Active puzzle video game
An active puzzle video game is a genre of puzzle video game which has roots in traditional puzzle games like speed chess, but really came into its own with the advent of the video game. Active puzzle games require the player to make decisions quickly and respond to unexpected changes in the puzzle's structure. This is contrasted with a passive puzzle video game which gives the player as much time as they need.
Most video game databases don't distinguish between active and passive puzzle games, but I think there is a significant difference in both the mechanics used and the feel of the game.
Personal
I don't think I witnessed an active puzzle video game until around the late 1980s, and it was most likely Tetris.
Games
This is a list of active puzzle video games that are important to me. For all games in this genre, see the active puzzle category.
| Title | Released | Developer |
|---|---|---|
| Adventures of Lolo | 1989-04-20 | HAL Laboratory |
| A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia | 1990-01-?? | Imagineering |
| Frog Fractions 2 | 2016-12-26 | Twinbeard |
| Ittle Dew | 2013-07-05 | Ludosity AB |
| Katamari Damacy | 2004-03-18 | Namco |
| Kickle Cubicle | 1988-06-?? | Irem |
| Limbo | 2010-07-21 | Playdead |
| Mini Metro | 2014-08-11 | Dinosaur Polo Club Limited |
| Pony Island | 2016-01-04 | Daniel Mullins Games |
| Portal series | 2007-10-10 | Valve |
| The Swapper | 2013-05-13 | Facepalm Games |
| Tetris | 1984-06-06 | Alexey Pajitnov |
| ZZT | 1991-10-?? | Tim Sweeney |
Links
- giantbomb.com/games/?genre=18 - Giant Bomb.
