Everyone loves a good old fashioned puzzle game, so it’s no surprise that new versions relentlessly pop up in the iPhone App Store. Puzzles are an American pastime; however, sifting through the options available to download can be more puzzling than befits a pastime.
So, if you have ever found yourself pulling into a Cracker Barrel restaurant just to play the triangle peg game, it might be time for an intervention. Upgrade to one of recommended and innovative puzzle apps below for your iPhone today (but you’ll have to make your own eggs and bacon).
iPhone apps for simple puzzle fun
The object of the BeeCells (99 cents) app is to line up six or more of the same color bubbles in the honeycomb before the honeycomb is filled up — easy, yet highly addictive. If you’re just looking for a puzzle to waste time while you pick up your dry cleaning, this app is for you.
In a reverse, squares- (or circles-) only type of Tetris game, the Line Up Pro (99 cents) app requires you to tap groups of three or more squares in order to clear the screen before the squares rise to the top. In a witty touch, the app slowly reveals the next line of added squares, so you can decide whether to tap now, or tap later. Because the kicker is, you only get 100 taps per session. I found this highly addictive, but it takes more concentration than you might have waiting in line for a coffee, so download this one for a solo lunch break.
For a Chinese twist on the classic puzzle, check out the Tangrams (99 cents) app. There are 565 different puzzles in which you arrange the same seven shapes into the given puzzle template. This app is really difficult at first, but once I got started, I was whizzing through the plethora of puzzles. The app does offer hints to help you if you’re stumped.
Upgrade your game with these iPhone apps
You won’t be disappointed by the dazzling jewels, soothing background noise and flashy backgrounds of this puzzle app. The Bejeweled 2 ($2.99) app has fancy graphics and a higher price tag to match. Bejeweled 2 is so addictive, before you realize it, you won’t be able to put your iPod down (I almost didn’t finish writing this story in time!).
For the younger generation, the Bubble Town 2 ($2.99) app has modern cartoon appeal and an easy-to-use game play strategy. Simply swipe your finger to aim the cannon tube and the tap the screen to shoot. Download this one to play with your elementary-school age niece and nephew while you wait for the turkey to cook on Thanksgiving.
The teen generation will love the social gaming Papaya Puzzle Bobble (free) app. It has the same basic game play strategy as Bubble Town, only coupled with a chat room complete with IM and the ability to challenge other Papayans (slang for the users of Papaya) or your Facebook friends. Did I mention it’s free?
More mature puzzle iPhone apps
The classic 80s cube game has been reincarnated into an app, but not under its official name. LCube (99 cents) will delight children and adults of the 80s with its 3D similarity to the Rubik’s Cube. I never could figure out this puzzle, and it hasn’t gotten any easier with the app version.
Most women, young and old, love chocolate, making it a perfect theme for a puzzle game aimed at grown-up women. This app, Chocolate Shop Frenzy (99 cents) is veiled with an inspirational story of a woman quitting her boring day job to open a chocolate shop. The main part of the app is sort of cheesy, but I love the puzzle game option. The goal is to match three in a row of the chocolate ingredients until the whole board turns to chocolate. If only it could actually turn my iPod into chocolate — now that would be a crazy cool chocolate app.
