Best games
Best Puzzle games of 2001
The 10 best Puzzle games released in 2001, ranked from 2,368 critic and player ratings.
The best Puzzle game of 2001 is The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, with a critic score of 95/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2001.
- 10 games are listed on this page, carrying 2,368 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 29 September 2026.
Top 10
01
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Seasons. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Ages is said to be more puzzle-oriented than its counterpart being more action-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
95
/100
02
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Ages. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Seasons is said to be more action-oriented than its counterpart being more puzzle-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
93
/100
03
ICO
An action-adventure game in which a boy is abandoned and taken to a massive castle by his people. After exploring it for a while, he meets a girl who speaks a different language than him, then decides to get both of them out of the castle grounds by leading her along, in order to escape the shadow-like creatures that frequently try to kidnap the girl.
90
/100
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Seasons. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Ages is said to be more puzzle-oriented than its counterpart being more action-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
95
/100
02
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons is one of two Zelda titles released for the Game Boy Color, the other being Oracle of Ages. The game retain many gameplay elements from Link's Awakening such as the graphics, audio and top-view perspective. It also features eight dungeons and a large overworld to explore like in the previous games. Oracle of Seasons is said to be more action-oriented than its counterpart being more puzzle-oriented. After completing one of the two games, both can be linked to form a single linear plot with an alternate ending. Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages were often credited as being two of the top games for the Game Boy Color.
93
/100
03
ICO
An action-adventure game in which a boy is abandoned and taken to a massive castle by his people. After exploring it for a while, he meets a girl who speaks a different language than him, then decides to get both of them out of the castle grounds by leading her along, in order to escape the shadow-like creatures that frequently try to kidnap the girl.
90
/100
04
Black & White
Play the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Be an evil, malevolent god and the natives will worship you with fear in their eyes. Play as a kind, benevolent god and they will worship you with love in their hearts. Your actions decide whether you create a heaven or hell for your worshipers. Then select a creature from the land to act as your representative in the world. Raise it to gigantic proportions and teach it to do your bidding--whether the animal grows into an evil colossus of mass destruction or a kind and gentle giant is up to you. Progress through the game's rich storyline performing powerful miracles to battle other deities and become the world's supreme god.
90
/100
05
Clive Barker's Undying
The masterful author who brought you the Hellraiser films and countless successful horror novels tries his hand at video games with this creepy, haunting saga. Set in the early 1920s, the action takes place in the Irish countryside and revolves around a plagued fellow by the name of Patrick Galloway. Full of terrifying twists and turns, the game follows Galloway as he's haunted by specters--an ailment that will slowly drive him to the brink of insanity over the course of the game's many chapters. He'll have both magic and some powerful weaponry to help him through his journey, but as the plot thickens, so does the level of difficulty. Blending fever-pitch action with a deep, thorough story, Clive Barker's Undying is chilly enough to keep you up at night and addicting enough to occupy you for weeks.
85
/100
06
Ikaruga
In this vertical scrolling spaceship shooter, you control a ship that can change its polarity at will. As blue/white, the ship can easily destroy red/black enemies, and vice versa. Bullets of your polarity can be collected to fuel your energy gauge, but those opposite will kill you. Destroying an enemy ship causes them to fire revenge bullets which can be absorbed and fired back by the player. Different difficulties exist to change exactly how you interact with polarized points, or how they appear. It is the spiritual successor to Radiant Silvergun, featuring similar level and boss design, as well as it's buddhism inspired themes and aesthetics. Both are directed by Hiroshi Iuchi, who also composed Ikaruga's soundtrack.
84
/100
07
Anachronox
Welcome to Anachronox, an abandoned alien artificial planet at the centre of the universe, now home to lowlifes, thieves, and scoundrels. Here we join Sylvester "Sly Boots" Bucelli—a down on his luck PI—and a cast of 6 other unlikely heroes on their quest to discover who or what is trying to destroy the universe. They are the only ones that believe it is happening, and the only ones that can do something about it.
77
/100
08
Runaway, A Road Adventure
Runaway: A Road Adventure is a point and click adventure game developed by Péndulo Studios, S.L. in 2001. The game follows the long tradition of two-dimensional adventure games like the first two installments of the Broken Sword series. It enjoyed immense popularity in countries like Germany and France, where the adventure genre is still popular.
74
/100
09
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Made by Gearbox Software and originally released in 2001 as an add-on to Half-Life, Blue Shift is a return to the Black Mesa Research Facility in which you play as Barney Calhoun, the security guard sidekick who helped Gordon out of so many sticky situations.
71
/100
10
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first Harry Potter video game for the PlayStation, and one of several different games based on the book and movie. This version is a three-dimensional action adventure, where Harry must complete a number of challenges in order to pass his first year of studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Successful completion of the tasks often results in house points for Harry's house Gryffindor and failure in some deducts points, so the race for the House Cup can stay open until the end.
60
/100
Black & White
Play the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Be an evil, malevolent god and the natives will worship you with fear in their eyes. Play as a kind, benevolent god and they will worship you with love in their hearts. Your actions decide whether you create a heaven or hell for your worshipers. Then select a creature from the land to act as your representative in the world. Raise it to gigantic proportions and teach it to do your bidding--whether the animal grows into an evil colossus of mass destruction or a kind and gentle giant is up to you. Progress through the game's rich storyline performing powerful miracles to battle other deities and become the world's supreme god.
90
/100
05
Clive Barker's Undying
The masterful author who brought you the Hellraiser films and countless successful horror novels tries his hand at video games with this creepy, haunting saga. Set in the early 1920s, the action takes place in the Irish countryside and revolves around a plagued fellow by the name of Patrick Galloway. Full of terrifying twists and turns, the game follows Galloway as he's haunted by specters--an ailment that will slowly drive him to the brink of insanity over the course of the game's many chapters. He'll have both magic and some powerful weaponry to help him through his journey, but as the plot thickens, so does the level of difficulty. Blending fever-pitch action with a deep, thorough story, Clive Barker's Undying is chilly enough to keep you up at night and addicting enough to occupy you for weeks.
85
/100
06
Ikaruga
In this vertical scrolling spaceship shooter, you control a ship that can change its polarity at will. As blue/white, the ship can easily destroy red/black enemies, and vice versa. Bullets of your polarity can be collected to fuel your energy gauge, but those opposite will kill you. Destroying an enemy ship causes them to fire revenge bullets which can be absorbed and fired back by the player. Different difficulties exist to change exactly how you interact with polarized points, or how they appear. It is the spiritual successor to Radiant Silvergun, featuring similar level and boss design, as well as it's buddhism inspired themes and aesthetics. Both are directed by Hiroshi Iuchi, who also composed Ikaruga's soundtrack.
84
/100
07
Anachronox
Welcome to Anachronox, an abandoned alien artificial planet at the centre of the universe, now home to lowlifes, thieves, and scoundrels. Here we join Sylvester "Sly Boots" Bucelli—a down on his luck PI—and a cast of 6 other unlikely heroes on their quest to discover who or what is trying to destroy the universe. They are the only ones that believe it is happening, and the only ones that can do something about it.
77
/100
08
Runaway, A Road Adventure
Runaway: A Road Adventure is a point and click adventure game developed by Péndulo Studios, S.L. in 2001. The game follows the long tradition of two-dimensional adventure games like the first two installments of the Broken Sword series. It enjoyed immense popularity in countries like Germany and France, where the adventure genre is still popular.
74
/100
09
Half-Life: Blue Shift
Made by Gearbox Software and originally released in 2001 as an add-on to Half-Life, Blue Shift is a return to the Black Mesa Research Facility in which you play as Barney Calhoun, the security guard sidekick who helped Gordon out of so many sticky situations.
71
/100
10
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the first Harry Potter video game for the PlayStation, and one of several different games based on the book and movie. This version is a three-dimensional action adventure, where Harry must complete a number of challenges in order to pass his first year of studies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Successful completion of the tasks often results in house points for Harry's house Gryffindor and failure in some deducts points, so the race for the House Cup can stay open until the end.
60
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Puzzle game of 2001?
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages currently tops the ranking with a score of 95/100 across 99 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.