Nothing stimulates the brain like a good puzzle game. The human brain is wired to problem solve so it’s no wonder that puzzlers appeal to such a wide audience. There’s no shortage of puzzle games available for Android devices but which ones are most worthy of a playthrough? Rather than sift through the many mediocre titles clogging Google Play, check out our list of the best puzzles games for Android.
10. Gorogoa
Gorogoa is a thought-provoking puzzle game by Annapurna Interactive. Players must imaginatively combine beautiful hand drawn illustrations to solve puzzles. Each puzzle consists of panels of illustrations laid out in a grid. The story centers around a young boy who comes across a monster while traveling through a war-torn landscape. Gorogoa’s storyline is largely up to interpretation as it relies entirely on the game’s visuals. The game shies away from hints of any kind, which make it all that more rewarding when you complete a difficult puzzle. Gorogoa is a gorgeous, though provoking puzzle game that is truly one of the best puzzle games on Android.
Available on Google Play
9. Marvel Puzzle Quest
Marvel Puzzle Quest is an engaging match 3 RPG featuring all your favorite Marvel heroes. S.H.I.E.L.D. has been taken over by the nefarious Norman Osborn who renames the organization H.A.M.M.E.R. Players recruit heroes and villains as they attempt to retake S.H.I.E.L.D. Each puzzle is a battle between two Marvel luminaries, and each match you make within said battle powers up your hero’s attacks. Not only does Marvel Puzzle Quest offer fun match 3 action but player can also upgrade their heroes. A rarity in puzzle games, this title also offers PvP tournaments. Currently, the game offers over 230 characters to collect. If you’re looking for a match 3 game with a twist, Marvel Puzzle Quest is for you.
Available on Google Play
8. Small Town Murders
Small Town Murders by Rovio Entertainment Corporation is a match 3 game with a twist. Unlike most match 3 games, Small Town Murders offers a fun and engaging storyline. As mystery writer, Nora Mistry, players must solve crimes. How, you ask. By completing match 3 puzzles. Like many match 3 titles, this game includes some fun power ups. Players can combine power ups to create even more powerful boosts. Players collect evidence and interrogate suspects in between puzzles. Small Town Murders crime solving aspect breathes new life into the match-3 genre.
Available on Google Play
7. Bridge Constructor Portal
Bridge Constructor Portal by Headup blends classic titles Portal and Bridge Constructor to create a unique puzzle title. Take on the role of an Aperture Science employee building bridges in a lab. Your goal is to build a bridge that can safely be crossed by forklifts. This, of course, isn’t as simple as it seems. Not only does each bridge need to be structurally sound, you also must evade turrets, laser fields and other dangerous obstacles. Players will use portals and aerial faith plates, among other objects from Portal to solve these physics-based puzzles. Its complex puzzles and familiar setting make this nostalgic title one of the best puzzle games on Android.
Available on Google Play
6. The House of Da Vinci 2
Take on the role of Da Vinci’s apprentice and solve challenging 3d puzzles in The House of Da Vinci 2. The game begins on the heels of its predecessor, with Da Vinci’s apprentice, Giacomo, locked in a cell. Luckily, you have a time travel device. Go back in time and manipulate objects in the past to solve difficult puzzles. These 3D physics-based puzzles are clearly inspired by Da Vinci’s work and offer a unique and refreshing challenge. The game features breathtaking graphics and intuitive controls. With a compelling plot, challenging puzzles, and intuitive controls, The House of Da Vinci 2 is a true masterpiece.
Available on Google Play
5. The Forgotten Hill Series
FM-Studio’s Forgotten Hill series consists of eight horror puzzle titles. Each title takes place in a spooky environment and offers challenging puzzles. In Forgotten Hill: Puppeteer players must escape a grotesque puppet theater while Forgotten Hill: Surgery places you in a horrifying surgical clinic. Each title adds to the mythos of Forgotten Hill. The puzzles can be a bit frustrating at times but mostly they present an enjoyable challenge. The uniquely challenging puzzles and spooky atmospheres make Forgotten Hill one of the better puzzle game series on Google Play.
Available on Google Play
4. Machinarium
Machinarium is an adorable puzzle game in which you play as Joseph, a robot whose been kicked out of the city. Solve puzzles to get back inside the city and save your girlfriend from the evil Black Cap Brotherhood. You can’t just tap the screen willy-nilly and expect to solve the current puzzle. You can only interact with objects that are within Joseph’s reach, making the title more challenging than your typical point and click puzzle. Many of the game’s puzzles have creative solutions so you’ll need to really think outside the box. Machinarium’s adorable visuals and captivating plot combined with its difficult puzzles make it one of the best puzzle games on Android.
Available on Google Play
3. Monument Valley
Players must guide Princess Ida through monuments by manipulating the environment in Monument Valley. Your goal is to reach the top of each monument. Players rotate, twist and drag to clear obstacles and change the architecture of the monument. The game’s impossible geography is reminiscent of Oscar Reuersvard’s famous art piece, Penrose Stairs. Each level is unique so you’ll never know what to expect. Puzzles start out easy but progressively become more challenging. Monument Valley is a simplistic yet elegant puzzle game that is without a doubt one of the best puzzle game’s available today.
Available on Google Play
2. Rusty Lake series
Developer Rusty Lakes have created one of the most engaging and macabre puzzler series available on Android. The Rusty Lake series, includes three point and click puzzle titles: Rusty Lake Hotel, Rusty Lake Roots, and Rusty Lake Paradise. In Rusty Lake Roots, players build the Vanderboom family tree and uncover their harrowing story. Rusty Lake Hotel places players in the shoes of a hotel employee who must gather ingredients and prepare dinner for the various animal guests. What the guests don’t know is that each of them is a main ingredient. Finally, in Rusty Lake Paradise, players must stop the ten plagues that are afflicting Paradise Island. Each title features beautiful 2D graphics. The puzzles themselves offer a real challenge and require some outside the box thinking. The Rusty Lake series offers some of the best puzzle games on Android, especially for fans of morbid content.
Available on Google Play
1. The Room: Old Sins
The fourth and best game in The Room series, The Room: Old Sins is a 3D puzzle game by Fireproof Games. The series is based around solving puzzles boxes. In The Room: Old Sins players must solve a series of interconnected puzzle boxes that together make up a mysterious dollhouse. The entire dollhouse is connected so sometimes an action you take in one room helps you to solve a puzzle in another. The game features a haunting Victorian environment that serves to keep players immersed in the game. Like other games in the franchise, The Room: Old Sins features a stellar hint system. Hints start out vague and become increasingly more obvious the longer you’re stuck on a puzzle. The simple interface and creative puzzles create an elegant gaming experience, earning The Room: Old Sins the number one spot on our list.
Available on Google Play
If you’re a Stardew Valley fan, be sure to check our Best Android Games for Stardew Valley Fans list. Or if you prefer the classics, check out our list of The Best Nostalgic Android Games.