The most interesting puzzle games released in 2016
All the best and most popular games of the year, upcoming releases, and hits from the past. Use filters to narrow down search.
Pony Island
Puzzle 04 January 2016
Unusual independent game created by Daniel Mullins for the Ludum Dare 31 in 2014 and then released for the Steam platform. The player directs a character trapped in a diabolic game, and his task is to get out and save his soul. Pony Island stands out mainly due to its gameplay. There are typical arcade sequences in the game, but it is much more important to be able to interfere with the code of a fictional application, which takes the form of simple logical games.
Candy Crush Jelly Saga
Puzzle 06 January 2016
Another installment in the series of casual puzzle games created by King.com. Candy Crush Jelly Saga is based on the popular match-3 mechanics and, similarly to previous installments of the series, features no storyline, focusing entirely on gameplay. The objective of the game is to conquer more than a hundred available levels by creating sets of at least three candies of the same type out of many more shown on the screen.
Evo Explores
Puzzle 20 January 2016
A puzzle game inspired by the famous Monument Valley. In Evo Explores we play the title robot, which we have to run through a number of levels-trials based on the manipulation of perspective.
The Witness
Puzzle 26 January 2016
A first-person adventure game with logic puzzles, developed by the creator of Braid – Jonathan Blow and his independent studio Number None. The game takes you to a large, mysterious island, whose all inhabitants vanished without a trace. Gameplay has you explore this vast world, solve logic puzzles, and search for clues that will help you solve the mysteries of this place. Game mechanics resemble the cult Myst series.
Spellweaver
Puzzle 01 February 2016
A classic trading card game (TCG) set in a fantasy world where forces of Good and Evil fight each other divided into six different factions. It has been developed by Bulgarian Dream Reactor studio. Each of the factions’ heroes belongs to one of six play styles: Order, Wisdom, Nature, Corruption, Dominion, and Rage. They also have a unique skill each and can learn more of them, using special shrines, as the game progress.
Factotum 90
Puzzle 10 February 2016
A puzzle game in which we play the role of a spacecraft passenger. After the ship has collided with an unidentified object, the protagonist's task is to restore power and repair life support systems with the help of two remote-controlled robots observed by an obsolete terminal.
Word Puzzles by POWGI
Puzzle 11 February 2016
A collection of several dozen puzzles representing six different types of puzzles.
Fritz 15
Puzzle 15 February 2016
Developed by ChessBase, another installment of one of the most popular chess series. In comparison to the previous part, Fritz 15 introduces a new game mode called Friend, in which your AI-controlled opponent adjusts his style to match your skill, may throw in remarks on possible tactical maneuvers during practice matches, and also can point out your mistakes. Moreover, Fritz 15 offers a special algorithm, which highlights your strong and weak points in each phase of the match.
Futurama: Game of Drones
Puzzle 25 February 2016
A puzzle adventure game released on mobile devices, based on the license of a popular animated series aired on Fox. The game's story focuses on the rivalry between the Planet Express courier company with its longtime competitor, MomCorp, leading to Fry and his companions being forced to embark on a journey through different regions of the universe.
Soul Axiom
Puzzle 29 February 2016
An adventure logic puzzle FPP game created by Wales Interactive, and a spiritual successor to Master Reboot. The story of Soul Axiom takes place in the far future, when death is no longer a problem and people are mass-uploading their souls into a server called Elysia, where all their fantasies and dreams come true.
101 Ways to Die
Puzzle 18 March 2016
A brutal, although humorous, logic platformer game by Four Door Lemon, an independent British studio. We assume the role of an assistant of the mad professor Splattunfuder’s, who at the end of his career decided to create an unusual guide that describes 101 ways of dying. As a result of unfortunate events, the initial version of his “work” was destroyed, and our task is to help the scientist recreate it with the use of hordes of creatures called Splatts, which were bred solely for this purpose.
Deckstorm: Duel of Guardians
Puzzle 31 March 2016
Mobile card game in fantasy world, which is in state of chaos after the destruction of Sacred Spire. We play as one of the guardians of the Spire, trying to overcome the situation. Gameplay of Deckstorm: Duel of Guardian focuses on dueling with cards representing characters, spells and items. As usual, completing a deck the fits our play style is highly important. Despite its complex mechanics, gameplay is very fast-paced, mainly due to lack of turns, as all players act at the same time.
Green Game: TimeSwapper
Puzzle 04 April 2016
An arcade-logic game developed by iFun4All, and a sequel to Red Game Without a Great Name released a few months earlier. In terms of mechanics, the sequel follows the premise of the original game, but with a different set of rules. The players once again assume the role of the mechanical bird, the task of which is to safely reach a destination.
Disney Art Academy
Puzzle 07 April 2016
Another application from Nintendo 3DS’ Art Academy, a series of educational games that teach us how to draw. Unlike its Pokémon-centered predecessor, this time we are given a completely new challenge, trying to create images of over 80 characters known from animated duo of Disney and Pixar. Gameplay of Disney Art Academy remains the same as in the previous title, following a series of lessons that progressively introduce us to more and more complicated drawing techniques.
Hex: Shards of Fate
Puzzle 19 April 2016
A fantasy game combining the elements of a MMORPG and a card game. The game was created by Cryptozoic Entertainment studio, responsible for, among others, the World of Warcraft trading card game. The game is set in a fantastic world of Entrath, until recently a land at peace, where magic was a rare phenomenon. Everything has changed, however, after the fall of a huge meteorite whose shards allowed every inhabitant to practice magic, leading to a war between the nations.
Hearthstone: Whispers of the Old Gods
Puzzle 26 April 2016
Another official DLC to the popular card game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft developed by studio Blizzard. The plot of the Whispers of the Old Gods expansion focuses on the eponymous creatures that awakened after sleeping for thousands of years. It adds the characters of Yogg-Saron, Y’Shaarj, N’Zoth and C’Thun to the game. In addition to these very powerful characters, in the set there are also support cards with cultists who boost statistics of the aforementioned heroes.
Angry Birds Action!
Puzzle 28 April 2016
Another side installment in the popular Angry Birds series developed by Rovio. The story of the game is linked to the animated movie released in 2016. The main character of the game and the movie is a bird named Red. The protagonist wakes up with a hangover after a party and discovers that during the night someone destroyed the whole village. Sadly, all the evidence points to Red. He will have to prove his innocence. The gameplay of Angry Birds Action!
Uncharted: Fortune Hunter
Puzzle 05 May 2016
A mobile spin-off of the popular series of adventure games developed by Naughty Dog. This installment accompanies the debut of the fourth full-fledged game in the series. In difference to the console entries in the series, Uncharted: Fortune Hunter lacks any specific story and concentrates on a series of logical challenges in which the famous adventurer Nathan Drake tries to obtain the treasures of the greatest pirates, travelers and thieves in history.
Glitchspace
Puzzle 05 May 2016
A first-person sci-fi logic game created by Space Budgie. The game is set in an imagined cyberspace inspired by the works of Piet Mondrian - a Dutch painter considered the father of Neo-Plasticism. Using a visual programming language, the player is capable of manipulating the geometry of the virtual environment - the player's main task is to get past various obstacles and solve puzzles through introducing different changes to the game world.
Mystery Castle
Puzzle 06 May 2016
A tongue-in-cheek action game with logic puzzle elements, developed by English studio Runestone Games, and a combination of five separate episodes, released under the same title for mobile platforms. In Mystery Castle you play as a wizard called Monty, who is tasked with protecting the eponymous five castles from the forces of evil. Every stage of the game features slightly different objectives and fulfilling them gains you crystals, which are used to proceed to the next stage.
Mekorama
Puzzle 14 May 2016
A three-dimensional logic game created by the Swedish developer Martin Magni, the creator of mobile game Odd Bot Out. Mekorama is his second application developed for Android and iOS based devices. The game was released for free, but volunteers can support the creator with any amount of money they want – this won’t impact the contents of the game. Gameplay in Mekorama focuses on manipulating three-dimensional environment – moving various parts, rotating the whole construction etc.
Tiles & Tales
Puzzle 17 May 2016
Hybrid RPG and a puzzle game in which the player travels through a fantastic land and confronts various opponents. The success of his actions is determined by the results he gains by moving pieces of the puzzle across a two-dimensional board and combining squares of the same color - this is how he deals damage to enemies, heals a fighting character and opens the chests he encounters along the way.
Cubikolor
Puzzle 20 May 2016
An original, three-dimensional logic game in which the player controls a colorful cube and travels through multicolored levels. Cubikolor was created by two French developer studios: Fractal Box, being their first game, and the slightly more experienced Moving Player, the creators of the humorous stealth game Level 22: Gary’s Misadventure, among other titles. The game was awarded with creativity award during the European indie Game Days 2015.
Lumo
Puzzle 24 May 2016
An old-school logic game featuring elements of adventure and platformer games. This is the debut of the Triple Eh? studio led by Gareth Noyce. Lumo pays tribute to various games from the 80s and 90s. The gameplay consists of exploring over 400 different chambers, where the player mainly solves puzzles, avoids traps and discovers secrets.
Farm Heroes Super Saga
Puzzle 20 June 2016
Another installment in the popular casual series created by King.com. It is a direct sequel to Farm Heroes Saga that was released in 2013. This time the player is tasked with stopping the evil Rancid who obtained the supercropsies and uses them to achieve his villainous goals. The story of the game is just an excuse for the actual gameplay which in Farm Heroes Super Saga is based on the rules of the match-3 genre.
Dreamals: Dream Quest
Puzzle 21 June 2016
A sequel to the 2015 game Dreamals, a logic puzzle platform game by XINESS. You take control of a group of animals, each of which can only move in one direction. This time, the game features over a hundred levels set in varied environments and increasing level of difficulty. It is also once again possible to merge two animals into one creature. However, in Dreamals: Dream Quest you can also split the animals back, which allowed for the inclusion of more complex puzzles.
Floor Plan
Puzzle 26 June 2016
A unique logic puzzle game by Turbo Button, developed for virtual reality headgear. In Floor Plan you play as an unfortunate person, who gets stuck in an elevator, and your task is to fix the machine and escape. The game utilizes a first-person view; you are unable to move and you can only look around by moving your head. The game focuses on riding the elevator and stopping on various floors, where various puzzles await, some of them more complicated than the others.
Waddle Home
Puzzle 07 July 2016
A logic game inspired by the popular Lemmings series from the 1990s. Waddle Home was created by Archiact Interactive, specifically for VR goggles. The player assumes the role of an alien whose task is to lead a group of penguins through 3D levels filled with different traps, pits and other obstacles. In each of the 40 in-game levels, the player's goal is to set a route for their subordinates, who are constantly walking towards one direction and change it only when bumping into a wall.
Tumblestone
Puzzle 12 July 2016
A dynamic multiplayer-oriented action game by The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, and a combination of the mechanics of casual match-3 games with elements of such classic titles as Tetris or Asteroids. In Tumblestone, you shoot falling colorful blocks with a laser beam located at the bottom of the screen. Your goal is to clear all the blocks by matching three elements of the same color, which makes them disappear.
Poly Bridge
Puzzle 12 July 2016
A humorous logic game developed by Dry Cactus, a small studio for which Poly Bridge is the debut title. We assume the role of an engineer building bridges and other constructions that allow various vehicles to cross the river. Poly Bridge is mainly directed towards puzzle enthusiasts and home-grown engineers, as the game gives us a limited budget, a convenient location, and a task to build a bridge that is able to hold the weight of heavy-duty vehicles.
klocki
Puzzle 13 July 2016
A minimalistic logic game developed by Rainbow Train studio, creators of such games like HOOK and oO. klocki contains 80 varied levels on which the player must combine various types of lines. Seemingly easy, the game becomes much more demanding as the player progress through the levels and is introduced to more than a dozen of new mechanics.
Chime Sharp
Puzzle 19 July 2016
An upgraded version of Chime – a well-received mix of a logic and a rhythm game released in 2010. The new edition does not differ much from its predecessor – we are given a grid that is gradually filled with player-inserted blocks creating quads – rectangle and square shaped fields that are at least 3x3 in size. Completed figures unlock the further parts of the music track that accompany our actions.
Knot
Puzzle 20 July 2016
A three-dimensional logic game created by Warlock Arts - a Turkish developer. The game was inspired by ancient Chinese puzzles and the modern-day Rubik's cube. The player's task is to solve subsequent, gradually more difficult puzzles. By moving and rotating particular elements of the mechanism (different in their shape, blocks made of various materials, such as wood, metal or stone), the player tries to disassemble the structure.
Human: Fall Flat
Puzzle 22 July 2016
An unusual logic action game in which the realistic physics engine is the main element. It was developed by No Brakes Games, a Lithuanian studio. The protagonist of Human: Fall Flat is an ordinary man named Bob. He is trying to solve the mystery of dreams of falling that haunt him. In the game, we are taken to a slightly surreal world from Bob’s dreams, where he has to face his own fears, traversing several lands full of various obstacles.
Quadrilateral Cowboy
Puzzle 25 July 2016
A mix of logic and stealth game developed by independent studio Blendo Games. The title recreates the life of a hacker as imagined by the cyberpunk literature of the 80s. During the game, the player assumes the role of a young, talented hacker who has neither ideals nor morals, offering his services to whoever pays more. Many corporations and criminal groups are eager to hire the protagonist, for example, to steal valuable date for them.
Tricky Towers
Puzzle 02 August 2016
An action logic game developed by Dutch studio WeirdBeard. It is an expansion of the previous game from the same creators, known as 99 Bricks Wizard Academy. Tricky Towers is another version of the classic Tetris formula. The players are tasked with placing colorful bricks that fall from the sky. After combining the bricks, they don’t disappear but create a tower. The player must create as high construction as possible.
Save Jesus
Puzzle 04 August 2016
Save Jesus is a 2D puzzle game inspired by the life of Jesus Christ, but telling a completely unknown, fantastic story. It was developed by Almighty Games. A crook from the future impersonates Ceasar and intends to use his power to kill Jesus and his friends. Our job is to prevent that from happening. Gameplay in Save Jesus focuses on manipulating the environmental elements in a way to change the course of a rolling rock aimed at Jesus and use it to kill roman soldiers instead.
Hearthstone: One Night in Karazhan
Puzzle 11 August 2016
Another expansion to the blockbuster digital card game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft by the Blizzard company. The add-on One Night in Karazhan introduces new adventure, in which we are invited to a great party organized by wizard Medivh in the titular tower. We meet various prominent people, like the majordomo Moroes, against whom obviously we can duel. All of this to find the host who has mysteriously vanished at the beginning of the party.
Deus Ex GO
Puzzle 18 August 2016
One of the spin-offs to Deus Ex, a popular RPG series developed by Square Enix. The title takes place in cyberpunk universe known from the main installments of the series. In this universe the humanity learned how to improve the capabilities of humans with cybernetic augmentations. Gameplay mechanics of Deus Ex GO are similar to the previously released Hitman GO and Lara Croft GO - it is a turn-based puzzle game.
Word Logic by POWGI
Puzzle 18 August 2016
A set of several dozen puzzles representing six different types of puzzles.
Gardenscapes: New Acres
Puzzle 25 August 2016
An extensive logic game belonging to the so-called match 3 subgenre; it was developed by Playrix Games. The player assumes the role of a gardener whose task is to restore a parcel back to its former glory and discover the secrets of the place along the way. The entire game is set in a large garden divided into several sections. In terms of mechanics, typical "match-3-objects" rules were applied here.
The Turing Test
Puzzle 30 August 2016
A sci-fi FPP logic puzzle game by Bulkhead Interactive, a studio founded by the creators of Pneuma: Breath of Life. The story takes place an unspecified number of years in the future, when scientists discover a seemingly harmless alien life form on Jupiter's moons. You play as an astronaut named Ava Turing, whose task is to examine the new species, and who ends up finding more than she expected. The Turing Test is a part of the FPP logic puzzle genre, popularized by the Portal series.
Four Sided Fantasy
Puzzle 30 August 2016
An original game developed by the independent studio, Ludo Land. It combines the elements of a logic game with platformer mechanics. The player takes the control of a young boy who explores an amazing world full of environmental puzzles and seemingly inaccessible places trapping the protagonist. Nonetheless, the land itself is picturesque, covering its secrets under a blanket of quiet and peaceful atmosphere. As it soon turns out, it is an imaginary world where the laws of physics do not apply.
Picross 3D Round 2
Puzzle 01 September 2016
Another installment in a series of logic games; it was created specifically for Nintendo 3DS. The player's goal here is to paint appropriate cubes in such a way so that models hidden inside of them can be revealed. The game was based on the rules of a puzzle created by Non Ishida - a Japanese graphics designer. Although the gameplay resembles Minesweeper for PC, the environments are three-dimensional.
Clockwork
Puzzle 10 October 2016
A two-dimensional platformer game with numerous logic elements developed by Appsquare. The world in which Clockwork takes place was struck with a plague that killed the majority of its population many years before. Few survivors have sheltered themselves behind the walls of the city of Watchtower, trying to find an antidote for the dangerous virus. Alas, it turned out that the only way to avoid the plague is to close one’s mind in a mechanical body that is immune to diseases.
Crazy Machines 3
Puzzle 18 October 2016
The third full-fledged installment in the popular series of logic games inspired by the cult series The Incredible Machine. Crazy Machines series was introduced in 2004 and has been developed since then by the German studio FAKT Software. The objective of Crazy Machines 3 is to construct unusual machines which must serve a specific task. The machines are constructed by using various parts which work with each other thanks to the domino effect.
Slayaway Camp
Puzzle 25 October 2016
Slayaway Camp is an unusual turn-based logic game developed by an independent studio called Blue Wizard Digital. When working on their game, the developers have drawn their inspirations from the 1980s horror movies and at the same decided to mock their cheesy themes. The player assumes the role of a psychopathic murderer tasked with killing the teenagers who relax on their summer holidays. The maps are relatively small and composed of square fields.
The Trail: A Frontier Journey
Puzzle 03 November 2016
A simplistic survival game developed by 22 Cans Studios. The game is a free-to-play title with optional microtransactions. In The Trail: A Frontier Journey, the player assumes the role of a wanderer who finally makes it to shores of the New World after a long sea journey and begins exploration. The player travels a linear trail, getting deeper and deeper into the mainland.
Gunhouse
Puzzle 16 November 2016
Crazy two-dimensional puzzle game combining the features of match-3 titles with tower defense productions. The creators of Gunhouse have prepared numerous bosses, as well as randomly generated levels filled with dangerous enemies, which we shoot with many types of weapons.
SHENZHEN I/O
Puzzle 17 November 2016
A complicated logic game in which we design and test electronic circuits. SHENZHEN I/O was developed by the independent studio Zachtronics that specializes in creating complex logic educational titles focusing on engineering, electronics, programming, and chemistry. In SHENZHEN I/O, we assume the role of a beginner engineer who gets hired by an electronics company in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.
Glass Masquerade
Puzzle 18 November 2016
A puzzle game in which we deal with arranging stained-glass as a background for dials. The production is the work of an independent studio Onyx Lute and is distinguished by a very nice graphic design and relaxing atmosphere.
Dragon Front
Puzzle 20 November 2016
A collectible card game developed by High Voltage Software. The game combines traditional fantasy themes with dieselpunk aesthetics. Dragon Front has no plot and the gameplay focuses mostly on participating in duels. The battles take place on 4x4 boards and the rules were inspired by the Dejarik game known from the fourth episode of Star Wars. The player can select from four unique factions with different attributes, mechanics and battle strategy.
Hearthstone: Mean Streets of Gadgetzan
Puzzle 01 December 2016
Another story expansion for the incredibly popular free-to-play CCG, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft by Blizzard Entertainment. The plot of Mean Streets of Gadgetzan is focused on gang wars that occur in the eponymous Gadgetzan which turned into a metropolis teeming with life thanks to rapidly-developing trade. The city’s development, apart from merchants, also brought hordes of thugs to its streets. After numerous battles between the local crime families, only the strongest three remain.
I Expect You to Die
Puzzle 06 December 2016
A logic game developed with VR headsets in mind by Schell Games, an American indie studio. In the game, we assume the role of a spy whose task is to escape unharmed from rooms riddled with traps. The action is presented from the first-person perspective, while the gameplay boils down to solving numerous escape-room kind of puzzles. While playing, we have to, for example, disable explosives or neutralize various kinds of traps. The protagonist’s telekinetic abilities will surely come in handy.
Angry Birds Blast
Puzzle 21 December 2016
A logic game which is a new entry in the famed Angry Birds series. This time, we are dealing with a game inspired by match-3 (tile matching) games, but some of the mechanics are a bit different from what the genre has accustomed us to. The players are facing levels of differing shape, filled with tiles and balloons whose colors correspond to the colors of the birds trapped inside. Our job is to free the required number of birds, which means puncturing the right balloons.