fire spread, click on an existing square which is alight with your fire, then the "Spread" button, then a square horizontally or vertically adjacent to the first square. Other operations are performed in a similar manner. Provided sufficient burn points are available, one square can be made to spread to one, two, three or all four adjacent squares.
Fires burn for a different number of turns depending on the terrain. The number of turns that each square will remain burning is displayed after each turn.
Once you have performed all your desired spread, jump, meteor and rain operations for the current turn, click the "Burn!!!" button. You do not need to use all your burn points on each turn, and any unused points will be carried forward (without any interest payments) to the next turn.
Your score is displayed in a smaller font size above the four option buttons. This is separate to the burn points. Your score is incremented by one each time a square is completely burnt by your fire. On each level a specified score must be achieved.
Category: 2D platform puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is not an ordinary platform game. It has a unique feature which makes it very much a puzzle. Press the Shift key to discover what that special feature is.
Category: 2D platform puzzle. Play online free of charge.
The first sequel to Shift.
Category: 2D platform puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Another sequel to Shift.
Category: 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Hit balls against each other in a logical order so as to knock them off the table and only leave one remaining. This is an excellent idea, extremely well programmed except for one major flaw - the imposition of a time limit which ruins the game.
Category: 2D abstract logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each individual puzzle, click with the mouse to turn flip the squares to the upper face. There is a useful indication of which squares will be flipped over. Overall, complete all the puzzles before the alloted number of moves expires, as indicated by the pointer which rotates round the outside of the large circle. This is a small puzzle, and spoilt by the total lack of any instructions, but worthwhile nevertheless.
Category: Sokoban variant. Play online free of charge.
Reach your destination by pushing blocks out your way, or using them as bridges. The game is played in real time, there are no barriers to prevent you falling into the water, and there are moving objects to avoid. All this makes for a difficult game in which executing your moves is as tricky as planning them.
Category: 2D "machine" puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Construct domino run chain reaction machines, with various features including special blocks, ramps, etc. Then run your machine to see if it achieves the required objective of making all the dominoes fall and then hitting the target to raise the flag. A level editor is included.
The direction in which the first domino falls is controlled by clicking in the lefthand or righthalf of its square.
This game features some pleasant if repetitive piano music in the background.
Category: 2D sliding object puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Slide coloured circles along wires to destinations specified by colour shading. This is a very good puzzle idea but the implementation leaves a little to be desired. The destination shading is difficult to see, especially on levels where the wire network is extensive and the size of the coloured circles is small. In addition, the method of progressing through levels, while flexible, is somewhat over-complex.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.johnrausch.com/SlidingBlockPuzzles/default.htm (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Sliding block puzzles. Play online free of charge.
A large collection of sliding block puzzles, implemented as Java applets and which therefore can be played online on most computers.
Category: 2D abstract logic puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Clicking a border between two squares toggles a path on or off. On each level, create a continuous loop so that each numbered square has the correct number of neighbouring paths. There are three sets of levels: easy, normal and hard.
Category: 3D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Sloyd is a clever variant of Sam Lloyd's classic "15" puzzle (hence the name), involving coloured dots on the faces of a cube. Unfortunately there is only one puzzle, which limits the appeal considerably. However, you can attempt to solve the puzzle in the minimum number of moves.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.sourcecode.se/sokoban (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: Sokoban. Download and install. Shareware (some features are disabled after thirty days unless the program is purchased).
Download file size: V2.3 5324KB.
Numerous implementations of the classic box-pushing puzzle game are available. This is one of the best.
Category: 2D abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Push each coloured block to its correct position.
Category: Various puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Eric Solomon's personal site includes puzzle games entitled Find Quigley, Hexagrams and Sheepdog Trials.
Category: Sliding blocks puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each level, tilt the board to make all the blocks slide with the objective of getting one special block out of the hole at one side of the board. An interesting mixture of sliding blocks, the "Gridlock/Rush Hour" concept, and tilt-mazes.
Category: 2D falling objects puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Make saw cuts through blocks of wood and strings so as to make a ball fall and reach a destination. Nicely presented but the puzzles are not simple.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is a variant on the classic "make the ball travel to a target by changing direction after it stops on an obstacle" concept. This program features various coloured bars which act as barriers. One at a time, these barriers can be deactivated. As usual, you can change the ball's direction each time it stops on an obstacle, and you can do this as many times as you wish. However, the number of times you can activate and deactivate barriers is very strictly limited. The graphics of this program are not particularly attractive, and the creator's spelling/typing leaves something to be desired, but the puzzles are well done and fun.
Category: Platform game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 766KB.
Creator/publisher: Blueskied Games.
This is the simplest of the three games in Blueskied Games' "Bound" series. You control a ball which can be made to change colour by hitting coloured circles. Your objective is to hit coloured squares so as to destroy them all. Complicating factors include skull squares which are fatal if hit, and an inability to change your vertical direction except by bouncing off squares. Although this game only has thirty levels and none of them are extremely taxing, it is still a very worthwhile little program.
See also Bound Around and Christmas Bound.
Category: Abstract logical puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is an interesting logical puzzle, implemented by means of numerous linked web pages. The introductory page explains the goal of the puzzle, together with (for those who are interested) an extensive discussion of the advanced mathematics behind it.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Position your defences, then see if they survive the attack. This is a simple puzzle to understand, but a difficult one in which to achieve success.
Category: 2D puzzle game. Download and install; freeware.
Creator: Crystal Shard.
Download file size: 6742KB.
SubTerra is a 2D overhead view square grid puzzle game with several game elements similar to those in Chip's Challenge and DROD. So far none of the levels I have explored have required any realtime movement skills.
Category: 2D puzzle game. Download and install; freeware.
Download file size: 5053KB.
Creator: Crystal Shard.
A sequel to SubTerra.
Java version (runs on most computers): http://warren-wood-web.net/PuzzleApplet.html (external link verified Sep-06)
Category: 2D network puzzle game. Apple Macintosh version: download and install (freeware). Java version: play online free of charge.
This is essentially a coin sliding puzzle, with the additional restriction that coins can only be slid along lines of the same colour and themselves. Despite the name, it cannot really be considered as being a railway puzzle, or a fast food sandwich restaurant chain puzzle! Regardless of categorisation, it is a clever idea and a good puzzle.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online for free.
The board consists of a square grid of counters which are white on one side and grey on the other. Your objective is to turn all the counters so that their white sides are showing. Clicking a counter turns it over - and also the other counters in the same diagonals.
(As far as I am aware, the name isn't a strange hybrid of Mexican and Japanese cuisine.)
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online for free.
The same concept as Tacoyaki, except that now clicking a counter to turn it over also turns over its immediate orthogonal neighbours (the counters above, below and to each side of it).
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
This is an implementation of an original puzzle concept by Oskar van Deventer. Three player-controlled people have to co-operate so as to escape from a series of rooms.
Download file size: 1384KB.
Tilez is a puzzle game currently (May-06) being beta tested. A ball has to be directed through a set of jewels by correctly positioning arrow tiles that alter its path. At this stage of development the idea and the level designs are good but the user interface still requires more work. There is no real-time element and you can consider each move for as long as you wish.
Rather than quoting a specific URL which may very quickly become out of date, for information about the program and a link to the distribution file (the file you download) search the DROD forum (external link verified May-06) for threads about the game.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
Eliminate all the blocks by stepping on them. Each move can be one step or two.
Category: Simulation of a mechnaical sorting puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This web page includes a description of a mechanical puzzle in which counters in a continuous track must be sorted into order by means of a turntable. It includes a Java simulation of the puzzle.
Category: Communcition puzzle. Play online free of charge.
In this unusual puzzle your spaceship crashlands on an alien planet and have to learn the natives' language.
Category: 2D physics puzzle. Play online free of charge.
On each level, you have to remove pieces from a tower but at the same time prevent a totem from falling to the ground. The pieces and the totem topple, fall and slide in a highly realistic manner, making for a very nice set of puzzles.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Download and install. Payware with a freeware demo.
Download file size (demo): 13,981KB.
Creator/publisher: Kudos Games.
On each level you need to direct a beam of light from a source to a target. This is done by moving mirrors, filters and other objects. There are also additional goals of collecting treasure and map pieces. The game is nicely presented, with a good tutorial introduction. The freeware demo is generous, allowing an unlimited amount of time to play through an extensive number of levels. Once these are exhausted, they can be re-played by creating a new player profile.
Category: 2D collision and magnet simulation puzzle. Play online free of charge.
You have to direct a ball so as to hit a number of circular objects. The ball bounces off the objects and its path is affected by magnets which attract or repel it. After each attempt the path taken by the ball can be seen, which is helpful when making adjustments. On some levels, the position of the gun which fires the ball can be adjusted by using the cursor keys. On my computer, the game has a distracting patterned background but this might depend on factors such as the video board, monitor and resolution. As far as I know the game always has to be restarted at the first level which is a serious drawback.
Category: 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Construct designs of pipework using standard components, with the added complications of having to work within a maze of tunnels, and components continuing to move until they hit obstructions.
Category: Checkers (draughts) played against the computer. Play online free of charge.
This program, although somewhat gimmicky, was chosen in preference to other versions because it makes the movement of the pieces very clear.
Category: Linked web page riddle game. Play online free of charge.
From the clues on each web page, figure out the URL of the next page.
Category: Various abstract graphical puzzles. Play online free of charge.
Category: Abstract 2D puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Untangle is a clone of Planarity. You are presented with a network of points connected by lines. Your task is to drag the points so as to avoid any lines crossing. The idea is very clever, the implementation is excellent, but as with Planarity the game would benefit enormously by having some much easier starting levels.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=180488 (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: Tower Defence/Tower Defense. Play online free of charge.
Creator: David Scott.
Although the path of the monsters on each map is fixed, the choice of tower positions, types and upgrades make this a challenging game, especially on the four more advanced maps. The vector-style graphics are excellent. This is probably the best tower defence game I've seen so far. The advanced maps are extremely difficult.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=18242 (external link verified Dec-07)
Category: Tower Defence/Tower Defense. Play online free of charge.
Creator: David Scott.
A sequel to the excellent Vector TD, and very similar in style except for some additional types of monsters and towers. Initially only one map is offered; I do not know if more maps become available after all fifty levels on the first map are conquered.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=18281 (external link verified Feb-08)
Category: Tower Defence/Tower Defense. Play online free of charge.
Creator: David Scott.
A second sequel to the excellent Vector TD. It's the same game but with new maps and several new play modes.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.user.dccnet.com/cedwards (external link verified Oct-06)
Category: Board game. Download and install. Freeware.
Download file size: 379KB.
Viking Siege is a variant of an ancient Viking game called hnefatafl, tafl or tablut. The game is unusual because the two players have asymmetrical properties. Games can be played against computer opponents with various skill levels.
British schoolchildren learning about the Vikings may find this game of particular interest.
Category: Point and click graphical adventure puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This program has cartoon graphics and an amusing plot. A group of bad bears have taken over the local bank - the Warbears must come to the rescue.
Category: Physics-based puzzle/arcade game. Play online free of charge.
Direct coloured balls to their correct destinations by spraying objects with a hose so as to move or rotate them. This unusual game has both a puzzle aspect and also a large real-time element.
Category: Tangram puzzle. Play online free of charge. (There is also a payware downloadable version.)
Use the mouse to drag tangram pieces so as to match shapes. Precise alignment is required, making this quite tricky.
Category: Information about articles.
This Wikipedia category section page has links to a large number of puzzle-related articles.
Category: Various puzzles. Download and install; payware with freeware restricted demo versions.
Download file sizes (demo's): various in the range 4MB to 8MB each.
Creator/publisher: Midnight Synergy
The Wonderland Series is based on much the same concepts as Sokoban and Chip's Challenge. Free demo versions giving access to the first few levels are available for Wonderland and Wonderland Secret Worlds. There is no demo version of the third program in the series, Return To Wonderland.
The 3D graphics in the Wonderland games sometimes make operation tricky, especially in Secret Worlds where the graphics are signficantly less clear than in the original program.
Download file size (beta 2): 9249KB.
WonderQuest is an overhead view/square grid puzzle game currently (May-06) being beta tested. There is no real-time element and you can consider each move for as long as you wish. The style of the game is very much a copy of DROD and the early levels are therefore rather disappointing. Later levels show much more originality. At this stage of development a considerable amount of work remains to be done on the spelling and grammar but the concept shows considerable promise. In my opinion the game would benefit considerably by the removal of the embarrasingly dreadful attempts at humour.
Rather than quoting a specific URL which may very quickly become out of date, for information about the program and a link to the distribution file (the file you download) search the DROD forum (external link verified May-06) for threads about the game.
| HIGHLY RECOMMENDED |
http://www.kongregate.com/games/Remivision/wooden-path (external link verified Nov-08)
Category: 2D sliding blocks puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Slide wooden blocks to form a continuous path and therefore a bridge across a river. In addition to sliding, blocks can be pushed through portals. Pairs of switches can be activated by connecting them with blocks of the correct colour. When activated, switches will cause some squares to change from obstacles into normal squares, thus creating more space in which to slide blocks. In addition, some special blocks can be destroyed by joining all of them together. There are two sets of levels. Very enjoyable.
Category: 2D board game. Download and install; payware with freeware restricted demo version.
Download file size (demo): 15,742KB.
Creator/publisher: Kudos Games.
This is a board game, as far as I know original. You play against the computer, on a hexagonal board, taking it in turns to place tiles. Both your own and your opponent's tiles can be destroyed by placing three tiles of the correct types next to each other around a common point. The rules which cause tiles to be destroyed are based on the traditional five Chinese elements and their relationships. For those who are interested, this Wikipedia article explains the background (external link verified Jan-08, note the game is spelt "Wu Hing" but the Wikipedia article's title is spelt "Wu Xing").
The game is nicely presented. However, I find the rules so complex and difficult to remember that I can barely perceive the currently available moves, let alone develop any strategy involving more than a single move. Your experience may differ of course. During gameplay the program displays an extremely useful diagram which illustrates the complex relationships between the elements.
The free demo version can be replayed as many times as desired. Each time it is run it plays the tutorial, followed by allowing you to play one game against a weak computer opponent, then two games against a stronger computer opponent.
Category: Board game played against the computer. Play online free of charge.
This is a computer implementation of a real board game. The game is somewhat similar to Chinese Checkers, but played on a rectangular board and always between only two players. Your objective is to move your pieces to the opposite end of the board before your opponent, who is trying to move his pieces in the other direction towards you. You can jump over both your pieces and those of your opponent. There is no capturing. The board is hinged in the middle. You can continue to make moves until the other end of the board goes down and your end goes up, which inevitably happens as you move pieces away from you.
Category: Various games and puzzles. Play online free of charge.
The two train shunting puzzles are excellent. Some of the other games and puzzles on this web site are also well worth exploring.
Category: 2D abstract block-moving puzzle. Play online free of charge.
This is a block-pushing game but very different to Sokoban. Push similar blocks together, then destroy each connected set of blocks with a very limited number of shots. A clever idea. The early levels are easy, making this a very suitable game for younger children.
Category: Sokoban variant. Play online free of charge (early stages only).
Push blocks and mirrors so as to clear your way through laser beams. A good idea but the graphics are rather dark.
Category: Abstract puzzle. Play online free of charge.
Creator/publisher: LightForce Games.
The objective is to move each number. Numbers can only be moved the number of squares equal to their value, only to an empty cell, and only once.
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