Puzzle
Game genre theme
Informal group for finding puzzle sub-genres.
36
games
21platforms
Alternate name: Problem solving
Games by year
Digital Equipment Computer Users' Society, Creative Computing and Cambridge University published most of these games.
Most common companies
This is a container group; its children are:
| Bubble Shooter | A puzzle shooter genre usually involving a gun (for which only the angle can be controlled) shooting bubbles/marbles into the playing field which likely already has a number of them, with player's aim being attempting to destroy the ones remaining. (too long) | 1994 / 2015 | 60 games |
| Construction puzzle | A construction puzzle is any game where you have to assemble a given set of pieces in a certain way. | 1978 / 2020 | 175 games |
| Design puzzle | Puzzle games where the challenge lies in designing something. (too short) | 2009 / 2011 | 6 games |
| Environmental puzzle | A type of puzzle that involves altering the environment, such as pushing large objects around or toggling levers that move a series of platforms to reach places otherwise inaccessible. | 1988 / 2022 | 126 games |
| Falling blocks | Sub-genre of visual matching puzzles which involves rotating and placing falling blocks together usually to form complete lines and to make them disappear. | 1981 / 2023 | 1060 games |
| Hidden object | A type of puzzle games where the aim is to find some hidden object(s) via perception, which may be used to solve additional puzzles. Possibly based on the Where's Wally/Waldo books which embody the game mechanic. | 1984 / 2021 | 168 games |
| Logic puzzle | Puzzles that derive from the mathematics field of deduction but don't necessarily require any actual math. | 1975 / 2020 | 393 games |
| Match 3 | A type of visual matching puzzles where you match 3 or more visually similar pieces to progress, often by lining them horizontally, vertically or diagonally. | 1979 / 2021 | 286 games |
| Maze | A genre characterized by labyrinthine levels and evasion of enemies, often with little to no way to fight back. | 1977 / 1982 | 3 games |
| Other puzzle | Puzzle games that defy categorization. (too short) | 1981 / 2013 | 14 games |
| Outline puzzle | The objective is to uncover the silhouette portion of background with a marker until most of the silhouette is uncovered. | 1981 / 2015 | 75 games |
| Puzzle-Adventure | A sub-genre of adventure games that often plays more like series of puzzles than an adventure with puzzles. | 1991 / 2017 | 13 games |
| Puzzle platformer | Puzzle platformers are characterized by their use of a platform game structure to drive a game whose challenge is derived primarily from puzzles. | 1983 / 2023 | 204 games |
| Space management | Player is challenged to make efficient use of limited space, likely with various artificial constraints that make it difficult. | 1 game | |
| Spatial logic | Requires spatial-temporal reasoning. Visual, mental, actual manipulation of shapes/objects that have at least rudimentary realistic spacial relations. | 1975 / 2022 | 460 games |
| Time management game | A "puzzle" genre where the aim is to maximize efficiency over time. Often involves maintaining a schedule and/or building efficient task queues. | 2007 / 2011 | 7 games |
| Timing puzzle | Puzzle that requires some kind of synchronization between the pieces, and forces the player to measure the time/rhythm of the different parts to solve it. | 3 games | |
| Transport puzzle | A variety of puzzles where the goal is to transport something somewhere else, such as by sliding/pushing game pieces around. | 1982 / 2020 | 167 games |
| Visual matching | A type of puzzle games where you match colors, shapes, patterns or other visual cues together to progress. | 1978 / 2021 | 763 games |
| Word game | Video games games often designed to test ability with language or to explore its properties. (too short) | 1970 / 2022 | 953 games |