The 10 best puzzle games
Here's my curated list of the best puzzle games I've had the chance to play. You can't go wrong with any game on this list. Some require more dexterity, but all require a functional brain and some patience.
Last updated October 1st 2023
Outer Wilds
Outer Wilds is one of my favorite games of all time. You're a space explorer in a small galaxy and it's up to you to make sense of all the mysteries buried throughout the planets. The less you know about this game, the better your experience will be.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Return of the Obra Dinn
You're an insurance investigator tasked with understand what the heck happened on the Obra Dinn. Throughout small 3D snapshots of the events that occured on the ship, you'll have to piece together how people died to unravel the whole mystery. The game is incredibly satisfying to figure out.
Platforms: Mac, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Tunic
Tunic was heavily inspired by the Zelda games and Fez (also on the list). You're a fox, stuck in a weird world full of mysteries and baddies. You'll slowly start to make sense of the world by putting back together a video game manual, one page at a time. Every hint is cryptic, but reveal just enough to help you move forward.
Platforms: Mac, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Fez
Fez is a puzzle platformer in both 2D and 3D. You can change the perspective at any time to reveal secrets, solve mysteries and create the path that will let you move forward. The game has a ton of secrets to discover beyond the puzzles required to complete the game.
Platforms: iOS, Linux, Mac, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
The Witness
The Witness might appear simplistic at first, but it's full of secrets and mysteries. There's more to it than just drawing lines on grids and contains some of my favorite puzzles I've had the chance to play. Don't look up too much information, you don't want this one spoiled.
Platforms: iOS, Mac, PC, PlayStation, Xbox
The Forgotten City
You're a modern human who suddenly ends up in a Roman village where sins are forbidden for fear of bringing the end of the city. Learn more about each inhabitant and their relationships as you try to find a way out of this cursed city.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Portal & Portal 2
Portal and Portal 2 are classic puzzle games. Create portals that you can teleport in and out of, use gravity and momentum to navigate the puzzle rooms created especially to test you. Portal 2 has an excellent co-operative campaign that's well worth playing.
Platforms: Linux, Mac, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox
Professor Layton
The Professor Layton series offers hundreds of small puzzles for those who prefer a more contained experience. Each game comes with an interesting story with a mystery that slowly reveals itself as you make your way through the games' puzzles.
Platforms: Nintendo DS, 3DS, Switch
BOXBOY!
BOXBOY! is a series of games in which you play as a tiny boxy character who can create and move boxes to overcome various obstacles. You can climb on the boxes, use them as shields, and a lot more. Each game offers something new and they're all excellent puzzle games.
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Switch
Monkey Island
Monkey Island is a series of point-and-click adventure games with a sense of humour. You really have to think outside the box for these games, they are really well known for their moon logic. If you're interested, I strongly recommend you play the games in order (you can skip Escape from Monkey Island) for the best experience. The point-and-click nature of the games lends them well to playing with a friend or partner, and having someone else to think through the puzzle will not be too much.
Platforms: Mac, PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox