Tilebound

Tilebound looks like a dozen other tile puzzles for about five minutes, and then it starts to reveal itself. New mechanics arrive at a perfect drip — locked tiles, mirrors, chains — each one making you rethink patterns you thought you'd mastered.

What we loved most is the difficulty curve. Puzzles get genuinely hard, but they always feel solvable, so that 'aha' moment lands over and over. There are no ads mid-puzzle to break your concentration, which alone puts it ahead of many rivals.

With hundreds of levels and no filler, Tilebound is the puzzle game we keep recommending to friends who say they don't like puzzle games.

What we liked

• Brilliant difficulty pacing
• Steady stream of fresh rules
• Distraction-free design