Games & consoles

The best puzzle games, according to hackers

45 puzzle games recommended in Hacker News comments over the past year, ranked by how many separate people recommend each one.

• Most recommendedOuter Wilds65 people recommend it
• Least regretBaba Is You25 recommend, 0 criticize
• Free and lovedenclose.horse64 people recommend it

All puzzle games

• Outer WildsExploration puzzle game praised for its story, sense of wonder and discovery, best played blind. Critics find the controls fiddly and say some puzzles are hard to finish without spoilers.65recommend
• enclose.horseA daily puzzle where you wall in horses to enclose the most area; people praise its simple, challenging levels. Critics note confusing wall and gate visuals and a missing way back to the best solution.64recommend
• The WitnessRecommended for its atmospheric island, discovery-driven puzzles and memorable moments of revelation; critics say repetitive puzzle sequences grow tedious.60recommend
• BraidPeople praise Braid as a brilliant puzzle game whose mechanics express its story, and an early indie landmark. Critics find its writing pretentious and self-indulgent.36recommend
• Blue PrincePeople recommend it for layered puzzles, deduction and a house that rewards careful noticing. Critics most often cite crashes, bugs and a random, repetitive run structure.30recommend
• Baba Is YouPeople recommend it for mechanics that make puzzles feel endlessly clever and rewarding. Some find the late game frustrating, and few players seem to finish it.25recommend
• Return of the Obra DinnPraised for its original detective puzzles, story and distinctive dithered art style. Common caveat: the visual style causes eye strain, motion sickness or discomfort for some players.25recommend
• Order of the Sinking StarPeople praise its deep, simple puzzle mechanics and polish, though it is very long and slow-paced, and critics find it repetitive and its story hard to follow.25recommend
• TetrisSimple, addictive falling-block puzzle game people still replay for its strong core design; main caveat is ads and clunky older versions.22recommend
• UnflipA puzzle game about XOR patterns of squares, praised for its clean design, gradual level teaching and satisfying mobile feel. The most common caveat is that the difficulty ramps up slowly.22recommend
• Stephen's Sausage RollPraised for elegant, tightly designed puzzles that build to a satisfying eureka moment and a story. Critics find it very hard and frustrating.21recommend
• GerrymandlePeople enjoy this daily puzzle of redrawing electoral districts, calling it fun and satisfying. Critics note unclear controls, a confusing result screen, unrealistic ties and recent ads and popups.20recommend
• Reverse MinesweeperA fresh, well-designed take on Minesweeper with a focused scope and challenging hard levels. Common caveat: no dark theme and the bottom is cut off on mobile.19recommend
• Clues by SamRecommended as a fun, satisfying daily logic puzzle that people play every day, and some happily buy supporter packs.17recommend
• Animal WellRecommended as a modern classic with a tiny custom engine, strong visuals and physics. Critics say the base game is too easy and the post-game too cryptic.16recommend
• LemmingsPeople recommend this classic puzzle game for its faithful ports, cheery sample-based music and nostalgic appeal, with few complaints from critics.15recommend
• RippleRecommended as a daily logic puzzle about second and third order effects, and as a TypeScript UI framework that is simpler than React. Critics mainly object to its once-a-day timer.15recommend
• Simon Tatham's Portable Puzzle CollectionFree, ad-free collection of classic logic puzzles that people play on many devices; critics say it is not as good as hand-crafted puzzles.14recommend
• elect.horseRecommended as a fun, challenging puzzle game with colorblind mode, though critics call it a near copy of gerrymandle.com and enclose.horse.14recommend
• MinesweeperPeople recommend it as a familiar, simple classic that still holds up as a casual game, and browser recompiles let it run anywhere. Critics most often report flagging and right-click input bugs.13recommend
• Shenzhen I/ORecommended for capturing what makes programming fun and mimicking an embedded developer's work environment. Caveat: minor differences from real hardware bother some engineers.13recommend
• The Talos PrinciplePuzzle game people praise for strong physics-based puzzles, immersive world and good sense of achievement; the UE5 re-release performs poorly for some, and a few find it contrived.12recommend
• Ad-free logic puzzle sitePeople recommend this ad-free site for its varied puzzles, including Sudoku and nonograms, and its newspaper look. Critics say some solutions are non-unique and sign-up is required.11recommend
• Jigsaw HaikuFun, tactile browser jigsaw that people find smooth and challenging; critics report choppy dragging and broken mobile Firefox support.11recommend
• Portal 2A puzzle game people call a favorite, with fun split-screen and local co-op play that friends enjoy together.9recommend
• Chants of SennaarPeople call it a favorite in its genre, with one playthrough taking around 12 hours and feeling mindblowing.9recommend
• The LookerA free parody puzzle game that fans of the source material praise as funny and satirical. Critics find its puzzles frustrating and not worth the hours they take.9recommend
• ParaboxRecommended as a standout Sokoban-style puzzle game with over 350 puzzles and a gentle, finely graded difficulty ramp.9recommend
• LinexA daily puzzle where you place pieces on a board that pushes back, praised as clever and satisfying with a Tetris-like feel. Common caveat: it gets tiring after two or three rounds.9recommend
• Zachtronics Opus MagnumPolished, approachable many-step puzzle game that lets you solve problems simply or inefficiently, so you don't have to be clever to make progress.8recommend
• SpaceChem by ZachtronicsPeople recommend SpaceChem for its demanding, satisfying puzzles and its unusual design, where instructions sit inside the work area and watching your solution run is rewarding.8recommend
• Trail logic gamePeople recommend it for polished visuals, sounds and easy play. Critics say the copy is unclear and the puzzle type is not new.8recommend
• 45x45 Connections PuzzleFree online Connections-style puzzle that people find fun and well made. Critics say difficulty is uneven, with some connections too easy and others too hard.8recommend
• FuseCellsHandcrafted logic puzzle game with 2,500 levels that runs well on older hardware. Most common caveat: the purchase prompt appears after only two levels.8recommend
• Untitled Goose GamePeople recommend it as a charming, wholesome puzzle game that works well both solo and in local co-op, and that children enjoy too.7recommend
• SunflowersRecommended for useful hints and puzzles that never require guessing, even at the hardest levels. Caveats: only daily levels playable for some, and the feedback form is broken.7recommend
• StartupLaunchPage One Page 1500 Fixed Boxes Checkbox Puzzle GamePeople recommend it as a clever way to market startups through in-game advertising that doesn't interrupt play, and as a frontend skills exercise.7recommend
• Candy Crush SagaFew recommend it, and mostly sarcastically: it is a well made scourge. Critics say it is preinstalled junkware that reinstalls itself and pushes frequent payments and ads.6recommend
• Floor796Recommended for detailed interactive scenes packed with clickable hidden details, where every element rewards a closer look.6recommend
• The Incredible MachineA Sierra sandbox puzzle game where you build Rube Goldberg contraptions; people remember it fondly and say its charm still holds up today.5recommend
• PuzzleshipRecommended because experienced players like how its puzzles are constructed. No critical comments were recorded.5recommend
• Void StrangerRecommended for a unique, mystery-box puzzle experience with layered depth and hidden secrets that reward figuring them out.5recommend
• The Case of the Golden IdolSeveral readers count it among their favorite deduction games, grouped with The Roottrees Are Dead as a standout in the genre.5recommend
• Pegasus3301Online puzzle game inspired by Cicada 3301, praised for detailed, accessible puzzles built on ciphers and observation. Critics say it is poorly balanced and that brute force is common despite the rules.5recommend
• Infinite Jigsaw GamePeople find it fun to play jigsaw online with others and like the concept. Critics mention resets and missing pieces, and crowded games get messy.5recommend