When it comes to the universe of games available on the Google Play Store there is something out there for everyone. If you're the type who is always looking for a new game to try out, and you love puzzles, then these are the games for you. These games are fun, addictive, and on occasion trickier than they need to be.
There are hundreds of games out there to try, but these are the five puzzle apps that caught our eye.
Sudoku
If you've never tortured yourself with a game of Sudoku, then you really don't know what you're missing. The game is easy at first glance, before devolving into a bout of numbers that will have you banging your head against the wall in frustration. While there are plenty of Sudoku apps on that right now, our favorite is Sudoku by Brainium Studios.
It's a free app that gives you dozens of Sudoku puzzles at a variety of difficulties. You'll earn yourself points, along with being able to view your stats and see your best time on a particular puzzle. If you get stuck you can enable tips to help you out, you can pause an active game at any time without being penalized, and you can keep yourself amused even if it's only for a few minutes at a time.
Cut the Rope
The Cut the Rope series of games are just as cute as they are tricky. Your aim is to cut the ropes surrounding various obstacles to drop pieces of candy into the mouths of small green beasts called Om Noms. The premise itself, and the earliest levels are about as easy as it gets. Cut a single small rope and drop those candies to beat each level, acquiring stars to boost your score along the way.
Now as you might expect, those obstacles get extremely difficult as time goes on. You'll have to juggle multiple ropes, metal chains, and bubbles that will make your candies float away if you aren't careful. With multiple games in the series there are hundreds of levels to clear, and getting stuck in one game leaves you the option to try out one of the others.
Download: Cut the Rope: Time Travel
Where's my Water? 2
Where's my Water 2 is a physics based puzzle game put out by Disney. Your goal is to trace a path for water to follow down to the drain so a family of Crocodiles can get a shower. It sounds kind of ridiculous, and it is, but it's also a good bit of fun. You'll have to avoid tunnels that drop off the sides of the level, deal with different kinds of water for each different Crocodile, and fill up switches to open up lower parts of each level.
The levels grow increasingly difficult as you go along, particularly once you're dealing with clear water, steam, and polluted water all in the same level. You'll need to collect duckies on each level to unlock each subsequent set of levels, and after you play a level once you'll open up challenges that allow you to replay under different circumstances to get more duckies.
Best Fiends
Best Fiends is a game in which you are attempting to help a slew of forest insects to overthrow the evil sludge that has erupted from a nearby volcano. Your goal is to clear out the sludge, by chaining together items of a particular color. As you play, you'll be able to find multiple insects that will help you on your journey, by attacking the sludge when they have powered up. Spoiler: those power ups are linked to the color of each insect, and are a huge help in clearing each level effectively.
Unlike match or swap puzzle games, you aren't limited here by a number of items you string together. So long as all the items are the same color, and touch in at least one direction (up, down, left, right, or diagonally) you can connect them. This can lead to some seriously powerful attacks. As you move through the game you'll collect in-game items that allow you to upgrade the insects that are helping you during this journey.
You'll find various bugs that all have a special ability to be used during levels, and considering how frustrating the levels can get it's necessary. If you get grumpy at the main levels the game also gives you side quests for certain insects, and occasionally opens up bonus levels that let you acquire new bugs, or a plethora of in game items.
Cryptica
Cryptica is an interesting take on a tile puzzle game, one that is sure to drive you just a little bit mad until you get the hang of it. Each level has multiple tiles you will need to move into designated spaces. It sounds pretty easy, until you realize that the tiles will move in tandem. When you move one, you'll move both. So you will need to use the walls and obstacle tiles to rearrange things until you can settle each tile where it is meant to be.
There are four sets of levels in easy, medium, hard, and expert difficulty. You'll need to accumulate enough points to unlock the higher difficulty level sets by playing, and this game doesn't make it easy on you. The game will show you how many steps you've taken in your attempt to unlock each puzzle, and it will grade you on that. When you finish each level you'll see your number of steps, your record number, and the absolute minimum needed to complete the level.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of puzzle games available right now. Each game here is sure to keep you entertained for a while whether you're sitting down to play for an hour, or you just need a distraction for a few minutes. What are your favorite puzzle games? Is there one we should check out? Let us know in the comments!
