The puzzle games we didn't delete

We install a lot of puzzle games and delete most of them fast. They're the easiest genre to make and the hardest to make well. Tilecraft Market is one that survived our usual purge, and it's worth unpacking why.

The base puzzle has to be satisfying on its own. If you'd stop playing without the meta layer, the meta layer is just a bandage. Tilecraft Market passes that test, which is rarer than it sounds.

We also look at how a puzzle game asks for your attention. A good one is happy to be picked up for two minutes and put down. A bad one nags. The difference in daily feel is huge.

If you're hunting for a new puzzle game, ignore the screenshots and play a few boards. The genre is all about feel, and feel doesn't show up in a marketing image.