20 of the most relaxing puzzle games currently available on the Play Store

20

25 of the most relaxing puzzle games for Android phones and tablets

I often find that relaxing with a calming game after a long day is extremely helpful for keeping my head screwed on straight, especially during such stressful times. This is why I've personally hand-selected a bunch of puzzle games that are great for decompressing at the end of the day. So if you're looking for some of the chillest puzzlers currently available on Android, this roundup is for you. Of course, like most of my roundups, I've thrown in a few lesser-known titles to forgo many of the games you would find in similar lists around the web, in the hope that you may discover a few gems, and I've listed them all by price to make discovery easier. So without further ado, here are 25 of the most relaxing puzzle games currently available on the Play Store.

Cessabit: a Stress Relief Game

Cessabit is billed as a stress relief game, and I have to say I agree with that label. It will be your job to inspect each hand-drawn picture in the title to then answer questions about that image to the best of your ability. You can tap objects in each stage to uncover a few hints if you get stuck, and of course, the beautiful line art makes this game a sight to behold, so if you enjoy relaxing with a game after a long day of work, this is the release that ticks all the appropriate boxes.

Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs

PUSH is a fun minimal puzzle game where your single objective is to push a bunch of different buttons in the correct order. What is great about this setup is the fact that there are no timers, no tutorials, heck, there aren't even any boss stages. What you see is what you get, and that is a competent puzzle game that offers a stress-free experience.

Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Zenge

Zenge is a beautiful title that was designed specifically to offer a relaxing experience, but you also get a wonderful story and enjoyable puzzle-based gameplay. You won't have to worry about timers, or a score, or anything like that as you are free to solve each puzzle at your own pace without the game tracking your achievements, which is what makes this a perfect title to play whenever you want to relax.

Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Hydropuzzle: Solve the Mystery

Hydropuzzle is a game that's difficult to explain. Sure, I could go into the details surrounding its strange story about a heatwave affecting a city, but that won't clue you in with what you should expect of the gameplay. Really, it's a release that has to be experienced to understand how you decipher its puzzles, which makes it a tough sell since there is no demo. But hey, if you are looking for something that's unique, you should definitely check this title out.

Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Powernode

Powernode is a minimal puzzle game that requires careful planning and solid organizational skills. The goal of the game is to reach the highest score possible by creating energy through number combinations. As circles appear on the playfield, you'll have to combine the numbers of the diamond shapes by drawing lines in between them to ultimately come up with the number combination necessary to satisfy the listed numbers on those circles I mentioned. While this description sounds convoluted, once you go hands-on with the title, it will make a lot more sense.

Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Pachoink!

For some reason, I have a soft spot for Pachinko games despite their gambling roots. Pachoink is a title that takes the fun of dropping balls into a machine to see where they go, and it ramps this mechanic to create a game that combines Pachinko with the joy of a brick breaker. So if you are like me and appreciate games like Alleyway, and also love the randomness of Pachinko, then there's hours of calming ball-dropping fun to be had with Pachoink.

Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Hidden Through Time

Hidden Through Time is a beautiful hidden object game that offers wonderful art, cute animations, and enjoyable gameplay. Mostly you'll spend your time deciphering clues in order to find all of the hidden objects in each level, and each stage is pleasantly animated, which makes it easy to stare at the screen for hours as you hunt down every last hidden object in this release. If you enjoy titles like Hidden Folks but are looking for a bit of color to brighten the experience, then you're going to love Hidden Through Time.

Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Golf Peaks

I love miniature golf games. Even as a kid, I once spent my allowance on a travel-sized golf-game while I was living in Japan, and the fact that I couldn't read the rules certainly didn't stop me from playing. So when I stumbled across Golf Peaks, you can imagine my interest was piqued. Golf Peaks is a newer title that plays unlike the majority of miniature golf games on the Play Store thanks to its card-based design. So instead of skillfully sinking your puts through action, you'll take advantage of the title's unique card-based movement system to putt your ball into the hole.

Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Tengami

Tengami is an older release, but it still holds up. What makes it perfect for today's list is that there aren't any enemies to fight or feats to accomplish. This is an exploration-based game that also offers more than a few low-key puzzles. What's cool is that the graphics make the title look like an elaborate pop-up book, thanks to the title's slick animations. Best of all, this is a premium release, so you won't have to worry about any interruptions as you play through this gorgeous puzzler. Just keep in mind that this is a short title, so it's definitely a one-and-done experience.

Monetization: $3.49 / no ads / no IAPs

G30 - A Memory Maze

G30 - A Memory Maze is a minimal puzzle game that offers a unique story about a person suffering from a cognitive disorder. It will be your job to piece together their memory by solving two-part puzzles made up of scattered text and random images. You'll spend the majority of your time rotating these images to form larger pictures. The secondary puzzle element comes into play as you cycle through these pics by way of words displayed at the top of the screen. These words ultimately tell a story, but you'll first have to solve each puzzle before you can piece together the entirety of the tale.

Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Hidden Folks

Hidden Folks is a very stylish hidden object game that's both a joy to look at and play. All of the art within is hand-drawn and consists of black and white pen and ink designs. Players are tasked with finding a particular person hidden in each drawing, much like a Where's Waldo book. This is easier said than done, as you will have to peel back and move objects in each environment to hunt these people down. So unlike many of the hidden objects on the Play Store, Hidden Folks offers a highly interactive experience, and yet it's very relaxing to play, and I feel that has a lot to do with the wonderfully engaging art style.

Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / IAPs $1.99 a piece

Interlocked

Interlocked offers a series of three-dimensional sliding block puzzles. The structure and goal are self-explanatory from the screenshots below, and making this sort of puzzler into a digital game allows for an large amount of variety and creativity that wouldn't be possible with a physical puzzle. The title was adapted from a popular browser game and came from the developer of compelling releases such as Detective Grimoire and Infectionator.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

hocus.

Hocus is an indie puzzle game that exudes a minimal style where it will be your job to navigate a cube through a series of optical illusions. There are 120 hand-crafted levels to explore, and if you get tired of these levels, you can jump into the optimal level-builder to design your own. What's great about this system is that you can even share your levels through a code or card, which means you can also jump into levels created by other players if you so wish.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece

Blue is the latest release in the color-themed puzzle game series from Bart Bonte. The goal of the game is to change the color in all of the title's fifty stages to blue. If you get stuck, there are hints available, though ads will play unless you pay to remove them through an in-app purchase. So if you enjoy playing relaxing minimal puzzlers, Blue is a great choice.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $1.99 a piece

Hexanome

Hexanome is a minimal logic puzzler that requires plenty of patience to solve its 76 hand-crafted levels. Your goal is to collect all of the squares on the grid while an AI tries its darndest to stop you dead in your tracks. Luckily there is no timer, so you are free to think out your moves in advance to ensure that the pesky AI doesn't one-up you.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $1.99 a piece

Crossgrams

Crossgrams combines anagrams with crossword puzzles to create an original word game that's both challenging and addictive. It's presented in a minimal manner, which means you won't have to worry about any flashy distractions. The game is free to try, and it comes with three family puzzle packs, and there is always an additional puzzle released for free every day. If you require more puzzles than that, they are more available as packs sold through in-app purchases.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $1.99

Shadowmatic

Shadowmatic took its sweet, sweet time coming to Android, but the game is so pretty I have to forgive the late arrival. The setup is extremely simple. All you have to do is spin and tilt one or more of the 3D objects floating in the air to form a shadow that displays the desired shape. Things, of course, get more complex when multiple objects are in play. The beautiful 3D graphics create a relaxed atmosphere, though you'll need some beefy hardware to run this title.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece

.Connect.

Connect is a minimal puzzle game that will put your color matching skills to the test. The principal mechanic asks players to group colors together by sliding tiles on a board, but rest assured the solutions to these puzzles won't come easy. Luckily there are two modes to choose from, a brain mode that limits the number of moves available, and a relaxed mode that affords the player as many moves as necessary to solve each puzzle.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece

I Love Hue Too

I Love Hue Too is a psychedelic puzzler where harmony, geometry, perception, skill, and magic all intersect to create an enthralling puzzle game that's great for late-night binges as you try to wind down before bed. There are over 900 puzzles to solve, and there are also multiple play modes, which should keep players busy for a good while. Oh, and the game contains six different ambient tracks that help to set the mood for this trippy puzzler.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $4.99 a piece

OCO is a minimal puzzle-platformer that offers simple tap controls. Each stage contains dots that you are required to collect, and as the stage rotates, it will be your job to tap on the screen to jump from one platform to the next. The goal is to collect those dots I mentioned in as few taps as possible, which can be very challenging, especially towards the end of the game. Luckily, players are free to create and share their own stages, so you shouldn't ever run out of content.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.49 - $12.99

Laser Overload

Laser Overload is a distinct puzzler that offers gameplay for all skill levels. Whether you are a seasoned puzzle fanatic or simply like to delve into the more casual titles, Laser Overlords has you covered. The gameplay revolves around connecting batteries to a source of power, so it will be up to you to draw the lines that will connect everything together in the correct order.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $14.99

The Unic

The Unic is a procedurally-generated puzzle game that's all about matching patterns. It will be your job to hunt down duplicate designs, complete pattern selections, and build your own deck out of the designs you've collected. There are three game modes to choose from, no internet connection is required to play, and the gameplay is suitable for all ages.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $19.99

Harmony: Relax Melodies

Harmony: Music Notes is a release from Infinity Games, a quality developer that typically concentrates on minimal puzzle games. Harmony is a relaxing title that uses music to its advantage. Each level has a grid with colored dots on it. Your job is to figure out where corresponding dots need to be placed so that the originals are mirrored across the white lines in each stage. As you place each dot a musical note will play, which makes for a pleasant experience as you solve each puzzle.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $22.99

Mekorama

Mekorama draws inspiration from similar isometric puzzle-platformers, such as Monument Valley, but that's an easy thing to forgive when the games you imitate are solid to start with, offer a ton of humor and personality, and you implement a user-friendly way to pay what you want for the full game unlock. Nice.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.00 - $32.00

Polysphere

Polysphere is a delightful puzzler that's all about perception. Each level is comprised of a picture, but the thing is, it's displayed as a jumbled mess made up of many separate shards and pieces. It will be your job to rotate the camera until you find the correct angle that displays those shards as a single object. The title does feature many advertisements if you plan on playing for free, though you can remove them through a subscription plan, or you could simply throw your device into airplane mode.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $89.99

And that is the end of our relaxing puzzle game roundup folks. I hope everybody was able to find a few relaxing puzzlers in today's list, but if you feel there are a few games left out that would fit with the theme of this roundup, please feel free to share them in the comments below so that everybody can join in on the fun.