No matter the story, the setting or the genre, there's always a problem to solve, a challenge to overcome, some password to decode, or a minigame that stops you in your tracks and soon enough, the pen and paper appear...
The concentration that video games require forms a massive part of why we love playing (and beating) games in the first place. As RTÉ launches its own selection of online puzzle games, it’s a great time to look at some of the best brain teasers from games, new and old.
While this list could easily have reached the hundreds, I’ve whittled it down to include a healthy mix of mental math and murder-mysteries, virtual reality challenges to cosy multiplayers, across all consoles, genres and age-groups! No matter your interests, it's time to get thinking!
Blue Prince (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)
Blue Prince is a puzzle-adventure game with roguelite elements that is unlike anything I've played before. It will take you on an addictive adventure of random proportions, where you'll try your best to outmanoeuvre and predict an ever-changing environment.
The story is simple. You play as Simon P. Jones, who has been willed the Mt. Holly Estate by his deceased great-uncle - but there’s a catch. To claim his inheritance, Simon must find the mysterious 46th room in the mansion across a single day. And this is where the challenge lies.
Each day, you arrive at the Entrance Hall, where you’ll try to plot the best path forward across a blank 5x8 grid. When you approach a door, you’ll have to choose which room it becomes, from three randomly generated options, all the while slowly venturing closer and closer to the mysterious Antechamber.
Every room picked will have unique pros and cons, including special items, bonuses, or new doorways to help you progress. Some have painful penalties that could stop you in your tracks. Mix in locked doors, security keycards, abstract puzzles and a stamina gauge, and you have plenty of secondary things to worry about as you plan your route. All the while, you’re discovering special synergies between rooms and hoping against all odds that you’ll find what you need, exactly when you need it.
It Takes Two (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC)
Sometimes, two brains are better than one. Winner of Game of the Year 2021, It Takes Two is a tour-de-force in co-operative puzzle gaming, which has well and truly redefined the genre. Playing with a friend (either local or online), you'll take control of an unhappy couple on the verge of divorce. Oh goodie.
Accidentally transformed into magical puppets by their daughter, the pair must work together in a series of magical levels to cure themselves. Each character has unique abilities, meaning players must work together to bypass a series of action-adventure puzzles that stand before them.
Levels are hilarious, well-designed, and chock-full of big and small brain teasers that will have you smiling (and arguing) with your partner without dail. Best of all, the game’s Friend Pass means only one of you needs to own the game to enjoy all the wonder this classic offers.
Humanity (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and VR devices)
Humanity is a puzzle game that blends strategy with action-platforming. You play as a dog tasked with guiding crowds of marching people safely to their destination, across a very minimalistic environment. Sounds simple, right?
But there are over 90 story mode levels to tackle, each pushing the difficulty significantly and keeping you guessing. You'll experiment with each level by jumping, turning, pushing, floating, and even shooting enemies, all to keep as many of your human charges alive as possible.
Levels require critical thinking and precise planning to overcome, as one wrong move could lead to hilarious catastrophes. And with VR options and a creator mode, players can get up close and personal with various user-made designs, or even try their own hand at puzzle design.
Unpacking (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC and smartphones)
Unpacking is the ultimate zen puzzle game; simple to play, and simple to enjoy. There's no time limit. No pressing objectives. No real tricks that frustrate you. Instead, this puzzle game focuses on a unique way to tell an equally heart-warming and heart-breaking storyline.
You play as a nameless person who must unpack her belongings from cardboard boxes. You travel throughout key moments of her life, clicking and dropping items into their rightful place. Space can be limited, offering some challenge to players to sort and match items to the theme and purpose of the room.
During each level, you’ll see what precious items survive each era, and what kind of life the main character managed to achieve. This 'easy' game will test your concentration, and its unique storytelling will, without a doubt, leave a lasting impression on you, long after the closing credits.
Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together! (Nintendo Switch)
Snipperclips is an adorable co-op puzzle game, ideal for families to sit down and have fun together. Up to four players can control 2D shapes on screen, and must cut each other into specific shapes to complete levels – don't worry, it's for a good cause.
Despite being a few years old at this stage, the game mechanics it introduced are still top-notch. Players might need to cut out a space in their friend to catch an object, or slice them into a sharp point to burst a balloon.
There are lovely brainstorming moments with each level, where everyone flexes their logic and creativity by deciding who gets cut and into what. It also doubles as a family party game, with special minigames included for a fun, multiplayer experience.
Viewfinder (PlayStation 4/5, PC)
Fancy a game with a bit of perspective? Viewfinder is a mind-bending puzzle game that sees you bring photographs, paintings, postcards and more to life in a novel way.
The goal of each level seems simple: activate a teleporter to progress further. But to do this, you'll need to overcome obstacles by placing visual items in a specific way to alter the nearby landscape, sometimes with disastrous results. Thankfully, a rewind button means you can experiment in this game to no end.
Lasting about 4-5 hours (depending on your smarts), Viewfinder is a fresh glance at abstract puzzles, ones which constantly grow in complexity and will challenge your imagination. If you can think it, you can do it in this game.
Paper Trail (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch and smartphones)
Set in a beautiful origami world, Paper Trail is a top-down puzzler that sees you guide a young woman, Paige, on a journey to go to university. Unfortunately, the path ahead of her is broken. Typical.
Luckily, Paige can fold time and space, allowing her to contort the world around her and open up new ways to progress. The game has a soothing colour palette and art style, coupled with the paper-twisting mechanic, thatreally puts a tactile twist on the cosy puzzle genre.
World of Goo 2 (PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch and smartphones)
World of Goo and its sequel are games that really hit home the phrase, Don't judge a book by its cover. The adorable graphics are a clever disguise for an inventive physics-based game filled with demanding challenges.
Players must construct stable structures and terraform terrain to solve a variety of puzzles, all to guide 'goo balls’ into an awkwardly positioned pipe. The games have a strict margin for error, meaning you’ll have to fine-tune your creations - or else. The sequel game, which is available on a wider selection of platforms, introduces new types of goo, adding significant difficulty to the cult classic format.
Tetris Effect: Connected (PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and VR devices)
No puzzle list would be complete without paying homage to the greatest of the greats – Tetris. Connected is a seismic reinvention of the 1984 classic experience, bringing the legendary puzzler into new, modern territory.
With hypnotic music, flashy backgrounds and special effects, this is the game you know and love, but with a fresh coat of paint. Every single level will look, feel and play like its own unique multisensory experience. A multitude of new modes, including VR, classic scores, and multiplayer, also open up new ways to enjoy sorting blocks and racking up a new high score.
Enjoy RTÉ's new section of online puzzle games here
