Hey All-
I’d like some recommendations for non-IF puzzle/strategy games that keep going: new levels or endless mode, things like that. Preferably story-less.
My go-to games like this now are Two Dots and Dox, and I’d like something new in this vein.
Any suggestions?
The classic (at least in my opinion) in this genre is Sokoban. There are many implementations of the game for all platforms.
The objectively best recommendation here is Hexcells! Buy all three, they’re super cheap and amazingly good. It’s like minesweeper crossed with Picross, with hexes. There are bespoke puzzles in each of the games, then the last one has an infinite mode too – honestly they’re not nearly as good as the designed puzzles, not because they’re bad but because the designed ones are so, so good.
My go-to “waiting room” phone game when there’s no signal is Wordscapes. You get a selection of letters and have to make as many words as possible to fill in a crossword puzzle, so sort of like Boggle. I ignore the in-app purchases and use my brain and the coins I collect solving puzzles for occasional hints.
this is what’s on my phone…
Vexed (also various online versions available, not sure about iOS. I was playing this on my Palm Pilot in the '90’s…)
Flow Free
Simon Tatham’s Portable Puzzle Collection is a zillion-in-one. not for IOS, but javascript versions are playable on that page
I was just about to suggest Simon Tatham’s collection! There’s an iOS port of them here, though I can’t vouch for how good the port is because I use an Android phone.
A few years ago, I played Hexcells until I couldn’t sleep-- always seeing those hexes behind my eyes. Wicked, wicked addicting. I hadn’t had a problem like that since Tetris.
I do highly recommend it as well, but be careful. It’s heroin in game form.
I really like mechanical puzzles where you have to move things around. In addition to Sokoban, a few that come to mind are BoxUp, Full House, Peg Solitaire, Plank Puzzle, Professor Fizzwizzle, Rush Hour, Tipover and Wriggle.