Clever Puzzles in Video Games: 10 Brain-Teasers You’ll Love
Puzzles in video games can be a delightful challenge, testing a player’s problem-solving skills. Some require logical thinking, mathematics, physical experimentation, or general knowledge, while others demand thinking outside the box. Regardless of the type, solving these puzzles is incredibly satisfying. Here are the top 10 video game puzzles that require the cleverest solutions:
10. Dishonored 2 – The Jindosh Riddle (2016)
In Dishonored 2, players encounter the Jindosh Riddle, which guards Aramis Stilton’s Manor. It’s a challenging puzzle that forces you to apply logic, solve riddles, and use pen and paper to keep track of clues. What makes it even more complex is that the solution is randomized between playthroughs, making it impossible to find online.
9. Deathloop – Finding Aleksis Dorsey (2021)
In Deathloop, players must identify the Visionary target, Aleksis Dorsey, at a masked party. With everyone wearing wolf masks, finding the right target is a daunting task. It requires players to explore, collect clues, and execute a plan to isolate the real Dorsey.
8. Grim Fandango – The Rotating Directions Sign (1998)
Grim Fandango, a classic point-and-click adventure game, presents a clever puzzle in the Petrified Forest Maze. Players encounter a Directions Sign that spins when placed in the right location, revealing the path to escape. It tricks players into thinking they should follow the sign, adding an extra layer of complexity to the puzzle.
7. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – The Axe Trial (2017)
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy features an interesting puzzle in Chapter 4. Players must figure out the order to jump across platforms without getting hit by a swinging ax. What’s brilliant is that the puzzle design scales up in complexity, offering a satisfying progression of challenges.
6. Portal 2 – Chapter 7 (2007)
Portal 2’s Chapter 7 introduces various gels with unique properties, challenging players to combine them to solve puzzles. It rewards those who can creatively utilize all the game’s elements, making it a standout level in a series known for clever puzzles.
5. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge – Monkey Wrench (1991)
Monkey Island 2 features one of the most challenging puzzles in gaming history. To fix a pump, players need to find a monkey wrench, but the solution is incredibly unconventional. It involves hypnotizing a monkey using a metronome and banana, a solution that’s both clever and frustrating.
4. Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box – PU! (2007)
The Professor Layton series is known for its varied and charming puzzles. In one, from Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, players must stop the smell of garlic with only two plugs for three entrances. The clever solution is to use the two plugs on the character’s nose to block the smell.
3. Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake – Unlocking the Laser Fence (2001)
In Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, players face a laser fence with no apparent way to disable it. The solution involves exploring and gathering information from the environment to trick the guard into thinking it’s nighttime.
2. X-Men – Reset the Computer (1993)
X-Men for Sega Genesis perplexed players by instructing them to “Reset the computer now!” This clever puzzle required players to realize that the computer in question was the Sega Genesis itself. Pressing the console’s soft reset button resolved the in-game situation.
1. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass – Sacred Crest Transfer (2007)
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass presents a puzzle where players need to transfer a Sacred Crest onto the sea chart. The clever solution involves using the Nintendo DS itself as a tool. By opening the sea chart on one screen and the crest on the other, closing the DS physically transfers the crest, showcasing an inventive and interactive solution.
These puzzles represent some of the most ingenious challenges in gaming, requiring players to think beyond the obvious to achieve success. The satisfaction of cracking these clever puzzles is a testament to the creativity and innovation within the world of video games.