Best PS1 Puzzle Games: Tried, Tested and Rated in 2024

Many of the consoles prior to the PS1 tried their hand at puzzle games, but the game changed forever the moment the PS1 hit the shops.

The great thing about puzzle games is they can come in many shapes, sizes, and disguises.

Tetris is probably one the first heavily played puzzle games, which went on to cause many clones such as the Bubble Bobble attempt.

With added processing power, developers were able to create elaborate puzzle games for the PS1 machine.

Whilst many developers too to their coding screens developing complex 3D platform and sport games, a handful took on the puzzle game genre.

Whether strategy, mystical or straight Tetris-like puzzle orientated without all the other bells and whistles, some of the best puzzle games hit the PS1 console.

Our best of puzzle games list is of no means conclusive, but these are games we have recently tried again and found the best of the releases.

Perhaps these are familiar titles to you, maybe birthday or Christmas gifts, or these could be hidden gems missed first time around whilst excitingly unwrapping FIFA 99 – but if puzzle games are your thing, these gems are some of the best to add to any PS1 collection.

No One Can Stop Mr Domino

The crazy story of the happy Mr Domino by Artdink is a game you where you wonder what the developers were on when coming up with the premise of the game.

Having watched the opening introduction sequence a number of times, I’m still none the wiser as to what is going on.

Still, I wanted to find out whether this game is as good as I remember when it was released in 1998.

Players can choose between playing happy Mr Domino or Miss Domino, probably his sister.

Beginning in Phat Tony’s Casino (wouldn’t get away with a name like that in today’s world of gaming aid at a younger audience) the idea is to strategically drop dominos across the casino floor, which once knocked over hit the exact spots needed to trigger some of the interactive puzzles.

No One Can Stop Mr Domino is not the type of game a player can simply pick up and start playing. Trying to understand the game as the player goes will do nothing but frustrate.

The trick is to look at the floor for various tiles, such as a playing card symbol, and also the puzzles along the edges of the playing area which come in to play once the track is lapped and dominos can start falling.

On one hand, No One Can Stop Mr Domino is an incredibly difficult game to figure out, but once the technique and gameplay is figured out the journey is truly one of the best and most imaginative puzzle games to have been released on the PS1.

Kula World

The concept of Kula World is quite simple.

A ball attempts to traverse different mini floating worlds of rock and brick, collecting all manner of coins, fruit and keys whilst using all the jumps, springs and objects seen, before reaching the exit (which only turns green once all pieces have been collected).

Fortunately, the ball can be controlled quite well and doesn’t continuously move.

Gravity doesn’t really exist either as the world can be traversed in all manner of angles.

The first level starts of incredibly simple to allow the player to get into the game, then things change.

It’s a slow tame puzzler aimed for a younger generation. Although the player is up against the clock, nothing feels too rushed.

Not all items have to be collected before the Exit turns green, but the more objects collected the more points are awarded.

Its quite an easy game to pick up and put down on a lazy Sunday afternoon but be warned the easy challenges of the first few games and replaced with my thought provoking challenges as levels move forward.

Suggested Reading: Best PS1 Soccer games, tried and tested!

Kurushi

Kurushi, at the time of release, was unlike any game that any console previously could have realistically produced.

A futuristic setting played out with revolving huge bricks hurtling their way like a lemming off the edge of the world into an abyss, with the player standing between the bricks and the drop to infinity.

The idea of the game is to eliminate certain bricks before the block reaches you enabling the player to sneak between the gaps to safety – before the next set of bricks start their journey to the abyss.

As levels progress so do the number of bricks.

Some bricks can not be eliminated, so the puzzle is to see the route out to safety before the bricks make their descent towards you.

The closer to the abyss edge the more challenging things become.

What starts out as a simple puzzle because a fast paced adrenalin rush to reach the next level.

Nothing like Kurushi came before, and probably nothing like it since, but it is surely one of those hidden gems very much under-appreciated at the time.

Hogs of War

The opening sequence of Hogs of War is cleverly done.

Particularly the video sequence during the pull down map showing all territories and countries in the shape of animals.

I also love the names of the characters including Tommy’s Trotters, Garlic Grunts, Uncle Hams Hogs, Piggystroika, Sushi-Swine and Sow-a-Krauts.

The Training Mission is a great option for newbies to get started. It’s rather basic but gives the player a feel for the controls, and how to move your selected porky pig around the screen.

The graphics resemble a cartoon more than any attempt to provide realistic scenery, but the controls are quite troublesome at times, especially when aiming and firing.

Hogs of War will be a game that someone will either continue playing after five minutes and get totally in to, or get bored after 5 mins and take the disc out.

There probably isn’t an in between.

For those who do take the plunge and preserver, despite its misgivings and cumbersome controls, will really enjoy the bumbling of Tommy’s Trotter and co as they serve, protect, and take on various missions and assignments in to no mans (pigs) land.