29 Best Nintendo Switch Puzzle Games To Exercise The Brain

If you’ve been enjoying the Nintendo Switch, you’ll know that there are all sorts of genres for you to play on the system in great number. And if you like puzzles? Yeah, they got hat in droves as these games will show you.

#29 Mario vs Donkey Kong

Platform: Switch
Release Date: February 16, 2024

Nintendo

If you never got the chance to play Mario vs Donkey Kong on the Nintendo DS, you’re in luck, as the game has been remade for the Nintendo Switch!

The game will put you in over 100 levels filled with challenges, all so you can get back the Mini-Mario toys that Donkey Kong has stolen! But it won’t be as easy as simply finding all the toys. You’ll need to work your way through various challenges to reach them, and then, you’ll need to get them to safety! Sometimes, you’ll even need to guide whole scores of Mini-Marios to the exit!

With new levels and challenges, now is the perfect time to jump in!

#28 Super Mario RPG

Platform: November 17, 2023
Release Date: Switch

Nintendo

You might not think that Super Mario RPG is a “puzzle game,” and it’s not in the overall, but there are puzzles in the world to solve.

Not to mention, you have to worry about the “puzzles” that await you in combat! The game will maintain its classic turn-based combat but will also feature plenty of challenges within it that’ll test your timing and skill in figuring out how to exploit the enemies within!

So, while it may be an RPG, that doesn’t mean you can’t put your puzzle brain to the test by playing it! After all, it’s a remake of a classic title. What’s not to love?

#27 Hogwarts Legacy

Platform: PC PS5 XSX|S – February 10, 2023 | PS4 Xbox One – May 05, 2023
Release Date: Switch November 14, 2023

Steam | PlayStation | Xbox | Nintendo

Many people would say that the most important thing about being a witch or wizard is being able to use powerful spells and curses. But the wise ones among you will state that it’s about how you use those spells and whether you can use them to your advantage in multiple scenarios.

As you travel throughout the world of Hogwarts Legacy, you’ll have to face trials, not dangerous in nature but puzzling. So think like the educated student you are and use spells to move objects or erase obstacles from your path.

The more puzzles you solve, the further you’ll get to explore!

#26 Pikmin 4

Platform: Switch
Release Date: July 21, 2023

Nintendo

It’s easy to picture the Pikmin as just tools to use or beings to throw at foes to get them out of your way. But as Pikmin 4 reminds you, you’ll need to use them and other entities wisely if you wish to get around the alien world you’ve crash landed upon.

At first, you’ll be restricted to certain areas, and you’ll need to use the Pikmin to open new paths, collect “treasures” to fix your ship, and fight off against familiar figures in Dandori battles to rescue your lost squad mates.

So don’t think of Pikmin as expendable. Instead, think of them as your most useful tool for getting out alive!

#25 Unpacking

As the name suggests, this unique puzzle game tasks players with helping to unpack a person’s belongings after a move. Beginning in 1997, Unpacking follows the same person across several moves and many different years. From childhood to college to relationships, players will gain clues about the person’s life and experiences by looking at their belongings. Play casually to enjoy the story or search for all the hidden achievements for an added challenge.

#24 Far Changing Tides

A sequel of sorts to Far Lone Sails, Far Changing Tides puts you on a large boat, where a young man is trying to sail it in order to get to a new place for him to live in a world that has been nearly flooded.

The puzzles here lie in both the world around you, as you’ll need to activate certain things to open paths to get your boat through, as well as your ship itself. Dive deep into the vessel to figure out what it is all about, how to operate it correctly, and more.

It’s you and your ship against the world, and you’ll find that this adventure will take you to highs and lows while also giving you a unique atmospheric experience.

#23 The Gardens Between

For a more lighthearted adventure, you might want to try out The Gardens Between. Because this single player title puts you in a story that focuses on “time, memory and friendship.”

You play as Arina and Frendt, two friends who fall into a “dream world”, and that world just so happens to be filled with relics from their time together as friends. Now, you’ll control the two friends and work together to solve puzzles to figure out more about their friendship, what they really mean to one another, and more.

It’s a very unique title that delves deep into its narrative, so you might just want to play it to see where the “bittersweet” story goes…and ends.

#22 The Room Series

The Room Series is for those who like a deep approach to their puzzle titles while also twisting the perceptions of what those games can be. Because in the game, and the many that follow, you’ll be a person locked in a room, or dimensional space, and you’ll be left with nothing but puzzle boxes and clues as to what you need to do.

With each puzzle you solve, your “world” grows a little bigger, but then again, so does the mystery. You’ll learn about various sciences and dark practices and wonder how it’ll all going to end. More than likely…you won’t be able to guess…

With multiple games in the series, you’ll be able to try them on Switch and have plenty to do for a while.

#21 Gorogoa

There has long been an argument about whether “games are art”, and the answer is very obviously, “yes”. But if you want a game that very much proves that feeling, you need to look no further than Gorogoa.

Because in this game, you’ll be solving puzzles within a very special narrative, the twist is that these puzzles are tied to illustrations (thousands of them) that were made by a singular man: Jason Roberts. How you use these illustrations/art pieces will depend on the puzzle and what you’re trying to do.

The visual style here is truly unique, as is how you use it all gameplay-wise. So if you want a truly visual yet deep puzzle experience, here you go!

#20 Bridge Constructor Portal

Combining elements from both the Portal universe and the Bridge Constructor series, Bridge Constructor Portal is an engineering puzzle game. As the name implies, players must construct bridges to transport trucks around Aperture Laboratories. Any bridge that withstands one truck passing over it will solve the challenge, but for a higher rating, all the trucks in the convoy must successfully cross. In addition, the cost of building each bridge is calculated, and players are challenged to keep their costs as low as possible.

#19 Unravel Two

After a shipwreck, two Yarnys (creatures whose bodies are made of wound-up yarn) connect their loose yarn ends. This binds the two together and creates a magical spark, which the players must chase. Using the yarn of their characters to climb, swing, and pull objects, players solve puzzles across the game’s island setting while uncovering a surprisingly dark story about children fleeing from abusive adults.

#18 The Trine Series

Set in a fantasy world, the Trine games focuses on a set of heroes who use an object known as the Trine in order to solve puzzles and fight evil. All so that they can save the kingdom they’re in.

The twist here is that unlike typical fantasy games, the combat and other elements are all tied to physics based puzzles. Each of the main characters for examples have skills that will affect things in a way that can solve puzzles or send objects at enemies to bust them up.

Because of the freedom and the skills of your characters, there are multiple ways to solve puzzles in the series. Plus, since there are 4 different games in the series, that’s a lot of puzzles to go and solve.

#17 Baba Is You

As an evil man once said, “True power is warping reality around you,” and that is a perfect lead-in to the title Baba Is You. Because in this game, every level you play you can change the rules of the game and the reality you play in.

That’s because the “rules” are displayed in blocks, if you change them, everything changes with it. And that means that anything and everything can happen depending on how you want to play things.

Plus, with 200+ levels for you to “bend the rules in”, that’s a lot of potential and possibility for chaos! In the fun way, of course.

So jump into Baba Is You and see just how you can change the world!

#16 The Talos Principle

Sometimes the best puzzle games are the ones that make you ask the questions of all that is going on. In The Talos Principle, you are an entity in a world of ancient ruins…but also modern technology. The one who built you put you on a “mission” to solve over 120 puzzles scattered throughout the place.

But the question becomes…will you do it as your master wants? Or, will you try and solve the puzzles to learn more about yourself and then seek a way to escape?

The Talos Principle has a deep and twisting story that will ask a lot of big questions, all the while having you enjoy the puzzle-solving experience.

#15 Snipperclips: Cut it out, together

In this co-op puzzle game, players will snip and clip the paper bodies of their co-op partners to create different shapes to solve puzzles (for example, cutting a pointed shape to pop balloons). The game’s World mode allows one or two players, while the Blitz and Party modes allow up to four players. Party mode features puzzle challenges designed for more players. Blitz mode ups the ante with snipping deathmatches alongside games like basketball and hockey.

#14 Relicta

In this M-rated, first-person puzzle game, players will use magnetism and gravity to solve physics-based challenges. After being stranded on a moon base, a top-level physicist searches for her daughter while also confronting the truth behind her own research. Players can simply solve the puzzles or take their time exploring, fleshing out the story of this 22nd-century world and perhaps changing the destiny of humanity itself.

#13 Fez

Arguably one of the best puzzle games ever made, Fez puts you in the role of Gomez, who is a 2D creature…that all of a sudden gets “revealed” the third dimension. Curious about what is going on, Gomez sets out on a journey to figure out the truth, leading to a large puzzle adventure you’ll enjoy.

Unlike many on this list, Fez doesn’t need “over the top” or even ‘super realistic” graphics to get things done. The visual style is simple for a reason, and it lends to the deep world that the game is trying to portray in its own way.

Trust me, the game is deeper than you realize, and so if you haven’t check this game out yet…you should.

#12 Little Nightmares 2

There are some rather dark titles on this list as you’ve seen so far, and Little Nightmares 2 is another example of that.

In this sequel, you’ll play as Mono, who ends up in a nightmare world full of distortions and monsters. The reason for this is a signal tower, and it’s up to you and another named Six to reach the tower and figure out what is going on.

You’ll have to get the two characters to work together to not just solve puzzles, but fight off the various creatures that inhabit the dark and mysterious areas you’ll travel to.

This is definitely a title for those who prefer a very spooky element to their games. So try out Little Nightmares 2 is that fits your style.

#11 Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

It took us a while, but here indeed is a 1st-party puzzle game. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker was first released on the Wii U, but ported to the Switch (like so many games before it…and after it…) so that more people could try it out. And you should absolutely do so.

You’ll play as…who else? Captain Toad! And in each level you’ll need to use all the camera angles and perspectives to figure out how to get from one spot to the next, get all the treasure, and avoid enemies and traps!

You can even play in co-op to have someone help you out with those enemies! It’s a lighthearted and simple title, but at times…isn’t that what we really need?

#10 12 Minutes

This top-down game boasts the voice talents of James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. A husband and wife are celebrating the news that she is expecting their first child when a man claiming to be a cop arrives at the apartment. The man accuses the wife of murdering her father, and in the ensuing struggle, both the husband and wife are killed. The husband then wakes up moments before the man’s arrival. As the husband, players must use the time loop to save their wife and determine the truth about the death of the wife’s father.

#9 Inside

It’s honestly hard to describe a game like Inside without diving deep into spoilers, so I’ll try and keep it light.

In this game, from the creative team of PlayDead, who made the equally dark and praised title Limbo, you’ll find yourself as a young boy who is drawn to a certain building where a “dark project” is being done.

What exactly is going on here? That’s for you to figure out in this narrative-driven puzzle title. You’ll have to make it through the confines of the building, solve puzzles, avoid detection, and learn the truth. But as these games like to show…sometimes it’s best if the truth…isn’t revealed at all.

#8 World of Goo

Here’s another classic that was eventually brought over to the Switch. World of Goo puts you in control of living glob entities that you can both get and then place in order to build various things. Like what? Bridges, buildings, slingshots, and more. As long as you have the right structure, and amount of goo, you can make it.

Why do you need to do it? Because the game’s levels are all meant to do something specific, and you have to get your goo creatures to build the right kind of structure to complete the task.

It might sound simple, but it’s not. Each level is special, and can even have dangers for your goo creatures. So use them wisely, and get to the next challenge!

#7 Return of the Obra Dinn

In 1803, the Obra Dinn set sail around the Cape of Good Hope with 60 people on board, but the ship never arrived at its destination. Five years later, it has mysteriously washed up at the port with all its passengers and crew either dead or missing. In this “1-bit” gorgeously-stylized, first-person game, players assume the role of an investigator and search the ship to try to determine what happened to the Obra Dinn. They are aided by the Memento Mortem, a device that lets them go back in time to witness a person’s final moments.

#6 Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes

In this multiplayer puzzle game, communication is key. While one player (the Defuser) attempts to disarm a bomb, the others (the Experts) must read the instruction manual and convey the proper procedures for doing so. Neither party can see the other’s screen, so players are forced to rely on each other to disarm the bomb as a team. And if the bomb’s timer reaches zero, everyone explodes.

#5 The Sexy Brutale

A party in a mansion has gone horribly wrong. All the party-goers are dead except for Lafcadio Boone, a preacher. Boone is stuck in a time loop, reliving the party over and over again, looking for a way to prevent the deaths of the party goers. In this single-player puzzle game, players must explore the mansion, gain new abilities, and decipher how to save the party guests. Along the way, they’ll uncover the truth about the guests, Boone, and the party itself.

#4 Portal Series

…so, who wants some cake?

The Portal Series is indeed on Switch, and Switch players are lucky to have this title as it’s one of the most important puzzle franchises ever made.

In it, you are stuck in Aperture Labs, and an evil robotic entity known as GLaDOS is “guiding you” through the place in order to complete various tests. You won’t have a weapon in the game to help you though, all you have…is your portal gun.

The puzzles, creativity, and feel of this series is S-tier in every way, and that’s part of what makes it so great to play over and over again. And now that you can play it on the go…you have even more reason to try it out on Switch.

#3 Puyo Puyo Tetris

I’ll admit that I’m a little bias with this game because it’s something I found really fun even though I didn’t know what Puyo Puyo was.

Basically, this game is a fusion of two worlds of puzzle games complete with adorable and hilarious characters that interact with one another to try and save the universe! And naturally, you’ll save it by playing Puyo or Tetris against other characters and even against one another.

There’s a lot of depth in this game believe it or not, and that makes it all the more enjoyable to play not just the story modes, but all the other game modes.

There’s two games in the series on Switch, so don’t miss out!

#2 Thimbleweed Park

Developed by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, this point-n-click puzzle game is a spiritual successor to Maniac Mansion and The Secret of Monkey Island. A pair of FBI agents arrive in the town of Thimbleweed Park to investigate a murder, but not all is as it seems in Thimbleweed Park. Using commands like “pick up” and “talk to,” players navigate the town while collecting evidence and interviewing suspects to uncover the truth behind the murder and the town itself.

#1 Tetris 99

There are a lot of reasons why I’m putting Tetris 99 on top despite it not being a “typical puzzle game”. But in point of fact, Tetris as a whole IS a puzzle game. You’re trying to fit the pieces together (like a puzzle) in order to get points and keep going.

In Tetris 99, the difficulty is ramped up because you’re going to be facing off against 98 other players who are trying to not just beat you, but bury you in Tetris blocks.

So you’ll have to play fast AND play smart so you can trip them up before they do it to you, as well as get out of any sticky situations you find yourself in.

Do well enough, and you’ll be No.1!