Games that rot your brain aren’t ideal, especially if you’re looking to stay productive. But, what about games that were designed not to be repetitive/mindless, games designed to engage more than just our lizard brains? Games that were designed to keep our brain cogs spinning and are testing our intelligence and wits at the same time. All of that while still being fun (and non-addictive)!
We’re currently in the second half of 2024, meaning many game developers had time to create fresh and challenging mobile games.
So, we’re here to look at the 5 best puzzle games that you can currently play on your Android phone.
5 Best Puzzle Games for Android in 2024
Tastes and preferences are unique for each one of us. So, finding the best puzzle game for everyone is not very realistic. Instead, you’ll be able to discover Android games that you will surely be able to enjoy, at least on some level.
You’ll have a clear view of the actual ‘puzzle’ part of the game and, finally, have them ranked according to multiple factors.
1. Flow Water Fountain 3D Puzzle
Flow Water Fountain is, at its core, a single-player tile placing, puzzle-solving game where the goal is to make the water flow correctly, thereby forming waterfalls and fountains. At first, it might look a bit confusing, but after a few levels, you’ll be able to completely encapsulate the gist of the game.
The art style, isometric view, and aesthetics really stand out in this one. The game uses a blue/green/light grey color pallet, which really compliments the experience and gives off natural and soothing vibes, helping with relaxation. The music and sound effects also add to the experience.
What really places this game at the top of the list are a number of things. First of all, it’s free, and you can play it offline (which can be super handy in many scenarios).
Second, the game’s not bloated with monetized content, premium currencies, and purchasable skins. It’s casual – you won’t get penalized for making mistakes, and there are no timers.
Meaning, you can literally start and stop playing it whenever you want, which is really useful if you’re playing the game as a mini-break or as a stress relief of sorts. At any point, you can simply turn off your phone and later on get back to where you left off.
Flow Water Fountain is an easy-going water puzzle game. It’s challenging, especially as you progress through the levels.
2. The Room Two
The Room Two is a beautifully rendered mobile game that is actually a sequel to the original ‘The Room’. And while the added ‘two’ in the name might not look very exciting, the actual game is. In the game, you’ll find yourself in many different intricate environments, ranging from 19th-century seances all the way to forgotten ancient temples.
As with the original, the sequel retains the horror theme (which might not be for everyone) and brings it to another level. Regardless of whether this is your type of game or not, playing it will surely leave a mark on you.
Room Two features no ads, which is great, but it is also placed behind a one-time payment. It’s nothing major that will drain your wallet, and in the end, it will be there to entertain you and train your logic, perception, and intelligence at the same time – which cannot be a bad thing.
3. Baba Is You
Baba Is You, both in name and in graphics might not seem like much, but it should be known that this game won 1st place in the 2017 Nordic Game Jam (out of 144 games!).
This game is – UNIQUE. And once you understand how the game works, your creative and logical thinking will soar. This top-down view platformer centers around you (Baba) where the goal of the game is to reach the flag in order to progress to the next level.
This is the tricky part. You can move in either direction (unless obstructed), and you can push blocks of text to form simple sentences, thus bending the rules of the current level. For example, as the game name suggest “Baba is you”, meaning that you, the player are Baba. But, if you were to place the blocks ‘Baba’, ’Is’, ‘Flag’, you would transform into the flag.
The options and possibilities aren’t endless, but there are so many that you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised more often than not. The only downside it the pricepoint, which might discourage some players.
Still, worth every cent!
4. Shadowmatic
As the name sugIn each stage you will have one (or more) items floating in front of a wall, while light shins on those items, forming shadows on the wall. The goal of this game is to turn and rotate thoser random items until the shadow becomes another item.
The very idea of this game is striking and extremely creative. You’ll often find yourself stuck on a level, even frustrated because the puzzle is too hard to crack at that moment. But once you get that spark of creativity, and the lightbulb powers up, you’ll find yourself extremely pleased with the results!
The best part of this game is – it is completely free. The game was designed to be played in short sessions which can be interrupted without issues at any point. You simply pick up where you’ve stopped last. The game is unique, it is beautiful, and unfortunately, you’ll need a beefy phone to run the game (which might not be ideal for all players).
5. GOROGOA
The final entry on this list goes to GOROGOA. Now this game is basically a tile slider puzzle. But you can be certain that you’ve never seen any slider like this one. The visuals and storytelling is what makes this game so memorable.
Solving the puzzles in this game will challenge more than your logical thinking; rather, you;ll be forced to rearrange, combine, layer, zoom the illustrated panels in order to create new scenarios and find new discoveries.
The gameplay, unfortunately, is about 120 minutes long, which is not a lot. Plus, once you do manage to finish the game, there no room for replayability. This is why GOROGOA finished last on this list (but not least; no pun intended), since it is a marvelous experience that should be explored by any puzzle-loving enthusiast.
Conclusion
Puzzle games are a surefire way to battle boredom, while still benefiting your cognitive health massively. On the other hand, playing games that have no meaning, or are just made to be a quick dopamine boost will provide you with no useful benefits.
We’ve provided you with five that will surely keep those cogs spinning, while still providing you with the entertainment factor. Each of those five will do that in their own unique and clever way.
Keep thinking and stay sharp!
