Computer puzzle game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Computer puzzle game is a genre of computer games that emphasize puzzle solving. The types of puzzles involved can involve logic, strategy, pattern recognition, sequence solving, word completion or, in some cases, just pure luck.
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[edit] Description
The genre can be difficult to describe: the gameplay is usually abstract (but not always) often involving arranging geometric shapes to fulfill some goal or constraint. Often edge matching or colour matching plays an important role. Puzzle games usually strive to have a pick-up-and-play accessibility to them and to have an addictive quality. They are popular with travelers and commuters for the same general reasons as the airport novel: Low bars to accessibility, moderate levels of personal involvement, and a relatively easy and painless mode of abandoning and reaccessing one's progress in the event of being jostled or moved. They provide a welcome distraction from the jostling and inconvenience of travel.
[edit] Types of game
Some puzzle games feed the player a random assortment of blocks or pieces that they must organize in the correct manner, such as Tetris, Klax and Lumines. Others present a preset game board and/or pieces and challenge the player to solve the puzzle by achieving a goal (Bomberman, The Incredible Machine). Some of the games in the former category have a mode that plays like the latter. For example, in both Tetrisphere and Tetris Attack, there is an actual "puzzle mode" in which the player must clear a pre-defined board within a certain amount of moves.
Some games are not puzzle games, yet contain many puzzle elements, such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill and the Legend of Zelda series.
Because puzzle games are often so abstract, the term is sometimes used as a blanket term for games with unique and otherwise indescribable gameplay. Every Extend Extra is an example of this.
Puzzle games are often easy to develop and adapt: from dedicated arcade units, to home video game consoles, to personal digital assistants and mobile phones.
The game Minesweeper is notable because of the large installed user base (the game comes bundled with the Microsoft Windows operating system).
