best problem solving xbox games

27 Best Puzzle Games for Xbox Series X / S

It is amazing to see how much the Puzzle genre has grown since its inception. Initially, the games were simply akin to a jigsaw puzzle. Players had to move around pieces until they arrived at the end of the level.

Nowadays, there really is no limit to how in-depth and complicated puzzle games can be. Some of them still adhere to the older style but add in new elements, while others utilize concepts such as physics.

As a genre itself, puzzle games are now quite broad. Games based around trivia are also puzzle games, as are shooters that require you to solve riddles or push around levers in a level to clear it. The one thing that is clear is that those who love a brain teaser have a wealth of content to try out.

Here, we list the 27 best puzzle games for Xbox Series X / S. Our list does not restrict the genre on any grounds. As long as the game has features that require you to extensively utilize your brain and the game is good enough, it makes our list.

We begin our list with perhaps the most popular and most obvious choice: Portal 2. Apart from Half-Life and the Counter-Strike franchise, Portal is the game that Valve is the most famous for.

Portal pits you against a powerful AI in the future. Your job is to make use of a portal device and win against the AI. The portal device can be used to transport from one place to another, which is what you will be using to solve most of the puzzles in the game.

What we love about Portal 2 is that it manages to strike the perfect level of difficulty. Virtually all of the game is quite hard and will require you to spend time on the puzzles. However, any person of the appropriate age should not have a problem eventually getting through it.

At the very least, Portal 2 will be a learning experience, which is why it made our list of the best educational games for Xbox .

There is also a co-op mode where two players work together to solve the puzzles. This mode is as intricate and as difficult as the single-player one. Even the visuals do not look too bad despite the game having come out in 2011.

What Remains of Edith Finch

What Remains of Edith Finch manages to be fairly creepy without being too scary for children. The developers claim that the game is meant to represent just how tiny we are when compared to the universe.

Your name is Edith Finch, and your family resides in Washington. Finding the house empty and all of your family dead, you now need to traverse through the massive house and try to figure out what happened to the members of your family.

The house is full of individual stories where you get to control a family member of yours. All the stories are different and played from that person’s point of view. They begin on the day of the person’s death and end when that person’s life comes to a close.

Slowly but surely, you will get to piece together how you ended up where you currently are. That is when you will discover if there is something that ties the disappearance of your family, or whether they were just a random set of events.

Oxenfree does a great job of taking a strange concept and making sure that it is portrayed in a way that makes the player resonate with the characters.

After a ghostly rift is opened on an island, you will need to solve various puzzles and deal with a multitude of problems in order to save yourself and your peers.

The way you deal with every problem will have an impact on the future of the game. As such, making one wrong decision can have profound consequences on how the story turns out. Speaking of which, the story is one of the main reasons to play Oxenfree.

During the narrative, a lot of decisions you make will have a huge impact on some of the characters. This is because the story is designed to toy with your emotions as you witness the lives of all the characters change. Sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse.

Life is Strange

Life is Strange follows the story of Max and Chloe. Once Max learns how to turn back time, she realizes that she can use this to do a lot of good. However, she soon learns that turning back time has consequences of its own.

Life is Strange is a five-episode series that has you make numerous decisions, all of which change the outcome of the story in one way or the other. During this time, there is some light puzzle-solving along the way, but the mean reason to play the game is once again its story.

What the game must be commended for is its relaxed nature (helped by its soundtrack). Since you have the ability to turn back time, you simply cannot fail. All you need to do once you make a mistake is to go back in time and fix what you did. Just remember that this feature does not work at certain key moments of the game.

There is also Life is Strange 2. However, do remember that it is a brand new story and has not received nearly as much praise as the original. Life is Strange was on our list of the best interactive story games for Xbox .

From the creators of LIMBO, INSIDE takes the same formula, tweaks it a little bit, and brings a brand new adventure that can only be described as better than the original.

The game is a puzzle platformer that gives you very little to go on with at the beginning. Almost everything is left for you to figure out by yourself. This, coupled with the ambient soundtrack and eerie visuals, make for a fairly creepy experience.

Despite that, INSIDE is not a game that will scare you in any major way. It is a game that even children should be able to play without any problems. This is one of the reasons why it made our list of the best side-scrolling games for Xbox .

A Plague Tale: Innocence

A Plague Tale puts you in the shoes of Amicia. Set during the Inquisition, you need to make sure that you manage to avoid the inquisition soldiers and protect yourself and your brother.

Apart from the soldiers who are trying to hunt you, there is also a plague going on. With thousands of rats scouring the city for victims, you will need to avoid everyone and everything around you until you and Hugo can get to safety.

A Plague Tale is more about running away from threats. However, there is a lot of light puzzle-solving that will be necessary in order for you and Hugo to get out of a tight spot. Just remember that this is not a co-op game. Despite there being two characters, you only get to control Amicia, and while Hugo can be ordered around, he is an NPC.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition

The Stanley Parable is an extremely fun game that gives you more options in its short-lived campaign than any other game. Nothing is known in this game, and the only thing that you can be sure of is that there is a voice guiding you through an office building.

Does the voice want what’s best for you? Or is it just out there to make a spectacle of your existence? This is something you can only find out as you near the end of the game. With a lot of endings, easter eggs, and decisions, it will take a while before you have explored everything that The Stanley Parable has to offer.

Little Nightmares 2

Little Nightmares 2 is the sequel to the almost equally amazing Little Nightmares. Those who like the idea of the game should try the first part before they try this. That said, it is obvious that the sequel is the better game of the two.

Little Nightmares 2 has the player play the role of Mono, a boy who has been trapped in a dream-like world. Now, he needs to navigate through this dreary world with the help of his guide, known as Six.

The setting of the game is quite similar to that of INSIDE. The major difference arises from there being two characters instead of one. Just remember that once again, this is a totally single-player experience.

The Talos Principle

The Talos Principle is a first-person game where you play as an Artificial Intelligence robot that is playing in a simulation.

The world is in ruins, and it seems that it is only getting worse. In order to understand what is going on, who you are, and what intelligence truly means, you will need to solve a bunch of puzzles.

The story here plays an important part. The Talos Principle is a game that can truly be described as intellectual. It poses deep questions about what it means to be human, and whether AI can ever be as competent or as sentient.

It Takes Two

It Takes Two is developed by Hazelight, a studio that is known for developing co-op games and developing them really well.

It Takes Two is one of the best works by the studio. It puts you in the shoes of Code or May, two people who have been turned into dolls. Now, they need to find a way to turn themselves back.

The game can only be played in co-op mode. This is because a lot of the puzzles in the game are challenging and are impossible to complete by a single person. Since Code and May are in a relationship, this is an ideal game for couples too, and it was on our list of the best Xbox games for couples .

Lastly, remember that you do not need to purchase two copies of the game to play with someone else. You get a Friends Pass with your copy, which can be shared with someone else to play the game.

The Turing Test

The Turing Test is a game that is quite similar to The Talos Principle. This is a game that explores the bounds of human consciousness and whether or not there is something about human intuition that separates it from robots.

You play the role of Ava Turing. You are tasked with discovering what is aboard the Europa. As you go through it, you will need to solve a lot of puzzles. The interesting fact about all of these puzzles is that it is impossible for a robot to solve them.

Going through each of those puzzles gives you a startling idea of what it means to be human. With a shockingly terrifying yet interesting story, The Turing Test is the ideal game to play once you are done with The Talos Principle.

Psychonauts 2

One unfortunate thing about puzzle games is that they tend to lack a bit of action. If you are a fan of puzzle games, chances are that you will have to avoid games that involve a lot of fighting and vice versa.

This does not hold true for Psychonauts 2. In the game, you play the role of a young psychic known as Raz. Joining the Psychonauts has been his lifelong dream, and you will guide him now that he has achieved it. Simply put, there is an evil super-villain out there that Raz has to defeat now that he is a part of the Psychonauts.

Along the way, you will face both challenging enemies that will need to be taken care of and puzzles that will need to be solved. In order to solve them, you will need to make full use of Raz’s psychic and acrobatic abilities.

Tacoma is the next game on our list of the best Xbox puzzle games. It seems that AI is quite a common theme in the modern puzzle genre. Tacoma is set in the year 2088 on a space station. Since the crew has disappeared, you now need to figure out what to happen.

There was a high-quality surveillance system aboard the ship. You need to make use of that to take a look at how the crew lived and what happened in their final days. If you are looking for a puzzle game that is immensely focused on its story, Tacoma is a great place to begin.

Just remember that Tacoma plays more like a mystery game rather than a puzzle game. While there is light puzzle-solving throughout the narrative, you will primarily be dealing with the one big puzzle that is apparent: What happened on Tacoma?

Q.U.B.E 2 is a sequel that improves on the original in almost every way. While the original game was a bit hit or miss when it came to the puzzles, Q.U.B.E 2 does not have that problem in the slightest.

You play the role of an archaeologist who has been stranded on an alien landscape. The goal is for you to find a way back home.

Not knowing anything about the place, you must rely on one other survivor who will help you on your journey. You have a suit that grants you additional powers, but you have no memory of how you got it.

With over 80 unique puzzles to solve, each puzzle will not only bring you closer to home but also make sure that you get to know a little more about the reason why you are here.

Portal: Still Alive

We began our list with Portal 2, a game that is considered by many to be the best puzzle game of all time. The original Portal is still available to play, and it is almost just as amazing as the sequel.

Portal: Still Alive is fundamentally still the same game. You use portal technology to solve various puzzles and get to the end of the level. This game should help you discover some of the original thought processes behind the Portal technology and help put into perspective why you undertook some of the actions in Portal 2.

The Still Alive version of the game adds 14 new levels that were not available in the original. Unfortunately, there is no co-op mode here. The visuals are also outdated due to the age of the game. Despite that, this is a hard game to put down.

Surviving the Aftermath

Surviving the Aftermath is not exactly a puzzle game. However, we want to have some variety on our list of the best Xbox puzzle games.

Surviving the Aftermath puts you in charge of a post-apocalyptic colony. You have to make sure that the colony is not impacted by any disasters. This will require a lot of complicated calculations and management of your resources.

The fun thing about Surviving the Aftermath is that even though the apocalypse has already happened once, it could happen again. In order to find out if it will, you need to investigate, and then come up with a way to stop it if you can.

The Witness

In The Witness, you wake up on a strange island, not knowing where you were and why you are here.

On the island, you will find a series of individual puzzles that you will need to solve. There are over 500 puzzles in the game, each of them providing a little more information about why you are on the island.

We understand that this is a concept quite popular in puzzle games. In fact, many of the games on this list have used a similar story. That said, The Witness has one of the most unique art styles with some of the most poppy color schemes you can imagine.

The Witness must also be commended for the complexity of the puzzles. Almost no two puzzles are the same. Each one introduces something new into the mix, keeping the game fresh throughout the 500 puzzles.

Human Fall Flat

If you are looking to play a game that is both inquisitive, whacky, and can be enjoyed with friends, Human Fall Flat is perfect.

The game is a platformer. It gives you the start line and the finish line, but how you get between the two is up to you. Each of the levels has a number of secrets that can be discovered. Some of them are still being discovered all of these years later.

The game can be played with one other player locally or up to eight players online. The developers keep on adding new levels periodically. However, that is not even needed, as no two playthroughs of the game are going to be the same.

Discovering new ways to get to the end is always fun, and mastering the mechanics of a difficult move is even better. Out of all the games here, we would say this is the best for a large group of friends to play together.

The Outer Worlds

The Outer Worlds is a sci-fi RPG that has you fight a bunch of factions all vying for control in a galaxy far away.

The game has good shooting mechanics and there are a bunch of areas for you to explore. However, that is not why we have included it on our list of the best puzzle games for Xbox Series X and S.

Throughout The Outer Worlds, there are numerous mini-games where you get to solve puzzles. While they are few and far between, all of them are very well-designed and should be great fun for any puzzle enthusiast.

If you are looking to solve a few puzzles but also blow some alien heads, you should give The Outer Worlds a try. Just remember that there is no co-op or multiplayer.

This game takes you through a weird testing facility where you have to try out a brand new invention known as the ChromaGun.

The ChromaGun is a military-grade weapon that can be used to change the colors of the objects around you. In the testing facility, it will be used on various walls and robots (known as the WorkerDroids) in order to progress to the next level.

This concept is unique enough that even hardcore fans of the puzzle genre will find something new here. The only negative aspect of the game is that it is too short. Only a handful of hours are required to complete all the puzzles, and there is nothing to do once you have done that.

Evergate is a puzzle platformer in which you have to guide a soul to the afterlife. Your character wields a Soulflame, which can be used to hit crystals and unleash their energy.

Despite its dark themes, Evergate is a very happy and upbeat game. You can experiment with various crystals to see how they interact. They can then be used to solve some of the puzzles in the game.

It is possible to control the speed of time through the Soulflame. The game will also have you relive the memories of your past life as you move forward. Evergate isn’t too big on its story, but there is enough of it to give all the puzzles you solve a greater meaning.

As the name would suggest, FROGUN is a game where you have a frog-shaped gun. Rather, the gun is like a grappling hook that can be used to deal with enemies and move from place to place.

The game clearly has a Super Mario vibe to it. Not only do the characters of the two games look similar, but many of the assets are also similar.

You play the role of Renata. After your parents leave you to go on an expedition, you get bored and decide to follow them. You take with you the newest invention of your parents: The FROGUN. You also discover that your parents are in grave danger and you are the only one who can help them.

Using this weapon, it will be up to you to rescue your parents from wherever they are being held captive.

FAR: Changing Tides

FAR: Changing Tides is another one of those games that are not completely based on solving puzzles. However, it will require you to use a lot of your brain. What’s more, it has a very compelling story that is bound to make you emotional at some point.

When the entire world gets flooded, you enter your ship with the aim of finding yourself a new home. With absolutely no one and nothing to look forward to, you will need to roam the endless tides to find a place where maybe, just maybe, you can live happily.

With the ambient sounds of the ocean flooding in your ears, you will need to captain your ship and solve a plethora of puzzles in order to get from one place to the next.

Unravel Two

Unravel Two is primarily an adventure game. However, it also has a lot of puzzles that need to be solved if you are to progress to the end. At the beginning of Unravel Two, you get to create your own character (Yarny).

You can then take this Yarny and begin your adventure. You will have to deal with a lot of other Yarnys and monsters. You can make friends, enemies, and everything in between as you look for friendship and support in this strange world.

The game can also be played in co-op with one other person. Just remember that the co-op can only be played locally.

Telltale The Walking Dead Series

Pretty much all of the Telltale games follow a similar formula. Most of the games revolve around you making certain choices, usually through a dialogue. The next game on our list of the best Xbox puzzle games is The Walking Dead Series by Telltale.

These choices then lead to consequences that you have to deal with. All of the games work like this, but each of them has a unique storyline. Apart from the decisions that you need to make, there are also a few puzzles that you need to solve along the way.

The entire Walking Dead series has puzzles like this. Set inside The Walking Dead universe, you play the role of various characters and witness events that are happening at the same time as the main TV series. If you enjoyed watching The Walking Dead, then you will enjoy playing The Walking Dead games.

In terms of its story, there might be no other game that stands out as much as Sheepo. We do not mean that the story is particularly good. It is fine, but not that great. Rather, we mean the idea behind the game.

You are an entity that somewhat resembles a sheep. Your mission is to go on different planets in the universe and catalog every single species that exists in the universe.

To do this, you will need to platform your way across the terrain of extremely strange and daunting planets. You will also need to solve various puzzles in order to get out of whatever problem you are in.

With no combat, Sheepo is a game that relies on movement, puzzle-solving, and exploration. Just like its story, some of the characters that you will meet will be full of their own wild intricacies and will help make the experience somehow seem even more bizarre.

Submerged: Hidden Depths

Submerged: Hidden Depths is the last game on our list of the best puzzle games for Xbox Series X / S.

The game is about exploring the ruins of a world that has been destroyed and lost under the sea. There isn’t a lot to do in the game, and the main purpose behind it is to relax and take your time as you try to find out what happened to the city, and whether there is anything you can do to rebuild it.

It is quite a shame that Hidden Depths does not have a multiplayer or co-op mode, because it would have been great to explore the world with other people, especially because of the game’s family-friendly nature.

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5 Toughest Puzzle Games on Xbox Series X|S

With time, seeing how much the puzzle genre has transformed since its inception is impressive. At the start, I would engage in puzzle games similar to jigsaw puzzles. I just had to move pieces around until they arrived at the end of the level. In some way, such a manner of game does not call into my more profound thoughts.

Nowadays, there is no limit to how far and how complicated puzzle games can go. There are those that adhere to the older style but add new elements. The first glance at a puzzle game lures you in with colorful graphics and seemingly simple mechanics. As I have played, I now know that beneath such charming exteriors lie some brutal riddles and mind-bending challenges that would leave me scratching my head for hours on end. As a passionate game enthusiast, I’ve embarked on a challenging adventure to explore the Xbox Series X|S. On this journey, I have handpicked the toughest puzzle games on Xbox Series X|S that will test your wits, problem-solving skills, and patience.

5. A Plague Tale: Innocence

Developed by Asobo Studio , A Plague Tale: Innocence takes the player on a delving and emotional journey through medieval France. I am a fan of the 2019 survival-horror game. As such, a treatment for the Xbox series X|S was a fantastic step. As I began my playthrough, I forgot how amazing the game looked. Set in medieval France, the game is so mesmerizing that I am not ashamed to admit that I spent a good chunk of my time just glued to it, exploring, and absorbing my surroundings. Such an amazing game combines stealth, puzzles, and a compelling narrative to create an unforgettable gaming experience.

A Plague Tale: Innocence puts you in the shoes of Amicia, a girl desperately trying to protect her younger brother, Hugo, from the Inquisition and the plague-infested rats that ravage the land. As a player, you need to make sure that you manage to avoid the Inquisition soldiers and protect yourself and your brother.

You may think that the game entails running from threats. However, it also entails a lot of puzzle-solving that will be necessary for you and Hugo to get out of a tight spot. Just remember that this is not a co-op game.

4. Superliminal

Superliminal is a first-person game that challenges your perception of reality. Imagine yourself sleeping at 2:00 a.m. You close your eyes to a particular dream therapy program. When waking up, you wake up in an unfamiliar environment, only to see that you are stuck in a dream where perception is reality. That is Superliminal for you. The game is a first-person puzzle game inspired by perspective and optical illusions. As a player, you must tackle impossible puzzles by thinking outside the box and learning to expect the unexpected.

The game brings a delightfully subdued world, a fascinatingly spoken narrative, and peculiar things.

Superliminal has some mind-bending mechanics surrounding a forced perspective, which will make you question everything you see. As you progress through the game’s dreamlike environments, it is necessary for you to manipulate objects and solve puzzles by exploiting the game’s unique perspective-based mechanics. Superliminal brings a surreal atmosphere and clever puzzle design, paving the way for a mentally demanding experience.

3. The Talos Principle

The Talos Principle presents players with an introspective journey. If you love brain teasers and philosophy, this game is better than a movie night. It entails an intelligent game that does not punish you for it. It is also a puzzle game that paves the way for a sense of creativity.

The game has several mechanical processes underpinned by a compelling breadcrumb-trail narrative that tackles the intangible notions of humanity and consciousness. It is a first-person game that requires playing as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) robot in simulation. The setting is a world in ruins, and it requires you to understand what is going on, who you are, and what intelligence really means. As such, the game calls for you to solve a number of puzzles. The game features a variety of puzzle types, from classic logic puzzles to manipulating lasers and drones. Its thought-provoking storyline and challenging puzzles make the game captivating and present an intellectually stimulating experience.

2. Returnal

Developed by Housemarque, Returnal is a roguelike puzzle-combat extravaganza on this list. The roguelike third-person shooter happens on an ever-changing alien planet, where, as a player, you assume the role of Selene, an astronaut trapped in an endless loop of resurrection. When the game opens, it does so abruptly, setting you among the stars as deep space voyager Selene Vassos.

In the game, Selene is stuck in a bizarre, infinite time loop in which every death brings her back to the crash site and scrambles her brain a little. As you battle many hostile creatures, you will likely encounter some intricate puzzles that unlock new areas and reveal the planet’s mysteries. With such challenging combat mechanics and complicated level design, Returnal blends action and puzzle-solving, ensuring an adrenaline-fueled experience.

1. The Witness

Topping our list of the toughest puzzle games on Xbox Series X|S is The Witness. D eveloped by Jonathan Blow, The Witness sets players on a mysterious, beautiful island filled with complex puzzles. In the game, you wake up on a strange island, unaware of where and why you are there. The island is filled with puzzles you will need to solve. There are over 500 puzzles in the game, with every single one of them providing more information on why you are on the island. The most exciting thing about the puzzles is that no two puzzles are the same. As such, each one brings something new into the mix, keeping the game fresh.

As the game progresses, it progressively introduces new mechanics and challenges that call for careful observation and logical thinking. The Witness has a non-linear structure, which encourages exploration and rewards players who dare to go deeper. I enjoyed playing this game because of its minimalistic visuals and ambient soundtracks that create an immersive atmosphere—an experience you cannot miss since it enhances some enigmatic experiences. Be prepared for several “aha!” moments as you unlock the island’s secrets.

So, what's your take on our picks for the toughest puzzle games on Xbox Series X|S ? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.

Evans I. Karanja is a freelance writer who loves to write about anything technology. He is always on the lookout for interesting topics, and enjoys writing about video games, cryptocurrency and blockchain and more. When not writing, he can be found playing video games or watching F1.

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Best Games That Reward Creative Problem-Solving

• As video game technology advances, puzzles have become more open-ended, allowing for creative solutions and multiple outcomes.
• Games like Portal 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 reward players for thinking creatively and finding unique ways to solve problems.
• Undertale and Scribblenauts Unlimited offer players the freedom to approach puzzles in their own way, showcasing the importance of player choice.

In the early days of video games, puzzles and their solutions were pretty cut and dry. Get from Point A to Point B, and accomplish A, B, and C using a very specific method. There was only one way to beat the game; players just needed to find it. Part of this was due to hardware and scripting limitations. Consoles had such limited memory that there simply wasn't room for more creative solutions.

11 Best Puzzle Games On Steam That Deserve More Attention

But as video games and consoles become more advanced, puzzle-solving in games has become more open-ended. Developers are now usually more than happy to hand players the reins and let them run wild with their creativity. All the pieces are there; players just need to put them together. There are no right or wrong answers, just what works and what doesn't, and for those looking to flex their creative puzzle-solving muscles and get rewarded for doing so , there are plenty of gaming options available.

Peace is Always An Option

Platform(s) PS Vita, Switch, PS4, PC, Xbox One

Released September 15, 2015

Developer(s) Toby Fox

Genre(s) RPG

This 2015 smash hit revolutionized puzzle-solving and story progression in RPG adventure games, being one of the first where players could complete the entire game without killing a single enemy. Instead, they could choose the Pacifist route and befriend NPCs instead (or go from killing a single enemy to all of them in the notorious Genocide route ).

Beyond the multiple endings, Undertale is filled with puzzles to overcome, not all of which have a single solution. Is a dastardly skeleton placing a maze trap before the fallen human? They might be able to solve it, or they can opt to simply walk around it. New dialogue options and story branches open and close based on who the player chooses to spare and how. The reward for creative puzzle-solving is that players get to explore more of this colorful world and iconic characters.

Scribblenauts Unlimited

The noun's the limit.

Platform(s) Wii U, Switch, PS4, PC, iOS, Android, 3DS, Xbox One

Released November 13, 2012

Developer(s) 5th Cell

Genre(s) Puzzle, Sandbox

Scribblenauts proves that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. No, seriously. The titular heroes in this popular puzzle RPG series use the power of words to solve all their problems. Players can write down a noun and watch it appear in the world. Giving it an adjective results in the object or creature transforming to match its new description. Giving a pig wings will allow it to fly, and manifesting some glue out of the ether will permit players to stick things together. The possibilities are literally endless.

Scribblenauts Unlimited builds on its predecessors with an expansive list of nouns, adjectives, and adverbs that players can use and provides multiple ways to solve each puzzle. The game doesn't care how players accomplish their goals, so long as they clear the level's main objective. The only real limit is the player's imagination (and their vocabulary).

Aperture Science Tests One's Creativity

Platform(s) PS3, Switch, Xbox 360, PC

Released April 18, 2011

Developer(s) Valve

Genre(s) Puzzle, Platformer

The Portal games make no secret that they want to test players' problem-solving abilities. The game's central antagonist, GLaDOS , makes that abundantly clear. In fact, the entire plot is to use those same skills to escape the testing facility once and for all. Each test follows the same simple premise: get to the end of the testing chamber in one piece. How the player does it is up to them - and the game's physics engine. Jump through portals, avoid deadly turrets and bottomless pits, propel through the air -- it doesn't matter. As the saying goes, "If it's stupid and it works, it isn't stupid."

Portal 2 takes this engaging premise and amps it up to eleven. Puzzles are bigger, deadlier, and more complicated than ever before. While some answers are laid out more obviously than others, players are free to ignore those options and think outside the box as much as they want. So long as they reach the final door, GLaDOS doesn't mind how they did it. After all, data is data.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Zonai devices help players reinvent the wheel.

Platform(s) Switch

Released May 12, 2023

Developer(s) Nintendo

Genre(s) Adventure

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a massive breath of fresh air for the franchise. Linear adventures with clear-cut solutions were swapped out for a massive open world and a fun new physics engine that led to infinitely creative gameplay. Many fans of the series felt the game essentially reinvented the wheel of a franchise that had started to get a bit formulaic. However, its direct sequel, Tears of the Kingdom , didn't just reinvent the wheel; it allowed players to invent their own.

8 Hardest Zelda Games To 100% Complete

On top of the many new mechanics introduced in Breath of the Wild , Tears of the Kingdom introduced several new mechanics for players to tinker around with. The best by far is the introduction of Zonai devices, allowing players to use various moving mechanical parts in endless combinations to solve puzzles. Gamers can build siege engines that breathe fire, gliders powered by fans, or massive catapaults to launch enemies (or themselves) off into the horizon.

Baldur's Gate 3

Any solution is just a dice roll away.

Platform(s) Xbox Series X, PS5, PC, macOS, Stadia

Released August 3, 2023

Developer(s) Larian Studios

This award-winning RPG action-adventure game from 2023 famously adapted the core rules of Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition into a video game format. But the game didn't just take the basic stats and mechanics; it went above and beyond to allow players to think just as creatively as they would while playing real D&D . Any D&D campaign can go off the rails at any moment. One bad dice roll or truly chaotic player choice, and there will be consequences. That's what makes the game so fun, and Baldur's Gate 3 understands this.

No two playthroughs of Baldur's Gate 3 are the same, thanks to the infinite array of choices , dice checks, and consequences. Players are rewarded for seeing just how many different ways they can solve the same problem. Do they exterminate the goblin camp or side with them? Can they pickpocket the vendor for powerful items to avoid paying? Can they talk their way out of being arrested, either through smooth-talking or saber-rattling? Every decision opens doors and closes others. Each interaction can forge new allies or enemies. Every quest has multiple endings, good or bad. Players can play the campaign however they want and will be rewarded for their creative thinking along the way.

Puzzle Games You Have To Be A Genius To Complete

• Full Games List

The Best Xbox Puzzle Games

This is list of the best Puzzle games available on Xbox .

We define Puzzle games using the genre definition: Puzzle games come in a variety forms. Be it a jigsaw puzzle, a combinatorial problem, a vocabulary or an arithmetic challenge, or even a physics based puzzle. These games conceptually challenge the player to use logic to approach and solve situations.

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Top 10 Puzzle Games To Play Right Now

A good puzzle is one of the best things in life. Some are relaxing time-killers, while others test our skills in critical problem solving or quick mental gymnastics; both can be incredibly satisfying. Video games can elevate these head-scratching problems to new heights and complexities by immersing you in a setting, messing with concepts like the tenants of time and space, or by simply giving you endless access to your favorite brainteasers. Here are some of our favorite modern puzzle games listed in no particular order , that you can play right now that will pleasantly twist your brain into knots.

Tetris Effect – Connected

Let’s be honest. Tetris is already in the conversation of being one of the greatest games of all time. Luckily, we’ve been recently graced with an awesome entry in the series with Tetris Effect: Connected. This take on the concept comes from the mind of Tetsuya Mizuguchi, the man behind games like Rez and Lumines, who sculpts the tetromino-dropping gameplay into a complete sensory experience. Each stage has its own visual and audio theme that changes as you play. Music will swell as the scenery pulses, and flipping your Tetris pieces becomes a new note to the symphony of sounds. It’s a wholly unique experience in the puzzle space, and what’s even better: Tetris Effect is a darn good version of Tetris. Compete with others in the new Connected expansion or experience Effect a transcendent way in VR on PlayStation 4 or PC. | Our Review

Capybara’s mountain climbing hack and slash puzzler was a standout of the Apple Arcade launch in 2019. As a beefy berserker named Jorj, each level of Grindstone has you drawing your path of destruction through colorful, and sometimes dangerous, critters called creeps to escape the level. Jorj can only cut through subsequent creeps of the same color unless he crosses paths with a Grindstone. Picking one up along the way allows Jorj to change the targeted type of creep and build even longer and more devastating combos. Along the over 200 levels of pinnacle peril, blueprints and gear can be collected and crafted to assist in surviving the treacherous ascent to the peak. While it debuted on Apple devices, Grindstone can now be found on Switch and PC as well.

Baba Is You

Easily one of the most unique games in years, Baba Is You takes a seemingly simple premise of changing the properties of objects in the world and uses that to solve mind-melting conundrums. The rules of the game are physically present in each level. Blocks scattered about like “Baba” or “Tree” or “Wall” refer to actual parts around the stage. They can be pushed around and joined with verb blocks such as “Is” to create new realities. “You” represents what the player is able to control and move around the playfield where the goal of every level is to get whatever “You” happens to be to reach a goal flag. You can be lava. You can be a wall. You can be the goal flag itself, and each of these objects can be each other.  Come with your metaphysical galaxy brain equipped to take on some of these complex puzzles and get ready to rejoice when figuring out entirely out-of-the-box solutions. Baba is fun. Baba is tough. But most importantly, Baba Is You will scratch that puzzle itch like no other. | Our Review

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Breaking out of the bonus scenarios from Super Mario 3D World, Captain Toad: Treasure Trackers takes those fun puzzle levels and builds an entire game around it. As the adventurous Captain Toad, you’ll explore diorama-like areas in search of precious Power Stars. The catch? Every cleverly built level is designed to be completed without the ability to jump. You’ll have to navigate these charming labyrinths, and solve environmental puzzles with the help of levers, duplicating fruits, moving platforms, and good old-fashioned camera perspective. Captain Toad offers experiences ranging from chill brain teasers to precision pathing through a stage, but typically lets you take things at your own pace. It’s a charming, refreshing take on familiar locals and ideas from the Mario franchise, and one of the great puzzlers to play on Switch right now. | Our Review

Nonograms, the puzzle presented in the long history of Picross games from developer Jupiter Corporation, are like picture crosswords. You’re presented with a grid with numbers aligned with each column and row, which inform how many squares in that section are supposed to be filled in by the player. Though, it’s not quite paint-by-numbers. To solve the puzzle correctly, you’ll have to consider all of the information given around the board to determine which spaces to fill in and which to leave empty. Eventually, a full image is revealed, like a pixelated painting the player helped produce. Picross puzzles are intoxicating, relaxing, and incredibly enjoyable to solve. The newest edition in Jupiter’s Switch series is Picross S6, which offers stellar tutorials for those new to this kind of puzzle as well as massive 40x30 grid boards for the Picross veterans. With almost 500 puzzles to complete, Picross S6 will keep many busy for quite a while. 

Images aren’t always what they seem, and in Gorogoa, you have the power to shift and manipulate a series of pictures to find the true meaning in the visuals. Each puzzle presents the player with up to four photos that must be placed in a specific alignment to be solved. You can take each segment and manipulate them in different ways, like zooming in or out of the scene on display or changing the position of the image like a slide puzzle. Adjusting these photos can shift the perspective of what you’re looking at entirely, making the seemingly disparate images fit together perfectly. Gorogoa is a joy to look at with its spectacular art. The experience is on the shorter end, so if you’re looking to relax on a weekend afternoon, Gorogoa is a fantastic way to spend your time. | Our Review

The Witness

Jonathan Blow’s open world puzzle adventure The Witness is a masterclass in design. Starting on an island with no context of where or when you are, you only have one way to interact with the world: drawing lines or paths on designated panels strewn about the environment. Each set of these screens found around the island adds new rules to how you need to draw your route from point A to B to complete the puzzle. These rules are sussed out by intuition or trial and error, though as you progress through The Witness, puzzle elements and clues for drawing the correct paths on panels may be inspired by your surroundings. So it’s essential to keep your eyes and, most importantly, your mind open to solve some of the more important and exciting mysteries on the island. We’ll leave it at that as The Witness is at its best when starting with the bare minimum knowledge and letting the experience build until you realize what’s actually possible. | Our Review

The Turing Test

Originally released in 2016 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, with a Switch version in 2020, The Turing Test puts you in the shoes of Ava Turing. Confined in a laboratory, Ava is tasked to complete a series of tests that only humans can solve. These test chambers are designed by an artificial intelligence named T.O.M., which observes Ava’s progress throughout the experimentation. Armed with an Energy Manipulation Tool, you can pull energy nodes from objects to redistribute into other devices to solve the puzzle at hand. Sometimes, the simplest answer isn’t the correct one, though. T.O.M.’s contraptions will require you to think outside the box and “cheat” the tests in various ways. For example, you may find yourself navigating a maze but decide to hop over the walls instead of sticking to the labyrinth floor. The Turing Tests convoluted rooms will likely keep you busy for quite some time, while also delivering a worthwhile tale between Ava and T.O.M. | Our Review

The Room: Old Sins

Part virtual puzzle box, part spooky escape room, The Room series has been delivering satisfying brainteasers for years. Its most recent iteration, called Old Sins, can be found on iOS, Android, and PC. Old Sins has you exploring an unsettling dollhouse where each room holds several puzzles and secrets to unravel. Items can be found and examined, giving clues for solving a mystery. Important objects made of a substance called the Null, which is said to have the power to warp reality, can also be used to progress. Puzzle solutions aren’t contained to just one area, as some more significant problems will have you exploring all over the house to resolve. The Room: Old Sins’ biggest strengths are in its atmosphere and detail. Every object you interact with feels old and ornate but at the same time advanced and intricate. There’s almost a sinister quality in the air, enhancing the urgency to get through each puzzle and move on to learning all of the secrets within the dollhouse. | Our Review

A decade after its release, playing with portals is still as fun as ever. Portal 2 takes everything that was great about the brief first-person puzzle game from Valve’s Orange Box and builds upon it substantially. The basics of Portal rely on the portal gun, which lets the user project two portals on surfaces like walls, floors, ceilings, allowing you to pass through from one to the other as if they were simply doorways. Following the events of Portal, series heroine Chell has to escape an Aperture Science facility yet again, while learning of the company’s sometimes hilarious, but always intriguing, history from its founder, Cave Johnson.

There are all kinds of fresh takes on the portal gun gameplay messing with gravity, inertia, dopey sentient gun turret target systems, and much more. Goopy liquids called Gels can be used to paint the test facilities, with each color of the substance allowing Chell to bounce, move faster, or place portals on surfaces not normally meant to hold them. Portal 2 also features an entirely separate cooperative campaign where two players take the roles of robots named ATLAS and P-body. Co-op requires just as much creative problem solving, timing, and coordination as the single-player levels but asks it of both players. Are you looking to start “thinking with portals?” The best ways to experience this puzzle classic on modern hardware is on Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One X via backward compatibility or the ever-reliable PC version. | Our Review

For more genre-based lists of games to play right now, click on the banner below. There you'll find our List of Lists with all kinds of rankings and recommendations for different topics in video games!

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Puzzle Games You Have To Be A Genius To Complete

While there are dozens of puzzle games for fans to choose from, some of these titles are nearly impossible to complete.

Puzzle games are often a mixed bag when it comes to difficulty. Some can be brain-numbingly easy, solved without much of a thought. But others can be so complicated that players can give up and never play that game again. These types of games can come in various genres. Most of them adopt a point-and-click style where solving puzzles is based on game logic instead of real-life logic. Lots of games use a first-person perspective, too, so it feels more immersive.

A few developers, especially of indie games , go out of their way to make niche puzzle games that only a handful of people will be able to solve. Regardless of what kind of perspective these puzzle games adopt, there's no denying that the brain teasers featured in these titles are extremely stimulating and will keep players engaged for some time. Of course, these games aren't for everyone, so it's important to have a liking for tough puzzle games before players check out these titles for themselves.

Updated December 30, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: Puzzle games are a popular niche in gaming that developers experiment with all the time. In-game mechanics need to be polished to perfection if players want to truly immerse themselves. Many games incorporate puzzles in some form or another, but outright puzzle titles that will capture a player's attention for hours on end need something special to stand out. Some titles achieve this by making each puzzle as mind-bending as possible, letting players enjoy a great sense of satisfaction when they finally manage to solve these dastardly riddles.

13 Forgotten Puzzle Games You Need To Play

1 the talos principle 2, a sequel that lives up to its predecessor's quality, the talos principle 2.

The Talos Principle had a lot of the same ingredients that made Portal such a massive success, with its challenging puzzles and beautiful visuals being a treat for the eyes. The success of this game caused fans to ardently request a sequel that would let people experience more of this game's wonderful world.

The Talos Principle 2 didn't disappoint in this regard. The follow-up is perfect for fans of the first game, featuring more mechanics, better visuals, and a philosophical narrative that players can engage with if they wish.

2 Stephen's Sausage Roll

The simple act of roasting sausages is deceptively hard.

The title of this game can make people think that the premise is silly...and that's because it is. All players have to do is take a sausage on a tile-based grid and cook it over special grill tiles on both sides before returning to the starting position. However, as the levels progress, players will soon figure out that this is easier said than done.

There are many fail states for each puzzle , such as burning a sausage by grilling it too much or causing the sausage to fall off the level. All these situations become harder to avoid as the puzzles increase in complexity, making for an engaging title that will stimulate players' brains.

3 Deadly Rooms Of Death

This legendary puzzle game can boggle players' minds to no end.

It's mind-blowing that a game made in 1996 is still touted by many as one of the hardest puzzle games ever made. The fact that Deadly Rooms of Death spawned an entire series and attracted a loyal fanbase shows how effective its gameplay loop was, despite relying on simplified gameplay mechanics with tile-based level design.

Players have to use a huge sword to try and take out the many enemies and monsters that inhabit a dungeon, with enemies taking turns and players having to deduce their movement patterns to figure out the best way possible to deal with these foes. The game takes no prisoners and requires a lot of logical thinking from the get-go, which can be frustrating but ultimately rewarding when players get through some of the harder levels.

4 Mini Metro

Connecting metro lines without issues is a pain.

Puzzle games take some interesting concepts and incorporate them to keep players interested in the long haul. Mini Metro is a great example. At a glance, the idea of constructing a metro system with a minimalist interface can sound very boring. However, Mini Metro molds this concept to make it engaging over multiple levels, making it an absolute gem of a title,

14 Co-Op Games For Gamers That Love Puzzles

While initially seeming simple, Mini Metro hooks players by forcing them to map out the connectivity to multiple stations as more and more of these platforms start popping up over time. It's important to be efficient and connect platforms with the most efficient railway line to prevent overcrowding, which can lead to a game over sooner rather than later.

5 The Secret of Monkey Island

Moon logic makes puzzles a pain to complete.

The Secret of Monkey Island features some of the best and most challenging puzzles around. Whether players are using dance steps to locate buried treasure or transferring grog from mug to mug to bust a convicted flower thief out of jail, they need to use their brains.

What makes The Secret of Monkey Island such a great puzzle game is the varying degrees of difficulty that its puzzles offer. Some of them, like rescuing Guybrush from the bottom of the ocean after he's been caught stealing an idol, are so simple that many players will overlook the obvious solution, while others do require quite a bit of thought.

Rewinding Time to Solve Puzzles is Surprisingly Challenging

On the surface, Braid may not look all that complicated. Players can beat the game in a little over twenty minutes simply by running from left to right. Those looking to unlock the game's true ending, however, will need to collect puzzle pieces, which can require a great deal of skill and thought.

Much of Braid 's difficulty is derived from its excellent time manipulation mechanics, which will need to be used extensively to obtain all of the puzzle pieces. That players have the option of speeding through the game is a nice touch, though, as is the simplistic yet incredibly vibrant art style when compared with the game's darker tone.

Hard, Challenging, Satisfying Puzzles in a Great Sequel

Portal 2 took everything that made the first Portal game great and cranked it right up to 11. The introduction of gels added a whole new dimension to puzzle-solving and helped to keep the formula feeling fresh. Perhaps the greatest addition, however, was co-op multiplayer , which has the potential to be incredibly difficult for both players.

Figuring out the solution to a particular puzzle can be challenging, but executing it and mastering the timing is something else. Throw in the fact that players will also need to rely on the skill and brainpower of their partner , and Portal 2 has the potential to be one of the most difficult and frustrating puzzle games around.

8 Broken Sword

A legendary adventure with brain-melting puzzles.

The Broken Sword series is one of the finest titles that the point-and-click genre has to offer , and made its name through its thought-provoking puzzles and lovable cast. Players take control of an American tourist named George Stobbart, who finds himself caught up in the middle of a villainous plot to take over the world. Thanks to his astute actions, though, he's able to persevere.

8 Best Non-Violent Action-Adventure Games, Ranked

The game borrows a lot from real-world history and adds embellishments to create a caper that's as enjoyable as it is challenging. Players will need to think outside the box if they're to have any chance of stopping the Neo-Templars, and they'll need common sense as well. The infamous goat puzzle is the game's most memorable, but it is just one of many that will take a bit of time to figure out.

9 Human Fall Flat

Goofy physics get in the way of solving puzzles, human fall flat.

Physics-based puzzle games have become increasingly popular since the release of Portal in 2007. Human Fall Flat falls some way short of matching Valve's masterpiece, but that's not to say that it has nothing to offer. It might not look like it, but buried beneath its simplistic art style is a game that is both challenging and enjoyable, especially when played with friends.

Admittedly, some of the game's difficulty does arise from its wonky controls and physics , although this seems to have been by design. The rest stems from some well-designed puzzles that require both a great deal of thought and patience to solve. It perhaps lacks the same level of replayability as some of the other great puzzle games out there, but Human Fall Flat is worth playing at least once.

10 Baba Is You

The game's coding itself is part of mind-bending puzzles, baba is you.

Baba Is You is one of the best indie games of the past few years , and it does a fantastic job of gradually cranking up the difficulty as players progress. There's not much of a narrative, but the game makes up for this with its unique and creative mechanics. It might look simple, though it is anything but.

Players will need to think both clearly and logically if they're to have any hope of completing the game. As they progress, they'll find a real sense of achievement as they begin to master the game's mechanics. With a cross-platform level designer currently in the works, there's potential for some even more challenging stages looming large on the horizon as well.

11 Opus Magnum

An educational game with puzzle-based programming.

An educational game rarely manages to be entertaining, but that's exactly what programmer Zach Barth achieved with his 2017 title Opus Magnum . It's a game that's designed for programmers (or those looking to learn the craft) and allows players to design devices to complete a wide variety of tasks. It can be a little daunting at first, but it's incredibly intuitive and can be picked up in a matter of hours.

Once players have gotten the hang of things, they should have little trouble completing the game's tasks, as there are countless ways of doing so. Those hoping to have their names immortalized on the game's leaderboards will need to put some real thought into their designs, though, as the competition at the top is quite stiff. Finding the perfect solution will require not only brains, but considerable time and perseverance.

12 The Bizarre Adventures Of Woodruff And The Schnibble

Classic moon logic adventure game puzzling.

Although Sierra's King's Quest series has its fair share of difficult puzzles , most of them look like child's play compared to the ones found in the company's earlier title, The Bizarre Adventures of Woodruff and the Schnibble . This wonderfully illustrated adventure game is teeming with perplexing puzzles that will require a considerable amount of reasoning to solve. Either that or some kind of walkthrough or guide.

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It's one of those games where the developer seems to have gone to great lengths to prevent players from progressing through trial and error, which can, at times, make it incredibly infuriating. Those who can master its challenging puzzles will come away with a real sense of achievement, even if they remain confused by the game's convoluted plot.

13 Return Of The Obra Dinn

Solve every casualty on the titular ghost ship, return of the obra dinn.

Return Of The Obra Dinn is a prime example of a developer creating a unique and niche puzzle game. Return of the Obra Dinn is about a missing ship that had been classed as lost at sea, and drifts into port with no crew and damaged sails.

Players control an insurance investigator who has the power to see into the final moments of someone dying, as well as hear their last seconds. By using this power, they must determine how people died so that they can decide if payment is due. Ultimately, they'll need to solve the puzzle of the ship of what ultimately happened on board.

A Classic First-Person Adventure Game with Tough, Time-Consuming Puzzles

Myst is a first-person adventure title, which is once again oddly unique. The game gives players very little backstory, and no goal or purpose is laid out. There is no time limit or risk of death; all players must do is explore and find everything out for themselves.

Players can interact with the world by clicking and dragging on objects with scenes of the game. And this is how players solve the puzzles in the world of Myst . To complete the game, players must discover books that transport them to several different Ages, and then those mini-world puzzles must be solved. The existence of multiple endings in this game encourages replayability too.

15 The Witness

Takes a simple problem and runs with it, the witness.

The Witness is an indie game from 2016 very much inspired by the aforementioned Myst. The entire game is set in first-person, and players must interact with the world around them. Players awake on a strange island and must solve the puzzles there to escape.

10 Puzzle Games That Are Mind-Boggling

More or less, all puzzles are the same: a path is drawn on a grid. But the beauty of this game is how they are portrayed and the rules behind each puzzle. As the problems get harder, the grid is no longer important, as the environment and objects are used instead. There are over 650 puzzles in the game. The Witness has a great open-world feel, too, as regions don't have to be completed in order, so if players get stuck, they can move on.

16 The Talos Principle

Clever puzzles that slowly increase in difficulty, the talos principle.

The Talos Principle is a narrative-based puzzle game, but it can be played from a first and third-person perspective. In this game, players control a robot that seems human. Players have to solve a plethora of different puzzles to move on to the next area. But as players progress through the Talos Principle , the difficulty increases with more puzzle elements being added into the mix, like jump pads, the use of clones, and more.

These puzzles can and will kill players if they're not careful, as there are multiple things within the puzzle course that are capable of destroying them in an instant. But alas, there is no penalty for dying, apart from the puzzle being reset.

Audio is the Only Tool Players Have to Solve Cases

Unheard is another beautiful example of Indie developers creating a unique and brilliant game. With Unheard , players control an Acoustic Detective, using only audio to solve cases. Using a specific device, it's possible to eavesdrop on conversations from past crime scenes.

However, all clues, motives, and everything else are presented in the form of audio. Match names to voices determine fake screams to real ones. Everything is not given to players on a silver platter; instead, they become the fly on the wall. To observe, to listen, to solve. Attention to detail is paramount with this title to solve the puzzles within.

18 The Turing Test

Solve a string of tough puzzles created by a mysterious ai, the turing test.

The Turing Test is a first-person puzzle game set up in space on the moon of Jupiter named Europa. Play as an engineer for a Space Agency that has sent players on a mission. This mission is to find the cause of the disappearance of the ground crew who were stationed there.

10 Best Puzzle Games On Xbox Game Pass

However, upon their arrival, the AI, Tom, has been busy creating tests that only a human can solve. And apparently, these tests were created by the ground crew. Players will need to use different perspectives and the ability to transfer power between machines to solve all of the puzzles Tom has laid out for them as they discover what happened to the ground crew.

19 SpaceChem

Manipulate molecules and atoms.

SpaceChem is a design-based puzzle game, and the whole premise is to manipulate molecules and atoms in reactors to create new ones. Then build even more reactors with different molecules to even more complex molecules.

However, knowing chemistry is not needed to play this title, as it uses pseudo-science to engage and teach players what they need to know. The puzzles, of course, get more difficult as they progress through the game. In some cases, people have never finished this game due to the difficulty of the later levels, as it becomes very time-consuming.

This Game Does Something Truly Intriguing with Perspective

Fez is an indie puzzle game that is both 2D and 3D. This is the unique game mechanic that Fez has to offer. The game is played in 2D; however, the world is 3D, but only in 90-degree increments, which means that the world only has four facings. But the rotation mechanic is essential to the game, as this is the pain puzzle aspect of Fez , that a different angle can reveal new paths and secrets that were not there before.

The main premise of Fez is to collect cubes and cube fragments to restore order to the universe; to do this, players must explore the 3D world of Fez and complete an array of different puzzles. There are no enemies or bosses, as Fez prioritizes its puzzle-solving aspects over all else.

The Best Problem-solving Games

• Math Puzzle Games - Cross Math
• Found It! Hidden Object Game
• DOP 5: Delete One Part
• My Doge: Puzzle Game
• Wood Nuts & Bolts Puzzle
• Fortress Building Puzzle - Galaxy Cube Tower Simulator Game
• Release date: New first
• Review score: Best first
• IOS (iPhone / iPad)
• PS4 (Playstation 4)
• PS5 (Playstation 5)
• Xbox Series X
• Oculus Rift

qomp2 (2024)

An artful reimagining of Pong. Control a Pong ball aching to break free of its life stuck between two paddles. Explore a dangerous, minimalist world, armed with simple two button controls.

• problem-solving
• experimental
• exploration

Math Puzzle Games - Cross Math (2023)

Crossmath is a fun and engaging math puzzle game that tests your problem-solving skills. The game features a variety of levels and difficulty settings, so you can find the perfect challenge for your math skill level. To play, you'll need to solve a series of math problems, using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

• competitive

Found It! Hidden Object Game (2022)

Find all hidden objects by moving around the interactive maps and completing quests to unlock new colorful locations. Use hints to put your target and find it. You can also zoom in, out, and swipe through every corner of the map.

• friends-and-family
• interactive

DOP 5: Delete One Part (2023)

Using your finger as an eraser, pick which part of the picture you want to delete to solve the puzzle and reveal the final image. Progress through levels of varying difficulty as the questions become more complicated.

Syllatiles (2023)

Syllatiles is the ultimate word puzzle game that challenges you to decipher a word, then locate its various parts and assemble them in the correct order. With a multitude of levels and mind-bending riddles to solve, Syllatile promises endless hours of entertainment and mental stimulation.

• mind-bending
• entertainment

My Doge: Puzzle Game (2023)

My dog - dog head swollen is an original puzzle game, which contains a large number of brain-burning levels, each level, there is a dog head waiting for you to open your mind to save him. The abundance of creative and interesting puzzle questions may break common sense and bring you a whole new experience. This is a great tool for friends and family to spend time together, so download it and experience a different kind of puzzle game!

Super Kye (2024)

**Super Kye** is a puzzle adventure with unique challenges and a level editor. Navigate mazes, solve puzzles, and unlock levels in a game where strategy meets creativity.

Piece Link (2024)

Connect the shapes to fit them together!

• visual-novel
• point-and-click
• challenging
• family-friendly

Wood Nuts & Bolts Puzzle (2023)

Wood Nuts & Bolts Puzzle is a captivating game designed to challenge your problem-solving skills. Master the art of strategically rotating wooden bolts to fit them into place. Embark on a journey through 100+ levels.

Fortress Building Puzzle - Galaxy Cube Tower Simulator Game (2023)

Fortress Building Puzzle is a puzzle game where you need to strategically remove all the cubes to bring your castle to the ground. You must carefully consider which cubes to remove and in what order, as the structure must maintain its balance or else it will topple over prematurely.

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It’s no understatement to say puzzles form the backbone of video games as a medium of entertainment.

For me, it started with games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past , in which dungeons contained numerous mysteries that pushed me to consider, and then reconsider, how I used Link’s vast arsenal of tools to accomplish a task like, say, opening a secret door to a room. And while several adventure games make problem-solving a key aspect of exploring, just plain old puzzles also have played a large role in the history of video games.

It could be the picture book-esque stylings of point-and-click games like Goragoa or the mind-bending worlds of Cocoon , developers continue to shower fans of games with all kinds of brainteasers. Even in the past two years, I’ve seen word games — still puzzles! — take on a new level of widespread popularity through the breakout success of games like the New York Times’ Wordle and now Connections .

There are truly too many puzzle games to choose from. If we really wanted to get philosophical, we could extend this designation to the vast majority of games. So we here at Polygon decided to start by writing up some of our personal favorite puzzle games. From classic match games like Puyo Puyo to the deviously clever visual puns of Baba Is You , here are Polygon’s favorite puzzle games. — Ana Diaz

Baba Is You

Where to play: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC

Baba Is You is a word game and an environmental puzzle game, but not in the way that either of those genre terms typically get used.

In this game, the words you select change the environment around you and the entire conditions of the game itself — almost like you’re the level designer. The top-down, 2D game starts simply enough, giving you rules in the form of text on the screen like “Baba is you” (you control a little sprite named Baba), “rock is push” (if you run up against a rock, it’ll move), and “flag is win” (touch the flag to complete the level). But each of those pieces of text can be moved around on screen to spell out different commands, thereby changing the entire world. Pushing these pieces of text to instead make them say “rock is you” turns the rock into a playable character, while Baba simply stands there motionless.

That might not sound too complicated, until the game introduces a ton more objects and actions, thereby allowing you to feel like even more of a galaxy-brained genius upon figuring out how to reorder them in your favor. Like the best puzzle games, Baba Is You will make you feel both smart and stupid constantly — but mostly smart, because you’ll be training your brain to think in ways that are entirely new. — Maddy Myers

• $15 at Steam
• $15 at Nintendo
• $7 at Google Play

The Case of the Golden Idol

Where to play: Nintendo Switch, Windows PC

Much like Return of the Obra Dinn (more on that in a sec), the real work of playing The Case of the Golden Idol doesn’t involve anything you do on screen — it happens in your head as you sort through the clues the game has provided.

In this game, it’s not just one event that you need to unravel, but a whole series of mysterious and fantastical murders to solve, one by one. The killings take place over the course of several years, each of them related in some way to a magical object with extraordinary and lethal powers (the titular Golden Idol). Like Obra Dinn , all you get are glimpses of each murder, but not a whole cutscene — just an unsettling, looping animation of the victim’s final moments. As the omnipresent investigator, you can sort through the character’s pockets and explore the victim’s surroundings, which will allow you to put together clues and make an accusation — in the form of a written logbook that has predetermined phrases for you to select.

In that way, Golden Idol involves some process of elimination, since there are only ever so many words that you can put into your logbook to describe the murder’s events, but those words might not make any sense to you until you’ve fully processed the scene and the clues. Again, this is a game that unfolds in your head and not on screen — because once you know whodunit, selecting the words that describe the solution is a total breeze. This is a game that will have you wishing you could erase your memory and play it again. Luckily, there’s some fantastic DLC for it and a sequel on the way. — MM

• $12 at Steam
• $18 at Nintendo

Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

It’s difficult to communicate the terms of a puzzle without using a single line of dialogue or piece of text, yet that’s precisely what Cocoon does throughout its short (four-to-five-hour) but monumentally impressive run time. You play as a cute little bug exploring a series of strange sci-fi worlds using mysterious, glowing orbs to transport yourself to and fro. Environmental hazards abound, but the path beyond each of them always turns out to be head-slappingly simple, requiring you to just look at the minimal tools at your disposal and using them to your advantage. The pulsing synth soundtrack will accelerate in a hopeful direction whenever you get closer to solving a puzzle, which helps. The only frustrating part is that Cocoon still has boss battles in between its oodles of environmental puzzles, and these are fine but not nearly as fun as, well, the puzzles. That’s why you’re here, after all. — MM

• $25 at Nintendo
• $25 at Steam
• $25 at PlayStation

Connections

Where to play: NY Times Games

Sometimes you want a gorgeously rendered puzzle game that you can sink hours into on your PC or your console. And other times, you want “grid on phone.”

“Grid on phone” is having a moment in the puzzle genre — trivia games like the Immaculate Grid or Vulture’s Cinematrix have captured the hearts of nerds of all stripes. But for my money [ Ed. note: Those games are all free] the New York Times’ daily Connections is the most complete and satisfying version of “grid on phone.”

Each day, players are presented with a four-by-four grid of words. The goal is to find four groups of four connected words: Maybe they rhyme, or have to do with a connected topic, or can all use the same prefix or suffix. Some are harder than others — in each set of four groups, typically two are pretty easy and two are pretty difficult — and Connections editor Wyna Liu is quite skilled at tricking you into thinking you’ve found a group where one doesn’t exist. That level of difficulty is what makes Connections challenging and fun, and when you manage to guess the most difficult group of the day first, it’s a great feeling. — Pete Volk

Where to play: iOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One

Capybara Games’ Grindstone is one of my go-to games if I’m just traveling with my iPad. You play as an ogre-like miner who slays monsters and collects items called grindstones. To collect these stones and complete each level, you’ll chart a path through a corral of monsters by connecting creatures of the same color. If you slay more than 10 monsters in one turn, you’ll be rewarded with a shiny grindstone that allows you to continue your chain attack with a differently colored monster.

Grindstone is polished down to the most minute details. The developers honed in on a strong sense of style that leans into colorful, cartoony art and quirky character design. Even small actions, like slicing through monsters, feels oh-so satisfying as your little ogre grunts and rips through all the little creeps.

I also personally like that you can play through the campaign and upgrade your character. So while it’s a puzzle game, the game does have a progression element where you power up your little miner. What’s more is that this part of the game also introduced certain strategy elements, so you might need to plan out what items and upgrades you’ll want depending on the specific challenge of each level. — AD

• $20 at Steam
• $20 at Nintendo
• $20 at PlayStation

Lumines Remastered

Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One

Have you ever loved a game that you absolutely suck at? That’s me with Lumines Remastered . On its face, this game has a rather simple premise that will feel comfortable to fans of other falling-block games, but it never fails to kick my ass.

In the main mode, you work with a generously wide board that’s 16 blocks long and 10 high. As you play, a two-by-two square composed of smaller blocks falls from the top of the screen. Each of these squares has its own combination of two different colors of blocks. For example, the first level has a silver-and-orange theme, so one square might have three orange blocks, and then one silver block in the upper right corner. You clear the board by arranging these smaller squares so that the smaller blocks of the same color stack to form other square and rectangular shapes. You lose the game once the blocks stack up and surpass the height of the board.

Lumines Remastered feels great to play and has a great sense of style to boot. The game has a rhythmic pace to it because the squares and rectangles of the same color don’t clear until a cursor aligned with the beat passes over them. I personally think fans of Tetris Effect will love it for its pulsing electronic beats and dazzling visual effects. I might not always get as far as I want, but I’ll always come back for more. — AD

• $15 at Xbox

Where to play: Android, iOS, PlayStation 3, Windows PC, Xbox 360

Peggle was released in 2007 and it’s still one of the best puzzle games of all time. A mix of Japanese gambling arcade game pachinko, pinball machines, and centuries-old billiards game Bagatelle, Peggle is played by launching a ball from the top of the screen to bounce around and clear a board full of pegs. It’s a mix of luck and strategy in deciding where to aim the ball to maximize the amount of pegs that are lit up or cleared. It’s pure serotonin when you make huge combos or clear the board — set to an epic rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, particularly “Ode to Joy.”

I remember playing Peggle on Xbox Live Arcade, but it’s now available on basically all platforms. PopCap eventually released Peggle Nights and Peggle 2 , plus Peggle Blast for mobile devices, among others. From its major success, Peggle has almost become a genre: There’s roguelike Peglin , dungeon crawler Roundguard , and role-playing game Beast Breaker , if you’re looking to spice up the original gameplay. — Nicole Carpenter

• $1 at Steam

Where to play: Nintendo Switch

Nonograms like Picross are a tried-and-true puzzle format. In Picross games, you fill in boxes on a grid to reveal a picture by using numbered hints assigned to each line. My personal favorite version of it is Sega’s: the Picross S games for Nintendo Switch. Sega released the first Picross S in 2017 and has released more than eight different versions of it since. (I played Picross S4 and 5 , and enjoyed those ones specifically.)

Picross games have a laid-back feel that’s notably less frantic than some of the other options on this list. You can learn the basics in minutes and kick back once you do. I personally appreciate how the Picross S series feels great to play in a digital format since it gives you all the notation tools you need to succeed.

Picross would make the perfect match for the sudoku-inclined. I’d also venture to say that its laid-back gameplay and almost pen-and-paper feel would make it a great next step for any fans of word games wanting to try something new. It is the perfect game to play on a lazy Sunday morning as you drink a giant cup of coffee. —AD

• $8 at Nintendo

Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!

Where to play: iOS, Nintendo Switch

One of my favorites puzzle game genres is “improbable mashup of solitaire with something else” (see the entry for Regency Solitaire in this list), and you don’t get more improbable than Pokémon developer Game Freak’s collision of frantic, high-speed card-clearing with a surprisingly deep and tactical horse-racing sim. Originally appearing on Nintendo 3DS, Pocket Card Jockey is now available in a remake for iOS (via Apple Arcade) and Nintendo Switch. The game involves clearing hands of cards very quickly against the clock to determine your success in various phases of the horse race, but there’s a load of other stuff going on too, including managing your horse’s positioning on the track, its levels of energy and stamina, and so on. There’s even an involved and lengthy career mode where breeding and stable management comes into play. Super cute and accessible on the surface, Pocket Card Jockey is a deep, hypnotic, and exciting mashup of sports and puzzle game under the surface. —Oli Welsh

• $7 at Apple Arcade 1 month

Pokémon Puzzle League

Where to play: Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack

When I’m hanging out with family around the holidays, there’s always one game that comes out. It’s not a sleepy-eyed Mario Kart or anything like that, no — we just love to play Pokémon Puzzle League .

Originally released on Nintendo 64 in 2000, we now enjoy the game by playing it via the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription . The game is basically Tetris Attack (also known as Panel de Pon ) with a Pokémon skin. You navigate a one-by-two cursor that flips the blocks from one spot to another. So if you have a red “fire-type” block sitting to the left of a blue “water-type” block, it will swap their spots so the blue one is on the left and red is on the right. Then, you just try to match up lines of three of the same color or more. When you get into it, the game can take on a dizzyingly fast pace that can hook you in for hours.

With a soundtrack that contains cutesy versions of classic tracks like “ Pokémon World ” and crunchy animated visuals from the early era of the franchise, it will tickle any longtime fans of the series. However, it still holds up as a great puzzle game and is a joy to play in local co-op with the non-Pokémon lovers in my life. —AD

• $50 at Best Buy

Puyo Puyo Tetris

Where to play: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One

If there is one game on this list that has an uncanny ability to leave me and my friends red-eyed and wondering how it’s already 3:00 a.m., it’s Puyo Puyo Tetris .

The game combines Puyo Puyo — the beloved color-matching game from Sega — and Tetris , the classic falling-block game with tetrominoes. It’s kind of a matter of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and Tetris certainly doesn’t need any fixing. Puyo Puyo Tetris (and its accompanying sequel) have long been my couch co-op Tetris game of choice.

While the game does have single-player content, I’ve only ever played it with others. In a match, each person gets to choose between playing with the Puyo Puyo mode or Tetris mode. You can play with up to four people at once, and clearing lines on the board in the Tetris version or matching colors in the Puyo Puyo version sends attacks that fill up your competitors’ boards with gray blocks or Puyos.

Puyo Puyo Tetris blends the two classics excellently, even if my groups tend to skew toward the Tetris side of things. I’ve had friends jump in with Puyo and it provides a new kind of challenge as a Tetris player. The one drawback? Some might find the voice-over of its cartoon characters a tad annoying, but even their grating nature can be endearing in its own way, especially if you’re one to shout into the late hours of the night. — AD

• $4 at PlayStation

Puzzle & Dragons Story

Where to play: iOS

Puzzle & Dragons Story is an Apple Arcade game that combines creature battling and match-3 systems. The classic tile-matching gameplay is where you’ll be attacking the monsters you’re fighting — what you match determines how hard you hit, what element is boosted, or when you heal. It’s one of those games that looks easy, but there’s a lot of strategy involved when you get into the depths.

The franchise has been around since 2012 in several different forms on mobile, but Puzzle & Dragons Story is the latest release, removing the microtransactions from the game — one of the big things the game has been criticized for in the past. Between the dungeons, Puzzle & Dragons Story is filled out with a dramatic narrative that’s easy to consume in small bites, making this one of my top games for whenever I’ve got a spare moment. — NC

• $0 at Apple

Regency Solitaire

For soothing, smooth-brain puzzling in the true casual-gaming tradition, you can’t do better than this elegant solitaire variant with a Jane Austen-inspired storyline. In 2015’s Regency Solitaire and its 2024 sequel you play Bella, a social-climbing debutante whose pursuit of the perfect marital match is punctuated by lots of attractively arranged tableaux of cards to clear by clicking on them. And the clicking feels great — developer Grey Alien Games is a master of this sort of thing, so the crisp sound effects and light arcade-style scoring systems are perfectly tuned to keep you pleasantly engaged, but not too excited. The Austen pastiche is pretty funny, too. There’s not much to choose between the first and second games, but Regency Solitaire 2 looks better on modern displays, and is a tad more refined. (The original is available on Switch and PC; Regency Solitaire 2 is on PC only.) — OW

Return of the Obra Dinn

The vessel Obra Dinn left port with 60 souls aboard and returned with none alive. It’s your job to deduce what happened to each member of its crew and how they met their fate. You’re given a crew manifest, some sketches, and a pocket watch. Using this device next to a corpse or other points of interest presents you with a snapshot of how the incident occurred and a bit of dialogue, allowing you to piece together events as you explore more of the ship.

The first handful of deductions are relatively simple, but as you cross names off your list, evidence becomes increasingly obscure, forcing you to fill in the blanks by cross-referencing new information as it becomes available. You have an unlimited amount of time to come to your conclusions before departing, but the Obra Dinn isn’t a particularly hospitable place. From the moment you step aboard, the eerie silence is punctuated only by your footsteps and the groaning of the vessel against the increasingly restless tide. Even with the knowledge that I could leave at any time, I found myself occasionally jumping at shadows and wondering if I wasn’t joined by some spectral passenger.

The first-person perspective might throw someone that’s unfamiliar with the genre, but the simple control scheme and leisurely pace ensure that it remains accessible for anyone looking for a puzzle game that offers an honestly unique experience. — Alice Jovanée

Suika Game was one of my most-played games last year, and will likely be in the running in 2024, too. Even with so many hours logged, I’m not good at Suika Game , and I’m not sure I ever will be . And yet, I keep playing — the fruit-merging game has its hooks deep in me. It’s, again, one of those deceptively simple games: Just combine two of the same fruit and keep fruits from spilling out of the box? Easy, right? No! This is like Tetris if it had bounce physics, so you also have to worry about fruits shooting themselves out of the box with a weird bounce. Though I get frustrated, I keep coming back because it is a compelling mix of skill and luck — but likely mostly luck. You can only play Suika Game on Nintendo Switch in the United States right now, but there’s hope for it coming to mobile. — NC

• $3 at Nintendo

The Witness

Where to play: Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One

If you want to go on a philosophical journey into the heart of puzzles as an art form — and who doesn’t? — there is perhaps only one game that can take you there: The Witness , the abstract, first-person puzzle adventure that was designer Jonathan Blow’s follow-up to Braid . In a way it recalls Myst ; you wander around a strange, idyllic, deserted island, solving puzzles to unlock new areas. But in The Witness , absolutely all the puzzles, which you access via panels in the game world, are 2D maze puzzles, variations on an original design of Blow’s. Through countless permutations, Blow builds upon this simple puzzle concept, turning it into a language in its own right and a dialogue with the player — like Bach turning a simple melody into the Goldberg Variations. It’s one of the most rigorous and challenging explorations of game design ever, and an essential experience for the true puzzle connoisseur. — OW

• $40 at Steam

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Best Puzzle Games for Xbox One in 2022

The Witness

Inside and limbo double pack, unravel yarny bundle, brothers: a tale of two sons, the talos principle.

Puzzle games are a great genre that allows you to think while still sitting down to enjoy a video game. Xbox One does a great job of cultivating a list of puzzle games that deliver a variety of experiences from completing puzzles on a desert island to guiding two brothers on an epic quest. Out of all the options The Witness delivers a stellar experience with hundreds of puzzles to solve in a beautiful world.

Best Overall: The Witness

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Welcome to a deserted island filled with hundreds of puzzles settled into a beautiful world. The Witness is all about solving 2D grid-based puzzles, and each one is a 2D representation of a grid map. You'll use a variety of different methods to solve them, and while things start quite easy, they don't stay that way. In the early game, puzzles might be solved within minutes, while down the line, you could spend an hour or more to solve one of them.

While the puzzles are all 2D grids, the rest of the world in The Witness is gorgeous. The island looks and feels alive with color and foliage from vivid greens, vibrant oranges, bright blues and deep browns depending on where you are. There are several different biomes that you'll explore as you complete puzzles, and each one looks as great as the last. This is a super realistic game in terms of graphics, and the textures aren't always super smooth, but it doesn't detract from the art style as you play.

The one thing that The Witness lacks is a cohesive narrative. It's a game about solving puzzles and doesn't try to cram in more than that. You won't find much aside from a few hidden audio files. While some gamers might not like this, it works very well to keep you focused on the 400 puzzles you'll need to solve.

Overall, The Witness delivers an excellent experience for anyone who loves brain teasers or puzzles. The beautiful graphics add to the experience, and the game is never capricious in how to solve something. Even better, it teaches you new methods for completing each puzzle you come across before upping the ante with something new.

Best Value: Inside and Limbo Double Pack

Inside is a game designed in dark hues. Pitch black and moody gray dominate the environment with only a few pops of color here and there to give things more depth. The followup to Limbo, Inside is another 2D platforming puzzle game, and now you can get them both in one package. In the early parts of the game, you'll break into a military complex, and things only get weirder the further into the campaign you go.

The gameplay is relatively simple with only two buttons to interact with the world, one for jumping and another for interaction. The only other thing you'll touch to play is for movement. Simple mechanics relay how tricky some puzzles can get, and you'll need a variety of methods to solve them. Along with Inside, you also get Limbo, which means twice brain-teasing puzzles to solve.

Best Co-Op: Unravel Yarny Bundle

The Unravel series takes you down to the ground in a delightful mix of platforming and puzzles where you control a bundle a yarn. In the first game, Yarny is a red bundle capable of running and jumping through each level. In Unravel 2, a second Yarny joins the fun, allowing you to play with a friend. While both games offer up an excellent puzzle and platform experience, Yarny 2 offers up a great co-op experience that should be checked out.

There are some slight changes to the gameplay in Unraveled 2, but that's mostly because the game is now built to be played by two players. This means that the puzzles require cooperation to complete. Not just on the screen either. Some of them need precise timing to pull off, which means communication with your partner is mandatory if you want to succeed. Puzzles can get pretty tricky, but thanks to the hint system it's rare that you'll get stuck for long. If you wish to check out Unraveled or Unraveled 2, you're in luck because you can snag both games at the same time in this two-pack!

Best Casual: Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

Two brothers embark on a quest through the world in the hopes of saving their dying father. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is a game that explores themes of grief, acceptance, and brotherhood, all without ever using dialogue. That's because the brothers speak in an unintelligible language that lacks subtitles, but you can tell what's going on by the body language and interactions that occur on screen.

You play as both brothers, which gives the game an interesting co-op feel while still being single player. The world you move through is also vividly alive. While you can clear each area quickly by solving the puzzles, plenty of items and objects are waiting for you to interact with and deepen the story. The big pitfall to Brothers is the movement system. It uses a dual joystick mechanic which lets you control both brothers, but with one joystick attached to one brother and the other connected to the opposite brother, things get confusing fast.

Best Story: Q.U.B.E. 2

You play as Amelia Cross, an archeologist stranded on an island with a strange monolith filled with puzzles. To find your way back home, you'll need to traverse this peculiar landscape and use the strange gloves you find to manipulate the blocks inside. Each room has a puzzle you'll need to complete before moving onto the next one to get closer to finding a way home.

The basic mechanics of gameplay require you to move different colored cubes to solve riddles. Each puzzle is fairly complex requiring multiple moves to manipulate it to where it needs to be. At times, you may be scratching your head, but it works out well once you figure out how everything interacts. Thankfully, the game teaches you different aspects of play as you progress, which means that even if it takes some work, you can solve each riddle you encounter.

Best Philosophical: The Talos Principle

The Talos Principle blends fun puzzle-based gameplay with a philosophical quest to figure out who you are. You find yourself in a world filled with puzzles, but whether it's real or some simulation you've been thrust into is part of the mystery. If you want answers, you'll need to solve puzzles to get them. Further confusing matter is the voice of Elohim who informs you that if you manage to solve every puzzle you can win eternal life.

The mechanics of The Talos Principle rewards you for being deliberate rather than just trying to finish out each puzzle you come across as quickly as possible. When you get started, the gameplay is relatively easy but it doesn't take long before you need to come up with complex solutions for the puzzles you encounter. Along with puzzles, the game explores what humanity is. You'll come across terminals, emails, audio logs, and even quotes from famous philosophers through history like William Blake.

Bottom line

Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Every game that made our list delivers a different take on what it means to be a puzzle game. Some of them concentrate simply on the puzzles that you have to solve, while others deliver great visuals or an excellent story along with riddles to get you thinking. Out of every puzzle game available on Xbox One, the absolute best is The Witness .

This game delivers the type of experience that every puzzle game should emulate. There are hundreds of riddles to be solved, and no two are quite the same. You'll have to think about what you are doing before solving them. It's also a beautiful world to explore and one that doesn't weigh you down in excess content. From top to bottom, it's a fantastic puzzle game and one that shouldn't be missed.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Jen Karner has been a gamer for more than twenty years and has spent countless hours banging her head against the wall as she tries to figure out the solution to the puzzles she encounters. You can follow her on Twitter

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Jen is a staff writer who spends her time researching the products you didn't know you needed. She's also a fantasy novelist and has a serious Civ VI addiction. You can follow her on Twitter .

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The Best Xbox Games Of 2023 According To Metacritic

By Darryn Bonthuys on December 20, 2023 at 2:35PM PST

GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.

Compared to the previous year, 2023 has been a much better time for Xbox when it comes to games. More exclusives alongside an almost-constant supply of critically acclaimed games made for a fantastic year, and with Game Pass having several day-one releases to tempt people into subscribing, it has been a great time to own an Xbox console. Three years after it was introduced, the Xbox Series X|S generation feels like it is finally beginning.

Below, we're looking at the 2023 games that received rave reviews and high scores, masterpieces that can put a smile on your face or leave you scratching your head as you try to digest an existential crisis. Thanks to GameSpot sister site Metacritic, we know exactly which Xbox games earned top marks across the globe from a wide number of outlets. While there are a few obvious inclusions, there are also a few surprises on the list to read about as well. You can see them all below, with the highest-rated game being an old favorite starring a bathtub-loving sword-for-hire given a current-gen makeover. And for a more condensed list of games, check out GameSpot's feature on the best Xbox-exclusive games of 2023 .

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition

One of the best games of all time got even better in 2023, as CD Projekt Red updated The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt for new audiences. This new version isn't just a graphical update, a congratulatory slap on the back, and a trip down to the local pub for a job well done, but rather a more exhaustive overhaul of the classic action-RPG. Subtle and overt tweaks, enhancements, and new features hammer home just how special The Witcher 3 is, reinventing the game for both newcomers and veterans alike.

Metacritic: 94 | Read our Witcher 3: Wild Hunt review

Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake fans had been waiting years for a true sequel to the cult-classic game, and more than a decade later, Remedy Entertainment delivered a follow-up that exceeded expectations. Alan Wake 2 plays like the sum total of every lesson that Remedy has learned over the last 13 years, a combination of atmospheric storytelling, organically integrated live-action ideas, and edge-of-your-seat gameplay that'll leave you sweating. A hard shift into survival-horror is a bold choice for the sequel, but seeing it combined with other ideas to create unique experiences that'll constantly surprise you? That's just one of the reasons why Alan Wake 2 is a must-play game.

Metacritic: 94 | Read our Alan Wake 2 review

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

If its 2020 launch-day woes persuaded you to skip Cyberpunk 2077, then its expansion Phantom Liberty is the best advert for the game that can help dissuade even the most stubborn of non-believers to take a tour of Night City. Phantom Liberty is the culmination of CD Projekt Red's mission to turn Cyberpunk 2077 into one of its greatest success stories. It's a slick spy-thriller set in hostile territory, a riveting story where everyone has an agenda and you don't know who to trust. Combined with sweeping overhauls to the gameplay and an absurd amount of extra content that CDPR has handed out for free, Phantom Liberty is CDPR firing on all cylinders to deliver an unforgettable experience.

Metacritic: 91 | Read our Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty review

Diablo 4 is dark, oppressive, and grim, and, according to longtime fans of the series, that's just the way that they like it. A return to the macabre roots of the franchise, Diablo 4 manages to balance its ghastly world with moments of hope, as well as a selection of classes that can reduce the armies of the damned to single-digit numbers. It's brutally satisfying, wonderfully deep with its various systems, and the pivot to live-service means that fans will be playing this new chapter in Blizzard's iconic series for years to come.

Metacritic: 91 | Read our Diablo 4 review

Resident Evil 4

As good as the original Resident Evil 4 was, there's no denying that some of its luster has worn off over the years. It's still outstanding, but with a remake that updated its ideas and doubled down on its survival-action design, Resident Evil 4 has been reborn as the definitive entry in this franchise. It's the kind of game that not only pays homage to the past, but pushes the bar higher for what games in this genre are capable of as Leon Kennedy's European vacation takes a detour into dangerous territory. Expertly crafted and constantly thrilling, Resident Evil 4 successfully reinvents itself without ever losing sight of its origins.

Metacritic: 91 | Read our Resident Evil 4 review

Street Fighter 6

Capcom's new golden age reached a new high this year, as alongside the excellent remake of Resident Evil 4 above, it came out swinging with Street Fighter 6. The best Street Fighter game since the first sequel in the franchise helped fuel a coin shortage crisis at arcades, Street Fighter 6 is both approachable and technically nuanced, a perfect entry-point for newcomers and loaded with a number of new features that'll appeal to veterans of the series. Throw in a wonderfully diverse roster of world warriors and explosively colorful graphics, and you've got one of the finest fighting games of the year.

Metacritic: 90 | Read our Street Fighter 6 review

Persona 4 Golden

Persona 5 might hog all of the attention whenever the franchise is discussed, but don't count its predecessor out just yet. Finally making its way to Xbox this year, Persona 4 Golden walked so that Persona 5 could run. It's a stylish coming-of-age story set in a small town that has been rocked by a mysterious murder, paving the way for a cast of memorable characters to get to the bottom of a grim mystery. A game of high and personal stakes, Persona 4 still looks fantastic with its colorful visuals, but it's the emotional story beats, killer soundtrack, and clever plot that'll keep you glued to your seat.

Metacritic: 89 | Read our Persona 4 Golden review

In a year full of remasters and remakes, Dead Space is easily one of the best. The original Dead Space helped revive an entire genre back in 2008, and years later, the Dead Space remake is a special reminder at just how effective the original game was. More than just a remake focused on gruesome graphical fidelity, Dead Space improves on its source material, tightening up every terrifying nut and bolt to create an even more frightening tour of the cosmos. The combat remains uniquely satisfying and gruesome, revamped zero-g sections are now fun to play, and the expanded storyline makes a spooky game even more haunting.

Metacritic: 89 | Read our Dead Space review

Sea of Stars

Once you remove your rose-tinted glasses, many JRPGs of the past can reveal plenty of flaws that wouldn't sit well with gamers today. Sea of Stars does a great job of avoiding those pitfalls while capturing the spirit of the SNES era of fantasy games, lovingly using that inspiration to create a game that feels nostalgic and is amplified by thoughtful modern touches. It's a love-letter to the past, a trip down memory lane that feels fresh and exciting to play.

Metacritic: 89 | Read our Sea of Stars review

Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways

Separate Ways is a fantastic excuse to dive back into Resident Evil 4, but with a different perspective that complements the remake. Following Ada Wong as she weaves her way through events that run parallel to Leon Kennedy's journey, Separate Ways is a fun remix instead of a retread of existing events that you'd typically find in DLC expansions. Smaller in scope but laser-focused, it's not just a fun addition to Resident Evil 4 but an essential extension.

Metacritic: 89 | Read our Resident Evil 4: Separate Ways review

More than just an entomologist's delight, Cocoon is a charming puzzle-platformer that effortlessly communicates its ideas without needing to say a single word. With development led by Inside designer Jeppe Carlsen, Cocoon is a short and sweet game that'll test your problem-solving abilities and reward you with mind-bending questions about the cosmos and reality. A layered game that is both thoughtful and joyful, it'll only take you a handful of hours to complete Cocoon. But after that? Its ideas will remain lodged in your mind for a long time.

Metacritic: 89 | Read our Cocoon review

Persona 3 Portable

Atlus fans have been feasting well in 2023, as between the arrival of Persona 4: Golden and Persona 5: Tactica on Xbox, Persona 3 has also made landfall. Is it an older game with some dated mechanics and a questionable approach to several sensitive topics? Undoubtedly, but Persona 3 is still a superbly polished RPG that established the foundation for future games in the franchise. Style and substance wrapped up in a story about high-school kids facing off against nightmarish monsters, Persona 3 cemented the social sim side of the series and that component still holds up well today.

Metacritic: 87 | Read our Persona 3: Portable review

Monster Hunter Rise

On the surface, Monster Hunter Rise isn't drastically different from what has come before it, but do a little digging, and you'll find a game that has almost perfected its core gameplay loop. A game that makes a concerted effort to reach a wider audience, Monster Hunter Rise expands on its ideas while streamlining how players interact with its world through movement-enhancing features. If you've ever wanted to check out Capcom's fantasy safari series, Monster Hunter Rise is just for you.

Metacritic: 87 | Read our Monster Hunter Rise review

Like the sickest of guitar licks on a brand-new punk rock album, Hi-Fi Rush exploded into view without any warning and left a lasting impression. It's Devil May Cry meets Scott Pilgrim, an energetic Saturday morning cartoon anchored by incredible licensed and original music that just so happens to be a driving force in every action that you take. It's a colorful concerto of high-energy action and fun storytelling--a symphony of anarchy. Hi-Fi Rush plays like an album where every track is a certified banger.

Metacritic: 87 | Read our Hi-Fi Rush review

Age of Empires 2

Strategy games on consoles are generally a hard sell, but if the last couple of years have proven anything, it's that a determined developer can find a way to condense an entire mouse-and-keyboard system to a handful of inputs on a controller. Age of Empires 2 is proof of this, as Forgotten Empires pulled off the seemingly impossible on Xbox Series X|S. Want to ruin someone's day with a horde of Teutonic knights crushing a well-fortified stronghold? You can do just that, run an intricate economy, and explore uncharted land with ease in this clever remaster that brings all the complexity of the PC version of the game to console.

Metacritic: 86 | Read our Age of Empires 2 review

Forza Motorsport

It has been a long time since an Xbox console has been graced by the more technical side of the Forza franchise, but at long last, Forza Motorsport raced back onto Xbox consoles and PC this year. Not just a reminder of just how good sophisticated pedal-to-the-metal racing can be, this new incarnation of Forza Motorsport encourages precision and clean driving with systems that reward perfection. It has an astonishing number of cars to collect and master, it has regular content drops as part of its live-service model, and the connection with every supercar feels stronger than ever.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Forza Motorsport review

Dredge just might be the best game to play during the sweltering months of summer, because it'll constantly send a few chills down your spine. A killer combo of Lovecraftian vibes and fishing, Dredge makes every second count as you balance the reward of a good haul with the risk of running into nightmarish ocean creatures that defy mortal comprehension. Earning money allows you to outfit your vessel for the longer voyages ahead, but when you're facing a tag team of fear and dwindling time, this haunting high-seas horror game reminds you that the end is always near.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Dredge review

Mortal Kombat 1

The latest chapter in the Mortal Kombat series walks a fine line between nostalgic action and exploring new territory. Narratively, it's a reboot and a sequel, and mechanically, it's a violence-fueled display of power that always ends with someone looking like a Jackson Pollock painting taken to a new extreme. In a year with terrific fighting games, Mortal Kombat 1 stepped up to the plate to establish itself as a main event contender. Bloody, brutal, and captivating, it's a no-holds-barred rush of adrenaline that'll both delight and disgust you with its unrelenting savagery.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Mortal Kombat 1 review

Hogwarts Legacy

It's hard to divorce Hogwarts Legacy from its controversy , but for Harry Potter fans looking to live their wizarding dreams, it's the magical open-world experience that they've been waiting for. An enchanting exploration of Hogwarts set during one of the more mysterious eras of the Potterverse, Hogwarts Legacy casts a captivating spell with its fun combat encounters, lovingly recreated locations, and its bewitching attention to detail.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Hogwarts Legacy review

Remnant: From the Ashes was a flawed game, but one that had a fascinating universe that deserved to be explored in more detail. Fortunately, Remnant 2 makes a strong case for its existence as this looter-shooter is a smoother and more satisfying return to a post-apocalyptic world that's in dire need of a savior. More than just a heavily armed Souls-like, Remnant 2 takes the ideas of that genre and puts its own spin on them. At the same time, Remnant 2 remains committed to that genre, finding a delicate balance with its captivating combat, challenging boss fight, and intriguing buildcrafting.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Remnant 2 review

Blasphemous 2

A pixelated pilgrimage through gothic environments, Blasphemous 2 improves on the original in almost every way possible. Its combat is more gratifying, its art direction is even more decadently delightful, and we have to confess, those boss fights left us shaking after we'd barely survived them. Packed with lore to devour, this is an exquisite metroidvania follow-up in all the right ways.

Metacritic: 85 | Read our Blasphemous 2 review

Almost a decade later, we're still waiting for a Bloodborne sequel, or at the very least, a remaster of the original game. Taking matters into its own hands, developer Neowiz unleashed a spiritual successor to From Software's beloved classic, a dark and daring game that wants you to think of it as Bloodborne 2.0. Imitation might be the sincerest form of flattery, but to its credit, Neowiz knows exactly when to cut those Yharnam strings. Its reimagining of Pinocchio is full of dark twists and turns, the game looks like a million-dollar art gallery, and its gameplay encourages experimentation alongside the traditional die-and-try-again structure of the Soulsborne genre.

Metacritic: 84 | Read our Lies of P review

The last few years have easily been some of the best for the F1 series of racing games, as under the stewardship of Codemasters, the series has gone from strength to strength. 2023's edition doesn't skip a beat, and with improved handling, a new chapter in the Braking Point saga, and more rewarding gameplay modes, F1 23 easily takes pole position. It's pure precision driving at its best, a showcase of cars capable of ludicrously high speeds as they race for that sought-after podium finish.

Metacritic: 84

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Take the galaxy of Star Wars, inject some metroidvania elements, and throw in some of the best lightsaber combat since Jedi Outcast, and you'd naturally have a recipe for success. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor adds to that winning formula of Jedi: Fallen Order with an adventure that is bigger and bolder than its predecessor. Sure, it doesn't rock the boat when it comes to new ideas, but it does build on its foundation with thoughtful changes and a cinematic flourish that both surprises and delights fans.

Metacritic: 84 | Read our Star Wars Jedi: Survivor review

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Ghost Trick is easily one of the best games to ever grace the dual screens of the Nintendo DS, and thanks to a new port, modern consoles as well. It was a charming sleuth-'em-up in 2010, and 13 years later, it's still a brilliant game of deduction anchored by a fun story. Its already impressive animation looks better than ever, its gameplay still remains a novel treat, and it's impossible to not fall in love with its cast of lovable characters.

Metacritic: 84 | Read our Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective review

The Ride series has carved out a pretty great niche for itself when it comes to digital motorcycle racing fun, and Ride 5 provides a solid new entry in that franchise. With the best career mode to date, challenging opponents thanks to the "Neural AI" system, and a selection of motorcycles that'll make you wish that you had mid-life crisis cash to spend on one of them, Ride 5 is a two-wheeled thrill.

A short jaunt up a treacherous cliffside is something that's taken for granted in video games, but in Jusant, this means of traversal gets its moment in the spotlight. The central gameplay mechanic, Jusant puts a fresh spin on mountaineering with its approach to powdering up your digital palms and keeping a steady grip while your IRL palms begin to get sweaty. Combined with a growing collection of tools to help you stay on a vertical path, fascinating world, and cathartic gameplay, Jusant reaches new heights with its meditative ascent.

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10 Best escape room games on the Xbox Series-S/X

Escape room games are becoming increasingly popular due to their immersive nature and exciting puzzles. These games are set in mysterious environments, often with puzzles to solve or obstacles to overcome in order to progress. They can be played with co-workers or friends, making them perfect for those looking for a challenging but fun game night experience. I mean what’s more awesome than a real-life escape room where players can remotely control items in a physical room from all over the world?

But what if the teambuilding budget has been cut short or your friends are just too busy? All you need is an Xbox. It’s one of the most popular gaming systems in the world and has a wide variety of escape room games for all levels of players. Whether you’re looking for something challenging or just a fun way to pass the time, there’s an escape room game out there for everyone on Xbox. These games involve solving puzzles, exploring environments, and using items to progress through a story that keeps you entertained and engaged throughout. With so many different escape room games out there on Xbox, this is the perfect place to find your next challenge and have an exciting time doing it. So here we go!

It Takes Two

It Takes Two is a cooperative platform adventure game developed by Hazelight Studios, an award-winning independent game development studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. The game is designed to be played with a friend, either online or on the same couch, and features a split-screen mode. Players take on the roles of Cody and May, a couple turned into dolls by a magic spell, who must work together to save their fractured relationship while navigating a fantastical world filled with unexpected obstacles and challenges. The game boasts genre-bending gameplay, with new character abilities to master in each level, and a narrative that intertwines with the gameplay in a uniquely metaphorical way. It Takes Two also utilizes Smart Delivery technology, allowing players to purchase the game once and play it on either an Xbox One or Xbox Series X|S.

In RiME, you play as a young boy who has washed ashore on a mysterious island after a storm. As you explore the island, you will encounter wild animals, ancient ruins, and a towering structure that seems to call out to you. With the help of a wise fox, you must use your intelligence and determination to unravel the secrets of the island and reach the peak of the tower. Along the way, you will encounter puzzles that challenge you to use your skills in sound, light and shadow projection, perspective, platforming, and time manipulation to progress. As you delve deeper into the game, you will uncover numerous secrets and collectibles that shed light on the boy’s past. The world of RiME is a stunning and enchanting place, with beautiful Mediterranean-inspired landscapes and a captivating soundtrack. You are free to explore at your own pace and interact with the world around you, whether it be by observing wildlife or searching for hidden items.

Escape Room Fort Beyond

In this kids and family-friendly adventure game, your goal is to escape an old fort that is lost at sea by completing various trials and obstacles. You will need to use your physical skills and mental agility to succeed. You can team up with friends or family to work together and gather clues and keys to solve the final puzzle. However, you must be careful and stay on track, as you only have a certain amount of time to escape before you are imprisoned. The fort is filled with challenges that will test your endurance and dexterity, so be prepared for a thrilling and intense experience. With teamwork and determination, you can beat all the trials and escape the fort with the treasure in hand.

The Witness

In The Witness, you play as a character who has awoken on a mysterious island with no memory of who they are or how they got there. The only thing you can do is explore the island and solve puzzles in the hope of discovering clues, regaining your memory, and finding a way back home. The game is set in an open world with many locations to explore and over 500 puzzles to solve. These puzzles range in difficulty and involve a variety of ideas and mechanics, ensuring that each one brings something new to the table. The Witness values the player’s intelligence and time, so there is no filler or unnecessary content. Instead, every puzzle serves a purpose and contributes to the overall experience. As you progress through the game, you will uncover the secrets of the island and perhaps even learn more about yourself.

Escape Academy

Escape Academy is a school where talented students train to become masters of escape rooms. In this game, you will have the opportunity to play through over a dozen expertly crafted rooms, designed by professionals in the field of real-life escape rooms. You can play through the game solo in single-player mode or with a friend in cooperative play, either locally or online using split-screen. As you explore the campus of Escape Academy, you will meet the faculty, a diverse group of characters who are all experts in the art of escape and may have secrets waiting to be uncovered. The game features music and sound design by someone, a renowned composer and sound designer known for their work on games such as Gang Beasts, SLUDGE LIFE, Disc Room, and Enter the Gungeon. Get ready to test your skills and solve your way to the top of Escape Academy.

The Talos Principle

The Talos Principle is a first-person puzzle game that explores philosophical themes and challenges players to solve complex puzzles. Developed by Croteam, the creators of the Serious Sam series, and written by Tom Jubert and Jonas Kyratzes, the game immerses players in a simulated world filled with humanity’s greatest ruins. You play as a sentient artificial intelligence that must navigate through a series of interconnected puzzles in a cathedral-like setting. As you progress through the game, you will encounter puzzles that become increasingly difficult, forcing you to think critically and creatively to solve them. The Talos Principle is a thought-provoking experience that touches on issues of intelligence, meaning, and the inevitability of an end.

Superliminal

In Superliminal, you find yourself trapped in a dream where perception is reality. As you progress through the game, you will encounter puzzles that challenge your understanding of the world around you and require you to think creatively and outside the box. The game is inspired by perspective and optical illusions, and it features a surreal and strange world that will keep you on your toes. With a subdued and atmospheric aesthetic and an intriguing narrative voice, Superliminal offers a unique and engaging puzzle-solving experience. Get ready to confront the unexpected and unravel the mysteries of the dream world.

In this exciting puzzle game, you play as three friends who have attempted to rob a bank but ended up getting caught by the police. Now, you must use your wits and determination to escape from prison and find your way to freedom. As you progress through the game, you will need to avoid guards, find key cards to unlock doors, and navigate through challenging levels filled with puzzles and traps. Each character has their own unique abilities that will come in handy as you make your escape. With 60 levels to complete, you will need to be strategic and resourceful in order to break out of prison at any cost. Can you outsmart the guards and make it to freedom?

We were here

In We Were Here, you and a friend (or a stranger) are stranded in a frozen wasteland and separated inside an abandoned castle. The only connection you have is a walkie-talkie, and it is up to you and your partner to find a way out before it’s too late. This cooperative puzzle adventure game puts a unique twist on communication, as you can only communicate with your partner using your voice. Every room presents a new challenge that tests your ability to work together and think creatively. We Were Here is the first episode in a series of standalone games, and if you enjoy this one, you can check out the later entries in the series: We Were Here Too, We Were Here Together, and the upcoming We Were Here Forever. If you’re looking for something innovative and exciting, give We Were Here a try.

We were here together

Zero escape: the nonary games.

In Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (999) and its sequel, Virtue’s Last Reward (VLR), you play as one of nine people who have been kidnapped and taken to an unknown location to participate in the Nonary Game, a dangerous life and death game created by an enigmatic mastermind known as Zero. As you try to escape, you will encounter a variety of puzzles and challenges that require you to think critically and work with (or against) the other players. With immersive and atmospheric environments, complex characters, and mind-bending puzzles, these games offer a thrilling and suspenseful escape-the-room experience. 999 has been updated with high-resolution graphics and the option for Japanese or English voice acting, while VLR offers two difficulty settings for a greater challenge. Can you find a way out and survive the Nonary Game?

In Portal 2, you are challenged to use your intelligence and problem-solving skills to navigate through a series of mind-bending puzzles. Set in a humorous and surreal science-filled world, the game tasks you with using a portal device to manipulate the laws of spatial physics and outwit a power-hungry A.I. named GLaDOS. The game features a wide variety of puzzles that will test your creativity and quick thinking, as well as an expansive story that can be played in single-player or co-op mode. Portal 2 is a highly anticipated sequel to the award-winning 2007 game Portal, and it is available in a variety of languages, including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese. Get ready for a hilarious and challenging adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The best escape room games on Xbox offer a variety of challenging and immersive experiences that are sure to keep players on the edge of their seats. From classic puzzle-solving challenges to thrilling horror-themed experiences, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a seasoned escape room enthusiast or new to the genre, these games are sure to provide hours of entertainment and mind-bending fun. So gather your friends, choose your game, and get ready to put your problem-solving skills to the test in one of these exciting escape room adventures on Xbox.

The Best Co-Operative Puzzle Games

Puzzle games are a blast to play but even more fun with a friend. Here are some of the best two-player co-op titles.

Although it's fun gaming solo, sometimes you want to get someone else in on the action with you, whether it be a close friend, partner, or complete stranger. Luckily, cooperative games seem to be on the up, with some amazing new additions finding their way onto shelves and digital libraries in the last few years.

The Top 28 Puzzle Games On Steam

Many of these cooperative adventures contain puzzle-solving elements, requiring you to work together and communicate well to reach your end goal. So whether you're looking to escape a frightening labyrinth, work out a gravity-defying world, or even play as two geese waddling their way to village overlords, here are some of the best cooperative puzzle-solving games out there, all fantastic for an evening on the sofa together.

Updated on January 25, 2024, by Jouanna Bondakji: Gaming by yourself is fun, but being able to share that joy with others makes it all the better. Neither you nor your friend(s) need to be video game experts to enjoy cooperative puzzle games. We've added even more entries for you and your loved ones to enjoy together.

23 Never Alone

Lots of co-op puzzle games focus on the funny hijinks you and your co-op buddy can get into, but Never Alone is a bit different. You play as a young Iñupiaq girl named Nuna and her fox companion as you venture to put an end to an eternal blizzard that threatens her village.

The developers collaborated with members of the Iñupiat to bring the game's story and environment to life, and it shows. Not only is the gameplay itself immersive and challenging, but you'll learn a lot about the Iñupiaq along the way.

22 Boxboy + Boxgirl

Part of the Boxboy series and at least as good as the other games, Boxboy + Boxgirl is a co-op puzzle platformer where you create boxes to overcome obstacles and complete levels. The catch is that you can't make as many boxes as you please; every level has a certain limit on the amount you can create.

You and your co-op partner will have to put your heads together to figure out how to make the best possible use of the boxes you can make. And if you like collecting things, good news: you can collect crowns to purchase power-ups, accessories, and even bonus levels that up the challenge.

21 Heave Ho

If you're looking for something you can play with a group in gatherings, Heave Ho fits the bill. It's a silly platforming game with one goal: don't fall. The puzzle aspect comes from finding out how to best move along the level while being attached to three other people. The platforms you stick to come in all shapes and sizes, from hooks to boulders to see-saws, and some even have spikes you can't touch.

The levels aren't easy, but the humor factor will make you and your friends laugh out loud instead of yelling in frustration. You can customize your characters to more easily differentiate who each person is supposed to be (and to look cool), but that won't totally save you from plummeting to your deaths more times than you can count.

20 Very Very Valet

Very Very Valet is a wacky party puzzle game that is dripping with off-the-wall shenanigans. If you haven't guessed from the game's title, you play as a valet driver. Your chosen cartoony valet driver works diligently to wrangle up as many cars as possible to park them and eventually retrieve them for your patrons.

10 Best Free Co-Op Games On PC

While that setup may sound undeniably simple and even mundane, nothing could be farther from the truth, especially when playing this one in zany co-op. Adding two or more players to the mix really makes this game a blast as you work with your chosen co-op partner to drive around the vehicles, which end up basically being puzzles since you have to navigate them through specific stage-based hazards and scenarios.

19 Good Job!

If you haven't played the downright hilarious puzzle adventure game Good Job!, you should be sure to remedy that right away. It's equal parts fun and hilarious, especially in co-op. In this game, you play as the heir to a successful CEO, and it's now up to you to work your way to the top, literally and figuratively.

Good Job! relishes in physics-based mayhem where your goal is to move through different stages of a large office building, solving environmental puzzles, interacting with objects, and, of course, causing tons of destruction. While the game is fun solo, adding a friend to the mix turns this game from a simple puzzle experience to a bonkers one.

18 39 Days To Mars

This Kickstarter-funded project by It's Anecdotal finally came to fruition after years in limbo, flying under the radar as a particularly innovative indie puzzler. The charming co-op game forces two players to work together through a series of creative brain-busters as they embark on a short but memorable trip to Mars by airship.

These 19th-century explorers must scramble to solve problems on board so they can reach their destination in one piece. Whimsical themes and stylized, hand-drawn visuals add a sense of character to the experience, engrossing you as you tinker with clever puzzles to maintain the ship. Tasks range from churning mechanical contraptions to assembling maps—and even the simple act of making tea.

17 Shift Happens

Shift Happens is a puzzle-platformer game. It's really best experienced with two people, but the developers also ensured there was a single-player mode available

The two creatures that the players control (named Bismo and Plom) are made out of jelly, which allows them to do chaotic and creative things! One of the main mechanics is "shifting," which allows you to trade jelly to adjust your size between a big version and a small version of your jelly creature. There are four worlds to explore, each requiring your unique talents.

16 Snipperclips: Cut It Out Together

This delightful puzzler channels that feeling of playing around in elementary school art class. Similar to that experience—just about anything goes in Snipperclips, as two players must use intuition and improvisation on the spot to solve crafty puzzles.

8 Hardest Video Game Puzzles Ever

The game's puzzles revolve around rotating and overlapping controllable shapes to snip out new ones, which are used to transport or otherwise interact with other objects. Communication is key here, as both players will be working through a slew of random scenarios on the spot with little to no guidance. This colorful co-op romp makes for a fun little diversion that's good for some laughs.

15 Death Squared

Released by SMG Studio in early 2017, this mechanical game harkens back to the old-school puzzler feel, standing out in an era when bigger and more bombastic seemingly equals better. But while this blocky title seems simple on the surface, Death Squared offers some deceptively tricky tasks that keep folks coming back for more.

Two players will need to be precise and work in synchronicity to progress through the dozens of unique block mazes. This includes clearing obstacles and platforms by triggering contraptions and matching with switches of the same color.

14 Human Fall Flat

Fumbling through these courses may seem counter-productive and silly due to the clumsy ragdoll physics—but in No Brakes Games' co-op journey, this is the point. The aptly named Human Fall Flat drops loads of online players into a set of progressively tricky stages. From there, they'll hop, stumble, and crawl their way through various puzzles while dealing with impeding obstacles, mostly themselves and each other.

One can imagine the laughs this goofy experience brings—with the blend of drunken physics, bustling crowds, and the relative precision the game demands to progress. Something as simple as dropping a plank for a bridge and scurrying across can be a tough, treacherous act.

13 A Way Out

Those seeking a cooperative game with a slightly grittier, cinematic blend should look no further than this 2018 effort from Hazelight Studios and EA. Though more action-adventure than a straight-up puzzle game, A Way Out tasks you with coming up with solutions and working through tasks together in order to progress.

It's a fun and intense experience with much on the line—as you must work together to sneak, fight, and maneuver your way out of prison while steering clear of the authorities. Uniquely, this memorable game stresses local split-screen play , as many of these actions require discussion and knowledge about what your fellow prisoner is currently up to.

12 Labyrinthine

One for horror fans, Labyrinthine is unique. It combines fan-favorite survival horror with some classic puzzle-solving as you seek to escape a creepy children's hedge-maze together and hopefully survive the bloodcurdling horrors calling it home.

The Best Asymmetrical Multiplayer Games

Labyrinthine was built for cooperative play between four players and plays like a classic puzzle-solver. Everyone must know what they're doing and work together to uncover the dark secrets lurking around every corner and escape the maze in one piece.

A journey for two players, Dyo has you assume the role of two Minotaurs both trapped on either side of a split-screen who must work together to escape the cursed labyrinth they've been trapped within.

You each need to control your Minotaur and use your ability to hop over the split-screen to mix up and manipulate levels, working together to solve platforming puzzles and carve out a path to your freedom. There are no enemies and no time limits, so sit back, get puzzling, and try not to yell at each other as you both attempt to solve this maze's tricks and traps together.

10 Tick Tock: A Tale For Two

Tick Tock: A Tale For Two is a game where playing solo is not an option, as you'll need both of you working in unison to escape this escape room-style game together.

The story is based on Scandinavian folklore, creating a beautiful, if not slightly eerie, setting. The key to freedom is in cooperation, with you both needing to share information to get the full picture of what's going on and solve the story's mysteries in tandem.

9 We Were Here Series

We Were Here is unique, having you and your partner separated and needing to work on puzzles both independently and together through your communicative walkie-talkies in order to work out your locations and (hopefully) escape.

We Were Here plays as an immersive first-person cooperative adventure, with both of you needing to discover useful items and communicate well in order to solve each other's puzzles and reach the end. It's great for those looking for a short escape room style of adventure game, and with a trilogy and fourth game due to be released, there's no time like the present to be picking this title up.

An older entry in the cooperative puzzle genre, but one still going strong as a two-player co-op adventure for you and a friend to spend hours upon hours puzzling over.

The Best Xbox Puzzle Games You Should Be Playing Right Now

Portal 2 's cooperative mode offers an entirely separate campaign mode with a unique story, portal mechanics, and two new characters to play as. The trick to success is teamwork, as in working together, you'll discover new ways to use portals and hopefully create a means of escape from the test chambers before Glados turns you against one another.

7 Ibb and Obb

Ibb and Obb is a delightfully cute and creative cooperative puzzle game using gravity-changing mechanics to have you working together to move past obstacles and have some innovative level-solving fun.

With stylish art and sound, it's great for an easy game to play together on the couch , and will keep you coming back again and again with some tough and challenging puzzles - but nothing your teamwork can't solve.

6 Unravel 2

Unravel 2 is arguably perfection in couch co-op, needing you and another player to solve platforming puzzles in order to progress through the stages and save two children running away from unreliable adults looking to hurt them.

The game is beautiful, with breathtaking scenery and gameplay surrounding a sad but enlightening tale. The puzzles featured in the game vary from needing to escape a crazed pheasant, using objects to get to hard-to-reach places, and most of all, making sure to never leave one another behind.

5 Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies is a wonderful game about space exploration where you play as cosmonauts! (Did you know that a person who travels to space from America or the rest of the western world is known as an astronaut, while one who travels from the Soviet or Russian space programs are known as cosmonauts? If they were launched from China, they're called taikonauts.)

In space, you'll need to help people on the ground by installing and maintaining solar arrays, doing research, and building telescopes, among other things! It's not quite like any other game you've played before; the physics in space are unfamiliar and you're performing fairly precise tasks, so it'll take some practice before you're perfect.

4 Untitled Goose Game

The world's (least) favorite goose is back, and this time he's got company. The incredible open-world cooperative game for two players, Untitled Goose Game co-op allows for two geese to travel through the village's story together; solving problems, chasing villagers and of course, endlessly honking.

Nintendo Switch: The Most Relaxing Games To Play That Aren't Animal Crossing

This is a great relaxing game for two, with you able to work together to solve your list of errands without a time limit. So whether it be chasing a boy into a phone box, wearing a fancy bow, or stealing an old man's slipper - why not do it together? Just don't forget to HONK.

More From Forbes

The 8 top strategy video games.

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Discover the best strategy games.

Strategy video games are some of the most popular games in the world and have been for a long time. Whereas many types of games will test reaction times and reflexes, strategy games are all about thinking through the problem in front of you and coming up with a strategy to solve it. This makes strategy games perfect for those looking for a slightly less high-speed gaming experience or anyone who struggles to move their hands with the speed required for fast-paced first person shooter (FPS) titles. But with countless sub-genres of strategy games, there is something for everyone. From slow, methodical grand strategy titles to faster-paced real-time strategy (RTS) titles where top players can input hundreds of commands each minute, the variety is astonishing.

What Are Strategy Games?

The strategy genre is about as wide-ranging as it can get, but all strategy games generally share the idea that decision-making is a key feature and usually more important than fast-paced action. You’ll typically have some kind of high-level overview, either literally or metaphorically, and will need to direct the action to win.

While almost every strategy game will have some elements of tactics, just because a game is tactical it does not mean it is a strategy game. Tactics are generally considered to be decisions for short-term gains, while a strategy is a much wider plan which is what strategy games want you to think up. The massive variation in strategy games means they can work in many different ways, but the common theme throughout all of them is that you will need to think up or work towards some larger strategy that will eventually allow you to win the game. Thanks to their complexity, strategy video games are most commonly found on PC, but console and mobile options also exist.

Top Strategy Games

With so much variety in the strategy game genre, there are a lot of contenders for the top strategy games, and there can be a lot of variation between them. But with some series keeping the same basic concept for over 30 years, there are a handful of titles that can be considered genre-defining.

Then there are the new challengers: either newcomers looking to dethrone the well-loved classics, or games that bring completely fresh ideas and even create new sub-genres within the wider strategy sphere. Every few years a new strategy game pops up and becomes the most popular thing in the gaming world for a minute, but to really be considered one of the best a game must have a staying power that promotes re-playability and isn’t just a flash in the pan.

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Google suddenly reveals surprise android update that beats iphone, apple quietly adds free performance upgrade for all iphone 12 users, 8. football manager.

Football Manager might not be the first game that jumps out at you when you think of strategy, but it is one of the most well-rounded and deep strategy games out there. The main difference is that instead of waging some kind of war, you are kicking balls into a net.

With its annual release schedule, you can assume this entry refers to whatever the latest iteration is in the series, with developers Sports Interactive rarely putting out a game worse than the previous year’s. Every year they build slightly on their tried and tested formula to deliver what is without a doubt the best sports management simulation available. Whether you want to take control of one of the biggest teams in the world and implement your own tactics, or start at the bottom of the soccer world and build up a team from nothing, Football Manager is all about having a game plan for the matches and a wider strategy for the club’s growth.

The old joke is that anyone who likes soccer and looking at spreadsheets will love Football Manager , but in reality it is much more than that, with the game allowing you to make your own storylines, experience life in the competitive sporting world, and of course finally allowing you to prove if you are the armchair tactician you always claim to be. To get the full experience you’ll want to play on PC, but slimmed-down mobile and console options are also available.

7. Starcraft II

For years, Starcraft II was the strategy game. Effectively considered a national sport in South Korea, it was the biggest esport in the world after launching in 2010 and has defined the RTS genre. Even today it remains a popular option for PC players, with many claiming it has never been bettered.

Built by Blizzard Entertainment, one of the most beloved game developers in the world, StarCraft II is a sci-fi RTS where two players battle it out on a map to build up their army and take out the opponent. Right from minute one the pressure is on, and at high levels, even the slightest mistake early on can result in a loss. While still requiring a lot of thought around tactics and overall strategy, once you know how you are going to play a certain matchup, StarCraft becomes more about how quickly you can input all your commands and whether your fingers can keep up with your brain.

At 14-years-old, it is starting to show its age, but right now there still isn’t a top contender to dethrone it in the sci-fi RTS space, and these days you can even play the base game for free, making it even easier to see if this is the strategy game for you.

6. Total War: Warhammer III

The Total War series combines real-time battles with a turn-based meta-game in a format that has been perfected over the years. There’s a Total War game for almost every historical period you can think of, but many will tell you it is the fictional Warhammer III that is the best the series has to offer.

Even for people who have no interest in Warhammer , this is the most well-rounded iteration of the Total War formula, so is worth a shot if you have no affiliation to any of the other time periods the series has explored. The double dose of strategy that Total War offers, with tactical real-time battles that require true military strategy and an overall campaign meta-game that requires strategic route planning and political prowess, makes this a game for anyone who wants to strategize on multiple levels.

The real-time battles don’t require rapid actions per minute (APMs), so this is a great option for those who want real-time battles without the fast-paced nature of other games, and the frankly ridiculous simulation levels that allow you to zoom in on single creatures battling it out within an army of thousands makes for entertaining viewing. But because of the processing power needed to make that simulation work, full Total War game are only found on PC.

5. Teamfight Tactics

Teamfight Tactics is the defining game in a relatively new genre of strategy titles: auto battlers. These games see you set down your units on a board and then watch as they fight their opponents with no input from the player. It all comes down to positioning and building an army that can overpower others.

Teamfight Tactics is the League of Legends -themed auto battler, with the genre getting its start as a Dota 2 mod in 2019. Within months Riot Games produced its own version and it has proven to be the one with the most longevity, boasting millions of monthly players. Thanks to your units being champions from League of Legends , who all have synergies with others that you will need to build your team around, the characters and lore are familiar to anyone who has played the MOBA , giving it a big advantage over other titles trying to establish themselves from nothing.

But even if you aren’t a LoL fan, this is by far the best auto battler to try thanks to its general level of polish, and deep strategy options that others are often lacking. It’s perfect for a more laid-back and less micro-intense gaming session, as all you have to do is arrange some pieces on a board, but has enough complexity to keep you entertained. It’s even available on iOS and Android, as well as PC, meaning you can play on the go.

4. Crusader Kings III

If you’ve ever wanted to create a dynasty then Crusader Kings III is the game for you. Developed by Paradox, one of the most successful strategy-focused studios ever, and released in 2020, Crusader Kings III drops you into the Middle Ages and tasks you with guiding your country through more than 500 years of conflict.

As a grand strategy game, you’ll be dealing with high-level conflicts and strategy rather than getting into the weeds of individual unit management in conflicts. But the real magic comes away from the battlefield as you try to politic your way through the world, keeping your leader as safe as possible from plots to overthrow them or remove them from power, as well as striking up relationships with other leaders to create pacts that can last generations. If your leader dies, then you take control of their heir, so making sure you manage to have a family is just as important!

Through modifications (mods), you can even take things into fantasy lands, such as Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings , making this the perfect option for anyone wanting to explore the politics of those universes. But the base game, which is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, is the perfect example of grand strategy and is one of the few games that allows you to play through hundreds of years of history.

XCOM 2 is certainly in the conversation for the best strategy game ever made, especially if you add the excellent War of the Chosen DLC, which brings an expansion of your resistance force that makes you feel like a true war commander, introduces a host of new enemies and more.

Developed by Firaxis Games (the same studio responsible for Civ VI) and released in 2016 (with the DLC arriving two years later) XCOM 2 sees you lead a resistance force of humans against the aliens who have invaded and taken over Earth. You’ll send your team out on missions that have key objectives for the wider war, and control each member of your squad in the turn-based gameplay, selecting where they go, what they do and, crucially, what they shoot at.

It's these turn-based combat mechanics that really make XCOM great. Each shot you line up on an alien will have a success percentage shown, and it's up to you if you take the shot. The odds of success on say a 65% hit chance are reasonably high, but if a miss can result in the permanent death of your best soldier is that a risk you are willing to take? That’s the kind of decision you constantly have to make in XCOM 2 , so it isn’t one for people who can’t make important decisions! It’s available on pretty much every major platform, including mobile, so there’s little excuse to not give it a try.

2. Age of Empires II: Definite Edition

Age of Empires II was initially released in 1999, but the definitive edition released in 2019 by Forgotten Empires remade it with a more modern skin and reintroduced the world to one of the best RTS games of all time.

You’ll start out with just a couple of humans in the middle ages and will need to build up an army to take down the other players in the game. But as it's an RTS, there are no breaks so you’ll have to continuously think about your next move while not losing track of any of the other things you have going on, from building structures to defend your settlement to training more units or waging war. It’s fast-paced and requires a lot of awareness, often requiring you to monitor and command real-time battles in multiple different locations.

Despite that, it is certainly one of the easier strategy games to get into and is even available on Xbox as well as PC with a controller-enabled control scheme that is a great way to get into strategy games for those who usually play with a controller.

1. Civilization VI

Civilization is perhaps the most iconic strategy game series in the world. With over 30 years of history, it's the series that many people go to for their strategy kick, and while there have been countless imitators, none have come close to topping it.

The most recent iteration in the franchise is Civilization VI . Released in 2016 by Firaxis Games, it was initially a little underwhelming, but years of updates and downloadable content (DLC) have turned it into one of the best strategy games ever made. You start out with a single city, founded in the early days of human civilization and must build yourself, turn by turn, into the most successful empire in the world, be it through military power, scientific advancement, religion or a host of other options.

Civilization is all about executing your chosen strategy and adapting to what your opponents are doing, making it an infinitely replayable strategy game as no two matches are ever the same. A game of Civ is a serious time investment, usually going for at least five hours and isn’t the easiest game to pick up and play. But if you stick with it there’s a lifetime of play for you to enjoy, especially with a new Civ game expected in the next few years. You can pick up Civ VI on PC, iOS and Android, where it plays best, but is also available on Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One.

What Is The Best Strategy Board Game?

Sometimes the old ones are the best, and Catan  is the perfect example of that, as it is the best strategy board game despite being almost 30 years old. It was the game that started the strategy board game craze, and still holds up today, with few modern games coming close to its brilliance. 

Players act as settlers on the island of Catan and must build up a civilization, making use of resources on the board and trading with other players to grow their settlements and pick up victory points. The person to reach a set amount of points first wins, so you’ll need to make sure you are doing well ,while also making sure you aren’t helping your opponents beat you to the finish line. With dice rolls dictating some aspects of the game, there’s a randomness that you will need to be constantly adapting to, which keeps Catan feeling fresh despite its age. Anyone who enjoys strategy and can convince some friends to play a 30-year-old board game will love Catan . 

What Is The Best Turn-Based Strategy Game?

Turn-based strategy games are perfect for anyone who wants an intense and complex gaming experience without having to worry about clicking fast and being rushed into decisions. Typically nothing will happen until you end your turn and have done all your maneuvers, making games like XCOM 2 all about strategy and tactics. 

Set in 2035, aliens have invaded the earth and you must command a squad of soldiers to fight the aliens who have taken over to try and liberate the earth. This will see you go on lots of missions throughout the campaign, each of which has an impact on the overall war you are fighting. On each mission, you’ll direct each squad member, deciding where they go, what abilities they use, and who they shoot at, with each shot having a success percentage you need to consider. The overall strategy of your resistance campaign, combined with the smaller-scale tactics of each mission, make this a deep strategy game, and if you add in some popular mods the experience gets even better. 

What Is The Best Real-Time Strategy (RTS) Game?

The real-time strategy genre is truly massive and there’s a game set in almost every time period or fictional universe that you can imagine, so finding the one that gels with you is fairly easy. However, for many the best example of the genre is Age of Empires II . 

AoE II  was initially released in 1999, but the definitive edition (released in 2019) remade it with a more modern skin and reintroduced the world to one of the best RTS games of all time. You’ll start out with just a couple of humans in the middle ages and will need to build up an army to take down the other players in the game. But as it's an RTS, there are no breaks so you’ll have to continuously think about your next move while not losing track of any of the other things you have going on, from building structures to defend your settlement to training more units or waging war. 

Unlike a lot of other strategy games, RTS titles like AoE II  demand being able to manage a lot of things at once and click quickly, as well as mastering the strategic aspect of complex problem-solving. While you don’t need to be able to input a million actions per minute to enjoy AoE II, it certainly makes things a lot easier if you can quickly input a lot of commands, which is why it is best suited to PC play, but can also be found on modern Xbox consoles with a reworked control scheme. 

What Is The Best Strategy War Game?

War is a common theme in strategy games, with almost all of them featuring some kind of conflict you need to manage. But when it comes to the more hardcore strategy war games, they are all about commanding forces in a proper war, mostly real-life conflicts from the past. 

One of the best strategy war games is Hearts of Iron IV , which calls itself an authentic real-time war simulation set in the WW2 era. If you’ve ever wanted to test your skills in commanding armies, then Hearts of Iron is the perfect opportunity to do so without the risk of real-life consequences. While you won’t be controlling individuals and their actions, you will dictate the strategy of the war, where to move your troops and what battles to take. It’s one of the more complex strategy games out there, and will take a fair bit of learning, but once you have the basics down it is one of the most in-depth war simulations available. 

What Is The Best Mobile Strategy Game?

For years strategy games were mostly found on PCs due to the wide variety of inputs they require, but with mobile tech getting better and better, some of the top strategy games like Civ VI  and XCOM 2  have been ported to mobile. However, some real highlights come from mobile-only strategy games. 

The most popular of these is Clash of Clans , which is still one of the best mobile strategy games despite initially launching in 2012. Thanks to its mobile game style, it's a little slower than a lot of the other titles on this list, but it can be one of the most addicting as it is constantly pulling you back every day to further your mission. You’ll need to build up your base over time to constantly become stronger and stronger, while waging war on other player’s bases with your attacking forces. It’s not quite as complex as some other strategy games, but that makes it a great starting place for anyone looking to get into strategy games. 

Bottom Line

The genre of strategy games is massive and there is something for everyone if you look closely enough. But these games are the best of the best and if you are looking for a place to start then you can’t go wrong with any of these titles.

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15 Best Relaxing Casual Xbox One Games To Play In 2022

A handful of the best casual Xbox games to play in 2022.

#15 Firewatch

#14 stardew valley, #13 a short hike, #12 snowrunner, #11 house flipper, #10 what remains of edith finch, #9 donut county, #8 gone home, #6 minecraft, #5 katamari damacy reroll, #4 the witness, #3 coffee talk, #1 slime rancher.

Sometimes, everyone needs to take a deep breath and calm their mind after a long day of stress. A regular nine-to-five can take its toll on anyone, especially those who seek creative outlets such as games. While most video games feature intense flashing lights, ambient music that makes gamers’ skin crawl, or mechanics that can be so in-depth it takes ample brain-power to power through, some are just– well— peaceful. Everyone needs a release, and the games we’ve chosen for this list are the best and most relaxing games to play this year when your mind needs a reset.

Firewatch is a mystery adventure game released in February of 2016. The story follows a man named Henry, who is the man in charge of looking out for fires that may break out within the Shoshone National Forest. Considered to be one of the best “walking simulators” to have ever been created, players will embark on a journey filled with intense relationships, jaw-dropping scenery, and overly emotional storytelling.

As Henry, players spot what looks like a controlled fire at a nearby camp, only to discover a chilling mystery that Henry feels the need to solve. Don’t fret, players won’t be on their own, as they have their only contact–and boss– Delilah on the other side of their handheld radio to help guide them along their way.

A calming and peaceful farming simulator, Stardew Valley is the perfect game to play after a hectic work day. Players create their characters to their liking and enter the world as the new owner of their grandfathers’ plot of land. To start out, players are given only a few coins and the bare necessities to begin getting their farm in order.

Gamers will need to gather seeds, plant crops, and learn to live off of the land as they did in the olden days. Players can raise their own livestock, create a delightful orchard, and even craft up new machinery to really turn this land into the farm of their dreams!

A Short Hike is such a simple game that helps anyone escape the menial tasks and stresses that come with everyday life. Players can explore the vast and beautiful world in any way they choose!

They can pick whichever path catches their eye and see where it may lead. Players are never in any rush, they can stop and catch a few fish or even take a refreshing swim in the lake; the choice is completely up to the player. The game even includes secret little treasures for players to find, making it meaningful yet so effortless.

S nowRunner is an open environment trucking simulator that comes with rewarding challenges and treacherous hauls. While the players won’t have to battle a time limit, they will have to come face-to-face with rough terrain and the unpredictable changes in the weather.

This game is all about testing the player’s patience and willpower to prevail. Gamers will need to make sure they bring along the right tools to complete every job to the best of their ability. More so, they will have to check their fuel supply at all times and pick the appropriate route to ensure they have a safe and straightforward ride.

Ever wanted to take on a fixer-upper in real life, but just never had the time to do it? Well, House Flipper brings that experience to gamers’ homes all across the world. Just as the name implies, players will purchase run-down homes, and fix them up with new lighting, paint jobs, and furniture.

Players will also need to clean the house up a bit before adding all the decor needed to make this one a top seller in their neighborhood. Once players make a name for themselves and earn a bit of money, flipping houses becomes easier and much more fun!

Showcasing a first-person, story-driven gameplay style, What Remains of Edith Finch tells players the story of the incredible Finch family. Players will traverse an elaborate labyrinth they call their home, learning the history of each family member they come across.

It seems as though a curse has been cast onto the Finch family, and players will learn how every member has succumbed to its fate. Edith Finch will be narrating as the players progress, and tell the tale of each of her family members, and how their amazing lives met a tragic and untimely end.

It’s said that Donut County is therapeutic and satisfying in the best of ways. Located 999 feet below the surface of the Earth, players will find Donut County and its residents, living within the rubble of their previous life. How did they get here? Well, raccoons took over the town’s donut shop, and holes have been popping up all over the city.

The goal of the game is simple; devour everything in sight by deploying holes that will engulf the city. Players will notice little puzzles they will need to solve to be successful in destroying the city. If players deploy a hole and drop an ear of corn in, then hot coals after it, the hole will explode with hot popcorn that covers the city!

Gone Home will leave a long-lasting impression on anyone who decides to give this game a try. Featuring a 90s aesthetic, the game is an incredible walking simulator where players take on the life of Katie, exploring her home and picking up objects to see if they provide her with any clues.

Players will look through the families belonging to uncover the cause of their mysterious disappearance. While this may seem like the perfect profile of a horror game, it surely isn’t.

The game features zero jump scares, no creepy or eerie vibes, and nothing lurking around every corner. Just a simple mystery game of collecting clues and solving the family drama with no form of interference.

This game makes a huge statement when it comes to freedom. Players of Abzu can take all the time they need to soak up the exquisite environments held within the game. The game is full of deep-sea mysteries hidden inside a humongous underwater world.

While there aren’t any huge threats that players will run into, the game does include hefty underwater landmines. But don’t worry, there is a warning bell that goes off if players venture too close to the explosives, meaning there really isn’t a true sense of impending doom. The game also includes a few fun puzzles to solve along the way, giving each player’s brain a workout all while slipping into a state of relaxation!

Known for being one of the most accredited games in the entire world, Minecraft is teeming with caves to explore, underwater cities to uncover, and plenty of lands to call home. Players will find that the options in the game appear to be endless, whether they are playing for fun or to challenge themselves.

The game features several different biomes for players to explore, each coming with different materials and necessities to survive. Players can hunt, fish, go mining for ore, or even take up residence in nearby villages.

The third-person puzzle-action game Katamari Damacy Reroll is all about being ready to roll. When the King of Cosmos accidentally destroys all of the stars in the sky, he orders the player to put them all back at once!

Using a magical device created by the King, players will be in control of the multicolored bumpy ball that picks up anything in its path. The ball will grow larger and larger as players roll through objects at high speeds. Players will need to make their ball reach a specific size within the time frame given by the King, helping them reach milestones to aid in putting the sky back together at last.

The Witness is a 2016 puzzle game, where players explore an island filled with stunning structures, both natural and man-made. The game is beautifully made and satisfying, as players draw lines through a series of mazes.

The real puzzle is the island itself, painting a bigger picture of the world surrounding the player. Players begin not knowing who they are, what they are, or why they are where they are. The only way to find the answers they long for is to work for them. After unlocking the first gate, the world is the players’ oyster, allowing them to explore, solve puzzles and soak in all that the environment has to offer.

A game almost like no other, Coffee Talk is all about listening to the customer’s problems in life, all while serving up a mean cup of joe. Players will help them overcome these problems by serving up a little cup of sunshine with the ingredients they have on hand.

The game showcases the relationship between a barista and her customers, who gives them the sweet familiar escape of a sweet cup of coffee. The game tells a story as a visual novel, only giving players control of making the customers drink orders properly. Most of the game is spent just watching the story unfold, leaving the players’ minds to simmer down after a long day on the grind.

The third-person puzzle game Rime features captivating graphic designs, almost seductive music, and a story that will capture the hearts of players. Beginning as a child who has washed up onto the shore after a horrific storm at sea, yers will help the child find their place in the world.

In this world, death is not the end, but rather the quick flash of a black screen, and the placing of the player back where they started before they perished. The game features very few mechanics, as players only need to run, collect things, and shout when necessary. Overall,

Slime Rancher is not the typical adventure game players would expect. Players begin as a Slime rancher, carefully collecting the cute oozes in their canisters, only to bring them back to their cells and feed them until they grow big and strong.

Once the slimes are good and plump, they will produce plorts, which is quite literally their excrement. Players will then sell the plorts to the highest bidder, acquiring the in-game currency to develop their slime farm even further. Filling up the canisters is pretty easy. All gamers need to do is venture out and find the little guys hanging out around the island.

The main concept of the game is to build the player’s slime empire in the right direction, without allowing them to go crazy and turn into insatiable tar monsters.

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Game Release Known Issues for April 2024

Hello gamers!

As always, we continue to prepare for the build-up of games launching over the next few months. We understand that, at times, things can go wrong, and we want you to know that we're working to resolve frustrating experiences reported to us by the members of our Xbox community. Keep an eye on this list for updates to existing issues, along with any new problems that may come up as new games are released.

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Blizzard Games on Game Pass FAQ

How do I get started playing Blizzard games on PC through Game Pass?   

Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can install any Battle.net game supported for PC Game Pass through the Xbox app:  Xbox app

If you have not already done so,  create an Xbox account . An Xbox Account, while a type of Microsoft Account, is specifically tailored for Xbox gaming consoles and services.

Below are instructions on how to use an existing email address for signing in to Xbox:

In a web browser, go to: www.xbox.com

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Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup of your Xbox account, and then return to your Xbox console to sign in.

For more information about creating an Xbox account, go here:  Create an Xbox profile

You can then link your Xbox account to your Battle.net account on the  Battle.net Account Management Page .

Once you’ve installed the app, find the Blizzard game you want by searching for it by title. Selecting  Install  will prompt you to first install the Battle.net launcher. This app is required to install and play Blizzard titles. 

The experience will guide you to create or sign in with your Battle.net account and link your Battle.net and Xbox accounts together, if you haven’t already done so. 

Once you’ve connected your accounts, you’re all set to install and launch Blizzard games with the Xbox app and Battle.net. 

For steps on how to create a Battle.net account if you have not done so already, go here:  How to Create a Battle.net Account  

To download the Battle.net launcher outside of the Xbox app experience, go here:  Download Battle.net for Windows and Mac  

For a list of Blizzard games available on Game Pass, go here:  Blizzard Games on Game Pass  

How do I check if my Xbox and Battle.net accounts are linked?  

To check if your Xbox and Battle.net accounts are linked, go the  Battle.net site  and click the  Account  button in the top right corner of the page. Then, select the  Log In  button. If you do not already have a Battle.net account, you can click  Create Account  button at the bottom of the dropdown menu.

Once you are signed in or have created a Battle.net account, you can hover over your  Profile Name  in the top right corner of the page and select  Account Settings . From there, you can then click the Connections button in the left pane. The Connections page will show you all of the different types of accounts that you can link with Battle.net.

If your Xbox account is already connected, it will show the Xbox logo next to Xbox Network and say that it is connected to your gamertag. If your Xbox account shows as  Not Connected , then you can click the  + Connect  button to the right of Xbox Network and you will be brought to the  Connect to Xbox  confirmation page.

Note: There will be a 1-year cooldown before you can connect a new Xbox account to your Battle.net account, ensure that you are connecting the correct Microsoft Account to Battle.net. This 1-year cooldown does not apply if you reconnect the same Xbox account back to your Battle.net account, it only affects the linking of new Xbox accounts.

To proceed with the connection process, click the Continue button. From there, you will sign in to your Microsoft Account with your credentials and the connection will be complete.

I’m having trouble linking my Xbox and Battle.net accounts together, what do I do?

If you have not already done so,  create an Xbox account . An Xbox Account, while a type of Microsoft Account, is specifically tailored for Xbox gaming consoles and services. You can then link your Xbox account to your Battle.net account on the  Battle.net Account Management Page .

If you cannot link your third-party platform and Battle.net accounts:

Make sure your Battle.net account is not a trial account

Log in to your Battle.net Account Management Page to complete registration

Check if your Battle.net account already has an account linked to it. Each Battle.net account may only have one Steam, PSN, one Xbox Live, and one Nintendo Switch account linked to it

Check if your third-party platform's account is already linked to a different Battle.net account. The same third-party platform account cannot be linked to multiple Battle.net accounts

You may need to  unlink  the wrong account, and  link the correct account

Account links have cooldowns limiting how often they can be changed. You will receive a warning in  Battle.net Account Management  specifying the cooldown length when disconnecting an account type that has a cooldown. You will also receive the same warnings if you are linking your accounts through the Xbox App experience.

For more information about Microsoft Store accounts and Xbox accounts, go here:  How your PC gaming account relates to your Microsoft Store account

For more information, go to Blizzard’s support article here:  Blizzard Support - Cannot Link My Third Party Platform and Battle.net Accounts

What do I do if I’m having trouble installing or launching Blizzard games?

If you are having issues installing, updating or launching games through the Battle.net Desktop App, go to these support articles:

Repairing Battle.net Games

Battle.net Desktop App Crashes

Unable to Install the Battle.net App

Battle.net Desktop App

If you are having issues installing, updating, or launching games through the Xbox app on PC, you may want to download and run the Gaming Services Repair Tool for PC. This tool ensures that the Gaming Services script is updated and deploys fixes for common issues.

For more information about this tool, see our support article here:  Gaming Services Repair Tool for PC  

What if I forgot my Battle.net password?  

If you have forgotten your Battle.net password but your Xbox and Battle.net accounts are connected, you can sign in to Battle.net with your Xbox credentials.  

If you forgot your Battle.net password and your accounts are not connected, you can reset your Battle.net password through the  Blizzard account recovery portal .

For more information, go here:  Blizzard Support - Forgot Password (battle.net)  

Can I unlink my Xbox account from my Battle.net account?

Connections between Battle.net accounts and Xbox accounts can be removed at any time. However, there will be a 1-year cooldown before you can connect a new Xbox account to your Battle.net account. Customer Support is unable to bypass these cooldowns. 

Note: This 1-year cooldown does not apply if you reconnect the same Xbox account back to your Battle.net account, it only affects the linking of new Xbox accounts.

To disconnect your accounts, log in Battle.net and go to your  Connections  in your  Account Management  page and click the  Disconnect  button next to the console you want to unlink.

If you have linked the wrong accounts together, go here:  Blizzard Support - Linked the Wrong Third Party Platform Account to Battle.net Account   

Are Blizzard games available in my region?  

Blizzard games are available in most PC Game Pass markets. To see a list of Game Pass markets, and to check whether Game Pass is available in your region, go to:  https://www.xbox.com/regions  

To see what regions Blizzard games are restricted in, go to:  Blizzard Games Regional Availability  

What happens to my Blizzard games if my Game Pass subscription expires or is canceled?

 If your Game Pass subscription expires or is canceled, then you will be unable to play any Blizzard games through Game Pass. You’ll need to purchase a digital copy from the Xbox app for Windows or from Battle.net to continue playing the game. You can also renew your subscription at any time here:  PC Game Pass  and  Xbox Game Pass Ultimate  

How long do I have access to Blizzard games in the Game Pass catalog?

As a subscriber, you get access until your subscription ends or is cancelled. 

How do member discounts work for games and add-ons?  

We currently do not support discounts for Blizzard games or add-ons for Game Pass members.

Will Diablo IV be available for Xbox Cloud Gaming with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate?

Diablo IV will not be available via Xbox Cloud Gaming at this time.  

How do I stream supported Blizzard games from Game Pass on NVIDIA GeForce NOW?

Select Blizzard games like Diablo IV are available to play on GeForce NOW with an active PC Game Pass or Game Pass Ultimate membership. You will need to link your Battle.net and Xbox accounts together before playing Blizzard games on GeForce NOW. 

To link your Xbox and Battle.net accounts together, go here:  https://account.battle.net/connections   

Once your accounts are linked, you can play these games by launching the Battle.net version on GeForce NOW, if your Game Pass subscription remains active. 

For more information about cloud gaming on NVIDIA GeForce NOW, go here:  Cloud gaming on third-party services  

Will in-game purchases transfer over now that the game is available on Game Pass?

  If you have linked your Xbox and Battle.net accounts together, then any in-game purchases that you have made previously for Blizzard games (such as virtual currency or content packs) will still be available.

If you link your accounts and you are missing in-game content that you’ve purchased previously, you can contact support here:  Blizzard Support  

If I already purchased a Blizzard game or game content that’s now available with Game Pass, can I get it refunded?  

If you’ve purchased your game through Xbox, you can check to see if your purchase is eligible for refund at  Request a refund for digital games  

If you’ve purchased your game through Battle.net, go here to review their refund policy and instructions on how to request a refund:  Blizzard Refund Policy  

Looking for more information?

  Here are some additional articles from Xbox and Blizzard that can help; 

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate FAQ  

Xbox Game Pass PC FAQ  

Verifying Your Battle.net Account Has Been Set Up for Game Pass  

How to Access Blizzard Games Through Game Pass  

Blizzard Game Availability on Game Pass  

Starting Your Blizzard Games on Game Pass  

Known Issues

Why does it say I need to install Battle.net again when I already have it installed on my PC?

This only completes the integration of Battle.net to the Xbox app and does not install Battle.net twice or use up any additional storage on your device.

I paused an installation and now the Xbox app and Battle.net are showing different installation percentages after I resume.

While the percentages may be out of sync or appear like the installation has restarted after being paused, there is no issue with the installation of the title and it will complete installation as expected.

Why does it say I need to install a Blizzard game again when I already have it installed on my PC?

The Xbox app and Battle.net integration may not be able to detect a Blizzard game if it is installed on an external drive. To resolve this, select  Install  for the Blizzard game of your choice. When prompted to choose the installation location, select the location where the game is already installed. Then, the Xbox app and Battle.net integration will be able to locate the game correctly.

After pressing Install in the Xbox app on PC, I am seeing an error message in Battle.net that says “Oops Something Went Wrong.”

Try closing out of both applications and trying again. 

If this problem persists, we recommend that you contact  Blizzard customer support  

I’m stuck in an Install loop – where I hit Install, Battle.net installs or updates, but Battle.net never launches. Clicking “Install” again repeats the process, with the message “You need to install Battle.net” appearing each time

  This issue may occur if you are using symbolic or hard links within your installation path. Battle.net’s installation process can be hindered by these types of links because it does not modify user permissions for certain file and directory configurations. To avoid this issue, ensure that you install Battle.net in a location without using symbolic or hard links. If you're not sure how to identify or remove these links, we recommend that you consult the Microsoft documentation on  Hard links and junctions for Win32 apps .

We also recommend updating the Xbox app and Battle.net launcher, updating your computer to the most recent Windows version, and then restarting your computer and trying again.

If the issue persists, we recommend that you contact  Blizzard customer support .

I'm getting a connection error while trying to play a Blizzard game through Game Pass

This may occur for players who have not properly connected their Battle.net and Xbox accounts together.  We recommend that you  verify your connection  and make sure that the Xbox app has been updated to the latest version before trying again. 

If the issue persists, we recommend that you  contact Blizzard support .

My Library shows that a Blizzard game is installed but I can’t play it

Ensure that the game is not currently being installed, such as an ongoing or paused installation.  

If the issue persists, we recommend that you go to this support article:  Repairing Battle.net Games

I’m stuck on a “Detecting Humanity” page, a human verification, or a Captcha when creating a Battle.net account

If you get stuck on the “Detecting Humanity” step when creating a new Battle.net account, go to Blizzard’s support article here:  Stuck on Human Verification When Creating Battle.net Account

I have a BattleTag that I don't recognize or a Battle.net account email ending in @prod.xbl.battle.net

This occurs when your account information is incomplete, which may happen to users who have played Overwatch 1 with an Xbox account that has not been linked to a Battle.net account in Overwatch 2. To complete your account details, launch Overwatch 2 on your console and finish completing your account. 

If this scenario does not apply to you or if you are experiencing any additional issues, we recommend that you  contact Blizzard support  for further assistance. 

“Could not log in to Battle.net” Error

If you experience this error with an option to “continue offline”, we recommend that you close out of the application and try again.

Final Fantasy XIV

When is the game coming out?

General Release

The general release for Final Fantasy XIV is on March 21st at 1 AM PDT.

The free trial will still be available for new users to Final Fantasy XIV. Play for free up to level 70 and experience the main scenario quests and content from a Realm Reborn, and the Heavensward and Stormblood expansions with no restrictions on play time. Certain in game restrictions will apply: FINAL FANTASY XIV Support Center (square-enix.com)

What do I need to play?

Square Enix Account

All players will be required to have a linked Square Enix account to access this title. You will need to link your Xbox account and Square Enix account. This cannot be undone, so please ensure you are linking the correct accounts.

You can create an account during the client setup process or at FINAL FANTASY XIV: Mog Station

For more information on how to set up to play including creating an account, use the following link Getting Started | Game Manual | FINAL FANTASY XIV, The Lodestone

Xbox Game Pass Subscription

The full version will require an active Game Pass Core subscription (Core of Ultimate). The free trial version will not require an active subscription to play. View and manage your subscriptions on Xbox | Xbox Support

Active Final Fantasy XIV Subscription

An active subscription from Square Enix is required to play the full version of the game.

Payment for the subscription requires FFXIV coins, which can be purchased from the Microsoft Store. Purchase FFXIV Coins before using the Mog Station to redeem for a subscription.

You can check for an active Final Fantasy XIV subscription by logging into FINAL FANTASY XIV: Mog Station (square-enix.com) and reviewing your active subscriptions for your account

A Copy of Final Fantasy XIV on Xbox

One of the following products is required to play the full version of the game beyond the free trial.

Final Fantasy XIV Online Starter Edition

Players with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription may download the Start Edition for free until Friday, April 19 th as park of the GamePass Perks program.

Final Fantasy XIV Online Complete Edition

Final Fantasy XIV Online Collector’s Edition

Account Settings

As Final Fantasy XIV is an online multiplayer game you may need to adjust various privacy settings to play on Xbox. You may do so by accessing the Xbox settings menu and navigating through the following options.

Settings -> Account -> Privacy & online safety -> Xbox Privacy -> View Details & customize -> Communication & multiplayer.

Adjust the following settings.

You can join multiplayer games -> set to Allow.

You can join cross-network play -> set to Allow.

Others can communicate with voice, text, or invites -> set to Everybody.

You can communicate outside of Xbox with voice & text -> set to Everybody.

Go back to the previous selection in the view details and customize menu and select Game content.

You can see and upload community creations -> set to Everybody.

What Editions Are Available?

Starter Edition

Includes three award winning titles. The base game, A Realm Reborn, and the first and second expansions of Heavensward and Stormblood

New scenario quests and content thru the Shadowbringers and Endwalker expansions. Requires the Starter Edition to play.

Endwalker Collector’s Edition

Everything in the Endwalker edition plus several additional in game bonus items. Requires the Starter Edition to play.

Complete Edition

Includes the Starter Edition as well as the Shadowbringers and Endwalker expansions.

Complete Collector’s Edition

Includes the Starter Edition as well as all content from the Endwalker Collector’s Edition, including the bonus in game items.

Play up to level 70 with no restrictions on play time. Includes main scenario quests and content from A Realm Reborn, Heavensward and Stormblood expansions. Certain in game restrictions apply. FINAL FANTASY XIV Support Center (square-enix.com)

What are FFXIV Coins?

Payment for service fees and optional item purchases will require FFXIV Coins, which can be purchased from the Microsoft Store. Please purchase FFXIV Coins before using the Mog Station or FINAL FANTASY XIV Online Store.

After purchasing FFXIV Coins from the Microsoft Store, log into the Xbox Series X|S version of FINAL FANTASY XIV to have the purchased FFXIV Coins credited to your Square Enix Account. You will not be able to use the purchased FFXIV Coins until you log in, so please be sure to log in after purchasing FFXIV Coins.

Additional Links and Information

Server Status | FINAL FANTASY XIV, The Lodestone

Xbox Series X|S Open Beta Test | FINAL FANTASY XIV, The Lodestone

Lodestone Xbox FAQ - FINAL FANTASY XIV for Xbox Series X|S Launches March 21 | FINAL FANTASY XIV, The Lodestone

MLB The Show 24

All Platforms

When does the game come out?

The game releases on March 18th @ at 9PM PST on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Pre-order your copy of MLB The Show 23 today on the Xbox Store.

Early access begins on March 14th @ 9pm PST for owners of the Digital Deluxe edition or for those that have upgraded their Game Pass editions.

Will it be available on Game Pass?

MLB The Show 24 will be released on launch day in Game Pass. So current subscribers will be able to start playing on March 18th @ 9pm PST .

Can I still get early access if I have Game Pass?

Good news, there will be an addon available to purchase in the store for anyone looking to get early access without having to buy the Digital Deluxe bundle.

Open the Microsoft store and search for MLB The Show 24 Xbox Game Pass Early Access Bundle

Once purchased, this will grant you the same 4 days early access as the digital deluxe edition so you can begin playing on  March 14 th @ 9pm PST.

What’s the difference between the different editions?

The following are the different editions of MLB The Show 24 available for purchase. These include bonuses for anyone looking to preorder the title.

Standard Edition for Xbox Series edition consoles

Five Show Packs

5,000 Stubs

Dual Entitlement for Xbox Series and Xbox One consoles.

Standard Edition for Xbox One edition consoles

Base version of the game for Xbox One only

Digital Only Deluxe Edition

Four days early access

Two Diamond Choice Packs

Five Gold Choice Packs

20 Show Packs

One Equipment Pack

One Cover Athlete Bat Skin

Double Daily Rewards

2024 MVP Edition

Dual Entitlement

Four-Day Early Access

One Diamond Choice Packs

10 Show Packs

Looking for additional support?

Official home page -   MLB® The Show™

For general Support -   Go here

Community Forum -   Community Forum (theshow.com)

All Games  

How do I keep my console updated?

We highly recommend that you always have the most up-to-date version of software installed onto your Xbox. The best way to do this is to enroll your console into automatic updates. T o make sure your console is set to update automatically:

Press the  Xbox  button to open the guide.

Select  Profile & system  >  Settings  >  System  >  Updates.

Under  Updates , select  Keep my console up to date  to update your console automatically and  Keep my games & apps up to date  to update games and apps automatically.

You can also get an update at any time by following these steps:

Make sure that your console is connected to the internet, and then press the  Xbox  button to open the guide.

Select  Profile & system >  Settings  >  System  >  Updates .

Under  Updates , you’ll see:

Console update available.  Select this to begin your update, or

No console update available.  This means your console is up to date.

To learn more about Xbox console updates, go here .

To see the history of Xbox updates and what each update includes, go here .

If you would like to keep your console updated but do not have an Internet connection available, check out our article on performing an offline system update .

When will I be billed for my pre-order?

If you used account credit to pre-order your game, your balance will be taken immediately. If you used a credit card or split your payment between credit card and account balance, you’ll only be charged around 10 days before the game launches.

If your account balance is lower than the amount you authorized for pre-order billing, the remainder will be taken from your credit card. You’ll receive an email to your billing account confirming that the remaining card payment was collected successfully, and the game will be available for you to play on the day it launches.

You can find out more about pre-orders here: Pre-order Xbox digital games in the Microsoft Store | Xbox Support

My pre-order isn't showing up, wasn't completed, or was cancelled

Sign-in to your account at  Microsoft Account | Manage Your Payments  and make sure that all of your payment methods are up to date.

If you received a message saying that your pre-order was cancelled, or if you have any other questions regarding your pre-order, review our support article here:  Pre-order Xbox digital games in the Microsoft Store | Xbox Support

Many games have both an Xbox One and an Xbox Series X|S version available for purchase. Check that you purchased the version of the game that matches your gaming system here:  Microsoft Account | Order History , or if you purchased a version or bundle which includes both the Xbox One  and  Xbox Series X|S versions of the game.

My console did something unexpected while I was playing or launching a game

If you experience unexpected console behavior such as a freeze, a crash to the Xbox home screen, or your console powering off when trying to play or launch a game, or any other issue - please report the issue when your console resumes again through the Report a Problem app. If you do not already have the Report a Problem app installed to your console, please download it from the Microsoft Store. For instructions on how to report a new problem or questions about the Report a Problem application, please read the following support article:  https://support.xbox.com/help/account-profile/manage-account/xbox-insider-hub-report-a-problem . 

All Other Games  

If you have questions about how to find support for all other games, refer to our forum article here

Additional Resources

This page is also available in multiple languages:

Please visit our article for the complete list of supported languages and links to the localized Forums .

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