Games such as Lexgrid, Togglebot, and What Time Is It? serve as excellent daily diversions.
We are in an amazing time for puzzle games. It seems like everyone, from The New York Times to Linkedin, offers enjoyable puzzles, giving me an abundance of choices each morning alongside my first cup of coffee. Recently, a significant portion of my daily puzzle engagement has come from a surprising source: the Playdate.
Panic’s small yellow handheld is primarily recognized for hosting quirky indie games not found anywhere else, many of which incorporate a crank for gameplay. Additionally, it has built up an impressive collection of outstanding puzzle games that can be played in short sessions. This convenience allows you to easily carry a Playdate in your pocket and pull it out when you have a few minutes to spare; particularly valuable for those of us, like me, who are actively trying to resist the temptation of reaching for our phones during those times. Here are some of my recent top picks.
Similar to the Playdate itself, Lexgrid feels like it’s from a different reality. It resembles a combination of a word search and a crossword puzzle. In each stage, you are tasked with discovering a series of words within a grid of letters. The catch is that you receive a hint about what word you need to locate, rather than the specific word itself. Adding to the challenge, these hints can have multiple interpretations; as you advance, you will uncover various symbols, each with a unique significance. One might prompt you to find the antonym of the clue word, while another might lead you to search for a synonym. They act as modifiers for words.
The symbols become more intricate and unusual as you progress, but the real challenge lies in the absence of clear instructions. You must figure everything out independently. This aspect of Lexgrid can be both thrilling and frustrating; it’s incredibly satisfying to solve an especially elusive puzzle, yet there were numerous occasions when I found myself at a loss. Fortunately, the game usually presents multiple puzzles simultaneously, allowing you to switch between them when you’re stuck.
Togglebot gives me vibes of an even more simplistic version of Nintendo’s Boxboy series. You control a small figure in a monochromatic world, where your entire goal is to toggle some switches to reach the next level, where you’ll toggle more switches. These levels are bite-sized and restricted to a single screen, yet they are (almost always) quite satisfying to complete.
Your options are extremely limited; genuinely, all you’re able to do is move some boxes and switches around, and change colors by stepping into strange portals. These are crucial because you can only traverse squares when you are the opposite color. This simplification regarding both movements and mobility necessitates a high degree of spatial awareness to complete the levels, and for me, at least, quite a bit of trial and error. Thankfully, a rewind feature allows you to experiment with little to no consequences.
I also enjoy What Time Is It? Not many games possess such a aptly descriptive title. It’s akin to a puzzle book where every page contains a single image, and from that image, you have to deduce the time of day. It may feature a series of numbers, playing cards, or possibly just a single word. From there, you need to ascertain the correct time. There is a hint feature, but primarily it entails observing an image and determining what it conveys. Inputting the time involves turning the Playdate’s crank to adjust a watch, which adds an enjoyable twist, and the 50 included puzzles can be solved in any sequence you prefer. This is beneficial, as some of them can be quite difficult. Nevertheless, this challenge renders your eventual success even more rewarding.
There are numerous additional examples if you explore Itch.io or the Catalog shop. In summary, if you possess a Playdate, it can effortlessly become your go-to device for your daily puzzle enjoyment.
