The best puzzle games and apps

The wonders of technology mean that we no longer have to rely on board games or newspaper crosswords to enjoy a bit of brain teasing fun. We’ve put together a short list containing some of the best puzzle games that you can download straight to your smart device.

1010!

Not only is 1010! fun to play and extremely addictive, it will also help you to develop logic skills and train your mental capacity. The concept is simple – on a 10X10 board, all you have to do is combine puzzle blocks and clear the board by placing them strategically to create lines.

There’s no limit to play, no colour matching, and no repetition – just fill the grid with shapes, clear the play area, and see if you can beat your high score. Plus, you can now try out special game themes to keep your gameplay endlessly exciting.

1010! is available from the App Store and the Play Store.

Prune

Prune describes itself as a love letter to trees. With a simple swipe of your finger, you can grow and shape your tree into the sunlight while avoiding the dangers of a hostile world. Bring life to a forgotten landscape and uncover a story hidden deep beneath the soil.

Prune gives you a unique, digital plant for your pocket. The app is full of meditative music and sound design for you to zen out to, and you can share screenshots of your unique creations with friends to compare your progress.

Purchase Prune for £3.99 from the App Store or £3.79 from the Play Store.

Rules!

If you’re looking for a cute puzzle game that's challenging, fast-paced and fun, try out Rules!

You can choose your preferred type of game, with options including Beginner, Expert or Timeless, depending on how intense you want your experience to be. The game contains a hundred-level-deep maze of cuteness and order, and uses the smartphone’s multi-touch interface to the best of its abilities.

With a bunch of fun characters to meet that include whales, unicorns and robots, Rules! is a fun puzzle experience for the whole family.

Get Rules! for £2.99 on the App Store.

Campfire Cooking

Campfire Cooking is a fun puzzle game that focuses on relaxing moments in nature, as you prepare meals over a warm fire. Discover the simple joys of cooking on a stick and test your problem-solving skills with some challenging campfire puzzles.

Don't be fooled by the cutesy concept – not all of the puzzles are a walk in the park. Take part in activities such as twirling skewers around the fire until each meal is ready to eat, playing with magnets, or reverting to the use of a camping stove if you can’t get the fire to light.

Campfire Cooking is available to purchase from the App Store for £3.99.

Starman

Starman is an aesthetically pleasing app that invites you to guide an astronaut through breathtaking architectural sceneries with delicate atmospheres and elaborate puzzles. Your mission is to recover the light and bring life back!

There are tons of different activities to complete on the app, guaranteeing you won't encounter a single puzzle twice. Soothing background music helps Starman feel as immersive as possible, and it’s available for both the iPad and the iPhone, allowing you to play it wherever you go.

Starman can be bought from the App Store for £3.99.