Puzzle Games

Not all games are about shooting stuff or overthrowing violent warlords. Puzzle titles are more about the inner struggle -- the human need to think quickly, decipher daunting riddles and top past performances. Puzzlers encompass everything from guiding blocks down a narrow shaft to form perfect lines to wrecking entire armies with pinballs. The games are made for all ages and the best examples of the genre are those that are easy to learn but impossible to master.

Consoles
Super Monkey Ball : The game includes two important ingredients for fun: monkeys and balls. The monkeys are actually inside transparent balls, and you move them around, avoiding obstacles in order to accomplish various missions.	Tetris Worlds : A super deluxe tricked-out version of everyone's favorite office time-waster, Local multiplayer battle Tetris is available, as is online smack-talking mode.	Odama : Nintendo is nothing if not good for mind-blowing weirdness. This game mixes real-time strategy with pinball puzzles. Through the included GameCube microphone, you command warring troops as you simultaneously ricochet a giant pinball which steamrolls the enemy.	Bomberman Battle : Bomberman runs around blowing up obstacles with his endless stash of bombs. Looking at the diminutive guy, you wonder where he keeps all of the explosives. Never mind -- it matters not where the bombs come from, just that you know how and where to use them.

Handhelds
Daxter : The DS is home to the mot ambitious release of Tetris yet. In addition to classic mode, which is available online via Nintendo's wireless infrastructure, there are several other varieties of the game, including Push, which is set on a football field.	Pokemon Trozei : This one has a lot in common with not only Tetris but the line-forming stylings of Dr. Mario.  Little Pokemon faces pop up, and you must rearrange them until they connect with four matches, causing them to vanish.	Lumines : The PSP's answer to Tetris is this deceptively simple puzzler. While jamming to a smooth soundtrack, you solve puzzles by busting blocks as quickly as possible. More addictive than Reese's Pieces.	Brain Age : Play this one enough and you might get smarter. The puzzles, which have to do with math, color identification and logical thinking, are geared to train your mind into a lean, mean computing machine.

Computer
Puzzle Master : With over 400 puzzles to choose from, this jigsaw game is just what enthusiasts of those maddening contraptions are looking for. What's really nice is that you don't need a humongous coffee table, and there's no clean-up required	Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon : The feminine kidlit idol gets her puzzle solving on in a computer game. You know the drill -- there's a mystery, only Nancy can solve it, and it's up to you to help her piece together clues and decipher riddles.	Sudoku : If you're not addicted to the numbers-and-grid game by now, it's only a matter of time until you will be. This disc packs hundreds of Sudoku logic puzzles for your frustration and entertainment.	Ultimate Mine Sweeper : Tricking out the familiar freeware concept with awesome graphical enhancements and varied field shapes, Ultimate Mine Sweeper can tie you up for hours.

Classic
Tetris : The NES version of Tetris launched the craze, transferring the Russian import into a form in which it could reach millions of Americans. The soundtrack selection, though only consisting of three songs, is excellent.	Boxxle : When you're a big, burly guy stuck in a room full of boxes blocking your way, all you can do is push and pull the right boxes in the right order to break out of the room...and move on to the NEXT room filled with boxes that block your way.	Bubble Bobble : Help  bubble-blowing dinosaurs Bub and Bob rescue their girlfriends by maneuvering through a series of complex dungeons. The bubbles come in handy for capturing enemies	Breakout : In a variation of Pong, you control a paddle at the bottom of the screen, ricocheting a ball that bounces back and forth between walls. The aim is to aim the ball at shatterable colored bricks. More fun than faking a sick day.

External Links

• GameSpot -- One of the top gaming resources on the net.
• IGN -- Covers video games as well as the rest of the entertainment world.
• Game Informer -- An excellent video game magazine's home page.