Why The Rewarding Challenge Of Puzzle Games Is Hard To Resist

There may be countless video game genres these days, but I still find myself coming back to puzzle games more often than not. As a kid, I spent a lot of time doing jigsaw puzzles, and I was pretty good at them, too. It was a simple game, and to be honest, not that challenging either, but once you started finding matching pieces, it was a pretty good feeling. Today, digital games and apps have taken the place of those physical puzzles, but the fun is still there, trust me.

In fact, these digital games often have the interactivity and complexity which just wasn’t possible with physical pieces back then. That, and there are a lot more types of puzzle games now. Of course, you can always try out free jigsaw puzzles online these days to unwind after a tough day, but there’s a lot more where that came from. Dedicated puzzle games these days are so engaging you end up spending more time in them than your main game.

A Good Mental Jolt

This is the single biggest reason to play puzzle games: it’s a great mental exercise. When something intellectually challenges us, that’s when it gets really interesting. Even non-puzzle games today include a little puzzle section as a mini-game to keep things fresh, and if done right, it can be pretty engaging. Then, you have all those games that just double down on you wanting to see how impressive your brain is. What starts as intellectual curiosity slowly turns into an obsession.

Depending on how deep you want to go down the rabbit hole, puzzle games often feature a difficulty curve. Approachable at first, but not so easy throughout you lose interest midway, that’s the sweet spot. Of course, you can always boot up The Witness and complete it without a guide if you really want to challenge yourself, but I’d save the best for last. Whether you enjoy a simple puzzle game to reward yourself, or dive into the hardcore stuff to test your limits, your brain will come out a better, well, brain after this experience.

And besides, puzzle games are a pretty good way to maintain your intellectual edge. Once you solve a puzzle that cost you your weekend and your sanity, not speaking from personal experience, at least you feel way smarter afterwards. Solving complex problems is a surefire way to exercise your mind and develop your cognitive skills. And at the end of the day, this will help you in more ways than one. Sometimes you’ll start seeing a particularly frustrating puzzle everywhere, but that’s all part of the learning process.

Puzzle games are literally what has kept my mind from atrophying when I was depressed
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A Sense Of Accomplishment

Well, training my mind is all well and good, but if it comes with how awesome I feel after solving a hard puzzle, that’s the selling point. As with overcoming any challenge, completing a puzzle fills us with that unspeakable relish and satisfaction. It’s a cathartic experience that makes you feel good about yourself. After scratching your head for hours and then getting a headache, the moment it just clicks and you solve the puzzle it all feels well worth it, and that’s what puzzle games are counting on.

Ranking the top 47 puzzle games I completed
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Oh, and that’s not the only thing. Modern puzzle games utilize visual stimuli and interactivity to make the process itself engaging, and then reward you with actual progress to really drive in the sense of accomplishment. Unlike simple puzzle games where completing it is the reward, games with in-depth mechanics, complex narratives, and methodic progress utilize puzzles to deliver a whole experience. You come for the puzzles, but end up staying to reach the end of the game.

All in all, puzzle games have a lot going for them. From simple interactive jigsaw puzzles to complex mathematical problems that require advanced degrees, it’s a colorful genre that can keep you occupied for days. The improved mental capacities and a cathartic sense of accomplishment are the sweet cherry on top of this deliciously challenging cake.