What makes a good puzzle game? 7 principles we design by
Some puzzle games keep you playing “just one more level” for an hour. Others feel tedious after three minutes, even if the idea is similar. The difference is rarely the theme or the graphics. It is a handful of design decisions that either respect the player or waste their time. These are the seven principles we use when we design our own puzzles.
1. One clear rule set
A good puzzle has rules you can learn by watching a single move. Every extra rule must earn its place by creating interesting decisions. When a new mechanic is introduced, it should arrive alone, in a level built to teach it, before it is combined with anything else.
Test we use: can a new player explain the rules after the first level without reading any text?
2. Teach by playing, not by reading
Long tutorials are skipped. Instead, the first levels should be so simple that the only possible move is the right one. The player learns the rule by doing it, then gets a level where the rule has to be applied deliberately. Text hints appear only if the player seems stuck.
3. Every level must be solvable
Nothing breaks trust faster than a level that cannot be solved. For generated levels — common in sorting puzzles — we run every level through a solver before it is published. If a level is solvable only with a very long or very lucky sequence, it is rejected or moved later in the progression.
4. A difficulty curve that breathes
Difficulty should rise, but not in a straight line. A good progression alternates: a harder level, then one or two easier ones that let the player enjoy what they have learned. Difficulty comes from fewer resources (less free space, more colours) or new interactions, never from hiding information unfairly.
5. Mistakes are cheap
Exploring ideas is the heart of puzzle solving. Undo, restart and the absence of harsh penalties make exploring pleasant. A puzzle that punishes experimentation turns curiosity into anxiety. Timers, if used at all, should be optional or reserved for special modes.
6. Readable at a glance, on any screen
The state of the puzzle should be clear in one look on a small phone screen:
- colours must be distinct, including for common colour-vision deficiencies — shapes or patterns help;
- pieces and touch targets must be large enough for a thumb;
- animations should show what happened, and be quick enough not to slow the player down.
7. Respect the player’s time
Puzzle games are often played in short breaks. That means:
- the game should start in seconds, without installs or sign-ups;
- progress should be saved automatically;
- the first level should never be interrupted by an advert;
- every level should be finishable in a few minutes.
How we apply this
Our first games are sorting puzzles because the genre makes these principles easy to test: the rules are minimal, solvability can be verified automatically, and difficulty can be tuned precisely. If you want practical tips for playing them, read how to solve ball sort puzzles. If you want to know how browser games run without downloads, see playing games in your browser.