IQGAMES — where classic puzzles meet modern play

IQGAMES is an independent project dedicated to a simple proposition: the puzzle games we grew up with are still some of the best brain-training tools ever designed — and they deserve a second look, with fresh rule variants that give them new life.

What we do

Every game in our catalogue ships with at least two playable variants: the original ruleset, faithfully documented with rules, strategy, and historical context, and one or more modern variants — twists on the original mechanic that force a different strategic mindset.

We don't re-skin the classics; we re-engineer them. Each variant is chosen because it makes the puzzle meaningfully different, not because it adds visual flair. A Sudoku where the diagonals also need to sum to 45 is a real variant. A Sudoku with different colours is not.

Why puzzles, why now

Puzzles are the rare activity that is simultaneously relaxing and demanding — they engage working memory, spatial reasoning, and constraint propagation without ever feeling like exercise. The research is consistent: regular puzzle practice correlates with sharper cognition across age groups, particularly for older adults.

But the modern web has not been kind to puzzle games. Most online versions are buried under ads, gated behind logins, or bloated with mechanics that have nothing to do with the puzzle itself. IQGAMES is the antidote: clean pages, real rules, serious strategy, no nonsense.

Our catalogue

We currently document 7 classic puzzle games with a total of 15 playable variants:

• Sudoku — 3 variants
• 2048 — 2 variants
• Minesweeper — 2 variants
• Tetris — 2 variants
• 15-Puzzle — 2 variants
• Mastermind — 2 variants
• Sokoban — 2 variants

Editorial principles

• Rules first. Every variant begins with a clear, unambiguous ruleset. If the rules can't be stated in 200 words, the variant is too complex.
• Strategy second. After rules, we explain how to actually play well — patterns, traps, and the mental models expert players use.
• History third. Where did this puzzle come from? Who designed it? Why? Every game deserves a story.
• No dark patterns. No streaks designed to manipulate, no microtransactions, no engagement metrics optimised against your time.

Get in touch

We're a small, independent project. If you have a variant you'd like to see documented, a correction to suggest, or just want to say hello, reach us at [email protected].