Fellow primarily-puzzle gamers: what are some off-the-beaten path games you like?

The Game Room
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I love games, but by games I mean puzzle-style games, overall. True, I can’t resist the siren song of a new “Diablo” and I had my obsessive 3 month fixation on WoW back in 2005, but Blizzard is unique (I’m pretty sure there’s addictive substances involved) and outside of that I am not interested in being a character, creating a world or mastering intricate key combinations and honing my reflexes to kill or avoid dying in any scenario.

Also not interested building/creating/occupying alternate worlds (the appeal of the the Sims has always escaped me beyond watching a trailer of highlights, and Second Life I appreciate only from afar as a means of income for those who have the patience to make it work for them, otherwise I SO do not get how it is compelling for anyone who has even a very modest version of a real life.) And I’ve never found a “platformer” (endless side scroll) game that seemed entertaining.

Here are some of the games that really grabbed me and sucked some of my life away, never to be regained. But I enjoyed the hell out it, so I’m up for more life-suckers and I hope if you are like me you can tell me about some games you think I’d like based on these, and I hope in doing so I am sharing with you some new things that you will enjoy.

My earliest game obsession, once the digital game age began, was actually another “special case” exception to my general rules for games: Centipede. I don’t know why, but I loved it and I kicked ass at it, and I nearly wept with joy when Ambrosia software essentially ported it to the Mac as Apeiron. No more standing in a store feeding quarters, I could relax at home and really devote myself. I think my top level was something like 146, and whatever it was, I noticed that there did come a point where the game had maxed out the difficulty. New levels weren’t any faster or harder, and I could keep a full complement of lives almost all the time. Which was fine, I just loved the play. I have revisited it many times over the years, getting caught up anew, burning out, and leaving it for a few years.

I mention it just in case you have a deeper understanding of why that particular game overrode my general lack of interest in arcade-style games and can recommend some other game that would do so in a similar way. Other arcade games, especially (weirdly, given the nature of Centipede gameplay) those that rely on good eye-hand coordination and reflexes, do nothing for me. I don’t think I ever played more than 2 levels of Pac-Man, I never played any levels Donkey Kong, Super Mario, etc. Snooze.

My first true computer game obsession was LucasArts’ PipeDream. I played it so much that my brain had burn-in of the pipes. I am not kidding… I would see the pipe tiles when I was reading, in my head when I tried to sleep… it was sick. I played it to the highest possible level, according to Lucasarts… cuz I called and asked.I no longer remember what that was. (the closest approximation I found and also played to death for iOS is Pipe Attack!) There was also a brief moment when I was able to play a German “connect the pipes” game called Splash that was designed more real-world, with a conveyor belt bringing the pipe parts…ended up feeling a lot like Lucy at the candy factory, but fun. The moment went away very quickly because of compatibility issues, sadly

Another early favorite that I really cannot believe hasn’t been made for the modern world is Welltris, a take on Tetris that dropped the shapes into a 3d “well” from all four sides. Brilliant stuff.

I was crazy about Heaven and Earth, but really only the card game part. There’s been threats of it being made for iOS, supposedly it was, back in 2008, but not now. This game is the driving reason behind whatever desire I have to learn how to program for iOS…

I got pretty hooked on Pixie, making it all the way through the hundred levels. Another one I am amazed hasn’t been made for mobile. But I just realized what HAS been made for mobile that is based on the same play dynamic, and is also probably the most beautifully and intelligently designed game I can think of, in every respect: iSlash.

For a superb (and frustrating as hell!) take on “matching” things,CornerChaos. Played it on the Mac, and happily it has been made for mobile. Terrific game and/but it has stumped me. I have been hammering away at it for years, off and on, and there is just a point I cannot break through. I know there is a system, something you need to see in order to make it to higher levels, but so far it has escaped me. If anyone knows or figures out the key to it, PLEASE share!

So, enough with extended comments…the following are games that I have spent serious time playing.

Rune Gems (Mahjong meets Match 3?)
1010!
iQuadris
Onomons
Set
Reiner Knizias Labyrinth
Boomle
Plague, Inc
Red Blue & Yellow (SUCH a cool game… but I can’t play it on my iPad since a few updates ago…)
Stupid Zombies (A way funnier, cooler version of Angry Birds physics)
Pollen Count (line drawing)
Stonepacker
Entanglement (App Store version is ugly and stupid, web version is all that and chips)
Threes
Color Zen
Atomas (my current obsession… the simplest things can just grab your brain…)
And some I am currently forgetting. So what can YOU recommend?

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My one true puzzle game love is SpaceChem. It’s available on pretty much all platforms these days, I think, though the iOS and Android versions are cut down a bit. Very hard (at least for me) but so very satisfying to find a solution. I just love games that let me plan something out then watch it in action.

10000000 was my go to train ride puzzle game for awhile. A match 3 type game with some progression elements.

I haven’t gotten around to playing them yet, but people whose opinions I respect rave about the Hexcells games.

I think the pinnacle of physics based puzzles games is still World of Goo, which is just delightful.

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If you have an iPhone download The Room and The Room 2 immediately. Trust me :slight_smile:

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DROD. Simple mechanics, magnificent puzzles.

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It has a bit of quick-finger reflexes to it, but Trine 2 (and I’m guessing 1, though I never played that one) is mostly a puzzle game at heart. And it’s also a fantasy world, which it sounds like you like, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s æsthetically absolutely beautiful.

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VVVVVV was a lot of fun. There’s a couple spots that might be a bit too quick-finger for you, but I loved it. Great soundtrack too.

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Minor thread resuscitation - I really like Jooleem. It’s free and I’ve never seen it in any other form.

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I second this reccomendation. You can also find tons of Escape type games on iOS. The ones from app devleoper bored.com seem to be some of the better ones.

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100 Floors is a thorough distillation of all the puzzle-game tropes.

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I know this is an old thread, but in case anyone is still looking for puzzle games, The Room 3 just recently became available. If you enjoyed The Room and The Room 2 or just enjoy puzzle escape games, would definitely recommend picking this one up.

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The Forever Lost games on iPad and iPhone are terrific. Very fun and challenging, with lots of different kinds of puzzles.

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Farms and Castles. It seems easy. Really easy. It’s simple enough to learn. But like chess you need to think several moves ahead. It has much more depth than it appears initially. I’m still enjoying it.

My airport delay game is Alto’s Adventure. It’s fun to play, soothing graphics, not really a puzzle game but really fun to play and again, easy to get into!

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The Witness is the game of the year for 2016, at least so far. And it is almost all puzzles.
Don’t be thrown by the first hour or so of gameplay. Things are varied, brilliant, and mind-bending if you stick with it.