Top 10 Xbox 360 Puzzle Games
Timeless clever concoctions
Written by A.J. Maciejewski for Xbox 360 on 🧩
Xbox 360 has been home to tons of extraordinary experiences and its puzzle game lineup is definitely nothing to sneeze at so here are the 10 best puzzlers for Microsoft's sophomore home console.
Boogie Bunnies
I know what you're thinking; what the heck is Boogie Bunnies? Well, it's an adorable puzzler where you launch bunnies which makes similarly coloured ones disappear whenever you match 3. It's simple for sure but the fact that you can move up the sides of the playfield adds a fun dimension and once you pull off an impressive chain, watching all the bunnies dance in celebration is quite the treat.
Yosumin! Live
You might recognize Yosumin! as a delightful DS puzzle game but it actually received a port for Xbox 360. It's played by simply highlighting rectangles with each corner being the same colour in order to claim all the tiles within. This may sound easy but carefully observing the playfield while trying to acquire all of the necessary colours so you can complete the current stage can be a rather tricky feat.
Bust-A-Move Live!
I love Bust-A-Move and it's too bad that the only entry in the wonderful franchise for Xbox 360 is Bust-A-Move Live! It's a serviceable entry that's fun to play but it's definitely lacking when you compare it to its excellent predecessors such as the top-notch Bust-A-Move '99. With that being said, you certainly can't go wrong with bursting bubbles with Bub and Bob.
Games that play like Bust-A-Move / Puzzle Bobble
Tetris Evolution
Tetris is another fantastic series that didn't get the best representations released for Xbox 360. Tetris Evolution is a decent game that features a solid amount of modes and options and it's great to play when you're trying to wind down after a long day; as most Tetris games are. Oh, and Tetris Splash is another worthwhile puzzler for the console if you need more tetrominos in your gaming diet.
Tetris Effect Review
Hexic 2
Hexic HD was a free Xbox Live Arcade game at launch and it was a pretty cool puzzler where you rotate groups of 3 hexagonal tiles in the hopes of matching 3 or more, making flowers, or forming lines. This sequel released a couple of years later and it includes better visuals as well as a nifty battle mode and new tile types which make the gameplay a lot more exciting and challenging.
Chime
Chime is a unique puzzle game that has you slap down various shapes in order to form rectangles that are at least 3-by-3. Once you do, you can keep adding onto it and the goal is to colour in the entire playfield which is a lot more difficult than it sounds. As you play, there's a timer needle that behaves a lot like the one in Lumines and just like that game, this features an excellent soundtrack, too.
Chime Sharp Review
Puzzle Quest 2
Although more gamers are familiar with the iconic Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords, this sequel is a wonderful take on the puzzle RPG formula as it features an imaginative game world, clever dungeons, and fantastic mini-games where you solve puzzles to claim treasure, pick locks, and such. It's my favourite puzzle RPG and if you want another excellent one, play Gyromancer as well.
Puzzle Quest: The Legend Returns Review
Poker Smash
When you see a game called Poker Smash, you probably don't think that it's a puzzler but it is and it's awesome! It follows a similar formula to Tetris Attack / Puzzle League / Panel de Pon (whatever you want to call it) in that you slide tiles left and right. Once you make a poker hand, those tiles disappear which may result in triggering a cleverly set up chain. Throw in challenges that are fun to tackle in mid-game, cool music, flashy visuals, and a wealth of modes and you're left with one of the most enjoyable puzzle games ever.
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix
Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo is one heck of a multiplayer puzzle game and this HD Remix iteration is still the best way to play it as of writing this. After selecting a familiar chibi Street Fighter character, you drop 2-tile pieces while trying to set up as big of a chain as you can. Once you unleash it and hopefully witness your opponent get covered in blocks, it's extremely rewarding stuff.
Similar game: Crystal Crisis
Lumines Live!
As a huge fan of Lumines, my favourite entry in the series is still Lumines Live! I own it on the Qubed compilation disc which also includes Rez HD and Every Extend Extra Extreme. On top of that, it contains all of the DLC with the exception of 2 packs which I bought so I own the entire Lumines Live! experience and let me tell you; this is one extensive puzzle game. With oodles of modes, one of the best game soundtracks, and tons of rewarding content to master, Lumines Live! is definitely the best puzzle game for Xbox 360.
Also featured in: Top 10 Early Xbox 360 Live Arcade Games Lumines Remastered Review
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